Page:Romance of the Rose (Ellis), volume 1.pdf/116

Thy tongue ere thou wert left alone,
Without a smile; then wilt thou own,2470
Not willingly hadst thou that chance
Lost, for a hundred marks of France.
Next shall thou issue forth amain,
Occasion seeking once again.
To traverse restlessly the street,
Spurred on thereto by hope to meet
Thy heart’s delight, whom thou hast seen,
Erewhile, all fruitlessly I ween.
Most diligently then wouldst thou
Seek out her woning, as I trow,2480
Though daring not to go direct,
Lest people, Argus-eyed, suspect
Thy purpose; therefore round about
Thy feet will wander, in and out,
Finding excuse and reason fair,
Though false, why thou meanderest there,
Scheming and plotting how to hide
Thine object from the world outside.

A lover’s confusion And if by hap thou dost behold
Thy love, and straightway makest bold2490
To bow, and hold her in converse,
A moment later wilt thou curse
Thy folly, when thou feelest rise
Thy blood ail hot, and next, from eyes
To chin wilt thou turn deadly pale,
And find thy voice to quiver and fail,
And thoughts confused within thine head,
Will tell thee thou hast blunderèd.
And when thou wouldst make fresh essay
With choicer words, thou’lt feel dismay,2500