But ah, the burden, the delight
Of dreadful joys! Noon opening wide,
Golden and great; the gulfs of night,
Fair deaths, and rent veils cast aside,
Strong soul to strong soul rendered up,
And silence filling like a cup.
SONG
(From “’Tis Pity she’s a Queen.”—A.D. 1610.)
ACT IV. SCENE 2.
The Lady Margaret, with Susan and Lucy; Lady M. at her embroidery frame, singing.
Girls, when I am gone away,
On this bosom strew
Only flowers meek and pale,
And the yew.
Lay these hands down by my side,
Let my face be bare;
Bind a kerchief round the face,
Smooth my hair.
Let my bier be borne at dawn,
Summer grows so sweet,
Deep into the forest green
Where boughs meet.
Then pass away, and let me lie
One long, warm, sweet day
There alone with face upturn’d,
One sweet day.
While the morning light grows broad,
While noon sleepeth sound,
While the evening falls and faints,
While the world goes round.