spake,
But loud and bitterly she wept,
As if her innocent heart would break; [4]
And down from off her seat [5] she leapt.

"What ails you, child?"--she sobbed "Look here!" 25
I saw it in the wheel entangled,
A weather-beaten rag as e'er
From any garden scare-crow dangled.

There, twisted between nave and spoke,
It hung, nor could at once be freed; 30
But our joint pains unloosed the cloak, [6]
A miserable rag indeed! [7]

"And whither are you going, child,
To-night along these lonesome ways?"
"To Durham," answered she, half wild--35
"Then come with me into the chaise."

Insensible to all relief
Sat the poor girl, and forth did send
Sob after sob, as if her grief [8]
Could never, never have an end. 40

"My child, in Durham do you dwell?"
She checked herself in her distress,
And said, "My name is Alice Fell;
I'm fatherless and motherless.

"And I to Durham, Sir, belong." 45
Again, [9] as if the thought would choke
Her very heart, her grief grew strong;
And all was for her tattered cloak!

The chaise drove on; our journey's end
Was nigh; and, sitting by my side, 50
As if she had lost [10] her only friend
She wept, nor would be pacified.

Up to the tavern-door we post;
Of Alice and her grief I told;
And I gave money to the host, 55
To buy a new cloak for the old.

"And let it be of duffil grey,
As warm a cloak as man can sell!"
Proud creature was she the next day,
The little orphan, Alice Fell! 60

* * * * *

VARIANTS ON THE TEXT

[Variant 1:

1845.

When suddenly I seem'd to hear
A moan, a lamentable sound. 1807.]

[Variant 2:

1845.

And soon I heard upon the blast
The voice, and bade .... 1807.]

[Variant 3:

1845.

Said I, alighting on the ground,
"What can it be, this piteous moan?" 1807.

Forthwith alighted on the ground
To learn what voice the piteous moan
Had made, a little girl I found, C.]

[Variant 4:

1836.

"My Cloak!" the word was last and first,
And loud and bitterly she wept,
As if her very heart would burst; 1807.

"My cloak, my cloak" she cried, and spake
No other word, but loudly wept, C.]

[Varia