'Seems no more through that world in which hence forth alone 'You must work out (as now I believe that you will) The hope which you speak of. That work I shall still (If I live) watch and welcome, and bless far away. 'Doubt not this. But mistake not the thought, if I say, 'That the great moral combat between human life 'And each human soul must be single. The strife 'None can share, though by all its results may be known. 'When the soul arms for battle, she goes forth alone. 'I say not, indeed, we shall meet never more, For I know not. But meet, as we have met of yore, 'I know that we cannot. Perchance we may meet 'By the death-bed, the tomb, in the crowd, in the street, Or in solitude even, but never again 'Shall we meet from henceforth as we have met, Eugène. 'For we know not the way we are going, nor yet Where our two ways may meet, or may cross. hath set 'No landmarks before us. But this, this alone, Life That the Dragon prevail, and with cleft shield, and lance 'Lost or shatter'd, borne down by the stress of the war, You falter and hesitate, if from afar I, still watching (unknown to yourself, it may be) 'O'er the conflict to which I conjure you, should see 'That my presence could rescue, support you, or guide, In the hour of that need I shall be at your side, To warn, if you will, or incite, or control; And again, once again, we shall meet, soul to soul! ' The voice ceased. XIV. He uplifted his eyes. All alone He stood on the bare edge of dawn. She was gone, Realms of rose, in the Orient! bold, Domes of gold, And breathless, and While the great gates of heaven roll'd back one by one, The bright herald angel stood stern in the sun! In the heaven, on the earth, in the heart of the man. O earth, and O ether! A butterfly breeze Floated up, flutter'd down, and poised blithe on the trees. Through the revelling woods, o'er the sharp rippled stream, Up the vale slow uncoiling itself out of dream, XV. He uplifted his eyes. In the place where she stood There, rooted and bound For the thought that springs upward and yearns to re gain The pure source of spirit, there is no Too LATE. Something soar and ascend in his soul, as he gazed. CANTO VI. I. MAN is born on a battle-field. Round him, to rend Or resist, the dread Powers he displaces attend, His own mother, fierce Nature herself, is his foe. spread : To daunt him her forces dispute his command: On their startled Invader. In lone Malabar, Where the infinite forest spreads breathless and far, Grim Doorga, blue-limb'd and red-handed, go by, Anon, Still impell'd by Necessity hungrily on, He conquers the realms of his own self-reliance, A camp has this world been since first it began! New realms to man's soul have been conquer'd. But those, Forthwith they are peopled for man by new foes! But brows have ached for it, and souls toil'd and striven ; Nor may man on his shield Ever rest, for his foe is for ever afield, Danger ever at hand, till the armèd Archangel Sound o'er him the trump of earth's final evangel. |