And so she pined, and so she died forlorn, Imploring for her Basil to the last.
No heart was there in Florence but did mourn
In pity of her love, so overcast.
And a sad ditty of this story born
From mouth to mouth through all the country pass'd : Still is the burthen sung-"O cruelty,
To steal my Basil-pot away from me!"
UPON a Sabbath day it fell; Twice holy was the Sabbath bell, That call'd the folk to evening prayer; The city streets were clean and fair From wholesome drench of April rains; And, on the western window-panes, The chilly sunset faintly told
Of unmatured green, valleys cold, Of the green thorny bloomless hedge, Of rivers new with spring-tide sedge, Of primroses by sheltered rills, And daisies on the aguish hills.
Twice holy was the Sabbath bell : The silent streets were crowded well With staid and pious companies, Warm from their fireside orat❜ries; And moving, with demurest air, To even-song, and vesper prayer. Each arched porch, and entry low, Was fill'd with patient folk and slow, With whispers hush, and shuffling feet, While play'd the organ loud and sweet. The bells had ceas'd, the prayers begun, And Bertha had not yet half done
A curious volume, patch'd and torn, That all day long, from earliest morn, Had taken captive her two eyes, Among its golden broideries;
Perplex'd her with a thousand things, The stars of Heaven, and angels' wings, Martyrs in a fiery blaze,
All was gloom, and silent all,
Save now and then the still foot-fall
Of one returning homewards late, Past the echoing minster-gate.
The clamorous daws, that all the day Above tree-tops and towers play, Pair by pair had gone to rest, Each in its ancient belfry-nest, Where asleep they fall betimes, To music and the drowsy chimes.
All was silent, all was gloom, Abroad and in the homely room : Down she sat, poor cheated soul ! And struck a lamp from the dismal coal; Lean'd forward, with bright drooping hair And slant book, full against the glare. Her shadow, in uneasy guise, Hover'd about, a giant size, On ceiling-beam and old oak chair, The parrot's cage, and panel square; And the warm angled winter-screen, On which were many monsters seen, Call'd doves of Siam, Lima mice, And legless birds of Paradise, Macaw, and tender Av'davat,
And silken-furred Angora cat. Untired she read, her shadow still Glower'd about, as it would fill
The room with wildest forms and shades, As though some ghostly queen of spades Had come to mock behind her back, And dance, and ruffle her garments black.
Untired she read the legend page, Of holy Mark, from youth to age, On land, on sea, in pagan chains, Rejoicing for his many pains. Sometimes the learned eremite, With golden star, or dagger bright, Referr'd to pious poesies
Written in smallest crow-quill size
Beneath the text; and thus the rhyme
Was parcell'd out from time to time :
"Als writith he of swevenis,
Men han beforne they wake in bliss,
Whanne that hir friendes thinke him bound
In crimped shroude farre under grounde; And how a litling child mote be
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