[A view now nocturnal, now diurnal, from on high over the Straits of Dover, and stretching from city to city. By night Paris and London seem each as a little swarm of lights surrounded by a halo; by day as a confused glitter of white and grey. The Channel between them is as a mirror reflecting the sky, brightly or faintly, as the hour may be.] SPIRIT OF THE PITIES What mean these couriers shooting shuttlewise To Paris and to London, turn and turn? RUMOURS [chanting in antiphons] I The aforesaid tidings fro the minister, spokesman in England's cause to states afar, II Traverse the waters borne by one of such; and thereto Bonaparte's responses are: I “The principles of honour and of truth which ever actuate the sender's mind II “Herein are written largely! Take our thanks: we read that this conjuncture undesigned I “Unfolds felicitous means of showing you that still our eyes are set, as yours, on peace, II “To which great end the Treaty of Amiens must be the ground- work of our amities.” I From London then: “The path to amity the King of England studies to pursue; II “With Russia hand in hand he is yours to close the long convulsions thrilling Europe through.” I Still fare the shadowy missioners across, by Dover-road and Calais Channel-track, II From Thames-side towers to Paris palace-gates; from Paris leisurely to London back. I Till thus speaks France: “Much grief it gives us that, being pledged to treat, one Emperor with one King, II “You yet have struck a jarring counternote and tone that keys not with such promising. I “In these last word, then, of this pregnant parle; I trust I may persuade your Excellency II “That in no circumstance, on no pretence, a party to our pact can Russia be.” SPIRIT SINISTER Fortunately for the manufacture of corpses by machinery Napoleon sticks to this veto, and so wards off the awkward catastrophe of a general peace descending upon Europe. Now England. RUMOURS [continuing] I Thereon speeds down through Kent and Picardy, evenly as some southing sky-bird's shade: II “We gather not from your Imperial lines a reason why our words should be reweighed. I “We hold Russia not as our ally that is to be: she stands fully- plighted so; II “Thus trembles peace upon this balance-point: will you that Russia be let in or no?” I Then France rolls out rough words across the strait: “To treat with you confederate with the Tsar, II “Presumes us sunk in sloughs of shamefulness from which we yet stand gloriously afar! I “The English army must be Flanders-fed, and entering Picardy with pompous prance, II