THE VIRGIN
55
She lay within the water , and the sun
Made golden with his pleasure every one
Of small cool ripples that surround her throat ,
Mix with her curls , and catch the hands that float
Like water -lilies on the wave .'
Chance bowed herself across the sunny
bars,
And watched where through the silence of the lawn
Came Charicles , the darling of the dawn ,
Slowly , and to his steps took little heed ;
He came towards the pool , his god -wrought reed
Shrilling
dim visions of things glorious ,
And saw the maiden , that disported thus ,
And worshipped.
.
. ?
As
Percy ,
“
a moment ,
and
he flashed towards
her
side. "
He clasps her to his breast , kisses her , is dis
mayed
:
Her perfect eyelids drooped , her warm cheek paled,
A tear stole over it.3
He is tender , pitiful, this is no Angela .
My perfect love, O love ! for strange and dread
Delights
consume
me ; I am as one dead
Beating at Heaven's gate with nerveless wing .*
Charicles then sings the rather mystic song which opens
as follows:
Man's days are dim , his deeds are dust,
His span
is but a little space ,
He lusts
to live , he lives
to lust ,
His soul is barren of love or trust,
His heart is hopeless , seeing he must
Perish , and leave
no trace.5
He bids her gaze into his eyes ,
With love, my cheeks with passion burn
As thy clear eyes
may well discern
By gazing into mine .
1 The Tale of Archais , vol . i, p. 7.
3 Ibid . vol. i, p. 8.
• Ibid . vol. i, p. 9.
2 Ibid . vol. i, p. 8.
4 Ibid . vol. i, p. 8.
6 Ibid . vol. i, p. 9.