the home book of verse-4-第9部分
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He met her by a secret stair； …
The night was centuries ago。
Said Aucassin； 〃My love； my pet；
These old confessors vex me so！
They threaten all the pains of hell
Unless I give you up； ma belle〃； …
Said Aucassin to Nicolette。
〃Now who should there in Heaven be
To fill your place； ma tres…douce mie？
To reach that spot I little care！
There all the droning priests are met；
All the old cripples； too； are there
That unto shrines and altars cling
To filch the Peter…pence we bring〃； …
Said Aucassin to Nicolette。
〃There are the barefoot monks and friars
With gowns well tattered by the briars；
The saints who lift their eyes and whine：
I like them not … a starveling set！
Who'd care with folk like these to dine？
The other road 'twere just as well
That you and I should take； ma belle！〃 …
Said Aucassin to Nicolette。
〃To purgatory I would go
With pleasant comrades whom we know；
Fair scholars； minstrels； lusty knights
Whose deeds the land will not forget；
The captains of a hundred fights；
The men of valor and degree：
We'll join that gallant company；〃 …
Said Aucassin to Nicolette。
〃There； too； are jousts and joyance rare；
And beauteous ladies debonair；
The pretty dames； the merry brides；
Who with their wedded lords coquette
And have a friend or two besides； …
And all in gold and trappings gay；
With furs； and crests in vair and gray；〃 …
Said Aucassin to Nicolette。
〃Sweet players on the cithern strings；
And they who roam the world like kings；
Are gathered there； so blithe and free！
Pardie！ I'd join them now； my pet；
If you went also； ma douce mie！
The joys of Heaven I'd forego
To have you with me there below；〃 …
Said Aucassin to Nicolette。
Edmund Clarence Stedman ＇1833…1908＇
ON THE HURRY OF THIS TIME
With slower pen men used to write；
Of old； when 〃letters〃 were 〃polite〃；
In Anna's or in George's days；
They could afford to turn a phrase；
Or trim a struggling theme aright。
They knew not steam； electric light
Not yet had dazed their calmer sight； …
They meted out both blame and praise
With slower pen。
Too swiftly now the Hours take flight！
What's read at morn is dead at night：
Scant space have we for Art's delays；
Whose breathless thought so briefly stays；
We may not work … ah！ would we might！ …
With slower pen。
Austin Dobson ＇1840…1921＇
〃GOOD…NIGHT； BABETTE！〃
Si vieillesse pouvait！ …
Scene。 … A small neat Room。 In a high Voltaire Chair
sits a white…haired old Gentleman。
Monsieur Vieuxbois Babette
M。 Vieuxbois （turning querulously）
Day of my life！ Where can she get！
Babette！ I say！ Babette！ … Babette！
Babette （entering hurriedly）
Coming； M'sieu'！ If M'sieu' speaks
So loud； he won't be well for weeks！
M。 Vieuxbois
Where have you been？
Babette
Why M'sieu' knows： …
April！ 。 。 。 Ville d'Avray！ 。 。 。 Ma'am'selle Rose！
M。 Vieuxbois
Ah！ I am old； … and I forget。
Was the place growing green； Babette？
Babette
But of a greenness！ … yes； M'sieu'！
And then the sky so blue！ … so blue！
And when I dropped my immortelle；
How the birds sang！
（Lifting her apron to her eyes）
This poor Ma'am'selle！
M。 Vieuxbois
You're a good girl； Babette； but she； …
She was an Angel； verily。
Sometimes I think I see her yet
Stand smiling by the cabinet；
And once； I know； she peeped and laughed
Betwixt the curtains 。 。 。
Where's the draught？
（She gives him a cup）
Now I shall sleep； I think； Babette； …
Sing me your Norman chansonnette。
Babette （sings）
〃Once at the Angelus；
（Ere I was dead）；
Angels all glorious
Came to my bed；
Angels in blue and white
Crowned on the Head。〃
M。 Vieuxbois （drowsily）
〃She was an Angel〃 。 。 。 〃Once she laughed〃 。 。 。
What； was I dreaming？
Where's the draught？
Babette （showing the empty cup）
The draught； M'sieu'？
M。 Vieuxbois
How I forget！
I am so old！ But sing； Babette！
Babette （sings）
〃One was the Friend I left
Stark in the Snow；
One was the Wife that died
Long； … long ago；
One was the Love I lost 。 。 。
How could she know？〃
M。 Vieuxbois （murmuring）
Ah； Paul！ 。 。 。 old Paul！ 。 。 。 Eulalie too！
And Rose 。 。 。 And O！ 〃the sky so blue！〃
Babette （sings）
〃One had my Mother's eyes；
Wistful and mild；
One had my Father's face；
One was a Child：
All of them bent to me； …
Bent down and smiled！〃
（He is asleep！）
M。 Vieuxbois （almost inaudibly）
〃How I forget！〃
〃I am so old！〃 。 。 。 〃Good…night； Babette！〃
Austin Dobson ＇1840…1921＇
A DIALOGUE FROM PLATO
Le tempo le mieux employe est celui qu'on perd。 … Claude Tillier
I'd 〃read〃 three hours。 Both notes and text
Were fast a mist becoming；
In bounced a vagrant bee； perplexed；
And filled the room with humming；
