you come to that, best love of all
Is God's; then why not have God's love befall 180
Myself as, in the palace by the Dome,
Monsignor?--who tonight will bless the home
Of his dead brother; and God bless in turn
That heart which beats, those eyes which mildly burn
With love for all men! I tonight at least, 185
Would be that holy and beloved priest.

Now wait!--even I already seem to share
In God's love: what does New-year's hymn declare?
What other meaning do these verses bear?

_All service ranks the same with God:_ 190
_If now, as formerly he trod_
_Paradise, his presence fills_
_Our earth, each only as God wills_
_Can work--God's puppets, best and worst,_
_Are we; there is no last nor first._ 195

_Say not "a small event!" Why "small"?_
_Costs it more pain that this, ye call_
_A "great event," should come to pass,_
_Than that? Untwine me from the mass_
_Of deeds which make up life, one deed_ 200
_Power shall fall short in or exceed!_

And more of it, and more of it!--oh yes--
I will pass each, and see their happiness,
And envy none--being just as great, no doubt,
Useful to men, and dear to God, as they! 205
A pretty thing to care about
So mightily, this single holiday!
But let the sun shine! Wherefore repine?
--With thee to lead me, O Day of mine,
Down the grass path gray with dew, 210
Under the pine-wood, blind with boughs,
Where the swallow never flew
Nor yet cicala dared carouse--
No, dared carouse! [_She enters the street_

I. MORNING

SCENE.--_Up the Hillside, inside the Shrub-house._ LUCA'S _wife,_
OTTIMA, _and her paramour, the German_ SEBALD.

_Sebald_ [_sings_].

_Let the watching lids wink!
Day's ablaze with eyes, think!
Deep into the night, drink!_

_Ottima._ Night? Such may be your Rhineland nights, perhaps;
But this blood-red beam through the shutter's chink 5
--We call such light the morning: let us see!
Mind how you grope your way, though! How these tall
Naked geraniums straggle! Push the lattice
Behind that frame!--Nay, do I bid you?--Sebald,
It shakes the dust down on me! Why, of course