Page:Aurora Leigh a Poem.djvu/166

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AURORA LEIGH.
157
And then, with just a word, . . that 'Marian ErleWas coming with her bridesmaids presently,'Made haste to place me by the altar-stair,Where he and other noble gentlemenAnd high-born ladies, waited for the bride.
We waited. It was early: there was timeFor greeting, and the morning's compliment;And gradually a ripple of women's talkArose and fell, and tossed about a sprayOf English ss, soft as a silent hush,And, notwithstanding, quite as audibleAs louder phrases thrown out by the men.—'Yes really, if we've need to wait in church,We've need to talk there.'—'She? 'Tis Lady AyrIn blue—not purple! that's the dowager.'—'She looks as young.'—'She flirts as young, you mean!Why if you had seen her upon Thursday night,You'd call Miss Norris modest.'—'You again!I waltzed with you three hours back. Up at six,Up still at ten: scarce time to change one's shoes.I feel as white and sulky as a ghost,So pray don't speak to me, Lord Belcher.'—'No,I'll look at you instead, and it's enoughWhile you have that face.' 'In church, my lord! fie, fie!'—'Adair, you stayed for the Division?'—'LostBy one.' 'The devil it is! I'm sorry for't.And if I had not promised Mistress Grove' . .—'You might have kept your word to Liverpool.''Constituents must remember, after all,
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