"And then, indeed, not in this guise was I;
No sandals had I, and no saffron gown,
But naked as thou knowest utterly,
E'en as my limbs beneath thine hand had grown;
And this fair, perfumed robe then fell adown
Over the goddess' feet, and swept the ground,
And round her loins a glittering belt was bound.
"But when the stammering of my tongue she heard
Upon my trembling lips her hand she laid,
And spoke again: 'Nay, say not any word;
All that thine heart would say I know unsaid,
Who even now thine heart and voice have made;
But listen rather, for thou knowest now
What these words mean, and still wilt wiser grow.
"'Thy body, lifeless till I gave it life,
A certain man, my servant, well hath wrought.
I give thee to him as his love and wife,
With all thy dowry of desire and thought,
Since this his yearning heart hath ever sought.
Now from my temple is he on the way,
Deeming to find thee e'en as yesterday.
"'Bide thou his coming by the bed-head there,
And when thou seest him set his eyes upon
Thine empty niche, and hearest him cry for care,
Then call him by his name, Pygmalion,
And certainly thy lover hast thou won;
But when he stands before thee silently,
Say all these words that I shall teach to thee.'
"With that she said what first I told thee, love,
And then went on: 'Moreover, thou shalt say
That I, the daughter of almighty Jove,
Have wrought for him this long-desired day;
In sign whereof these things that pass away,
Wherein mine image men have well arrayed,
I give thee for thy wedding-gear, O maid.'
"Therewith her raiment she put off from her,
And laid bare all her perfect loveliness,
And, smiling on me, came yet more anear,
And on my mortal lips her lips did press,
And said, 'Now herewith shalt thou love no less
Than Psyche loved my son in days of old.
Farewell. Of thee shall many a tale be told.'
"And even with that last word was she gone—
How, I know not—and I my limbs arrayed
In her fair gifts, and waited thee alone.
Ah, love, indeed the word is true she said,
For now I love thee so, I grow afraid
Of what the gods upon our heads may send—
I love thee so, I think upon the end."
What words he said? How can I tell again
What words they said beneath the glimmering light?
Some tongue they used unknown to loveless men
As each to each they told their great delight,
Until for stillness of the growing night
Their soft, sweet, murmuring words seemed growing loud,
And dim the moon grew, hid by fleecy cloud.
THE END