THE RING
67
Father.
Ay!
But that half skeleton, like a barren ghost
From out the fleshless world of spirits, laugh'd:
A hollow laughter!
Ay!
But that half skeleton, like a barren ghost
From out the fleshless world of spirits, laugh'd:
A hollow laughter!
Miriam.
Vile, so near the ghost
Himself, to laugh at love in death! But you?
Vile, so near the ghost
Himself, to laugh at love in death! But you?
Father.
Well, as the bygone lover thro' this ring
Had sent his cry for her forgiveness, I
Would call thro' this 'Io t'amo' to the heart
Of Miriam; then I bad the man engrave
'From Walter' on the ring, and send it—wrote
name, surname, all as clear as noon, but he—
Some younger hand must have engraven the ring—
Well, as the bygone lover thro' this ring
Had sent his cry for her forgiveness, I
Would call thro' this 'Io t'amo' to the heart
Of Miriam; then I bad the man engrave
'From Walter' on the ring, and send it—wrote
name, surname, all as clear as noon, but he—
Some younger hand must have engraven the ring—
