Abovethemvisiblyinthewindweremoving.

Thewretchedwomaninthemidstofthese

Seemedtobesaying: "Givemevengeance, Lord,

Formydeadson, forwhommyheartisbreaking."

Andhetoanswerher: "Nowwaituntil

Ishallreturn." Andshe: "MyLord," likeone

Inwhomgriefisimpatient, "shouldstthounot

Return?"

Andhe: "WhoshallbewhereIam

Willgiveitthee."

Andshe: "Gooddeedofothers

Whatbootsitthee, ifthouneglectthineown?"

Whencehe: "Nowcomfortthee, foritbehovesme

ThatIdischargemydutyereImove;

Justicesowills, andpitydothretainme."

Hewhoonnonewthinghaseverlooked

Wasthecreatorofthisvisiblelanguage,

BasreliefofEmperorTrajanandpoorwidow

Noveltous, forhereitisnotfound.

WhileIdelightedmeincontemplating

Theimagesofsuchhumility,

AnddeartolookonfortheirMaker'ssake,

"Behold, uponthisside, butraretheymake

Theirsteps," thePoetmurmured, "manypeople;

Thesewilldirectustotheloftystairs."

Mineeyes, thatinbeholdingwereintent

Toseenewthings, ofwhichtheycuriousare,

Inturningroundtowardshimwerenotslow.

ButstillIwishnot, Reader, thoushouldstswerve

Fromthygoodpurposes, becausethouhearest

HowGodordaineththatthedebtbepaid;

Attendnottothefashionofthetorment,

Thinkofwhatfollows; thinkthatattheworst

Itcannotreachbeyondthemightysentence.

"Master," beganI, "thatwhichIbehold

Movingtowardsusseemstomenotpersons,

AndwhatIknownot, soinsightIwaver."

Andhetome: "Thegrievousquality

Ofthistheirtormentbowsthemsotoearth,

Thatmyowneyesatfirstcontendedwithit;