Page:The New Life (Rossetti 1899) Siddal ed.djvu/80

74

With you alone, dear dames and damozels:

'Twere ill to speak thereof with any else.

An Angel, of his blessed knowledge, saith

To God: "Lord, in the world that Thou hast made,

A miracle in action is display'd,

By reason of a soul whose splendours fare

Even hither: and since Heaven requireth

Nought saving her, for her it prayeth Thee,

Thy Saints crying aloud continually."

Yet Pity still defends our earthly share

In that sweet soul; God answering thus the prayer:

"My well-belovèd, suffer that in peace

Your hope remain, while so My pleasure is,

There where one dwells who dreads the loss of her:

And who in Hell unto the doomed shall say,

'I have looked on that for which God's chosen pray.

My lady is desired in the high Heaven:

Wherefore, it now behoveth me to tell,