Had he kith now or kin, were access
To his heart, did I press: 
Just a son or a mother to seize! 
No such booty as these. 
Were it simply a friend to pursue
’Mid my million or two,
Who could pay me, in person or pelf,
What he owes me himself! 30
No:  I could not but smile thro’ my chafe: 
For the fellow lay safe
As his mates do, the midge and the nit,
—­Thro’ minuteness, to wit.

Then a humour more great took its place
At the thought of his face: 
The droop, the low cares of the mouth,
The trouble uncouth
’Twixt the brows, all that air one is fain
To put out of its pain, 40
And, “no!” I admonished myself,
“Is one mocked by an elf. 
Is one baffled by toad or by rat? 
The gravamen’s deg. in that! deg.44
How the lion, who crouches to suit
His back to my foot,
Would admire that I stand in debate! 
But the small turns the great
If it vexes you,—­that is the thing! 
Toad or rat vex the king? 50
Tho’ I waste half my realm to unearth
Toad or rat, ’tis well worth!”

So, I soberly laid my last plan
To extinguish the man. 
Round his creep-hole, with never a break
Ran my fires for his sake;
Overhead, did my thunder combine
With my under-ground mine: 
Till I looked from my labour content
To enjoy the event. 60

When sudden ... how think ye, the end? 
Did I say “without friend?”
Say rather, from marge to blue marge
The whole sky grew his targe
With the sun’s self for visible boss,
While an Arm ran across
Which the earth heaved beneath like a breast! 
Where the wretch was safe prest! 
Do you see!  Just my vengeance complete, deg.69
The man sprang to his feet, 70
Stood erect, caught at God’s skirts, and prayed! 
—­So, I was afraid!

* * * * *

THE PATRIOT

AN OLD STORY

It was roses, roses, all the way,
  With myrtle mixed in my path like mad;
The house-roofs seemed to heave and sway,
  The church-spires flamed, such flags they had,
A year ago on this very day.

The air broke into a mist with bells,
  The old walls rocked with the crowd and cries. 
Had I said, “Good folk, mere noise repels—­
  But give me your sun from yonder skies!”
They had answered “And afterward, what else?” 10

Alack, it was I who leaped at the sun
  To give it my loving friends to keep! 
Naught man could do, have I left undone: 
  And you see my harvest, what I reap
This very day, now a year is run.