46
ENOCH ARDEN.
Then may she learn I lov’d her to the last.’
He call’d aloud for Miriam Lane and said
‘Woman, I have a secret—only swear,
Before I tell you—swear upon the book
Not to reveal it, till you see me dead.’
‘Dead,’ clamour’d the good woman, ‘hear him talk!
I warrant, man, that we shall bring you round.’
‘Swear’ added Enoch sternly ‘on the book.’
And on the book, half-frighted, Miriam swore.
Then Enoch rolling his gray eyes upon her,
‘Did you know Enoch Arden of this town?’
‘Know him?’ she said ‘I knew him far away.
Ay, ay, I mind him coming down the street;
Held his head high, and cared for no man, he.’
Slowly and sadly Enoch answer’d her;
‘His head is low, and no man cares for him.
I think I have not three days more to live;
I am the man.’ At which the woman gave
A half-incredulous, half-hysterical cry.
‘You Arden, you! nay,—sure he was a foot
He call’d aloud for Miriam Lane and said
‘Woman, I have a secret—only swear,
Before I tell you—swear upon the book
Not to reveal it, till you see me dead.’
‘Dead,’ clamour’d the good woman, ‘hear him talk!
I warrant, man, that we shall bring you round.’
‘Swear’ added Enoch sternly ‘on the book.’
And on the book, half-frighted, Miriam swore.
Then Enoch rolling his gray eyes upon her,
‘Did you know Enoch Arden of this town?’
‘Know him?’ she said ‘I knew him far away.
Ay, ay, I mind him coming down the street;
Held his head high, and cared for no man, he.’
Slowly and sadly Enoch answer’d her;
‘His head is low, and no man cares for him.
I think I have not three days more to live;
I am the man.’ At which the woman gave
A half-incredulous, half-hysterical cry.
‘You Arden, you! nay,—sure he was a foot
