Therefore, with more than his habitual breeding,98
Resumed benignantly the bland Gawaine,
While much the Priest, against the dog's proceeding
With stifling gasps protested, but in vain—
"Friend—(softly, dog; so—ho!) Thou must confess
Our selfish interests bid us coalesce.—
"Unknit these cords; and, once unloosed the knot,99
I pledge my troth to call the hound away,
If thou accede—a show of hands! if not
That dog at least I fear must have his day."
High in the air, both hands at once appear!
"Carried, nem. con.,—Dog, fetch him,—gently, here!"
Not without much persuasion yields the hound!100
Loosens the throat, to gripe the sacred vest.
"Priest," quoth Gawaine, "remember, but a sound,
And straight the dog—let fancy sketch the rest!"
The Priest, by fancy too dismay'd already,
Fumbles the knot with fingers far from steady.
Hoarse, while he fumbles, growls the dog suspicious,101
Not liking such close contact to his Lord
(The best of friends are sometimes too officious,
And grudge all help save that themselves afford).
His hands set free, the Knight assists the Priest,
And, finis, funis, stands at last released.
True to his word—and party coalitions,102
The Knight then kicks aside the dog, of course;
Salutes the foe, and states the new conditions
The facts connected with the times enforce;
All coalitions nat'rally denote
The State-Metempsychosis—change of coat!
"Ergo," quoth Gawaine,—"first, the sacred cloak;103
Next, when two parties, but concur pro temp.
Their joint opinions only should be spoke
By that which has most cause to fear the hemp.
Wherefore, my friend, this scarf supplies the gag
To keep the cat symbolic—in the bag!"
So said, so done, before the Priest was able104
To prove his counter interest in the case,
The Knight had bound him with the victim's cable!
Closed up his mouth and cover'd up his face,
His sacred robe with hands profane had taken,
And left him that which Gawaine had forsaken.
Then Gawaine stepp'd into the blissful air,105
Oh, the bright wonder of the Northern Night!
With Ocean's heart of music heaving there,
Under its starry robe!—and all the might
Of rock and shore, and islet deluge-riven,
Distinctly dark against the lustrous heaven!
Calm lay the large rude Nature of the North,106
Glad as when first the stars rejoicing sang,
And fresh as when from kindling Chaos forth
(A thought of God) the young Creation sprang;
When man in all the present Father found,
And for the Temple, paused and look'd around!
Nature, thou earliest Gospel of the Wise,107
Thou never-silent Hymner unto God!
Thou Angel-Ladder lost amid the skies,
Though at the foot we dream upon the sod!
To thee the Priesthood of the Lyre belong—
They hear Religion and reply in Song!