But utter’d in a voice so sob-broken, So feeble with the agony of tears, That I alone might hear it in my heart; And though that look was on my visage then Which he who is ashamed so plainly wears, Love made that I through shame held not apart, But gazed upon them. And my hue was such That they look’d at each other and thought of death; Saying under their breath Most tenderly, “O let us comfort him:” Then unto me: “What dream Was thine, that it hath shaken thee so much?” And when I was a little comforted, “This, ladies, was the dream I dreamt,” I said. “I was a-thinking how life fails with us Suddenly after such a little while; When Love sobb’d in my heart, which is his home. Whereby my spirit wax’d so dolorous That in myself I said, with sick recoil: ‘Yea, to my lady too this Death must come.’ And therewithal such a bewilderment Possess’d me, that I shut mine eyes for peace; And in my brain did cease Order of thought, and every healthful thing. Afterwards, wandering Amid a swarm of doubts that came and went, Some certain women’s faces hurried by, And shriek’d to me, ‘Thou too shalt die, shalt die!’ “Then saw I many broken hinted sights In the uncertain state I stepp’d into. Meseem’d to be I know not in what place, Where ladies through the street, like mournful lights, Ran with loose hair, and eyes that frighten’d you By their own terror, and a pale amaze: The while, little by little, as I thought, The sun ceased, and the stars began to gather, And each wept at the other; And birds dropp’d in mid-flight out of the sky; And earth shook suddenly; And I was ’ware of one, hoarse and tired out, Who ask’d of me: ‘Hast thou not heard it said?... Thy lady, she that was so fair, is dead.’ “Then lifting up mine eyes, as the tears came, I saw the Angels, like a rain of manna, In a long flight flying back Heavenward; Having a little cloud in front of them, After the which they went and said, ‘Hosanna;’ And if they had said more, you should have heard. Then Love said, ‘Now shall all things be made clear: Come and behold our lady where she lies.’ These ’wildering phantasies Then carried me to see my lady dead. Even as I there was led, Her ladies with a veil were covering her; And with her was such very humbleness That she appeared to say, ‘I am at peace.’