Page:Poems by William Wordsworth (1815) Volume 1.djvu/281

221 What will be left to us!—But, I forget

My purposes. Lay now the corner-stone,

As I requested; and hereafter, Luke,

When thou art gone away, should evil men

Be thy companions, think of me, my Son,

And of this moment; hither turn thy thoughts,

And God will strengthen thee: amid all fear

And all temptation, Luke, I pray that thou

Mayst bear in mind the life thy Fathers lived,

Who, being innocent, did for that cause

Bestir them in good deeds. Now, fare thee well—

When thou return'st, thou in this place wilt see

A work which is not here: a covenant

'Twill be between usBut, whatever fate

Befall thee, I shall love thee to the last,

And bear thy memory with me to the grave."

The Shepherd ended here; and Luke stooped down,

And, as his Father had requested, laid

The first stone of the Sheep-fold. At the sight

The Old Man's grief broke from him, to his heart

He press'd his Son, he kissed him and wept;

And to the House together they returned.

—Hushed was that House in peace, or seeming peace,