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eve it happened when I sate alone, Alone upon the terrace of my tower, A book upon my knees, to counterfeit The reading that I never read at all, While Marian, in the garden down below, Knelt by the fountain (I could just hear thrill The drowsy silence of the exhausted day) And peeled a new fig from that purple heap In the grass beside her,—turning out the red To feed her eager child, who sucked at it With vehement lips across a gap of air As he stood opposite, face and curls a-flame With that last sun-ray, crying, 'give me, give,' And stamping with imperious baby-feet, (We're all born princes)—something startled me,— The laugh of sad and innocent souls, that breaks Abruptly, as if frightened at itself; 'Twas Marian laughed.I saw her glance above In sudden shame that I should hear her laugh, And straightway dropped my eyes upon my book, T2