The Poetical Works of William Wordsworth — Volume 2 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 515 pages of information about The Poetical Works of William Wordsworth — Volume 2.

  [38]

  Then Peter gave a sudden jerk,
  A jerk that from a dungeon-floor
  Would have pulled up an iron ring;
  But still the heavy-headed Thing
  Stood just as he had stood before! 405

  Quoth Peter, leaping from his seat,
  “There is some plot against me laid”;
  Once more the little meadow-ground
  And all the hoary cliffs around
  He cautiously surveyed. 410

  All, all is silent—­rocks and woods,
  All still and silent—­far and near! 
  Only the Ass, with motion dull,
  Upon the pivot of his skull
  Turns round his long left ear. 415

  Thought Peter, What can mean all this? 
  Some ugly witchcraft must be here! 
—­Once more the Ass, with motion dull,
  Upon the pivot of his skull
  Turned round his long left ear. 420

  Suspicion ripened into dread;
  Yet with deliberate action slow,
  His staff high-raising, in the pride
  Of skill, upon the sounding hide, [39]
  He dealt a sturdy blow. 425

  The poor Ass staggered with the shock;
  And then, as if to take his ease, [40]
  In quiet uncomplaining mood,
  Upon the spot where he had stood,
  Dropped gently down upon his knees; 430

  As gently on [41] his side he fell;
  And by the river’s brink did lie;
  And, while [42] he lay like one that mourned,
  The patient Beast on Peter turned
  His shining hazel eye. [43] 435

  ’Twas but one mild, reproachful look,
  A look more tender than severe;
  And straight in sorrow, not in dread,
  He turned the eye-ball in his head
  Towards the smooth river [44] deep and clear. 440

  Upon the Beast the sapling rings;
  His lank sides heaved, [45] his limbs they stirred;
  He gave a groan, and then another,
  Of that which went before the brother,
  And then he gave a third. 445

  All by the moonlight river side
  He gave three miserable groans;
  And not till now hath Peter seen
  How gaunt the Creature is,—­how lean
  And sharp his staring bones! [46] 450

  With legs stretched out and stiff he lay:—­
  No word of kind commiseration
  Fell at the sight from Peter’s tongue;
  With hard contempt his heart was wrung,
  With hatred and vexation. 455

  The meagre beast lay still as death;
  And Peter’s lips with fury quiver;
  Quoth he, “You little mulish dog,
  I’ll fling your carcass like a log
  Head-foremost down the river!” 460

  An impious oath confirmed the threat—­
  Whereat from the earth on which he lay [47]
  To all the echoes, south and north,
  And east and west, the Ass sent forth
  A long and clamorous bray! [48] 465

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The Poetical Works of William Wordsworth — Volume 2 from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.