“Revive, my love!” said he, “I’ve done thee harm, Give me thy pardon,” and he look’d alarm; Meantime the prudent Dinah had contrived Her soul to question, and she then revived. “See! my good friend,” and then she raised her head, } 220 “The bloom of life, the strength of youth is fled; } Living we die; to us the world is dead. } We parted bless’d with health, and I am now Age-struck and feeble, so I find art thou; Thine eye is sunken, furrow’d is thy face, And downward look’st thou--so we run our race; And happier they, whose race is nearly run, Their troubles over, and their duties done.”-- “True, lady, true, we are not girl and boy; But time has left us something to enjoy.”-- 230 “What! thou hast learn’d my fortune?--yes, I live To feel how poor the comforts wealth can give; Thou too perhaps art wealthy; but our fate Still mocks our wishes, wealth is come too late.”-- “To me nor late nor early; I am come Poor as I left thee to my native home: Nor yet,” said Rupert, “will I grieve; ’tis mine To share thy comforts, and the glory thine; For thou wilt gladly take that generous part That both exalts and gratifies the heart; 240 While mine rejoices.”--“Heavens!” return’d the maid, “This talk to one so wither’d and decayed? No! all my care is now to fit my mind For other spousal, and to die resign’d. As friend and neighbour, I shall hope to see These noble views, this pious love in thee; That we together may the change await, Guides and spectators in each other’s fate; When fellow-pilgrims, we shall daily crave The mutual prayer that arms us for the grave.” 250 Half angry, half in doubt, the lover gazed On the meek maiden, by her speech amazed. “Dinah,” said he, “dost thou respect thy vows? What spousal mean’st thou?--thou art Rupert’s spouse; The chance is mine to take, and thine to give; But trifling this, if we together live. Can I believe, that, after all the past, Our vows, our loves, thou wilt be false at last? Something thou hast--I know not what--in view; I find thee pious--let me find thee true.”-- 260 “Ah! cruel this; but do, my friend, depart; And to its feelings leave my wounded heart.”-- “Nay, speak at once; and, Dinah, let me know, Mean’st thou to take me, now I’m wreck’d, in tow? Be fair; nor longer keep me in the dark; Am I forsaken for a trimmer spark? Heav’n’s spouse thou art not; nor can I believe That God accepts her who will man deceive. True, I am shatter’d; I have service seen, And service done, and have in trouble been; 270 My cheek (it shames me not) has lost its red, And the brown buff is o’er my features spread; Perchance my speech is rude; for I among