| |
| ONE moment bid the horses wait, | |
| Since tiffin is not laid till three, | |
| Below the upward path and strait | |
| You climbed a year ago with me. | |
| Love came upon us suddenly | 5 |
| And loosed—an idle hour to kill— | |
| A headless, harmless armoury | |
| That smote us both on Jakko Hill. | |
| |
| Ah Heaven! we would wait and wait | |
| Through Time and to Eternity! | 10 |
| Ah Heaven! we would conquer Fate | |
| With more than Godlike constancy! | |
| I cut the date upon a tree— | |
| Here stand the clumsy figures still:— | |
| “10–7–85, A.D.” | 15 |
| Damp in the mists on Jakko Hill. | |
| |
| What came of high resolve and great, | |
| And until Death fidelity? | |
| Whose horse is waiting at your gate? | |
| Whose ’rickshaw-wheels ride over me? | 20 |
| No Saint’s, I swear; and—let me see | |
| To-night what names your programme fill— | |
| We drift asunder merrily, | |
| As drifts the mist on Jakko Hill! | |
| |
L’ENVOI Princess, behold our ancient state | 25 |
| Has clean departed; and we see | |
| ’Twas Idleness we took for Fate | |
| That bound light bonds on you and me. | |
| Amen! Here ends the comedy | |
| Where it began in all good will, | 30 |
| Since Love and Leave together flee | |
| As driven mist on Jakko Hill! | |
| |
