137
The Draught of Life.
She held a crystal chalice in her hands,
A chalice, brimming' to its carven lip
With clearest water. Such an icy draught
As men, with starting eyes, and burning lips,
That mouth in agony the brazen sands
Of sun-cursed deserts, dream of, and go mad.
She held it from her, lifting tear-wet eyes
To one who sat above, and bent to hear
Her prayer, and answered with a gathering frown:
"A change for thee? Some other draught than this
To quench thy thirst and satisfy thy soul?
Did'st not thou come, a few short seasons back
To claim, as was thy right, thy draught of life,
And did I not, complying with the hot
Impetuous passion of thy eager youth,
Then bid thee choose, and did'st thou not—
None hindering—none coercing—stretch thine hand
And choose from all the rest, this very cup
From which thou now dost turn so loathingly,
To cry with tears for any draught but this?
What meanest thou?"
Then quick she cried, "Oh, stern and changeless one!
I was so young—How could I know? I dreamed
I knew, and knew not. Then it seemed to me
All draughts were equal. How could I divine
A chalice, brimming' to its carven lip
With clearest water. Such an icy draught
As men, with starting eyes, and burning lips,
That mouth in agony the brazen sands
Of sun-cursed deserts, dream of, and go mad.
She held it from her, lifting tear-wet eyes
To one who sat above, and bent to hear
Her prayer, and answered with a gathering frown:
"A change for thee? Some other draught than this
To quench thy thirst and satisfy thy soul?
Did'st not thou come, a few short seasons back
To claim, as was thy right, thy draught of life,
And did I not, complying with the hot
Impetuous passion of thy eager youth,
Then bid thee choose, and did'st thou not—
None hindering—none coercing—stretch thine hand
And choose from all the rest, this very cup
From which thou now dost turn so loathingly,
To cry with tears for any draught but this?
What meanest thou?"
Then quick she cried, "Oh, stern and changeless one!
I was so young—How could I know? I dreamed
I knew, and knew not. Then it seemed to me
All draughts were equal. How could I divine
