Page:Biographical and critical studies by James Thomson ("B.V.").djvu/87

 SAINT-AMANT 7I touch of fancy, not unworthy of young Heine himself, which shows what delicate chords vibrated in this stout reveller (the original is much daintier than my rather free version) : — ' ' The pretty butterfly comes then, Its tremulous pinions rise, And seeing the sun shines again, From flower to flower it flies, To tell the good news of the time — That day returns to bless our clime. There in our gardens rich and bright, Where many a rare thing grows, It carries from the lily white A kiss unto the rose ; And seems, a messenger discreet, To tell her some love-message sweet." I need scarcely say that the lily is masculine and the rose feminine, in French. In La Pluye he sings — " Falling on the foliage green, What a pleasant sound rain stirs ! How should I charm every ear, If the sweetness whispering here Could be breathed into my verse ! " And surely he strikes some fine tones in La Nuit : — " Peaceful and lonely night, Without or moon or stars, With thy most sombre veils Enshroud the day that jars ; Come quickly, goddess, grant this boon to me ; I love one dark like thee.