L LAMIA. PART II. OVE in a hut, with water and a crust, Is Love, forgive us!- cinders, ashes, dust; More grievous torment than a hermit's fast: Had Lycius liv'd to hand his story down, He might have given the moral a fresh frown, Or clench'd it quite: but too short was their bliss 5 To breed distrust and hate, that make the soft voice hiss. 10 Besides, there, nightly, with terrific glare, Love, jealous grown of so complete a pair, Hover'd and buzz'd his wings, with fearful roar, And down the passage cast a glow upon the floor. 15 For all this came a ruin: side by side They were enthroned, in the even tide, Unveil'd the summer heaven, blue and clear, 20 Betwixt two marble shafts : there they reposed, Where use had made it sweet, with eyelids closed, Saving a tythe which love still open kept, That they might see each other while they almost slept; 25 When from the slope side of a suburb hill, Deafening the swallow's twitter, came a thrill Of trumpets Lycius started the sounds fled, But left a thought, a buzzing in his head. For the first time, since first he harbour'd in That purple-lined palace of sweet sin, 30 (10) The manuscript reads makes for make. His spirit pass'd beyond its golden bourn 35 That but a moment's thought is passion's passing bell. Of joys; and she began to moan and sigh Because he mus'd beyond her, knowing well Why do you sigh, fair creature?" whisper'd he: Why do you think?" return'd she tenderly: 66 66 You have deserted me; - where am I now? "Not in your heart while care weighs on your brow: "No, no, you have dismiss'd me; and I go From your breast houseless: aye, it must be so.” He answer'd, bending to her open eyes, Where he was mirror'd small in paradise, 64 40 45 50 Aye, a sweet kiss you see your mighty woes. 55 "What mortal hath a prize, that other men May be confounded and abash'd withal, But lets it sometimes pace abroad majestical, "Amid the hoarse alarm of Corinth's voice. 60 Let my foes choke, and my friends shout afar, "While through the thronged streets your bridal car "Wheels round its dazzling spokes.". The lady's cheek 65 (45) In the manuscript, this speech has another couplet Too fond was I believing, fancy fed In high deliriums, and blossoms never shed! (49) Keats adopted here, in the manuscript, a pointing noticed before: he placed the note of interrogation at the end of this line, a semi-colon at the end of line 51, and a full-stop at the end of line 54. The pointing of the text is from the first edition. (53) In the manuscript — Thy soul in mine, and labyrinth thee there... Of sorrows at his words; at last with pain Fierce and sanguineous as 'twas possible In one whose brow had no dark veins to swell. Apollo's presence when in act to strike The serpent Was none. (67) Cancelled manuscript reading, at his purpose for at his words. (81) In the manuscript, in place of lines 82 to 105, the following were originally written: Became herself a flame-'twas worth an age Of minor joys to revel in such rage. She was persuaded, and she fixt the hour When he should make a Bride of his fair Paramour. The colour'd Eve, half-hidden in the west; So they both look'd, so spake, if breathed sound, Whether 'twas misery or happiness. Spells are but made to break. Whisper'd the Youth "I had not ask'd it, ever thinking thee "Not mortal but of heavenly progeny, As still I do. Hast any mortal name? "Fit silver appellation for this dazzling frame? "Or friends, or kinsfolks on the citied Earth, "To share our marriage feast and nuptial mirth?" Of deep sleep in a moment was betray'd. Before this was all struck out and remodelled according to the text, Keats cancelled from as you list, and wrote in no not one; My presence in wide Corinth is unknown; and the next six lines as in the text, adding With any pleasure on me, summon not Strange thought had led her to an end so blank, and so on as in the text, lines 103-5. And, all subdu'd, consented to the hour When to the bridal he should lead his paramour. Whispering in midnight silence, said the youth, "Sure some sweet name thou hast, though, by my truth, "I have not ask'd it, ever thinking thee 85 "As still I do. Hast any mortal name, "Not mortal, but of heavenly progeny, 66 To share our marriage feast and nuptial mirth?" "I have no friends," said Lamia, no, not one; 66 66 66 64 66 My presence in wide Corinth hardly known: My parents' bones are in their dusty urns "Even as you list invite your many guests; "With any pleasure on me, do not bid 100 "Old Apollonius- from him keep me hid." Lycius, perplex'd at words so blind and blank, Made close inquiry; from whose touch she shrank, Feigning a sleep; and he to the dull shade Of deep sleep in a moment was betray'd. 105 It was the custom then to bring away The bride from home at blushing shut of day, By strewn flowers, torches, and a marriage song, Had not a friend. So being left alone, (Lycius was gone to summon all his kin) She did so, but 'tis doubtful how and whence (83) In the rewritten version there is the cancelled reading — When he should to the bridal lead his Paramour. 115 (89-90) In writing these two lines the second time, Keats inserted the word silver before appellation, and put kinsfolks again. (101) Cancelled manuscript reading, from his eye in place of from him. (112) Cancelled manuscript reading, being for was. Came, and who were her subtle servitors. About the halls, and to and from the doors, There was a noise of wings, till in short space 120 The glowing banquet-room shone with wide-arched grace. Throughout, as fearful the whole charm might fade. 125 Of palm and plantain, met from either side, High in the midst, in honor of the bride: Two palms and then two plantains, and so on, From either side their stems branch'd one to one All down the aisled place; and beneath all 130 There ran a stream of lamps straight on from wall to wall. So canopy'd, lay an untasted feast Teeming with odours. Lamia, regal drest, Silently pac'd about, and as she went, 135 The fretted splendour of each nook and niche. 140 And shut the chamber up, close, hush'd and still, Complete and ready for the revels rude, When dreadful guests would come to spoil her solitude. 145 The day appear'd, and all the gossip rout. (121) Cancelled manuscript reading, high-lamp'd for glowing. 150 (122-4) Hunt notes (see Appendix) "This is the very quintessence of the romantic." (133) Cancelled manuscript readings, Teeming a perfume, and Teeming wing'd odours. (138) Rejected reading, wainscoated for marbled plain. (146) In the manuscript the words came soon are struck out in favour of appear'd. (150) The manuscript reads The Herd arriv'd, the word arriv'd being substi tuted for came, and. |