THE STORY OF BOON.
227
Strange instinct swept.
"Tell me who art
Thou, Boon," she said: "why dost thou cling
To me through all this suffering?
All other women I have known
Had left me now to die alone,
O Boon, conceal from me no more!
Tell me the truth in this dread hour!"
Then, looking newly at her face,
She saw it beauty had, and grace;
Saw that the feet were lithe and fine,
The hands were small and smooth: each sign
Of tender nurture and high blood
This loving woman bore, who stood
To her as slave. Unearthly sweet
Grew Boon's pale face, as to the feet
Of Choy, all crippled, chained, she crept,
And, as she strove to speak, but wept
And sobbed,—
"O Lady dear, forgive
That I deceived thee! I but live
For thy dear Duke. I am his wife
Dumb wonder sealed Choy's lips. A strife
Of fierce mistrust warred in her breast.
At last, stern-faced, "Tell me the rest,"
She said.
Closer, more humbly still
Boon crept, and said,—
"Lady, I will;
And, by the heart of Buddha, thou
Canst but forgive when thou dost know
The whole.
"Tell me who art
Thou, Boon," she said: "why dost thou cling
To me through all this suffering?
All other women I have known
Had left me now to die alone,
O Boon, conceal from me no more!
Tell me the truth in this dread hour!"
Then, looking newly at her face,
She saw it beauty had, and grace;
Saw that the feet were lithe and fine,
The hands were small and smooth: each sign
Of tender nurture and high blood
This loving woman bore, who stood
To her as slave. Unearthly sweet
Grew Boon's pale face, as to the feet
Of Choy, all crippled, chained, she crept,
And, as she strove to speak, but wept
And sobbed,—
"O Lady dear, forgive
That I deceived thee! I but live
For thy dear Duke. I am his wife
Dumb wonder sealed Choy's lips. A strife
Of fierce mistrust warred in her breast.
At last, stern-faced, "Tell me the rest,"
She said.
Closer, more humbly still
Boon crept, and said,—
"Lady, I will;
And, by the heart of Buddha, thou
Canst but forgive when thou dost know
The whole.
