Chapter IV: Part I

She stood among her garden flowers,
The very loveliest lily there,
Beauty, bloom, purity and truth
Unfolding on the air.

He paused among the trees and gazed,
And like a bark with sails unfurled,
His heaving heart went forth to seek
Another and a fairer world.

All heaven he felt was in her eye;
Its sunshine glistened in her glance;
The air he breathed was elfin air;
His soul was in a trance:

“Ah, spirit of some virgin saint,
Turn—turn those blesséd eyes on me,
And let me kneel and worship thee!”
Deliriously said he.

She raised her eyes, her maiden cheek
Mounting the crimson tinge of dawn,
And, looking timidly around,
Stood, like a startled fawn.

“Nay, do not fly,” exclaimed the youth;
“Remain; allow my thirsty eyes
To quaff thy beauty: I would drain
A draught of Paradise.”

Wonder awaking in her face,
The maiden stood, with lips apart,
Drinking his voice, whose cadence stole
In harmony to her heart.

And even as she stood he came,
And, kneeling, bade her fear no wrong;
While all the while the murmuring air
Moved musical with song.

His words were not as other’s words,
His voice was like no other voice,
Somehow, she knew not why, it made
Her maiden heart rejoice.

And from that moment all things grew
Lovelier with light, because of him,
And, like a cup of wine, her heart
Was crimson to the brim.

“What shall I call thee?” asked the maid;
“How name thee?” “Clarence is my name,”
Returned the youth—“an honest one,
Though all unknown to fame.

“And how shall I call thee?” quoth he.
“Florence,” replied the maid—“a mean
And humble village girl.” “But fit,”
Said he, “to be a queen!”

Day after day, at eventide,
The stranger sought her, breathing words
Of passion, while her timid heart
Beat like a frightened bird’s.

But not with fear, for every pulse
Was swayed by love, that, moon-like, rides
The empyrean of the adoring heart
And rules its purple tides.