Only why should it be with pain at all, Why must I ‘twixt the leaves of coronal Put any kiss of pardon on thy brow? Why should the other women know so much, And talk together:–Such the look and such The smile he used to love with, then as now. Any Wife to any Husband. […]

And ye shall be as–Gods! SCENE.–Thymy grass-plot at back of the Mahasu dak-bungalow, overlooking little wooded valley. On the left, glimpse of the Dead Forest of Fagoo; on the right, Simla Hills. In background, line of the Snows. CAPTAIN GADSBY, now three weeks a husband, is smoking the pipe of peace on a rug in […]

Knowing Good and Evil. SCENE.–The GADSBYS’ bungalow in the Plains, in June. Punkah-coolies asleep in veranda where CAPTAIN GADSBY is walking up and down. DOCTOR’S trap in porch. JUNIOR CHAPLAIN drifting generally and uneasily through the house. Time, 3.40 A. M. Heat 94 degrees in veranda. DOCTOR. (Coming into veranda and touching G. on the […]

And you may go into every room of the house and see everything that is there, but into the Blue Room you must not go. — The Story of Blue Beard. SCENE.–The GADSBYS’ bungalow in the Plains. Time, 11 A. M. on a Sunday morning. CAPTAIN GADSBY, in his shirt-sleeves, is bending over a complete […]

If thou hast run with the footmen and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? And if in the land of peace wherein thou trustedst they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan? SCENE.–The GADSEYS’ bungalow in the Plains, on a January morning. MRS. G. arguing […]

For jealousy is the rage of a man: Therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance. — Prov. vi. 34. Almonds and raisins, Sahib? Grapes from Kabul? Or a pony of the rarest if the Sahib will only come with me. He is thirteen three, Sahib, plays polo, goes in a cart, carries […]

See the pale martyr with his shirt on fire. PRINTER’S ERROR. THEY tell the tale even now among the groves of the Berbulda Hill, and for corroboration point to the roofless and windowless Mission-house. The great God Dungara, the God of Things as They Are, Most Terrible, One-eyed, Bearing the Red Elephant Tusk, did it […]

His own shoe, his own head.–Native Proverb. As a messenger, if the heart of the Presence be moved to so great favour. And on six rupees. Yes, Sahib, for I have three little children whose stomachs are always empty, and corn is now but forty pounds to the rupee. I will make so clever a […]

Great is the justice of the White Man–greater the power of a lie. —Native Proverb. This is your English Justice, Protector of the Poor. Look at my back and loins which are beaten with sticks–heavy sticks! I am a poor man, and there is no justice in Courts. There were two of us, and we […]

Fair is our lot — O goodly is our heritage! (Humble ye, my people, and be fearful in your mirth!) For the Lord our God Most High He hath made the deep as dry, He hath smote for us a pathway to the ends of all the Earth! Yea, though we sinned — and our […]

Hear now the Song of the Dead — in the North by the torn berg-edges — They that look still to the Pole, asleep by their hide-stripped sledges. Song of the Dead in the South — in the sun by their skeleton horses, Where the warrigal whimpers and bays through the dust of the sear […]

One from the ends of the earth — gifts at an open door — Treason has much, but we, Mother, thy sons have more! From the whine of a dying man, from the snarl of a wolf-pack freed, Turn, and the world is thine. Mother, be proud of thy seed! Count, are we feeble or […]

The wrecks dissolve above us; their dust drops down from afar — Down to the dark, to the utter dark, where the blind white sea-snakes are. There is no sound, no echo of sound, in the deserts of the deep, Or the great gray level plains of ooze where the shell-burred cables creep. Here in […]

Mine was the woman to me, darkling I found her; Haling her dumb from the camp, took her and bound her. Hot rose her tribe on our track ere I had proved her; Hearing her laugh in the gloom, greatly I loved her. Swift through the forest we ran; none stood to guard us, Few […]

BOMBAY Royal and Dower-royal, I the Queen Fronting thy richest sea with richer hands — A thousand mills roar through me where I glean All races from all lands. CALCUTTA Me the Sea-captain loved, the River built, Wealth sought and Kings adventured life to hold. Hail, England! I am Asia — Power on silt, Death […]

King Solomon drew merchantmen, Because of his desire For peacocks, apes, and ivory, From Tarshish unto Tyre: With cedars out of Lebanon Which Hiram rafted down, But we be only sailormen That use in London Town. Coastwise — cross-seas — round the world and back again — Where the flaw shall head us or the […]

“And there was no more sea.” Thus said The Lord in the Vault above the Cherubim Calling to the Angels and the Souls in their degree: “Lo! Earth has passed away On the smoke of Judgment Day. That Our word may be established shall We gather up the sea?” Loud sang the souls of the […]

Lord, Thou hast made this world below the shadow of a dream, An’, taught by time, I tak’ it so — exceptin’ always Steam. From coupler-flange to spindle-guide I see Thy Hand, O God — Predestination in the stride o’ yon connectin’-rod. John Calvin might ha’ forged the same — enorrmous, certain, slow — Ay, […]

I sent a message to my dear — A thousand leagues and more to Her — The dumb sea-levels thrilled to hear, And Lost Atlantis bore to Her. Behind my message hard I came, And nigh had found a grave for me; But that I launched of steel and flame Did war against the wave […]

We’ve drunk to the Queen — God bless her! — We’ve drunk to our mothers’ land; We’ve drunk to our English brother (But he does not understand); We’ve drunk to the wide creation, And the Cross swings low for the morn; Last toast, and of obligation, A health to the Native-born! They change their skies […]