When thou art mother,
Ne'er let thy children out of sight to play!
Ne'er let thy children out of sight to play!
Hugo - Poems
_Democratic Review_.
THE SON IN OLD AGE.
_("Ma Regina, cette noble figure. ")_
[LES BURGRAVES, Part II. ]
Thy noble face, Regina, calls to mind
My poor lost little one, my latest born.
He was a gift from God--a sign of pardon--
That child vouchsafed me in my eightieth year!
I to his little cradle went, and went,
And even while 'twas sleeping, talked to it.
For when one's very old, one is a child!
Then took it up and placed it on my knees,
And with both hands stroked down its soft, light hair--
Thou wert not born then--and he would stammer
Those pretty little sounds that make one smile!
And though not twelve months old, he had a mind.
He recognized me--nay, knew me right well,
And in my face would laugh--and that child-laugh,
Oh, poor old man! 'twas sunlight to my heart.
I meant him for a soldier, ay, a conqueror,
And named him George. One day--oh, bitter thought!
The child played in the fields.
When thou art mother,
Ne'er let thy children out of sight to play!
The gypsies took him from me--oh, for what?
Perhaps to kill him at a witch's rite.
I weep! --now, after twenty years--I weep
As if 'twere yesterday. I loved him so!
I used to call him "my own little king! "
I was intoxicated with my joy
When o'er my white beard ran his rosy hands,
Thrilling me all through.
_Foreign Quarterly Review. _
THE EMPEROR'S RETURN.
_("Un bouffon manquait a cette fete. ")_
[LES BURGRAVES, Part II. ]
_The EMPEROR FREDERICK BARBAROSSA, believed to be dead, appearing
as a beggar among the Rhenish nobility at a castle, suddenly reveals
himself. _
HATTO. This goodly masque but lacked a fool!
First gypsy; next a beggar;--good!
