And on her glistening breasts and supple thighs :
Her red lips parted, her keen eyes aUve
With fierce, far-ranging hungers of the chase
Over the hills of morn . . . The lantern guttered
And I was left alone in the outer darkness
Among the champing elephants and camels.
And I'll be a camel-keeper to the end :
Though never again my eyes . ..
(Pause.)
132



So you can sleep, Wilfrid

You Merry Andrew, for all you missed your hoop. Wilson

It's just as well, perhaps. Now I can hold Gibson
My secret to the end. Ah, here they come !

(Six lads, between the ages of three and twelve, clad in
pink tights covered with silver spangles, tumble
into the tent)

The Eldest Boy

Daddy, the bell's rung, and . ..
Gentleman John He's snoozing sound.
(to the youngest boy)
You just creep quietly, and take tight hold
Of the crimson curls, and tug, and you will hear
The purple pussies all caterwaul at once.
133



Wilfrid THE GOING

Wilson n n

Gibson

He's gone.
I do not understand.
I only know

That as he turned to go

And waved his hand,

In his young eyes a sudden glory shone,

And I was dazzled with a sunset glow,

And he was gone.
134



RALPH HODGSON



THE BULL Ralph

Hodgson
See an old unhappy bull,
Sick in soul and body both,
Slouching in the undergrowth
Of the forest beautiful,
Banished from the herd he led,
Bulls and cows a thousand head.
Cranes and gaudy parrots go

Up and down the burning sky;

Tree-top cats purr drowsily

In the dim-day green below;

And troops of monkeys, nutting, some,

All disputing, go and come;

And things abominable sit
Picking offal buck or swine.
