,*APT] #af 
,! ,BRIDE ,SPEAKE? ,) ,FACE-,(-,GOD 

,PEOPLE 3 

,AU?OR 3 ,WILLIAM ,MORRIS 

,TEXT 3 

,FEBRU>Y HAD DI$ 9TO ,M>*1 & ,M>* WAS N[ TWELVE DAYS OLD1 ON A FAIR & SUNNY DAY AN H\R BE=E NOON2 & ,FACE-(-GOD WAS 9 A MEAD[ A SCANT MILE D[N ! ,DALE FROM ,BURG/EAD4  ,HE HAD BE5 DRIV+ A BULL 9TO A GOODMAN'S BYRE NE>BY1 & HAD HAD TO SP5D TOIL & PATI5CE BO? 9 GETT+ HIM \T ( ! FIELDS & 9TO ! BYRE2 = ! BEA/ WAS HOT ) ! SPR+ DAYS & ! NEW GRASS4 ,SO N[ HE WAS RE/+ HIMSELF 9 HAPPY MOOD 9 AN EXCE$+ PLEASANT PLACE1 A LITTLE MEAD[ TO WIT1 ON ONE SIDE :]E( WAS A GREAT OR*>D OR GROVE ( SWEET *E/NUTS1 :I* W5T RI<T UP TO ! FEET ( ! ,S\!RN ,CLIFFS3  ACROSS ! MEAD[ RAN A CLE> BROOK T[>DS ! ,WELT]+ ,WAT]1 FREE FROM BIG /ONES1 9 SOME PLACES DAMM$ UP = ! FLOOD+ ( ! DEEP PA/URE-MEAD[1 & ) ! GRASS GR[+ ON ITS LIPS D[N TO ! V]Y WAT]4  ,!RE WAS A L[ BANK JU/ \TSIDE ! *E/NUT TREES1 AS IF SOMEONE HAD RAIS$ A DYKE AB\T !M :5 !Y W]E Y\NG1 :I* HAD BE5 TRODD5 L[ & SPREAD+ ?R\< ! LAPSE ( YE>S BY ! F>+ ( MANY M5 & BEA/S4  ,! PRIMROSES BLOOM$ ?ICK UPON IT N[1 & H]E & !RE ALONG IT WAS A L[ BLACK?ORN BU% 9 FULL BLOSSOM2 FROM ! MID- MEAD[ & RI<T D[N TO ! LIP ( ! BROOK WAS ! GRASS WELL NI< HIDD5 BY ! BLOSSOMS ( ! MEAD[-SAFFRON1 ) DAFFODILS SPR9KL$ AB\T AMONG !M1 & 9 ! TREES & BU%ES ! BIRDS1 & *IEFLY ! BLACKBIRDS1 W]E S++ !IR L\DE/4  

,!RE SAT ,FACE-(-GOD ON ! BANK RE/+ AFT] HIS TOIL1 & HAPPY WAS HIS MOOD2 S9CE 9 TWO DAYS' WE>+ HE %\LD BE PAC+ ! ,MAID5 ,W>D AWAIT+ ! TOK5 ?AT WAS TO LEAD HIM TO ,%AD[Y ,VALE2 SO HE SAT CALL+ TO M9D ! ,FRI5D AS HE HAD LA/ SE5 H]1 & /RIV+ AS IT W]E TO SET H] IMAGE /&+ ON ! FL[]Y GRASS BE=E HIM1 TILL ALL ! BEAUTY ( ! MEAD[ SEEM$ B>E & EMPTY TO HIM )\T H]4  ,!N IT FELL 9TO HIS M9D ?AT ?IS HAD BE5 A BELOV$ TRY/+-PLACE BETWIXT HIM & ! ,BRIDE1 & ?AT (T5 :5 !Y W]E LITTLE W\LD !Y COME TO GA!R *E/NUTS 9 ! GROVE1 & !REAFT] SIT & PRATTLE ON ! OLD DYKE2 OR 9 SPR+ :5 ! SEASON WAS W>M W\LD !Y GO B>EFOOT 9TO ! BROOK1 SEEK+ ITS TREASURES ( TR\TLETS & FL[]S & CLEAN-WA%$ AGATE PEBBLES4 ,YEA1 & TIME NOT LONG AGO HAD !Y MET H]E TO TALK AS LOV]S1 & SAT ON ?AT V]Y BANK 9 ALL ! K9DNESS ( GOOD DAYS )\T A BLEMI%1 & BO? HE & %E HAD LOV$ ! PLACE WELL = ITS WEAL? ( BLOSSOMS & DEEP GRASS & GOODLY TREES & CLE> RUNN+ /REAM4  

