New Walks in Old Ways 



restless milling around came to an end, 

 I knew that our dusky, slumbering 

 landscape had been a wise yet word- 

 less commentary upon the feverish 

 fete in progress that hot night inside 

 the city walls. 



An almost forgotten poet's descrip- 

 tion of one historic scene of that sort 

 fits them all. You will find it in 

 "Childe Harold." Once upon a time 

 it was part of a schoolboy's favorite 

 declamation, so he does not have to 

 refer to the original text in this con- 

 nection. It just comes unbidden: 



"There was a sound of revelry by night, 

 And Belgium's capital had gathered then 

 Her beauty and her chivalry; 

 And bright the lights shone o'er fair women 



and brave men. 



A thousand hearts beat happily, 

 And when music arose with its voluptuous 



swell, 

 Soft eyes looked love to eyes that spake 



again, 

 And all went merry as a marriage bell." 



[28] 



