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X.

The Piper's face fell, and he cried:
"No trifling! I can't wait, beside!
"I've promised to visit by dinnertime
"Bagdat, and accept the prime

"Of the Head-Cook's pottage, all he 's rich in,
"For having left, in the Caliph's kitchen,
"Of a nest of scorpions no survivor:
"With him I proved no bargain-driver,
"With you, don't think I'll bate a stiver!
"And folks who put me in a passion
"May find me pipe after another fashion."

XI.

"How?" cried the Mayor, "d'ye think I brook "Being worse treated than a Cook?

"Insulted by a lazy ribald

"With idle pipe and vesture piebald?

"You threaten us, fellow? Do your worst,

"Blow your pipe there till you burst!"

XII.

Once more he stept into the street

And to his lips again

Laid his long pipe of smooth straight cane; And ere he blew three notes (such sweet

Soft notes as yet musician's cunning

Never gave the enraptured air)

There was a rustling that seemed like a bustling
Of merry crowds justling at pitching and hustling,
Small feet were pattering, wooden shoes clattering,
Little hands clapping and little tongues chattering,
And, like fowls in a farm-yard when barley is scattering,
Out came the children running.

All the little boys and girls,

With rosy cheeks and flaxen curls,
And sparkling eyes and teeth like pearls,
Tripping and skipping, ran merrily after

The wonderful music with shouting and laughter.

XIII.

The Mayor was dumb, and the Council stood
As if they were changed into blocks of wood,
Unable to move a step, or cry

To the children merrily skipping by,
Could only follow with the eye
That joyous crowd at the Piper's back.
But how the Mayor was on the rack,
And the wretched Council's bosoms beat,
As the Piper turned from the High Street
To where the Weser rolled its waters

Right in the way of their sons and daughters!
However he turned from South to West,
And to Koppelberg Hill his steps addressed,
And after him the children pressed;
Great was the joy in every breast.
"He never can cross that mighty top!
"He's forced to let the piping drop,
"And we shall see our children stop!"
When, lo, as they reached the mountain-side,

A wondrous portal opened wide,

As if a cavern was suddenly hollowed;

And the Piper advanced and the children followed, And when all were in to the very last,

The door in the mountain-side shut fast.

Did I say, all? No! One was lame,

And could not dance the whole of the way;

And in after years, if you would blame

His sadness, he was used to say,

"It's dull in our town since my playmates left!

"I can't forget that I 'm bereft
"Of all the pleasant sights they see,
"Which the Piper also promised me.
"For he led us, he said, to a joyous land,
"Joining the town and just at hand,
"Where waters gushed and fruit-trees grew
"And flowers put forth a fairer hue,
"And everything was strange and new;

"The sparrows were brighter than peacocks here,
"And their dogs outran our fallow deer,
"And honey-bees had lost their stings,
"And horses were born with eagles' wings:
"And just as I became assured

"My lame foot would be speedily cured,
"The music stopped and I stood still,
"And found myself outside the hill,
"Left alone against my will.

"To go now limping as before,

"And never hear of that country more!"

Fear death?

PROSPICE.

to feel the fog in my throat,

The mist in my face,

When the snows begin, and the blasts denote

I am nearing the place,

The power of the night, the press of the storm,
The post of the foe;

Where he stands, the Arch Fear in a visible form,
Yet the strong man must go:

For the journey is done and the summit attained, And the barriers fall,

Though a battle's to fight ere the guerdon be gained, The reward of it all.

I was ever a fighter, so one fight more,

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The best and the last!

I would hate that death bandaged my eyes, and forbore,
And bade me creep past.

No! let me taste the whole of it, fare like my peers
The heroes of old,

Bear the brunt, in a minute pay glad life's arrears
Of pain, darkness and cold.

For sudden the worst turns the best to the brave,
The black minute's at end,

And the elements' rage, the fiend-voices that rave,
Shall dwindle, shall blend,

Shall change, shall become first a peace out of pain,
Then a light, then thy breast,

O thou soul of my soul! I shall clasp thee again,
And with God be the rest!

MATTHEW ARNOLD.

Suffer that

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as thou takest boat to cross

Grim Charon's tide, on voyage, heavy loss

To England

but to thee gain manifold

I pluck thee by the shroud, and press thy cold
Forgetful hand; to lay this obolus

Into its honoured palm! Ah! think on us
In thy new walks upon the Asphodel:

Nor quite forsake the sad sphere where we dwell,
Fighting thy battle, lending our small stress
To "stream which maketh unto Righteousness!"
Now, that thou better knowest friends and foes,
Good Friend! dear Rival! bear no grudge to those
Who had not time, in Life's hard fight, to show

How well they liked thee for thy "slashing blow;" How "sweet" thy "reasonableness" seemed; how right Thy lofty pleading for the long-dimmed "light!"

Thou, that didst bear my Name, and deck it so
That coming thus behind hardly I know
If I shall hold it worthily, and be

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Meet to be mentioned in one Age with thee
Take, Brother! to the Land where no strifes are,
This praise thou wilt not need! Before the Star
Is kindled for thee let my funeral torch
Light thee, great Namesake! to th' Elysian Porch!
Dead Poet! let a poet of thy House

Lay unreproved, these bay-leaves on thy brows!
We that seemed only friends, were lovers: Now
Death knows it! and Love knows! and I! and Thou!

"FROM EDWIN ARNOLD."

SHAKESPEARE.

Others abide our question. Thou art free.
We ask and ask Thou smilest and art still,
Out-topping knowledge. For the loftiest hill,
Who to the stars uncrowns his majesty,

Planting his stedfast footsteps in the sea,
Making the heaven of heavens his dwelling-place,
Spares but the cloudy border of his base
To the foil'd searching of mortality;

And thou, who didst the stars and sunbeams know, Self-school'd, self-scann'd, self-honour'd, self-secure, Didst tread on earth unguess'd at. Better so!

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