“The following are also ashamed of themselves, but don’t like to say so. The Dominican means to give them a leg up:—Tom Senior, G. Ricketts, R. Braddy, and the rest of the Fifth, except Simon, who never was or could be ashamed of himself while he lived to write such pathetic, soul-stirring lines as the following ‘Sonits:’”
(It was a great relief to one or two who stood by that Pembury had thus cunningly gone on from grave to gay, and left no pause after the very awkward paragraph about the Fifth.)
Sonit A.
To the Dominican.
I cannot write as I would like all in a noisy room
There’s such a noise of mortal boys who sometimes go and come
Oh I will to the woods away all in the lonely shade
Where I no more of being disturbed need not to be afraid.
Sonit B.
To Dr Senior.
Dear Doctor I am very grieved to hear that you are not well
Oh cruel fate and yet methinks one cannot always tell
Things are so catching nowadays I wonder if I ever
Shall like unto the Doctor be by catching a low fever.
Sonit C.
To O— G—.
Oh Greenfield melancholy wite hear me once before I go
’Tis sad to see the blossoms all in autumn time fall low
Canst thou recall that night in September when in the passage fair
I met you all so unexpectedly and you didn’t seem to care
Oh may my hair turn white and me become a soreing lark
Before the memory of that day shines out in life’s last spark.
(Wite, possibly wight.)
This was beautiful. Saint Dominic’s was beginning to appreciate poetry at last! Simon was positively delirious with triumph when, after the burst of laughter (he called it applause) which greeted the reading of this gem, some one cried out—
“Oh, I say! read that last one again, some one!” And then, amid redoubled hilarity, the whole effusion was encored.
The poet promptly sought out his enthusiastic admirer.
“Oh! I say,” said he, “would you like a copy of it?”
“Eh—oh, rather!” was the reply.
“Very good. You won’t mind if I put a few more verses in, will you? Pembury had to cut some out.”
“My dear fellow, I shan’t be happy unless I get at least twenty pages.”