As Philip pass'd along, hushed their voices.

Could he have read their looks, he might have known

Some dark o'er-clouding sorrow was at hand,

More nigh than he could think for, and more hard.

Then passed a woman from the ale-house door,

And, all unwitting Philip was so near,

Cried, "Have you heard who died just now?

'Twas Enoch Arden,—lost, but late returned;

And Miriam Lane has known it all along!"

As if some hand had struck a sudden blow,