CHAPTER TWO
The fairy appeared, and said:
"Four of the gifts remain. Choose once more;
and oh, remember--time is flying, and only one of
them is precious."
The man considered long, then chose Love; and
did not mark the tears that rose in the fairy's eyes.
After many, many years the man sat by a coffin,
in an empty home. And he communed with him-
self, saying: "One by one they have gone away and
left me; and now she lies here, the dearest and the
last. Desolation after desolation has swept over
me; for each hour of happiness the treacherous
trader, Love, has sold me I have paid a thousand
hours of grief. Out of my heart of hearts I curse.
him."
"Four of the gifts remain. Choose once more;
and oh, remember--time is flying, and only one of
them is precious."
The man considered long, then chose Love; and
did not mark the tears that rose in the fairy's eyes.
After many, many years the man sat by a coffin,
in an empty home. And he communed with him-
self, saying: "One by one they have gone away and
left me; and now she lies here, the dearest and the
last. Desolation after desolation has swept over
me; for each hour of happiness the treacherous
trader, Love, has sold me I have paid a thousand
hours of grief. Out of my heart of hearts I curse.
him."
Word of the day: desolation
5 comments:
Better to have loved and lost?
Didn't see that one coming!
Vee, I have heard that said.
Chuck, one is well-advised to think "cynicism" when reading Twain.
Cynicism indeed - I've read the whole piece (as I'm sure you knew I would) and found it a bit disconcerting. Now I shall wait to see if you will be having a personal commentary on it when the piece is done.
Grace, I knew you would. I always had at least one student who worked ahead. I knew you were that one.
Post a Comment