Page:The Excursion, Wordsworth, 1814.djvu/111

85 At the calm close of summer's longest day

Rests his substantial Orb;—between those heights

And on the top of either pinnacle,

More keenly than elsewhere in night's blue vault,

Sparkle the Stars as of their station proud.

Thoughts are not busier in the mind of man

Than the mute Agents stirring there:—alone

Here do I sit and watch.—"

With brightening face

The Wanderer heard him speaking thus, and said,

"Now for the Tale with which you threatened us!"

"In truth the threat escaped me unawares

And was forgotten. Let this challenge stand

For my excuse, if what I shall relate

Tire your attention.—Outcast and cut off

As we seem here, and must have seemed to you

When ye looked down upon us from the crag,

Islanders of a stormy Mountain sea,

We are not so;—perpetually we touch

Upon the vulgar ordinance of the world,

And he, whom this our Cottage hath to-day

Relinquished, was dependant for his bread

Upon the laws of public charity.