,AS HE ?\<T ( ALL ?IS1 & H[ (T5 !RE HE HAD PRAIS$ TO HIMSELF H] BEAUTY1 :I* HE SC>CE D>$ PRAISE TO H]1 HE FR[N$ & SL[LY ROSE TO HIS FEET1 & TURN$ T[>D ! *E/NUT-GROVE1 AS ?\< HE W\LD GO !NCE ?AT WAY2 BUT OR EV] HE /EPP$ D[N FROM ! DYKE HE TURN$ AB\T AGA91 & EV5 !RE)1 LIKE ! V]Y IMAGE & <O/ ( HIS ?\<T1 LO6 ! ,BRIDE H]SELF COM+ UP FROM \T ! BROOK & W5D+ T[>D HIM1 H] WET NAK$ FEET GLEAM+ 9 ! SUN AS !Y TROD D[N ! T5D] MEAD[-SAFFRON & BRU%$ PA/ ! TUFTS ( DAFFODILS4  ,HE /OOD />+ AT H] DISCOM=T$1 = ON ?AT DAY HE HAD MU* TO ?9K ( ?AT SEEM$ HAPPY TO HIM1 & HE DEEM$ ?AT %E W\LD N[ QUE/ION HIM1 & HIS M9D POND]$ DIV]S WAYS ( ANSW]+ H]1 & NONE SEEM$ GOOD TO HIM4  ,%E DREW NE> & LET H] SKIRTS FALL OV] H] FEET1 & CAME TO HIM1 H] G[N HEM DRAGG+ OV] ! FL[]S3  !N %E /OOD /RAI<T UP BE=E HIM & GREET$ HIM1 BUT REA*$ NOT =? H] H& TO HIM NOR T\*$ HIM4 ,H] FACE WAS PAL] ?AT ITS WONT1 & H] VOICE TREMBL$ AS %E SPAKE TO HIM & SAID3  

',FACE-(-GOD1 ,I W\LD ASK !E A GIFT4'  

',ALL GIFTS1' HE SAID1 '?AT ?\ MAYE/ ASK1 & ,I MAY GIVE1 LIE OP5 TO !E4'  

,%E SAID3  ',IF ,I BE ALIVE :5 ! TIME COMES ?IS GIFT ?\ MAY/ WELL GIVE ME4'  

',SWEET K9SWOMAN1' SAID HE1 'TELL ME :AT IT IS ?AT ?\ W\LDE/ HAVE ( ME4'  ,& HE WAS ILL-AT-EASE AS HE WAIT$ = H] ANSW]4  

,%E SAID3  ',AH1 K9SMAN1 K9SMAN6  ,WOE ON ! DAY ?AT MAKE? K9%IP ACCURS$ TO ME BECAUSE ?\ DESIRE/ IT6'  

,HE HELD HIS PEACE & WAS EXCE$+ SORRY2 & %E SAID3  

',?IS IS ! GIFT ?AT ,I ASK ( !E1 ?AT 9 ! DAYS TO COME :5 ?\ >T W$D$1 ?\ WILT GIVE ME ! SECOND MAN-*ILD :OM ?\ BEGETTE/4'  

,HE SAID3  ',?IS %ALT ?\ HAVE1 & W\LD ?AT ,I MI<T GIVE !E MU* MORE4  ,W\LD ?AT WE W]E LITTLE *ILDR5 TOGE!R O!R AGA91 AS :5 WE PLAY$ H]E 9 O!R DAYS4'  

,%E SAID3  ',I W\LD HAVE A TOK5 ( !E ?AT ?\ %ALT %[ TO ! ,GOD1 & SWE> ON IT TO GIVE ME ! GIFT4  ,= ! TIMES *ANGE4'  

',:AT TOK5 WILT ?\ HAVE8' SAID HE4  

,%E SAID3  ',:5 NEXT ?\ F>E/ TO ! ,WOOD1 ?\ %ALT BR+ ME BACK1 IT MAYBE A FL[] FROM ! BANK YE SIT UPON1 OR A SPL9T] FROM ! DAIS ( ! HALL :]E9 YE FEA/1 OR MAYBE A R+ OR SOME MATT] ?AT ! /RANG]S >E WONT TO WE>4  ,?AT %ALL BE ! TOK54'  

