And teach the word to all the earth,
Was not to them a sound of woe,
But rather one of holy mirth:
'Rejoice,' it said, 'for victories won
In name of my beloved son.'"
"'God moves in a mysterious way,'"
I murmured, with a hidden thought:
"To hear his voice was to obey;
But they mistook the message brought."
Then: "Tell me who those women were,
Their names, their looks, their natures tell;
For they were goddesses, and bear
Homeric armor passing well.
First of their race and sex to stand
Alone unharmed in that far land."
She told me all. How both were good,
Sweet Christian women, full of love,
An honor to pure womanhood;
But one had graciousness above
Her serious sister, and her name,
A fittingly descriptive one—
Narcissa—from a flower came,
As she suggested flower and sun;
A stately blonde, with golden hair,
And blue eyes 'neath a forehead fair.
46
