The four men now, at eight o"clock, went down to supper: a very spare and frugal meal, so far as Milton was concerned: for all he consumed was a little light wine, a piece of bread and a few olives. His flow of speech was still unwearied, his spirits as near vivacity as they could approach it, when his friends rose to take leave. "The night is yet young," said Paget, "but I know that nowadays you seek rest early." "That is so,"
Milton a.s.sented, "since I am no longer able to study o" nights, and since the best of secretaries,"--he smiled towards Elwood--"must needs grow weary of a blind man"s whims, I were as well in bed as out of it.
Moreover, I can compose my lines to better advantage lying down."
"One thing, at least, you are spared," Marvell told him, "darkness cannot discommode your doings, nor doth the eye-weariness of the midnight student afflict you with grievous brow-aches in the morning as of old."
Milton answered, "My darkness. .h.i.therto, by the singular kindness of G.o.d, amid rest and studies, and the voices and greetings of friends, has been much easier to bear than that deathly one. What should prevent me from resting in the belief that eyesight lies not in eyes alone, but enough for all purposes in G.o.d"s leading and providence? And to you now I bid farewell, with a mind not less brave and steadfast than if I were Lynceus himself for keenness of sight."
In a short s.p.a.ce of time he was at rest in his darkened room; not as yet drowsy, but revolving great phrases, and deriving a greater joy from these lonely silences of the night-watches than could ever accrue to him by day. Gradually the aisles and bowers of the Paradise which his mental eyes enjoyed took upon them more and more the lovely similitude of rural England. The greennesses and sweetnesses of his childhood"s home, the Buckinghamshire village, were fused into the "eternal spring" of the primeval garden. And from the "gla.s.sy, cool, translucent wave" of the river that ran through Eden,
"by the rushy-fringed bank Where grows the willow and the osier dank,"
arose "Sabrina, attended by water-nymphs" as once he saw her rise in _Comus_, and sang the sightless bard to sleep with the plashing of water-music.
[Ill.u.s.tration: "Rose"]