Nine times the earth with its redeeming force
Whirl’d round its vast undeviating course:
Nine times the sun (obscured but only twice)
Obey’d the law and paid his sacrifice:
As oft the moon in reverential robes
Stood forth predominant among the globes;[210]
And only once—and that in love it seems—
The halo atmosphere impair’d her beams:
The stars, obedient to the mighty Hand,
Imparted promise to Jane Hollybrand.
But now alas! alas! that dreadful pow’r[211]
Had usher’d in the last and pitiable hour,
When that dissyllable—that dread “farewell”
Will fall from Arnold like a deathful knell!—
But true t’his promise he will faithful be,
Should Heaven preserve him over land and sea,
For love combined with strict integrity
Will well assist him through those trying years,
And turn to joy Jane’s first momentous tears.
When, as reluctantly he turn’d around,
Great Day[212] portray’d him on the gravell’d ground—
Sh’ inclined her tearful eyes toward the shade;
But in the twinkling of an eye it fled:
“Ah me! (she said) he’s gone—yet not for ever!”
Now Jane had learnt how painful ’twas to sever
From one who dearly lov’d, and whom she lov’d,—
As her demeanour most distinctly prov’d,—
For when she looked (in vain) to see the coach
Which bore him on, she hurried to her couch
And there * * * but ere she’d time to vent her grief
Her kind adviser[213] came to her relief—
“Be cheer’d” she said—and bent to stay Jane’s tears,
And solac’d the dear girl with soothing pray’rs:
Then Jane, obedient to th’ impulsive move,
Arose and openly confess’d her love.
[210] Stars.
[211] Time.
[212] The sun.
[213] Aunt Toogood.