Page:Aurora Leigh a Poem.djvu/373

As safe, sir, as your marriage! very good;
Though if a woman took one from the ledge
To put it on the table by her flowers,
And let it mind her of a certain friend,
’Twould drop at once, (so better,) would not bear
Her nail-mark even, where she took it up
A little tenderly; so best, I say:
For me, I would not touch so light a thing,
And risk to spoil it half an hour before
The sun shall shine to melt it; leave it there.
I’m plain at speech, direct in purpose: when
I speak, you’ll take the meaning as it is,
And not allow for puckerings in the silks
By clever stitches. I’m a woman, sir,
And use the woman’s figures naturally,
As you, the male license. So, I wish you well.
I’m simply sorry for the griefs you’ve had—
And not for your sake only, but mankind’s.
This race is never grateful: from the first,
One fills their cup at supper with pure wine,
Which back they give at cross-time on a sponge,
In bitter vinegar.’
‘If gratefuller,’
He murmured,—’by so much less pitiable!
God’s self would never have come down to die,
Could man have thanked him for it.’
‘Happily
’Tis patent that, whatever,’ I resumed,
‘You suffered from this thanklessness of men,
You sink no more than Moses’ bulrush-boat,