THE CHAMBER OF SILENCE
323
Grief turned and looked at me.
"We must go thither, O my friends," said she;
Then, saying nothing more,
With rapid, gliding step passed on before.
"We must go thither, O my friends," said she;
Then, saying nothing more,
With rapid, gliding step passed on before.
And we—my Heart and I—
Where Grief went, we went, following silently,
Till in sweet solitude
Beneath the temple's vaulted roof we stood.
Where Grief went, we went, following silently,
Till in sweet solitude
Beneath the temple's vaulted roof we stood.
'Twas like a hollow pearl—
A vast white sacred chamber, where the whirl
Of passion stirred not, where
A luminous splendor trembled in the air.
A vast white sacred chamber, where the whirl
Of passion stirred not, where
A luminous splendor trembled in the air.
"O friends, I know this place,"
Said Grief at last, "this lofty, silent space,
Where, either soon or late,
I and my kindred all shall lie in state."
Said Grief at last, "this lofty, silent space,
Where, either soon or late,
I and my kindred all shall lie in state."
"But do Griefs die?" I cried.
"Some die—not all," full calmly she replied.
"Yet all at last will lie
In this fair chamber, slumbering quietly.
"Some die—not all," full calmly she replied.
"Yet all at last will lie
In this fair chamber, slumbering quietly.
"Chamber of Silence, this;
Who brings his Grief here doth not go amiss.
Mine hour hath come. We three
Will walk, O friends, no more in company."
Who brings his Grief here doth not go amiss.
Mine hour hath come. We three
Will walk, O friends, no more in company."
Then was I dumb. My Heart
And I—how could we with our dear Grief part,
Who for so many a day
Had walked beside us in our lonely way?
And I—how could we with our dear Grief part,
Who for so many a day
Had walked beside us in our lonely way?
