The girls attend, Each thinking on her friend, Whether he be real or imaginary, Whether he be loving or cold; For each ere she grows old Means to pursue her joy, and the whole unwary Troop of their wishes has this wild quarry in cry, That draws them ineluctably, More and more as the summer slippeth by. And Celia leans aside To contemplate her black-silked ankle on the grass; In remote dreaming pride, Rosalind recalls the image in her glass; Phillis through all her body feels How divine energy steals, Quiescent power and resting speed, Stretches her arms out, feels the warm blood run Ready for pursuit, for strife and deed, And turns her glowing face up to the sun. Phillida smiles, And lazily trusts her lazy wit, A slow arrow that hath often hit; Chloe, bemused by many subtle wiles, Grows not more dangerous for all of it, But opens her red lips, yawning drowsily, And shows her small white teeth, Dimpling the round chin beneath, And stretches, moving her young body deliciously. And still the lesson goes on, For this is an old story that is never done; And now the precept is of ribbon and shoe, What with linens and silks love finds to do, And how man's heart is tangled in a string Or taken in gauze like a weak and helpless thing. Chloe falls asleep; and the long summer day Drifts slowly past the girls and the warm roses, Giving in dreams its hours away. Now Stella throws her head back, and Phillis disposes Her strong brown hands quietly in her lap, And Rose's slender feet grow restless and tap The turf to an imaginary tune. Now all this grace of youthful bodies and faces Is wrought to a glow by the golden weather of June; Now, Love, completing grace of all the graces, Strong in these hearts thy pure streams rise, Transmuting what they learn by heavenly alchemies. Swift from the listeners the spell vanishes, And through the tinkling, empty words, True thoughts of true love press, Flying and wheeling nearer; As through a sunny sky a flock of birds Against the throbbing blue grows clearer and clearer, So closer come these thoughts and dearer. Helen rises with a laugh; Chloe wakes; All the enchantment scatters off like chaff; The cord is loosened and the spell breaks. Rosalind Resolves that to-night she will be kind to her lover, Unreflecting, warm and kind. Celia tells the lessons over, Counting on her fingers--one and two ... Ribbon and shoe, Skirts, flowers, song, dancing, laughter, eyes ... Through the whole catalogue of formal gallantry And studious coquetries, Counting to herself maliciously.