“When Work and Will awake too late, to gaze After their life sailed by, and hold their breath.”
Io opened her eyes again.
“Why did you select that thing?”
“Why did you mark it?”
“Did I mark it?”
“Certainly, I’m not responsible for the sage-blossom between the pages.”
“Ah, the sage! That’s for wisdom,” she paraphrased lightly.
“Do you think Rossetti so wise a preceptor?”
“It isn’t often that he preaches. When he does, as in that sonnet—well, the inspiration may be a little heavy, but he does have something to say.”
“Then it’s the more evident that you marked it for some special reason.”