Page:Underwoods, Stevenson, 1887.djvu/56

32 Thou hadst a booth in Samarcand, whereat

Side-looking Magians trafficked; thence, by night,

An Afreet snatched thee, and with wings upbore

Beyond the Aral mount; or, hoping gain,

Thou, with a jar of money, didst embark,

For Balsorah, by sea. But chiefly thou

In that clear air took'st life; in Arcady

The haunted, land of song; and by the wells

Where most the gods frequent. There Chiron old,

In the Pelethronian antre, taught thee lore:

The plants, he taught, and by the shining stars

In forests dim to steer. There hast thou seen

Immortal Pan dance secret in a glade,

And, dancing, roll his eyes; these, where they fell,

Shed glee, and through the congregated oaks

A flying horror winged; while all the earth

To the god's pregnant footing thrilled within.

Or whiles, beside the sobbing stream, he breathed,

In his clutched pipe, unformed and wizard strains,