The Gate [pp. 43]

THE GA TE.
was another victim to circumstance, for
I was told she had been possessed from
her youth, and no one would marry her.
There was scarcely any money used
in this part of Siam, and in return for
the people's presents I had to bestow my
white skirts, towels, or bottles. They
also delighted in needles, scissors, and
knives, but they did not know the use of
pins. Men and women dressed alike,
and, from equal exposure, became similar. They took their share of the labor,
and there appeared to be no remarkable
difference in their strength. Feeding
the hungry is a self-evident benevolence,
but clothing the naked is open to discussion in this climate, where they seemed much happier in their single rag than
those who are obliged, by force of custom, to put on a dozen garments, and
be boiled and baked therein.
I bade farewell to Angkor Wat with
regret, and with a half-yearning to become another Lady Hester Stanhope.
I traveled back in my junk the whole
distance to Saigon, two hundred and
fifty miles, visiting all the French posts
in Cochin China. I did not meet with
any difficulty or even unpleasantness, although the country was said to be in insurrection. I neither saw nor felt anything, of it, and, in spite of the prophecies, I accomplished my journey to
my own satisfaction, and, I trust, to
the amusement and instruction of some
others.
THE GATE.
Down the serpentine reachUnder the orient peach,
Grape- vine and quince interlaced -
Leisurely two of us paced.
Half of the yellow moon
Hung in the west in a swoon;
Scents of geranium leaves
Swam on the indolent breeze.
Soon to the garden gate
Sauntering we came, to wait;
Vows entangled with sighs
Raveled out our good-bys.
"Shears, to sever our paths,
Cut us not yet into halves!"
Cried I the gate: and we stood
Close to each as we could.
Sweets have end, as the sour:
"Be thou eternal, this hour!"
Sighed I, in frenzy of bliss,
That burst on her lips a kiss.
0, gate! you then swung ajar
To a pathway flamed by a star;
And down the shining reach
Went two forsworn of speech.
1 873.]
43