The Morny-scented bath before the dinner; The deft maid’s fingers in the unruly hair; The _risqué_ talk of some sweet social sinner, Half-heard across the table’s candle-glare; The Bridge, so much too high for a beginner; The Ball; the moment’s whisper on the stair: The thousand faces, phases, thoughts, books, travellings, Which whirl youth’s silk cocoon in its unravellings. Ah no! not ours with huckstering pen to retail How slumb’rous beauties wake from girl-time’s dozing. Let Hubert Wales and D. H. Lawrence detail The purfled passion-blossom’s slow unclosing. No rainbow’s purple e’er shall tinge our she-tale, No censor’s yoke restrain its swift composing. Moreover--quite apart from Muse’s purity-- There’s nothing half so dull as immaturity. So please imagine--(though I know it’s risky To trust in Britons for imagination, Save those rare few whom peace-time’s hoarded whisky Still fires to spiritual exaltation, Or such as stand, when questioning House grows frisky, Pat on their first inspired asseveration)-- Jill as she was in times of sugared plenty: The Bond Street goddess, _ætat_ three-and-twenty. Goddess, indeed! These meagre days that skimp us, Poor mortals, bullied, badged, and bombed and rationed, Scarce knows that breed which once on high Olympus Flaunted in radiant raiment, Poiret-fashioned. Goddess indeed! A self-sure, jade-eyed, slim puss-- Of life’s each latest luxury impassioned; Sleek; mateless; restless; rampant; supple-sinewed; Sharp-clawed; capricious; and ... _to be continued_. * * * * * Transcriber’s Notes The following apparent typographical errors were corrected. Page 15, “enver” changed to “never.” (but for you there’s never a place) Page 43, "cazone" changed to "canzone." (Still holds his own at sonnet or _canzone_) Page 63, “mornnig” changed to “morning.” (That mid-day brought and morning shall remove) End of Project Gutenberg's The Judgement of Valhalla, by Gilbert Frankau