The Shepherd ended here; and Luke stooped down, 425 And, as his Father had requested, laid The first stone of the Sheep-fold. At the sight The old Man"s grief broke from him; to his heart He pressed his Son, he kissed him and wept; And to the house together they returned. 430 --Hushed was that House in peace, or seeming peace, [45]
Ere the night fell:--with morrow"s dawn the Boy [46]
Began his journey, and when he had reached The public way, he put on a bold face; And all the neighbours, as he pa.s.sed their doors, 435 Came forth with wishes and with farewell prayers, That followed him till he was out of sight.
A good report did from their Kinsman come, Of Luke and his well doing: and the Boy Wrote loving letters, full of wondrous news, 440 Which, as the Housewife phrased it, were throughout "The prettiest letters that were ever seen."
Both parents read them with rejoicing hearts.
So, many months pa.s.sed on: and once again The Shepherd went about his daily work 445 With confident and cheerful thoughts; and now Sometimes when he could find a leisure hour He to that valley took his way, and there Wrought at the Sheep-fold. Meantime Luke began To slacken in his duty; and, at length, 450 He in the dissolute city gave himself To evil courses: ignominy and shame Fell on him, so that he was driven at last To seek a hiding-place beyond the seas.
There is a comfort in the strength of love; 455 "Twill make a thing endurable, which else Would overset the brain, or break the heart: [47]
I have conversed with more than one who well Remember the old Man, and what he was Years after he had heard this heavy news. 460 His bodily frame had been from youth to age Of an unusual strength. Among the rocks He went, and still looked up to sun and cloud, [48]
And listened to the wind; and, as before, Performed all kinds of labour for his sheep, 465 And for the land, his small inheritance.
And to that hollow dell from time to time Did he repair, to build the Fold of which His flock had need. "Tis not forgotten yet The pity which was then in every heart 470 For the old Man--and "tis believed by all That many and many a day he thither went, And never lifted up a single stone.
There, by the Sheep-fold, sometimes was he seen Sitting alone, or with his faithful Dog, [49] 475 Then old, beside him, lying at his feet.
The length of full seven years, from time to time, He at the building of this Sheep-fold wrought, And left the work unfinished when he died.
Three years, or little more, did Isabel 480 Survive her Husband: at her death the estate Was sold, and went into a stranger"s hand.
The Cottage which was named the EVENING STAR Is gone--the ploughshare has been through the ground On which it stood; great changes have been wrought 485 In all the neighbourhood:--yet the oak is left That grew beside their door; and the remains Of the unfinished Sheep-fold may be seen Beside the boisterous brook of Green-head Ghyll.
VARIANTS ON THE TEXT
[Variant 1:
1827.
... beside ... 1800.]
[Variant 2:
1827.
No habitation there is seen; but such As journey thither ... 1800.]
[Variant 3:
1827.
There is ... 1800.]
[Variant 4:
1836.
And to that place a story appertains, Which, though it be ungarnish"d with events, Is not unfit, ... 1800.]
[Variant 5:
1827.
... It was the first, The earliest of those tales ... 1800.]
[Variant 6:
1827.
... he had learn"d ... 1800.]
[Variant 7:
1836.
... the hills, which he so oft Had climb"d with vigorous steps; ... 1800.]
[Variant 8:
1832.
... linking to such acts, So grateful in themselves, the certainty Of honourable gains; these fields, these hills Which were his living Being, even more Than his own Blood--what could they less? had laid 1800.
... gain ... 1805.]
[Variant 9:
1815.
He had not pa.s.sed his days in singleness.
He had a Wife, a comely Matron, old 1800.]
[Variant 10:
1836.
... their ... 1800.]
[Variant 11: