While thus he spoke, his hearers wept; but some, Sons of the glebe, with other frowns than those That knit themselves for summer shadow, scowl'd At their great lord. He, when it seem'd he saw No pale sheet-lightnings from afar, but fork'd Of the near storm, and aiming at his head, Sat anger-charm'd from sorrow, soldier-like, Erect but when the preacher's cadence flow'd Softening thro' all the gentle attributes Of his lost child, the wife, who watch'd his face, Paled at a sudden twitch of his iron mouth; And "O pray God that he hold up she thought "Or surely I shall shame myself and him." "Nor yours the blame-for who be şide your hearths Can take her place-If echoing me you Would darken, as he cursed his credu lousness, And that one unctious mouth which lured him, rogue, To buy strange shares in some Peruvian mine, Now seaward-bound for health they gain'd a coast, All sand and cliff and deep-inrunning But while the two were sleeping, a full tide Rose with ground-swell, which, on the foremost rocks Touching, upjetted in spirts of wild sea-smoke, And scaled in sheets of wasteful foam, and fell In vast sea-cataracts-ever and anon Dead claps of thunder from within the cliff's Heard thro' the living roar. At this the babe, Their Margaret cradled near them, wail'd and woke The mother, and the father suddenly cried, "A wreck, a wreck !" then turn'd, and groaning said, "Forgive! How many will say, 'forgive,' and find A sort of absolution in the sound I wonder'd at her strength, and ask'd her of it: 'It came,' she said, 'by working in the mines: O then to ask her of my shares, I thought; And ask'd; but not a word; she shook her head. And then the motion of the current ceased, And there was rolling thunder; and we reach'd A mountain, like a wall of burrs and thorns; But she with her strong feet up the steep hill Trod out a path: I follow'd; and at top She pointed seaward; there a fleet of glass, That seem'd a fleet of jewels under me, Sailing along before a gloomy cloud That not one moment ceased to thun der, past In sunshine: right across its track there lay, Down in the water, a long reef of gold, Or what seem'd gold; and I was glad at first A loose one in the hard grip of his hand, A curse in his God-bless-you: then my eyes own the street, and far crowd, Read rascal in the motions of his back And scoundrel in the supple-sliding knee." "Was he so bound, poor soul?" said the good wife; "So are we all: but do not call him, love, Before you prove him, rogue, and proved, forgive. IIis gain is loss; for he that wrongs his friend Wrongs himself more, and ever bears A silent court of justice in his breast, Himself the judge and jury, and himself The prisoner, at the bar, ever condemn'd: And that drags down his life: then comes what comes Hereafter and he meant, he said he meant, you well." "With all his conscience and one That altogether went to music? Still It awed me." Then she told it, having dream'd |