"HOW THEY BROUGHT THE GOOD NEWS FROM GHENT TO AIX " I I SPRANG to the stirrup, and Joris, and he; I galloped, Dirck galloped, we galloped all three; "Good speed!" cried the watch, as the gate-bolts undrew; 66 Speed!" "echoed the wall to us galloping through; Behind shut the postern, the lights sank to rest, And into the midnight we galloped abreast. II Not a word to each other; we kept the great pace Neck by neck, stride by stride, never changing our place; I turned in my saddle and made its girths tight, Then shortened each stirrup, and set the pique right, Rebuckled the cheek-strap, chained slacker the bit, Nor galloped less steadily Roland a whit. III 'T was moonset at starting; but while we drew near Lokeren, the cocks crew and twilight dawned clear; At Boom, a great yellow star came out to see; At Düffeld, 't was morning as plain as could be; And from Mecheln church-steeple we heard the half chime, So, Joris broke silence with, "Yet there is time!" IV At Aershot, up leaped of a sudden the sun, With resolute shoulders, each butting away V And his low head and crest, just one sharp ear bent back For my voice, and the other pricked out on his track; And one eye's black intelligence,-ever that glance O'er its white edge at me, his own master, askance! And the thick heavy spume-flakes which aye and anon His fierce lips shook upwards in galloping on. VI By Hasselt, Dirck groaned; and cried Joris "Stay spur! "Your Roos galloped bravely, the fault's not in her, "We'll remember at Aix "-for one heard the quick wheeze Of her chest, saw the stretched neck and staggering knees, And sunk tail, and horrible heave of the flank, VII So, we were left galloping, Joris and I, Past Looz and past Tongres, no cloud in the sky; The broad sun above laughed a pitiless laugh, 'Neath our feet broke the brittle bright stubble like chaff; Till over by Dalhem a dome-spire sprang white, And "Gallop," gasped Joris, " for Aix is in sight! VIII "How they'll greet us!"-and all in a moment his roan Rolled neck and croup over, lay dead as a stone; And there was my Roland to bear the whole weight Of the news which alone could save Aix from her fate, With his nostrils like pits full of blood to the brim, And with circles of red for his eye-sockets' rim. IX Then I cast loose my buffcoat, each holster let fall, Shook off both my jack-boots, let go belt and all, Stood up in the stirrup, leaned, patted his ear, Called my Roland his pet-name, my horse without peer; Clapped my hands, laughed and sang, any noise, bad or good, Till at length into Aix Roland galloped and stood. X And all I remember is, friends flocking round As I sat with his head 'twixt my knees on the ground; And no voice but was praising this Roland of mine, As I poured down his throat our last measure of wine, Which (the burgesses voted by common consent) Was no more than his due who brought good news from Ghent. EVELYN HOPE I B EAUTIFUL Evelyn Hope is dead! That is her book-shelf, this her bed; She plucked that piece of geranium-flower, Beginning to die, too, in the glass; II Sixteen years old when she died! Perhaps she had scarcely heard my name; And now was quiet, now astir, Till God's hand beckoned unawares, And the sweet white brow is all of her. III Is it too late, then, Evelyn Hope? And our paths in the world diverged so wide, Each was nought to each, must I be told? We were fellow mortals, nought beside? IV No, indeed! for God above Is great to grant, as mighty to make, Through worlds I shall traverse, not a few: Much is to learn, much to forget Ere the time to come for taking you. V But the time will come, at last it will, That body and soul so pure and gay? And your mouth of your own geranium's red— And what you would do with me, in fine, In the new life come in the old one's stead. VI I have lived (I shall say) so much since then. Ransacked the ages, spoiled the climes; VII I loved you, Evelyn, all the while! My heart seemed full as it could hold; There was place and to spare for the frank young smile, And the red young mouth, and the hair's young gold. So hush, I will give you this leaf to keep: See, I shut it inside the sweet cold hand! There, that is our secret: go to sleep! You will wake, and remember, and understand. |