Then out。 The casement's leafage sways；
And； parted light； discloses
Miss Di。； with hat and book； … a maze
Of muslin mixed with roses。
〃You're reading Greek？〃 〃I am … and you？〃
〃O； mine's a mere romancer！〃
〃So Plato is。〃 〃Then read him … do；
And I'll read mine for answer。〃
I read： 〃My Plato （Plato； too …
That wisdom thus should harden！）
Declares 'blue eyes look doubly blue
Beneath a Dolly Varden。'〃
She smiled。 〃My book in turn avers
（No author's name is stated）
That sometimes those Philosophers
Are sadly mistranslated。〃
〃But hear； … the next's in stronger style：
The Cynic School asserted
That two red lips which part and smile
May not be controverted！〃
She smiled once more。 〃My book； I find；
Observes some modern doctors
Would make the Cynics out a kind
Of album…verse concoctors。〃
Then I： 〃Why not？ 'Ephesian law；
No less than time's tradition；
Enjoined fair speech on all who saw
Diana's apparition。〃
She blushed； … this time。 〃If Plato's page
No wiser precept teaches；
Then I'd renounce that doubtful sage；
And walk to Burnham Beeches。〃
〃Agreed；〃 I said。 〃For Socrates
（I find he too is talking）
Thinks Learning can't remain at ease
When Beauty goes a…walking。〃
She read no more。 I leapt the sill：
The sequel's scarce essential …
Nay； more than this； I hold it still
Profoundly confidential。
Austin Dobson ＇1840…1921＇
THE LADIES OF ST。 JAMES'S
A Proper New Ballad Of The Country And The Town
Phyllida amo ante alias。 … Virgil
The ladies of St。 James's
Go swinging to the play；
Their footmen run before them；
With a 〃Stand by！ Clear the way！〃
But Phyllida； my Phyllida！
She takes her buckled shoon；
When we go out a…courting
Beneath the harvest moon。
The ladies of St。 James's
Wear satin on their backs；
They sit all night at Ombre；
With candles all of wax：
But Phyllida； my Phyllida！
She dons her russet gown；
And runs to gather May dew
Before the world is down。
The ladies of St。 James's！
They are so fine and fair；
You'd think a box of essences
Was broken in the air：
But Phyllida； my Phyllida！
The breath of heath and furze
When breezes blow at morning；
Is not so fresh as hers。
The ladies of St。 James's！
They're painted to the eyes；
Their white it stays for ever；
Their red it never dies：
But Phyllida； my Phyllida！
Her color comes and goes；
It trembles to a lily； …
It wavers to a rose。
The ladies of St。 James's！
You scarce can understand
The half of all their speeches；
Their phrases are so grand：
But Phyllida； my Phyllida！
Her shy and simple words
Are clear as after rain…drops
The music of the birds。
The ladies of St。 James's！
They have their fits and freaks；
They smile on you … for seconds；
They frown on you … for weeks：
But Phyllida； my Phyllida！
Come either storm or shine；
From Shrove…tide unto Shrove…tide；
Is always true … and mine。
My Phyllida！ my Phyllida！
I care not though they heap
The hearts of all St。 James's；
And give me all to keep；
I care not whose the beauties
Of all the world may be；
For Phyllida … for Phyllida
Is all the world to me！
Austin Dobson ＇1840…1921＇
THE CURE'S PROGRESS
Monsieur the Cure down the street
Comes with his kind old face； …
With his coat worn bare； and his straggling hair；
And his green umbrella…case。
You may see him pass by the little 〃Grande Place〃；
And the tiny 〃Hotel…de…Ville〃；
He smiles； as he goes； to the fleuriste Rose；
And the pompier Theophile。
He turns； as a rule； through the 〃Marche〃 cool；
Where the noisy fish…wives call；
And his compliment pays to the 〃Belle Therese〃；
As she knits in her dusky stall。
There's a letter to drop at the locksmith's shop；
And Toto； the locksmith's niece；
Has jubilant hopes； for the Cure gropes
In his tails for a pain d'epice。
There's a little dispute with a merchant of fruit；
Who is said to be heterodox；
That will ended be with a 〃Ma foi； oui！〃
And a pinch from the Cure's box。
There is also a word that no one heard
To the furrier's daughter Lou。；
And a pale cheek fed with a flickering red；
And a 〃Ben Dieu garde M'sieu'！〃
But a grander way for the Sous…Prefet；
And a bow for Ma'am'selle Anne；
And a mock 〃off…hat〃 to the Notary's cat；
And a nod to the Sacristan： …
For ever through life the Cure goes
With a smile on his kind old face …
With his coat worn bare； and his straggling hair；
And his green umbrella…case。
Austin Dobson ＇1840…1921＇
A GENTLEMAN OF THE OLD SCHOOL
He lived in that past Georgian day；
When men were less inclined to say
That 〃Time is Gold；〃 and overlay
With toil their pleasure；
He held some land； and dwelt thereon； …
Where； I forget； … the house is gone；
His Christian name； I think； was John； …
His surname； Leisure。
Reynolds has painted him； … a face
