Page:Romance of the Rose (Ellis), volume 1.pdf/116

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Thy tongue ere thou wert left alone,

Without a smile; then wilt thou own,

Not willingly hadst thou that chance

Lost, for a hundred marks of France.

Next shall thou issue forth amain,

Occasion seeking once again.

To traverse restlessly the street,

Spurred on thereto by hope to meet

Thy heart’s delight, whom thou hast seen,

Erewhile, all fruitlessly I ween.

Most diligently then wouldst thou

Seek out her woning, as I trow,

Though daring not to go direct,

Lest people, Argus-eyed, suspect

Thy purpose; therefore round about

Thy feet will wander, in and out,

Finding excuse and reason fair,

Though false, why thou meanderest there,

Scheming and plotting how to hide

Thine object from the world outside.

And if by hap thou dost behold

Thy love, and straightway makest bold

To bow, and hold her in converse,

A moment later wilt thou curse

Thy folly, when thou feelest rise

Thy blood ail hot, and next, from eyes

To chin wilt thou turn deadly pale,

And find thy voice to quiver and fail,

And thoughts confused within thine head,

Will tell thee thou hast blunderèd.

And when thou wouldst make fresh essay

With choicer words, thou’lt feel dismay,