AStoryoftheSea

Therehavebeenmortals,favoritesofthegods,towhomitwasgiventounderstandthelanguageoftheloweranimals,andsuchIhaveeverenvied,for"Beastandbirdhaveseenandheardthatwhichmanknowethnot."

NevercouldIgetbeyondanimperfectknowledgeoftheiralphabet,enablingmetospellouthereandthereawordoflittlemeaning;butthegreatocean'snever-ceasingspeechwaseverplaintome,andmanyamidnighthourIhavepacedthecoolsandsthatgirtmyislandhome,andlistenedwithreverentialawetothesecretsitwhisperedtothesensuoussouthernbreezethatkisseditsbosom--strangestoriesofwreckandwraith,wildwarsanddesperatedeeds,mingledwiththoseofloveandhonor,shameandsacrifice,crowdinguponeachotherlikespectresinadream.

OnenightwhenthenewmoonhunglikeasilvercrescentpendentfromVenus'flamingorb,inasummerskythickinlaidwithpatinesofpuregold,Iheardthelazywavesbreakinglikeslumb'rousthunderuponthelong,lowbeach,andsaid,"Theseaiscallingme!"andIwent.Faroutuponthelongpier,wherethewavescoulddashtheirspraylikeashowerofcoolpearlsinmyface,Ilingeredlongandlistenedtoastory,sadandstrangeasasweet-voicedwomantellinginaforeigntongue,andpunctuatingwithtearsandsighs,ataleoftrueloveturnedawry.

Uponthebeachtheywalkedindaysthatseemtomanlong,longago.Howbriefandstrangethelittlelivesofmen,andsobesetwithcustomsframedtocramptheheartandcursethesoulbeforeitstime!Tome,--heresinceTimebegantobuildthatbridgeofsighsandtearsthatlinkthetwoeternities--itseemsbutyesternightthat,handinhandtheywanderedhere,sowraptinhappinessbornofequallovethattheyheedednotmygloriesspreadforthtotempttheirpraise.Icurledmysnowysprayabouttheirfeet;flashedbackthesilverbeamsofharvestmooninonelong,shimmeringsheetofmellowlight;rolledwavesofbrilliantphosphorescence,thatseemedlikesilverbillows,diamond-studded,breakingonabeachofgold,andsangthesweetestodesofthepoetsoftenthousandyears;buttheyheardnorsawaughtbutthebeatingoftheirheartsinholyrhythmandthelove-lightflaminglikefirescelestialineachother'seyes.

Anon,bare-armed,bare-limbed,shamedyethappy,theysoughtthewave,andIcradledthemonmybosomandheardthemwhisperoflawsdefiedandcruelcustomssetatnaught,andthehigherlawoflove;butfearfulshespokeandsighed,yetclungtheclosertohim,asthoughtheearthandseacontainedhutoneperfectmodelofamanandthatwerehe.

Hourbyhourtheyhoverednearme,andathousandtimesshesworetohimthattheirlivesweresoentwinedthatseparationweredeathtoher,andkissedhislips,hiseyes,hishands,andwishedshewerehiswifethattheymightblazontothegreatroundworldthelovetheyfainwouldhidefromHeaven.

Onelittleyearwentbyandtheycameagain,notwalkinghandinhand.Hespoketoherandsheansweredwithbitterscorn.Hetouchedwithtremblinglipsupontheolddayswhenlovewaslordoftheirtwolives,butshemockedatloveandhimandbadehimleaveher.Thenhethatwaswonttorulefirstlearnedtosue,andvainly,forherheartwascoldastheashesoflong-forgottenkings,cruelaswintrywindsblownacrossicynorthernseas."Itisaguiltylove,"shesaid,andhelookedatherasifdoubtingthatheheard,thenturnedandwentlikeonethatdreamed;forthoughtofwrongtoherhaddweltnotwithhim;hehadbutworshipedherasdevoutSabaeanmightthesunandhostofHeaven.

