The Draught of Life.
140
With sweet, mysterious magic! Give not me
Thy 'vintage of the skies,' so cold, so pale,
So wan and spiritless, but let me taste
The rich enchantments that I know must lie
In other draughts."
Thy 'vintage of the skies,' so cold, so pale,
So wan and spiritless, but let me taste
The rich enchantments that I know must lie
In other draughts."
The stern brow of the Arbiter relaxed
In pity for her. "Dost thou deem," he said,
"That passion and romance are always hid
In alien ways? A clearer spirit dwelt
In thy pellucid water than is found
In any wine, however rare it be,
And deep, within the heart of homely things
A kernel lies that hath the power to bud
And blossom into beauty if the eye
Hath wit to find it. And thy chalice held
All goodness in solution, Purity
And Cleanliness, and power to satisfy
All healthy thirst; Affection, deep and true,
That long outlives the passion thou dost crave;
And Duty plain, and pleasant that will bring
A fairer guerdon than the phantom charms
Romance may promise, and Tranquility,
A flavour hard to find in any draught,
However rich." Then, marking how her eyes
In pity for her. "Dost thou deem," he said,
"That passion and romance are always hid
In alien ways? A clearer spirit dwelt
In thy pellucid water than is found
In any wine, however rare it be,
And deep, within the heart of homely things
A kernel lies that hath the power to bud
And blossom into beauty if the eye
Hath wit to find it. And thy chalice held
All goodness in solution, Purity
And Cleanliness, and power to satisfy
All healthy thirst; Affection, deep and true,
That long outlives the passion thou dost crave;
And Duty plain, and pleasant that will bring
A fairer guerdon than the phantom charms
Romance may promise, and Tranquility,
A flavour hard to find in any draught,
However rich." Then, marking how her eyes
