| Edmund Clarence Stedman, ed. (1833–1908). A Victorian Anthology, 1837–1895. 1895. |
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| From “Modern Love.” II. Hiding the Skeleton |
| | | George Meredith (1828–1909) |
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| AT dinner she is hostess, I am host. | |
| Went the feast ever cheerfuller? She keeps | |
| The topic over intellectual deeps | |
| In buoyancy afloat. They see no ghost. | |
| With sparkling surface-eyes we ply the ball: | 5 |
| It is in truth a most contagious game; | |
| HIDING THE SKELETON shall be its name. | |
| Such play as this the devils might appall! | |
| But here ’s the greater wonder; in that we, | |
| Enamor’d of our acting and our wits, | 10 |
| Admire each other like true hypocrites. | |
| Warm-lighted glances, Love’s Ephemeræ, | |
| Shoot gayly o’er the dishes and the wine. | |
| We waken envy of our happy lot. | |
| Fast, sweet, and golden, shows our marriage-knot. | 15 |
| Dear guests, you now have seen Love’s corpse-light shine! | |
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