in her hut,
Is often richer than the proudest princess:
It is the gift God left the human race
To keep them from despair, when sin and shame,
Pain, poverty, and death, and madness came
Among the people. When a youthful pair,
Look in each other's eyes and say--"We love"--
The common earth grows to a heavenly world.
Singing of birds, shining of summer suns,
Blooming of flowers and brightness of the moon,
Have a new charm to their elated sense;
They hear the music of the Universe,
Walking, with light feet, to the harmony;
Careless of care and disbelieving pain,
Grateful for life--and all, because _they love_.
Thus have _we_ said those irrecallable words--
Solemnly smiling in each other's eyes--
BERTHO and I--and never to unsay!
Therefore, sweet Queen, command him not, I pray,
To an impossible thing, which needs compel
Rebellion to the will which he respects.
I am a princess, yet will not refuse,
The humblest service which thy pride requires,
If I from BERTHO am not forced to part."

Imperious OENE turned her scornful eyes
Quickly to BERTHO's, as in inquiry;
While he, gathering resolve from OLIVE's face
Of love and anguish, answered the mute look:

"I cannot teach thee love, since it is learned
Only when one heart from another takes
The sweet contagion; but, my bride and I
May humbly teach thee other human lore.
Thou say'st thou hast no soul. This cannot be,
Since reason and all mental gifts are thine;
Within the lovely calyx sleeps the germ,--
A flower as yet unblossomed. Warmth and light
From the great spiritual Sun alone it wants
To bud and bloom into the fullest life.
Shall we expound this marvellous mystery?--
Tell thee of Endless Life which still unfolds
Till it doth circle every star in heaven?--
And light within thy spotless bosom's shrine
The silvery flame of Christ's unwavering love--
A love which we, indeed, would gladly teach,
The parent of all other, whose pure fire
Doth hallow and exalt our earthly hopes.
We'll learn those peerless lips to syllable, GOD!--
A word that thrills the Universe with awe!
Thou shalt no more a lovely heathen be,
But a sweet Woman, and a child of Heaven."

A slow, soft light, into the wondering eyes
Intently fixed upon the speaker, came--
A deeper glow than from