The Scented Garden

29 Oh come to me there, darling ! Lean upon the golden rampart, and watch for me to come ! Be first to meet me, sweetheart ! forgive me for all the wrong I did you here. I will try and be a good wife to you, darling, if you will give me one more chance to hold your love. I had heaven in your kisses, and I went to seek it in the cloister.11 I loved you al- ways ; it was but a boy’s folly ; forgive me ! I may never cling to you on earth again : pray God that Heaven may be one long, long life of such bliss as we had of one another long ago by yon slow stream on whose banks I have wandered (many a time since) crying like a lost soul concerning you in the words of Milton lamenting his beauteous- buttocked Lycidas “ Oh ! who hath reft my dearest pledge ? ” Alas ! neither Fate nor God could I ac- cuse : the dread hollow voice of my own stricken soul answered me “ Thine own folly, thou miserable of the fortunate of the sons of men ! ” Ah ! but I beat my breast — in vain — in vain ! Ay ! the joy we had of each other under those blue-grey hills ! Do you remember the day of the storm, when we huddled under the rocks, and lit a fire of bracken and pine twigs ? How you stripped me by force — for I was afraid, and jealous, and coquettish—and took your pleasure of me, thrice in the one delirious hour ? By the memory of that cave, I conjure you, be first to meet me in the Ely- sian fields ! I must express regret for having intruded what may appear to be a personal matter into an essay on the German model, but the good Bimetallist will forgive me. He will know that the old poet was right who wrote : “ The passion of man for woman May serve a lad for a span. But utterly superhuman