VIII. "O Isabella! I can half perceive That I may speak my grief into thine ear; If thou didst ever anything believe, Believe how I love thee, believe how near My soul is to its doom: I would not grieve Thy hand by unwelcome pressing, would not fear Thine eyes by gazing; but I cannot live Another night, and not my passion shrive. IX. "Love! thou art leading me from wintry cold, X. Parting they seem'd to tread upon the air, Sang, of delicious love and honey'd dart; XI. All close they met again, before the dusk Unknown of any, free from whispering tale. Than idle ears should pleasure in their woe. XII. Were they unhappy then ?—It cannot be― Whose matter in bright gold were best be read; Except in such a page where Theseus' spouse Over the pathless waves towards him bows. XIII. But, for the general award of love, The little sweet doth kill much bitterness; Though Dido silent is in under-grove, And Isabella's was a great distress, Though young Lorenzo in warm Indian clove Was not embalm'd, this truth is not the lessEven bees, the little almsmen of spring-bowers, Know there is richest juice in poison-flowers. XIV. With her two brothers this fair lady dwelt, To take the rich-ored driftings of the flood. XV. For them the Ceylon diver held his breath, A thousand men in troubles wide and dark: XVI. Why were they proud? Because their marble founts XVII. Yet were these Florentines as self-retired And pannier'd mules for ducats and old lies- XVIII. How was it these same ledger-men could spy How could they find out in Lorenzo's eye A straying from his toil? Hot Egypt's pest Into their vision covetous and sly! How could these money-bags see east and west? Yet so they did-and every dealer fair Must see behind, as doth the hunted hare. XIX. O eloquent and famed Boccaccio! Of thee we now should ask forgiving boon, And of thy spicy myrtles as they blow, And of thy roses amorous of the moon, And of thy lilies, that do paler grow Now they can no more hear thy ghittern's tune, For venturing syllables that ill beseem The quiet glooms of such a piteous theme. XX. Grant thou a pardon here, and then the tale To make old prose in modern rhyme more sweet: But it is done succeed the verse or fail To honour thee, and thy gone spirit greet; To stead thee as a verse in English tongue, An echo of thee in the north-wind sung. XXI. These brethren having found by many signs XXII. And many a jealous conference had they, To make the youngster for his crime atone; XXIII. So on a pleasant morning, as he leant "You seem there in the quiet of content, Lorenzo, and we are most loath to invade Calm speculation; but if you are wise, Bestride your steed while cold is in the skies. XXIV. "To-day we purpose, ay, this hour we mount Lorenzo, courteously as he was wont, Bow'd a fair greeting to these serpents' whine; And went in haste, to get in readiness, With belt, and spur, and bracing huntsman's dress. XXV. And as he to the court-yard pass'd along, Each third step did he pause, and listen'd oft If he could hear his lady's matin-song, Or the light whisper of her footstep soft; When, looking up, he saw her features bright XXVI. "Love, Isabel!" said he, "I was in pain Lest I should miss to bid thee a good morrow: Ah! what if I should lose thee, when so fain I am to stifle all the heavy sorrow Of a poor three hours' absence? but we'll gain Out of the amorous dark what day doth borrow. Good bye! I'll soon be back."-"Good bye!" said she : And as he went she chanted merrily. XXVII. So the two brothers and their murder'd man K |