'Twas love's low amber afternoon. Two far-off pheasants thrummed a tune, A cricket clanged a restful air. The dreamful billows beat a rune Like heart regrets. Around her head There shone a halo. Men have said 'Twas from a dash of Titian That flooded all her storm of hair In gold and glory. But they knew, Yea, all men know there ever grew A halo round about her head Like sunlight scarcely vanished. XXXII. How still she was! She only knew His love. She saw no life beyond. She loved with love that only lives Outside itself and selfishness,-- A love that glows in its excess; A love that melts pure gold, and gives Thenceforth to all who come to woo No coins but this face stamped thereon,-- Ay, this one image stamped upon Its face, with some dim date long gone. XXXIII. They kept the headland high; the ship Below began to chafe her chain, To groan as some great beast in pain; While white fear leapt from lip to lip: "The woods are fire! the woods are flame! Come down and save us, in God's name!" He heard! he did not speak or stir,-- He thought of her, of only her. While flames behind, before them lay To hold the stoutest heart at bay! Strange sounds were heard far up the flood,-- Strange, savage sounds that chilled the blood! Then sudden from the dense dark wood Above, about them where they stood A thousand beasts came peering out; And now was thrust a long black snout, And now a tusky mouth. It was A sight to make the stoutest pause. "Cut loose the ship!" the black mate cried; "Cut loose the ship!" the crew replied. They drove into the sea. It lay As light as ever middle day. The while their half-blind bitch, that sat All slobber-mouthed, and monkish cowled With great, broad, floppy, leathern ears, Amid the men, rose up and howled, And doleful howled her plaintive fears, While all looked mute aghast thereat. It was the grimmest eve, I think, That ever hung on Hades' brink. Great broad-winged bats possessed the air, Bats whirling blindly everywhere; It was such troubled twilight eve As never mortal would believe. XXXIV. Some say the crazed hag lit the wood In circle where the lovers stood; Some say the gray priest feared the crew Might find at last the hoard of gold Long hidden from the black ship's hold,-- I doubt me if men ever knew. But such mad, howling, flame-lit shore No mortal ever saw before. Huge beasts above that shining sea, Wild, hideous beasts with shaggy hair, With red mouths lifting in the air, They piteous howled, and plaintively,-- The wildest sounds, the weirdest sight That ever shook the walls of night. How lorn they howled, with lifted head, To dim and distant isles that lay Wedged tight along a line of red, Caught in the closing gates of day 'Twixt sky and sea and far away,-- It was the saddest sound to hear That ever struck on human ear.