Bells came in swoons for it was Sunday night.

The garden was all dark, but there was light

Up in the little room where Anna slept:

The hot blood beat his brain; he crept, he crept.

Clutching himself to hear, clutching to know,

Along the path, rustling with withered leaves,

Up to the apple, too decayed to blow,

Which crooked a palsied finger at the eaves.

And up the lichened trunk his body heaves.

Dust blinded him, twigs snapped, the branches shook,