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Victorine's flank； Starting it to blue； Dropping it to black。 Clack！ Clack！
Tap…a…tap！ Tap！ Lord！ What galloping！ Some mishap Is making that
man ride so furiously。 〃Francois； you！ Victorine won't be through For
another quarter of an hour。〃 〃As you hope to die； Work faster； man； the
order has come。〃 〃What order？ Speak out。 Are you dumb？〃 〃A chaise；
without arms on the panels； at the gate In the far side…wall； and just to wait。
We must be there in half an hour with swift cattle。 You're a stupid fool if
you don't hear that rattle。 Those are German guns。 Can't you guess the
rest？ Nantes； Rochefort； possibly Brest。〃 Tap！ Tap！ as though the
hammers were mad。 Dang！ Ding！ Creak！ The farrier's lad Jerks the
bellows till he cracks their bones； And the stifled air hiccoughs and groans。
The Sergeant is lying on the floor Stone dead； and his hat with the
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tricolore Cockade has rolled off into the cinders。 Victorine snorts and
lays back her ears。 What glistens on the anvil？ Sweat or tears？
V
St。 Helena； May； 1821
Tap！ Tap！ Tap！ Through the white tropic night。 Tap！ Tap！ Beat
the hammers； Unwearied； indefatigable。 They are hanging dull black cloth
about the dead。 Lustreless black cloth Which chokes the radiance of the
moonlight And puts out the little moving shadows of leaves。 Tap！ Tap！
The knocking makes the candles quaver； And the long black hangings
waver Tap！ Tap！ Tap！ Tap！ Tap！ In the ears which do not heed。 Tap！
Tap！ Above the eyelids which do not flicker。 Tap！ Tap！ Over the hands
which do not stir。 Chiselled like a cameo of white agate against the
hangings； Struck to brilliance by the falling moonlight； A face！ Sharp as a
frozen flame； Beautiful as an altar lamp of silver； And still。 Perfectly still。
In the next room； the men chatter As they eat their midnight lunches。 A
knife hits against a platter。 But the figure on the bed Between the stifling
black hangings Is cold and motionless； Played over by the moonlight from
the windows And the indistinct shadows of leaves。
Tap！ Tap！ Upholsterer Darling has a fine shop in Jamestown。 Tap！
Tap！ Andrew Darling has ridden hard from Longwood to see to the work
in his shop in Jamestown。 He has a corps of men in it； toiling and
swearing； Knocking； and measuring； and planing； and squaring； Working
from a chart with figures； Comparing with their rules； Setting this and that
part together with their tools。 Tap！ Tap！ Tap！ Haste indeed！ So great is
the need That carpenters have been taken from the new church； Joiners
have been called from shaping pews and lecterns To work of greater
urgency。 Coffins！ Coffins is what they are making this bright Summer
morning。 Coffins and all to measurement。 There is a tin coffin； A deal
coffin； A lead coffin； And Captain Bennett's best mahogany dining…table
Has been sawed up for the grand outer coffin。 Tap！ Tap！ Tap！ Sunshine
outside in the square； But inside； only hollow coffins and the tapping upon
them。 The men whistle； And the coffins grow under their hammers In the
darkness of the shop。 Tap！ Tap！ Tap！
Tramp of men。 Steady tramp of men。 Slit…eyed Chinese with long
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Men； Women and Ghosts
pigtails Bearing oblong things upon their shoulders March slowly along
the road to Longwood。 Their feet fall softly in the dust of the road；
Sometimes they call gutturally to each other and stop to shift shoulders。
Four coffins for the little dead man； Four fine coffins； And one of them
Captain Bennett's dining…table！ And sixteen splendid Chinamen； all strong
and able And of assured neutrality。 Ah！ George of England； Lord
Bathhurst & Co。 Your princely munificence makes one's heart glow。
Huzza！ Huzza！ For the Lion of England！
Tap！ Tap！ Tap！ Marble likeness of an Emperor； Dead man； who
burst your heart against a world too narrow； The hammers drum you to
your last throne Which always you shall hold alone。 Tap！ Tap！ The glory
of your past is faded as a sunset fire； Your day lingers only like the tones
of a wind…lyre In a twilit room。 Here is the emptiness of your dream
Scattered about you。 Coins of yesterday； Double napoleons stamped with
Consul or Emperor； Strange as those of Herculaneum And you just dead！
Not one spool of thread Will these buy in any market…place。 Lay them over
him； They are the baubles of a crown of mist Worn in a vision and melted
away at waking。 Tap！ Tap！ His heart strained at kingdoms And now it is
content with a silver dish。 Strange World！ Strange Wayfarer！ Strange
Destiny！ Lower it gently beside him and let it lie。 Tap！ Tap！ Tap！
Two Travellers in the Place Vendome
Reign of Louis Philippe
A great tall column spearing at the sky With a little man on top。
Goodness！ Tell me why？ He looks a silly thing enough to stand up there
so high。
What a strange fellow； like a soldier in a play； Tight…fitting coat with
the tails cut away； High…crowned hat which the brims overlay。
Two…horned hat makes an outline like a bow。 Must have a sword； I can
see the light glow Between a dark line and his leg。 Vertigo
I get gazing up at him； a pygmy flashed with sun。 A weathercock or
scarecrow or both things in one？ As bright as a jewelled crown hung
above a throne。
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Say； what is the use of him if he doesn't turn？ Just put up to glitter
there； like a torch to burn； A sort of sacrificial show in a lofty urn？
But why a little soldier in an obsolete dress？ I'd rather see a Goddess
with a spear； I confess。 Something allegorical and fine。 Why； yes
I cannot take my eyes from him。