Page:The Excursion, Wordsworth, 1814.djvu/81

55 The perturbation; listened to the plea;

Resolved the dubious point; and sentence gave

So grounded, so applied, that it was heard

With softened spirit,—even when it condemned.

Such intercourse I witnessed, while we roved

Now as his choice directed, now as mine;

Or both, with equal readiness of will,

Our course submitting to the changeful breeze

Of accident. But when the rising sun

Had three times called us to renew our walk,

My Fellow Traveller said with earnest voice,

As if the thought were but a moment old,

That I must yield myself without reserve

To his disposal. Glad was I of this:

We started—and he led towards the hills;

Up through an ample vale, with higher hills

Before us, mountains stern and desolate;

But in the majesty of distance now

Set off, and to our ken appearing fair

Of aspect, with aerial softness clad,

And beautified with morning's purple beams.