Heav’n forgives seven sins if love the cause; The plea doubles guilt when Hell’s the brok’n laws. Hark how the grinning host of demons howls! And oh! the crash pealing over Hell’s pools! Naught heard he, but that cried Eurydice,— Regained, re-lost: “Alas! for Me and Thee! I feel hands, the inexorable Fates, Speeding back within the Infernal gates; My swimming eyes, just tasting of Earth’s light, I know are being sealed by a large Night. See! how I stretch vain arms around, and grope For thee in darkness, hoping without hope! E’en now how lightly should I life resign, Could I remember I had once been thine!” Silence! From sight, hearing, passed she apart, Leaving measureless void within his heart. He ran, striving to clutch a ghost in vain; Pursuing with vain words; never again Looked he upon her; nor could he prevail Upon Hell’s Ferryman to let him scale The walls, swimming the moat, and again win, By weeping, or by music, his way in, Then move or force its warders to restore His stolen Bride to his fond arms once more. Poor Ghost! No third time destined she to float Over foul Styx in Charon’s crazy boat! But, hapless, doomed to swell the cavalcades Of lifeless bodies, and of fleshless shades; Nor one, nor other she; just borne along, Drift on the tide—refrain to an old song— Yet, flickering, like shadows on a wall, Or rainbow gleaming from a water-fall, A throb, a thrill, a joy though set in dole— For Lethe could not wash away the whole— That she reward had been of each sharp pang By Orpheus borne, theme of each song he sang.