THE WIDOW IN THE BYE STREET BY JOHN MASEFIELD CONTINUED COMPLIMENTS OF ARCHIVE.ORG Jimmy and Amia met to walk together The Sunday after Shepherd Em returned ; And Annas hat was lovely with a feather Bought and dyed blue with money Jimmy earned. They walked towards Callows Farm, and Anna yearned: Dear boy, she said, This road is dull to- day. Suppose we turn and walk the other way. They turned, she sighed. What makes you sigh? he asked. Thinking, she said, thinking and griev- ing, too. Perhaps some wicked woman will come masked Into your life, my dear, to ruin you. And trusting every woman as you do It might mean death to love and be deceived ; 166 THE WIDOW IN THE BYE STREET Youd take it hard, I thought, and so I grieved. Dear one, dear Anna. * O my lovely boy, Life is all golden to the finger tips. What will be must be : but to-days a joy. Reach me that lovely branch of scarlet hips. He reached and gave ; she put it to her lips. And here, she said, we come to Plaister Turns, And then she chose the road to Shepherd Ems. As the deft angler, when the fishes rise, Flicks on the broadening circle over each The delicatest touch of dropping flies. Then pulls more line and whips a longer reach. Longing to feel the rod bend, the reel screech. And the quick comrade net the monster out, So Anna played the fly over her trout. THE WIDOW IN THE BYE STREET 167 Twice she passed, thrice, she with the boy beside her, A lovely fly, hooked for a human heart, She passed his little gate, while Jimmy eyed her, Feeling her beauty tear his soul apart : Then did the great trout rise, the great pike dart, The gate went clack, a man came up the hill, The lucky strike had hooked him through the giU. Her breath comes quick, her tired beauty glows. She would not look behind, she looked ahead It seemed to Jimmy she was like a rose, A golden white rose faintly flushed with red. Her eyes danced quicker at the approaching tread. lt>8 TUE WIDOW IN THE BYE STREET Her finger nails dug sharp into her pakn. She yearned to Jimmys shoulder, and kept calm. Evening, said Shepherd Em. She turned and eyed him, Cold and surprised, but interested too, To see how much he felt the hook inside him, And how much he surmised, and Jinuny knew. And if her beauty still could make him do The love tricks he had gamli^oUed in the past. A glow shot through her that her fish was grassed. Evening, she said. *Good evening. Jimmy felt Jealous and angry at the shepherds tone ; He longed to hit the fellows nose a belt. He wanted his beloved his alone. THm WIDOW IN THE BYE STREET 169 A fellows girl should be a fellows own. Em gave the lad a glance and turned to Anna, Jim might have been in China by his manner. ^Still walking out? As you are. TU be bound. ^Can you talk gipsy yet, or plait a kipe ? *Ill teach you if I can when I come round. And when will that be ? When the time is ripe. And Jimmy longed to hit the man a swipe Under the chin to knock him out of time, But Anna stayed: she still had twigs to lime. Come, Anna, come, my dear, he muttered low. She frowned, and blinked and spoke again to . Em. I hear the gipsy has a row to hoe. >> 170 THE WIDOW IN TEE BYE STREET The more you hear, he said, *the less youll learnJ Weve just oome out, she said, to take a turn; Suppose you come along: the more the merrier. All right, he said, but how about the terrier? He cocked an eye at Jimmy. Does he bite? Jimmy blushed scarlet. Hes a dear, said she. Em walked a step, Will you be in to- night? She shook her head, I doubt if that may be. Jim, heres a friend who wants to talk to me. So will you go and come another day ? By crimes, I wont ! said Jimmy, I shall stay. THE WIDOW IN THE BYE STREET 171 I thought he bit/ said Em, and Anna smiledy And Jimmy saw the smile and watched her face While all the jealous devils made him wild ; A third in love is always out of place ; And then her gentle body full of grace Leaned to him sweetly as she tossed her head, ^Perhaps we twoU be getting on, she said. They walked, but Jimmy tiuned to watch the third. Im here, not you, he said; the shepherd grinned : Anna was smiling sweet without a word ; She got the scarlet berry branch unpinned. ^Its cold, she said, Hhis evening, in the wind. A quick glance showed that Jinuny didnt mind her, 172 THE WIDOW IN THE BYE STREET She beckoned with the berry branch behind her. Then dropped it gently on the broken stones, Preoccupied, unheeding, walking straight, Saying You jealous boy, in even tones, Looking so beautiful, so delicate. Being so very sweet : but at her gate She felt her shoe unlaced and looked to know If Em had taken up the sprig or no. He had, she smiled. Anna, said Jimmy sadly, That mans not fit to be a friend of youm, Hes nobbut just an oaf ; I love you madly. And hearing you speak kind tom made me bum. Who is he, then ? She answered Shepherd Em, A pleasant man, an old, old friend of mine. THE WIDOW IN THE BYE STBEET 178 By cripes, then, Anna, drop him, hes a swine/
Posted on: Tue, 29 Oct 2013 18:33:21 +0000
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