Againhecame,buthewasallalone.Longandlonelyhepacedthedrearybeachbeneathawintrysky,untilthecoldmistsseemedchangedtomellowlight,thestormyskytooneofsummer,gemmedbymyriadstarsandqueenedbyharvestmoon;thecoolwindsweepingo'erthebarrenwastetomusicandthemerrylaughterofmenandmaids;andshewasbyhisside,herlove-liteyesmakingtheblooddancethrougheveryvein.Heputforthhishandtoher,buttheskychangedfromgoldtolead,thedriftweedblewabouthisfeet,thecoldmistsettleddownuponhimandcreptwithicyfingersintohisheart,andhecursedthelyingvision,theshriekingwind,thecoldmistandtheleadensky;cursedthedaythathefirstsawher,andsaidtothewavesthattumbledathisfeet:"Imustbemad.Thecurseofmyracehathfallenuponme;elsewhydoIseethatwhichisnot,hearvoicesthatarefaraway?WhydoIcherishtheimageofaficklewoman,who,sweptalongbyagustofpassionorsicklysentiment,thoughtforadayshelovedme,butdidnot,noreverlovedaughtinlifebutherownselfishself?"

Andhecalledhernametothewindandwavesbutcoupledwithitacurse,deepandbitter,asthosethatburstinsulphur-breathfromtheparchedlipsofthedamned;andavoicecamebackfromoutthegloomthatseemedtomockhim.Furiousasademondisturbedatsomehellishrite,heturnedandshriekedtothemockingvoiceandbadeitcometohimthathemightwreakuponitsownersuchvengeanceaswouldappalltheworld.

Thefarlightsshonelikepaleghostsoflightsthroughthedrivingmist,andinthemloomedtwoweirdformsthatseemedanhundredcubitshigh.Furiousherusheduponandsmotethemdownuponthewetsandandtrampledthem,andstrovewithfeetandhandstokill;buttheycriedoutformercyontheirlives,--thattheywerehonestfishermenwho,hearingacrybutfaintlyabovetheroaringwaves,hadansweredit,thinkingsomeboatmanmighthavemetmishapandcalledforaid.Thefloodofangerspentinblows,hehelpedthemup,wipedthebloodandsandfromtheirbronzedfaces,gavethemhisscantpurse,andbiddingthemdrinkabumperthathell-fiendsmightdraghimfromtheworldbeforethemornsentthemontheirway.

Thegraydawnfoundhimsleepingwithhisfaceuponthewetsand,oncetroddenbythefeetthatnowtrampledonhisheart.ThenIsentwaves,coolandsweet,tokisshischeek,andheawoke,andwaking,said:

"Kissesforme?Theyarecold,greatMotherOcean;butnotsocoldasloveburnedout,leavingbutthebitterashesofcontemptuouspity.IdreamedthatIwasafloatuponthybosomwithherIdidsodearlylove,andthouwastbearingusbeneathasunsetskytoafairisland,fringedwithpalmsandmusicalwithsongsofbirdsandripplingsprings,wherewetwoshouldliveforever;thataswefloatedthusLove'sgoddessdescendedfromagoldencloudandopeningthewhitebosomofmybride,yetnotmybride,tookthenceherheartandpressedfromitablackdropthatfelluponthemoltensea,andtakingformbecameahideousmonsterthatcried,'MynameisSelfishness,'andvanishedinthewave.Thenbreathinguponthecoldheartetherealflamethatmadeitthroblikeahero'spulsewhentrumpetsareblownforwar,shereplacedit,healedthesnowyglobewithatouch,and,smilinguponme,wascaughtintothegoldencloudthatseemedframedofmusicandtheperfumeofathousandflowers.AroundarmstoleaboutmyneckandwefloatedhearttoheartontothehaventhatwastobeourHeaven.

"Acurseuponyourbrinywatersthatseemaworldofbittertears,rankwithdeadmen'sbonesandtherottinghullsofships!Theyhavecalledmebacktothydreary,ever-moaningvergetomockmyselfforlovingonewhoscorns;forwastingmyhotheartuponablockoffrozenstone,hopingbyfoolishprayersandunmanlytearstomovethegodstobreatheintoitthebreathofhumanlife,--toprevail,evenasdidthatoldGreek,whobecameenamoredofastatue,lessdivinelyformed,butwiththeself-sameheart.

"'Tismadnessleadsmetothisfolly,--theold,oldcursethathathhungaboutourhouse,likeabalefulshadow,forthriceahundredyears,burstingattimesintobloodyfeudswithoutapparentcause,anddreadfulmutiniesagainstthelawsofmanandwillofGod.'Tisvaintofurtherfightwithfate!'Twilldragmedown,evenasitdidmygreat-grandsire,whoclimbedfame'sdizzyheightsandstood,poisedinmid-Heaven,themastermindofBritain'smightyw