,%E SPOKE SL[LY1 HANG+ H] HEAD AD[N1 BUT %E LIFT$ IT PRES5TLY & LOOK$ 9TO HIS FACE & SAID3  

',WOE'S ME1 WOE'S ME1 ,GOLD-MANE6  ,H[ EVIL IS ?IS DAY1 :5 BEWAIL+ ME ,I MAY NOT BEWAIL !E ALSO6  ,= ,I KN[ ?AT ?9E HE>T IS GLAD4 ,ALL ?R\< ! W9T] HAVE ,I KEPT ?IS HIDD5 9 MY HE>T1 & DUR/ NOT SPEAK TO !E4  ,BUT N[ ! SPR+-TIDE HA? DRIV5 ME TO IT4 ,LET SUMM] COME1 & :O %ALL SAY8'  

,GREAT WAS HIS GRIEF1 & HIS %AME KEPT HIM SIL5T1 & HE HAD NO WORD TO SAY2 & AGA9 %E SAID3  

',TELL ME1 ,GOLD-MANE1 :5 GOE/ ?\ ?I!R8'  

,HE SAID3  ',I KN[ NOT SURELY1 MAY HAPP5 9 TWO DAYS1 MAY HAPP5 9 T54  ,:Y ASKE/ ?\8'  

',O FRI5D6' %E SAID1 'IS IT A NEW ?+ ?AT ,I %\LD ASK !E :I!R ?\ GOE/ & :5CE ?\ COME/1 & ! TIMES ( ?Y COM+ & GO+4  ,F>EWELL TO-DAY6  ,=GET NOT ! TOK54  ,WOE'S ME1 ?AT ,I MAY NOT KISS ?Y FAIR FACE6'  

,%E SPREAD H] >MS ABROAD & LIFT$ UP H] FACE AS ONE :O WAILE?1 BUT NO S\ND CAME FROM H] LIPS2 !N %E TURN$ AB\T & W5T AWAY AS %E HAD COME4  

,BUT AS = HIM HE /OOD !RE AFT] %E WAS GONE 9 ALL CONFUSION1 AS IF HE W]E UNDONE3  = HE FELT HIS MANHOOD LESS5$ ?AT HE %\LD ?US & SO SORELY HAVE HURT A FRI5D1 & 9 A MANN] AGA9/ HIS WILL4  ,& YET HE WAS SOME:AT WRO? ) H]1 ?AT %E HAD COME UPON HIM SO SUDD5LY1 & SPOK5 TO HIM ) SU* MA/]Y1 & 9 SO FEW WORDS1 & HE ) NONE TO MAKE ANSW] TO H]1 & ?AT %E HAD SO M>R$ HIS PLEASURE & HIS HOPE ( ?AT FAIR DAY4  ,!N HE SAT HIM D[N AGA9 ON ! FL[]Y BANK1 & LITTLE BY LITTLE HIS HE>T S(T5$1 & HE ONCE MORE CALL$ TO M9D MANY A TIME :5 !Y HAD BE5 !RE BE=E1 & ! PLAYS & ! GAMES !Y HAD HAD TOGE!R !RE :5 !Y W]E LITTLE4  ,& HE BE?\<T HIM ( ! DAYS ?AT W]E LONG TO HIM !N1 & N[ SEEM$ %ORT TO HIM1 & AS IF !Y W]E ALL GR[N TOGE!R 9TO ONE /ORY1 & ?AT A SWEET ONE4  ,!N HIS BREA/ HEAV$ ) A SOB1 & ! TE>S ROSE TO HIS EYES & BURN$ & /UNG HIM1 & HE FELL A-WEEP+ = ?AT SWEET TALE1 & WEPT AS HE HAD WEPT ONCE BE=E ON ?AT OLD DYKE :5 !RE HAD BE5 SOME *ILD'S QU>REL BETWE5 !M1 & %E HAD GONE AWAY & LEFT HIM4  

,!N AFT] A :ILE HE CEAS$ HIS WEEP+1 & LOOK$ AB\T HIM LE/ ANYONE MI<T BE COM+1 & !N HE >OSE & W5T TO & FRO 9 ! *E/NUT-GROVE = A GOOD :ILE1 & AFT]W>DS W5T HIS WAYS FROM ?AT MEAD[1 SAY+ TO HIMSELF3  ',YET REMA9E? TO ME ! MORR[ ( TO-MORR[1 & ?AT IS ! FIR/ ( ! DAYS ( ! WAT*+ = ! TOK54'  

,BUT ALL ?AT DAY HE WAS SL[ TO MEET ! EYES ( M52 & 9 ! HALL ?AT EVE HE WAS SIL5T & MOODY2 = FROM TIME TO TIME IT CAME OV] HIM ?AT SOME ( HIS MANHOOD HAD DEP>T$ FROM HIM4  

,FROM 3 ,M>XI/S4ORG4 

,*RONOLOGY 3 
,FEBRU>Y #b#d1 #bba 3 ,*APT] #af -- ,ADD$4 

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