ARCHITECTURALMASKS
I
Thereisahousewithiviedwalls，Andmullionedwindowswornandold，AndthelongdwellersinthosehallsHavesoulsthatknowbutsordidcalls，Anddailydoteongold。
II
InblazingbrickandplatedshowNotfarawaya\"villa\"gleams，Andhereafamilyfewmayknow，Withbookandpencil，violandbow，Leadinnerlivesofdreams。
III
Thephilosophicpasserssay，\"Seethatoldmansionmossedandfair，Poeticsoulsthereinarethey:
AndOthatgaudybox！Away，Youvulgarpeoplethere。\"
THETENANT—FOR—LIFE
Thesunsaid，watchingmywatering—pot\"Somemornyou\'llpassaway;
TheseflowersandplantsIparchuphot
Who\'llwaterthemthatday？
\"ThosebanksandbedswhoseshapeyoureyeHasplannedinlinesotrue，Newhandswillchange，unreasoningwhySuchshapeseemedbesttoyou。
\"Withinyourhousewillstrangerssit，Andwonderhowfirstitcame;
They\'lltalkoftheirschemesforimprovingit，Andwillnotmentionyourname。
\"They\'llcarenothow，orwhen，oratwhatYousighed，laughed，sufferedhere，ThoughyoufeelmoreinanhourofthespotThantheywillfeelinayear\"AsIlookonatyouhere，now，ShallIlookonatthese;
Butastoouroldtimes，avowNoknowledge—holdmypeace！
\"Ofriend，itmattersnot，Isay;
Bethinkye，IhaveshinedOnnobleronesthanyou，andtheyAredeadmenoutofmind！\"
THEKING\'SEXPERIMENT
Itwasawetwanhourinspring，AndNaturemetKingDoombesidealane，WhereinHodgetrudged，allblithelyballadingTheMother\'ssmilingreign。
\"WhywarbleshethatskiesarefairAndcoombsalight，\"shecried，\"andfallowsgay，WhenIhaveplacednosunshineintheairOrglowonearthto—day？\"
\"\'TisinthecomedyofthingsThatsuchshouldbe，\"returnedtheoneofDoom;
\"Chargenowthescenewithbrightestblazonings，Andheshallcallthemgloom。\"
Shegavetheword:thesunoutbroke，AllFroomsideshone，thehedgebirdsraisedasong;
AndlaterHodge，uponthemiddaystroke，Returnedthelanealong，Lowmurmuring:\"Othisbitterscene，Andthriceaccursthorizonhungwithgloom！
Howdeadlylikethissky，thesefields，thesetreen，Totrappingsofthetomb！\"
TheBeldamethen:\"Thefoolandblind！
Suchmadperversenesswhomayapprehend？\"
\"Nay;there\'snomadnessinit;thoushaltfindThylawthere，\"saidherfriend。
\"WhenHodgewentforth\'twastohisLove，Tomakeher，erethiseve，hisweddedprize，AndEarth，despitetheheavinessabove，WasbrightasParadise。
\"ButIsentonmymessenger，Withcunningarrowspoisonousandkeen，Totakeforthwithherlaughinglifefromher，Anddullherlittleeen，\"Andwhitehercheek，andstillherbreath，ErehertoobuoyantHodgehadreachedherside;
So，whenhecame，heclaspedherbutindeath，Andneverashisbride。
\"Andthere\'sthehumour，asIsaid;
Thydrearydawnhesawasgleaminggold，AndinthyglisteninggreenandradiantredFunerealgloomandcold。\"
THETREE
ANOLDMAN\'SSTORY
I
ItsrootsarebristlingintheairLikesomemadEarth—god\'sspinyhair;
Theloudsouth—wester\'sswellandyellSmoteitatmidnight，anditfell。
ThusendsthetreeWhereSomeOnesatwithme。
II
Itsboughs，whichnonebutdarerstrod，Achildmaysteponfromthesod，AndtwigsthatearliestmetthedawnArelitthelastuponthelawn。
CartoffthetreeBeneathwhosetrunksatwe！
III
Yes，therewesat:shecooedcontent，Andbatsringedround，anddaylightwent;
Thegnarl，ourseat，iswrenchedandsunk，PronethatqueerpocketinthetrunkWherelaythekeyToherpalemystery。
IV
\"Yearsback，withinthispocket—holeIfound，myLove，ahurriedscrawlMeantnotforme，\"atlengthsaidI;
\"Iglancedthereat，andletitlie:
Thewordswerethree
\'Beloved，Iagree。\'
V
\"Whoplacedithere;towhatrequestItgaveassent，Ineverguessed。
Someprayerofsomehotheart，nodoubt，Tosomecoymaidenhereabout，Justas，maybe，Withyou，SweetHeart，andme。\"
VI
Shewaited，tillwithquickenedbreathShespoke，asonewhobanishethReservesthatlovecraftheedssowell，Toeasesomemightywishtotell:
\"\'TwasI，\"saidshe，\"Whowrotethusclinchingly。
VII
\"Mylover\'swife—aye，wife！—knewnoughtOfwhatwefelt，andbore，andthought
He\'dsaid:\'Iwedwiththeeordie:
Shestandsbetween，\'tistrue。Butwhy？
Dothouagree，And—sheshaltceasetobe。\'
VIII
\"HowIheldback，howlovesupremeInvolvedmemadlyinhisschemeWhyshouldIsay？Iwroteassent（Youfoundithid）tohisintent
She—DIEDButheCamenottowedwithme。
IX
\"Oshrinknot，Love！—HadtheseeyesseenButoncethineown，suchhadnotbeen！
ButwewerestrangersThustheplotClearedpassion\'spath。—WhycamehenotTowedwithme？
Hewivedthegibbet—tree。\"
X
—UnderthatoakofheretoforeSatSweetheartminewithmenomore:
BymanyaFiord，andStrom，andFleuveHaveIsincewanderedSoon，forlove，Distraughtwentshe
\'Twassaidforloveofme。
HERLATEHUSBAND
（KING\'S—HINTOCK，182—。）
\"No—notwhereIshallmakemyown;
ButdighisgravejustbyThewoman\'swiththeinitialedstone
Asnearashecanlie
Afterwhosedeathheseemedtoail，Thoughnoneconsideredwhy。
\"AndwhenIalsoclaimanook，Andyourfeettreadmein，Bestowme，undermyoldname，Amongmykithandkin，ThatstrangersgazingmaynotdreamIdidahusbandwin。\"
\"Widow，yourwishshallbeobeyed;
Though，thoughtI，certainlyYou\'dlayhimwhereyourfolkarelaid，Andyourgrave，too，willbe，Ascustomhathit;youtoright，Andonthelefthandhe。\"
\"Aye，sexton;suchtheHintockrule，Andnonehassaiditnay;
ButnowithapsanativehereEschewsthatancientway
Anditmaybe，someChristmasnight，Whenangelswalk，they\'llsay:
\"\'Ostrangeinterment！CivilizedlandsAffordfewtypesthereof;
HereisamanwhotakeshisrestBesidehisveryLove，BesidetheonewhowashiswifeInoursightupabove！\'\"
THESELF—UNSEEING
Hereistheancientfloor，Footwornandhollowedandthin，HerewastheformerdoorWherethedeadfeetwalkedin。
Shesathereinherchair，Smilingintothefire;
Hewhoplayedstoodthere，Bowingithigherandhigher。
Childlike，Idancedinadream;
BlessingsemblazonedthatdayEverythingglowedwithagleam;
Yetwewerelookingaway！