Page:Aurora Leigh a Poem.djvu/274

On hearing lovely music, suddenly
Dissolves in weeping, I brake out in tears
Before her . . asked her counsel . . ‘had I erred
‘In being too happy? would she set me straight?
‘For she, being wise and good and born above
‘The flats I had never climbed from, could perceive
‘If such as I, might grow upon the hills;
‘And whether such poor herb sufficed to grow,
‘For Romney Leigh to break his fast upon’t,—
‘Or would he pine on such, or haply starve?’
She wrapt me in her generous arms at once,
And let me dream a moment how it feels
To have a real mother, like some girls:
But when I looked, her face was younger . . ay,
Youth’s too bright not to be a little hard,
And beauty keeps itself still uppermost,
That’s true!—Though Lady Waldemar was kind,
She hurt me, hurt, as if the morning-sun
Should smite us on the eyelids when we sleep,
And wake us up with headache. Ay, and soon
Was light enough to make my heart ache too:
She told me truths I asked for, . . ’twas my fault, . .
‘That Romney could not love me, if he would,
‘As men call loving; there are bloods that flow
‘Together, like some rivers, and not mix,
‘Through contraries of nature. He indeed
‘Was set to wed me, to espouse my class,
‘Act out a rash opinion,—and, once wed,
‘So just a man and gentle, could not choose
‘But make my life as smooth as marriage-ring,