LII.

He, for his selfish pride to cause thee pain;
He, for his littleness of mind to lay
Thee low in sickness; God grant he may gain
His due reward. And may the Lord repay
The haughty baronet, in full degree,
For all the wrong that he has rendered thee!

LIII.

But now thou art recovered, now thy heart
Alone is sick. Ah Love! thou mournest too,
No less than I, that we must live apart.
'Tis selfish, yet I thus would have thee do;
I would not have thee happy while away
From me, sweetheart, thy love would else decay.

LIV.

And did'st thou think thy father would relent
Because thine illness threatened thee? Ah! no,
His stubborn pride would still remain unbent
Though thou at Death's dark portal layedst low.
His pride is greater than his love for thee,
And greater even than his hate for me.

LV.

We may not be united, loved one--Nay,
What writest thou? Ah Love! Love! is it true?
It cannot be that thou art mine to-day,
And wast before, the while I never knew.
Oh God! my God hear Thou thy servant's cry,
And let his thankful praise ascend on high.

LVI.

Mine eyes are dim--Nay, tears? It cannot be;
I am a man, and am not wont to weep.
Yet beats my happy heart so joyfully
The quick revulsion causes me to steep
Mine eyes in tears. Though Grief could not compel
These tears to flow, Joy bade them, and they fell.

LVII.

Nay, cease to flow, ye tears, for I must read
Those words again so full of promised joy.
So quickly read I, and such little heed
I paid to little words which might alloy,
Perchance, the whole, that I must read anew,
Those words, and know my rendering is true.

LVIII.

"The latest book you wrote has pleased well
The populace, and men of high renown
Upon its certain power for good all dwell;
And this has been so pleasing to the Crown
That, recognizing your unquestioned right,
The Queen has now created you a knight.

LIX.

"This pleases me, my dearest one, but, oh!
What follows gives me higher pleasure far
I quick resolved to let my father know
That you were now a knight, and, in a prayer,
With tearful eyes, I begged him to allow
My loved one to return and claim me now.

LX.

"When first I spoke he heeded not, but soon
His face relaxed, and then, 'The boy has won,'
He said, 'a worthy name. Then take thy boon,
And tell him I will call him now my son.'
Then, kissing me, he raised me from my knee,
And, smiling, bade me write in