Your innocent face shall never be kiss'd
By him who his Heaven and Hope has miss'd!
I suffer for sin, as I ought to do;
But, my darling, it shall not fall on you.
'I am safely hous'd by a faithful friend,
And the letter I write his hands will send;
I'm at Clarendon Crescent, Liverpool
(I've told you, Love, of the dear old school);
Clarence will help me all ways that he can
(_Though_ a good tutor, he is a good man).
I shall sail for another hemisphere,
Leaving behind me my anguish and fear;
Leaving behind me my joy and my grace,
I shall soon pass over limitless space.
'Could I _but_ have seen you but once again!
It is hard to suffer and not complain!
'Tis my sin against _you_ I most repent
(I _did_ make you happy? you _were_ content?)
'O fool, who possessing all man may win,
Could not keep his fool-nature free from sin!
Love must have changed to a useless regret;
You cannot forgive me--can you forget?'
* * * * *
Without an hour's or a minute's delay
All is arranged, I decide what to do;
My brain is at work, my heart is at play,
I am running, flying, Harry, to you.
O stricken woman, whose life is all black,
Wearily walking in sorrow and shame!
O gay little girl who comes running back,
You are not, I'm certain, one and the same!
The sky is hid in its lead-coloured pall,
Not a bird utters the least little tone;
The blossoms about me wither and fall;
The change _must_ be in _me_--and me alone!
* * * * *
I tell them I cannot endure it more;
That the empty house is killing my heart;
They have done their best to assist before,
And they eagerly help me to depart.
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