Classic Poem

Elvaston. He said long years had passed since last he looked
Upon your face, but he remembered still
Its sad expression in that fatal hour
Which parted him from you; — He bade me say
That tho' fair forms had sometimes crossed his path
And lured his eye a moment, yet his heart
Was, as it ever had been, yours, yours only.
And if such words should not appear unwelcome,
He hoped I'd say, that should relenting fate
Allow him to revisit his lost love,
(Not wholly lost he prayed) that she might still
Have cherished (he could hardly speak the words,
Faltering as I do now) the same true love
Faithful and fond, unchanging, and untold
As had through years of changes warmed his soul.
M ARIAN . Yes — yes — if you return to him, you may
Say I have not forgotten him — if once
I loved him, (that he knows!) I love him still,
Nor would allow my mind to stray from thoughts
To which he was allied, ev'n when the hope
Of his return had fled from all beside.
I have rejected suitors whom a maid,
Poor as I am in all fair qualities,
Might well be proud of; I have kept my heart
For him alone, if living; and if dead,
Why still for him and his dear memory!
E LVASTON . Angelic maid! — forgive me, faith like this
Awakes my wonder.
M ARIAN . Sir, I marvel not
That truth seems strange to you — your sex so prone
To all the arts of falsehood often deem
That truth and faith are frail and empty dreams.
E LVASTON . Madam, you are too harsh — will you not own
That oft more fickle than a way ward child,
A lady will torment and tease a heart
That would be fond and faithful, till it learns
In self defence to be as fickle too?
M ARIAN . That may be, sir, but I have known a maid
Pure as the summer air, and innocent
As is the unweaned child, as gentle too
As he from whom you came was wont to be
In wooing moments; — she gave up her heart
Tenderly, truly, fully — gave it up
Without condition, and without reserve
To him whom she so loved, and who she thought
Loved her as well; — but he — was very false —
He cheated — and he left her, having robbed
The unsuspecting maiden of as rich
A heart as e'er was sighed for, wooed and won.
E LVASTON . Did the wretch leave her then?
M ARIAN . He left her, sir,
With sorrow weak, yet palely beautiful,
To be the prey and sport of cruel men,
As coarse as cruel — the poor girl soon died.
E LVASTON . A melancholy story! and enough
To make you deprecate the changing fools,
The matured children, whose contemned toys
Are hearts, which first they play with, and then break! —
But you who have found truth through chance and change,
Through time and trial; — you cannot complain
That he who left you, ceased to love or sought
Another maid where wayward fate had cast him.
Yet he has an eye for beauty, and a heart
In which the tenderest emotions rise
Eternally, and thus susceptible
Of beauty in whatever shape it come,
Yet I can say for him that he has kept
Like you the treasure of his early love
In an unopened casket, upon which
No stranger breath hath blown. No eye hath viewed,
No ear hath heard, nor could his own tongue tell
How dear the gem which was therein enshrined!
M ARIAN . At least, sir, you have heard the tender tale.
E LVASTON . Yes, madam, but in whispering to me
The dearest secret of his faithful heart,
He did but tell it to his other self.
We were as one — by happy fortune east,
Into the same captivity, we learnt
To make our friendship seem like liberty — —
And we — — but, Marian! you said you loved him
As true as ever?
M ARIAN . Ay, more true than ever!
Time alters some — but time has been to me
And my affection a support and strength;
Aided by hope it taught me that at length
I should be happy — I am nearly so,
In knowing that he lives and loves me, but — —
E LVASTON . (In a less disguised and more tender tone of voice.) Be wholly happy, dear one! surely time
Thus kind to you has not so altered me,
But the quick eye of love shall trace again
The dear, the dreamt of, loved and valued features
Of him who came to prove and to reward
Your truth and fondness. — Dear, dear Marian!
Now you must know — —
M ARIAN , Great God! it is my love!