At night, or when the daylight nears, I hear the other women weep; My own heart’s anguish lies too deep For the soft rain and pain of tears. I think my heart has turn’d to stone, A dull, dead weight that hurts my breast; Here, on my pallet-bed alone, I keep apart from all the rest. Wide-eyed I lie upon my bed, I often cannot sleep all night; The future and the past are dead, There is no thought can bring delight. All night I lie and think and think; If my heart were not made of stone, But flesh and blood, it needs must shrink Before such thoughts. Was ever known A woman with a heart of stone? The doctor says that I shall die. It may be so, yet what care I? Endless reposing from the strife? Death do I trust no more than life. For one thing is like one arrayed, And there is neither false nor true; But in a hideous masquerade All things dance on, the ages through. And good is evil, evil good; Nothing is known or understood Save only Pain. I have no faith In God or Devil, Life or Death. The doctor says that I shall die. You, that I knew in days gone by, I fain would see your face once more, Con well its features o’er and o’er; And touch your hand and feel your kiss, Look in your eyes and tell you this: That all is done, that I am free; That you, through all eternity, Have neither part nor lot in me. _Christopher Found._ [Illustration: text decoration] I. At last; so this is you, my dear! How should I guess to find you here? So long, so long, I sought in vain In many cities, many lands, With straining eyes and groping hands; The people marvelled at my pain. They said: “But sure, the woman’s mad; What ails her, we should like to know, That she should be so wan and sad, And silent through the revels go?” They clacked with such a sorry stir! Was I to tell? were they to know That I had lost you, Christopher? Will you forgive me for one thing? Whiles, when a stranger came my way, My heart would beat and I would say: “Here’s Christopher!”--then lingering With longer gaze, would turn away Cold, sick at heart. My dear, I know You will forgive me for this thing. It is so very long ago Since I have seen your face--till now; Now that I see it--lip and brow, Eyes, nostril, chin, alive and clear; Last time was long ago; I know This thing you will forgive me, dear. II.