Ev'n thus they creep into the spectral gray, That cramps the landscape in its narrow brim, As when two shadows by old Lethe stray, He clasping her, and she entwining him; Like trees, wind-parted, that embrace anon,-- True love so often goes before 'tis gone. XI. For what rich merchant but will pause in fear, To trust his wealth to the unsafe abyss? So Hero dotes upon her treasure here, And sums the loss with many an anxious kiss, Whilst her fond eyes grow dizzy in her head, Fear aggravating fear with shows of dread. XII. She thinks how many have been sunk and drown'd, And spies their snow-white bones below the deep, Then calls huge congregated monsters round, And plants a rock wherever he would leap; Anon she dwells on a fantastic dream, Which she interprets of that fatal stream. XIII. Saying, "That honied fly I saw was thee, Which lighted on a water-lily's cup, When, lo! the flower, enamor'd of my bee, Closed on him suddenly and lock'd him up, And he was smother'd in her drenching dew; Therefore this day thy drowning I shall rue." XIV. But next, remembering her virgin fame, She clips him in her arms and bids him go, But seeing him break loose, repents her shame, And plucks him back upon her bosom's snow; And tears unfix her iced resolve again, As steadfast frosts are thaw'd by show'rs of rain. XV. O for a type of parting!--Love to love Is like the fond attraction of two spheres, Which needs a godlike effort to remove, And then sink down their sunny atmospheres, In rain and darkness on each ruin'd heart, Nor yet their melodies will sound apart. XVI. So brave Leander sunders from his bride; The wrenching pang disparts his soul in twain; Half stays with her, half goes towards the tide,-- And life must ache, until they join again. Now wouldst thou know the wideness of the wound?-- Mete every step he takes upon the ground. XVII. And for the agony and bosom-throe, Let it be measured by the wide vast air, For that is infinite, and so is woe, Since parted lovers breathe it everywhere. Look how it heaves Leander's laboring chest, Panting, at poise, upon a rocky crest! XVIII. From which he leaps into the scooping brine, That shocks his bosom with a double chill; Because, all hours, till the slow sun's decline, That cold divorcer will be 'twixt them still; Wherefore he likens it to Styx' foul tide, Where life grows death upon the other side. XIX. Then sadly he confronts his twofold toil Against rude waves and an unwilling mind, Wishing, alas! with the stout rower's toil, That like a rower he might gaze behind, And watch that lonely statue he hath left, On her bleak summit, weeping and bereft! XX. Yet turning oft, he sees her troubled locks Pursue him still the furthest that they may; Her marble arms that overstretch the rocks, And her pale passion'd hands that seem to pray In dumb petition to the gods above: Love prays devoutly when it prays for love! XXI.