V.

Spring, with her western breezes,
From Indian islands bore
To Alice news that Leonard
Would seek his home once more. 
What was it—­joy, or sorrow? 
What were they—­hopes, or fears? 
That flushed her cheeks with crimson,
And filled her eyes with tears?

VI.

He came.  And who so kindly
Could ask and hear her tell
Herbert’s last hours; for Leonard
Had known and loved him well. 
Daily he came; and Alice,
Poor weary heart, at length,
Weighed down by others’ weakness,
Could lean upon his strength.

VII.

Yet not the voice of Leonard
Could her true care beguile,
That turned to watch, rejoicing
Dora’s reviving smile. 
So, from that little household
The worst gloom passed away,
The one bright hour of evening
Lit up the livelong day.

VIII.

Days passed.  The golden summer
In sudden heat bore down
Its blue, bright, glowing sweetness
Upon the scorching town. 
And sighs and sounds of country
Came in the warm soft tune
Sung by the honeyed breezes
Borne on the wings of June.

IX.

One twilight hour, but earlier
Than usual, Alice thought
She knew the fresh sweet fragrance
Of flowers that Leonard brought;
Through opened doors and windows
It stole up through the gloom,
And with appealing sweetness
Drew Alice from her room.

X.

Yes, he was there; and pausing
Just near the opened door,
To check her heart’s quick beating,
She heard—­and paused still more—­
His low voice—­Dora’s answers—­
His pleading—­Yes, she knew
The tone—­the words—­the accents: 
She once had heard them too.

XI.

“Would Alice blame her?” Leonard’s
Low, tender answer came;—­
“Alice was far too noble
To think or dream of blame.” 
“And was he sure he loved her?”
“Yes, with the one love given
Once in a lifetime only,
With one soul and one heaven!”

XII.

Then came a plaintive murmur,—­
“Dora had once been told
That he and Alice”—­“Dearest,
Alice is far too cold
To love; and I, my Dora,
If once I fancied so,
It was a brief delusion,
And over,—­long ago.”

XIII.

Between the Past and Present,
On that bleak moment’s height,
She stood.  As some lost traveller
By a quick flash of light
Seeing a gulf before him,
With dizzy, sick despair,
Reels backward, but to find it
A deeper chasm there.