Page:The Excursion, Wordsworth, 1814.djvu/61

35 Speechless,—and sitting down upon a chair

Wept bitterly. I wist not what to do,

Or how to speak to her. Poor Wretch! at last

She rose from off her seat, and then,—O Sir!

I cannot tell how she pronounced my name.—

With fervent love, and with a face of grief

Unutterably helpless, and a look

That seemed to cling upon me, she enquired

If I had seen her Husband. As she spake

A strange surprize and fear came to my heart,

Nor had I power to answer ere she told

That he had disappear'd—not two months gone.

He left his House: two wretched days had pass'd,

And on the third, as wistfully she rais'd

Her head from off her pillow, to look forth,

Like one in trouble, for returning light,

Within her chamber-casement she espied

A folded paper, lying as if placed

To meet her waking eyes. This tremblingly

She open'd—found no writing, but therein

Pieces of money carefully enclosed,

Silver and gold.—"I shuddered at the sight,"

Said Margaret, "for I knew it was his hand