The startling present left no room for more.

The sullen river lipped, the sky, the shore

Were vaster than of old, and lonely, lonely.

Sky and low hills of grass and moaning cattle only.

But for a hut bestrewn with skulls of beeves,

Round which the flies danced, where an Indian girl

Bleared at him from her eyes' ophthalmic eaves,

Grinning a welcome; with a throaty skirl,

She offered him herself; but he, the churl,

Stared till she thought him fool; she turned, she sat,