Page:Romance of the Rose (Ellis), volume 1.pdf/42

8

Another image close allied

To Covetise stood side by side

With her. ’Twas Avarice, and she

Looked foul, and stooped most wretchedly.

Her wasted figure, lean and weak.

Was wan and pale as garden leek.

The while her visage, void of blood.

Bespoke her languorous wearihood.

Her corpse-like body looked as fed

On crusts of sour and mouldy bread

Kneaded with leaven thin and eager;

And with intent to hide her meagre

Shrunken limbs she’d o’er them cast

A tattered threadbare garment, past

All hope of mendment, torn and slit,

As though fierce dogs had worried it.

In such poor wretched rags was she

Arrayed, God wot! right beggarly.

Hard by, upon a crazy pin,

Was hung her cloak, outworn and thin:

Wrought of good brunette cloth, once fair

And soft, but now of ermine bare;

And, in the place of costly fur.

Poor Avarice contenteth her

With heavy lambskin, shag and black;

Full twenty years her skinny back

Hath borne its cumbrous weight, for shy

Is Avarice new clothes to buy.

But findeth ever some excuse

To spare her clouts due wear and use;