Part V

The town-clock's tongue proclaimed the midnight

hour.
It was a dreary cruel winter night.
The two mean despots of such nights prevailed, —
One is the darkness and the cold its twin, —
The world was all indoors, for no one dared
To tempt God and be out at such a time!
The streets, on which a short hour ago
A mass of people thronged, are empty now,
As is the river's bed which has run dry.
In the abandoned streets, one lunatic,
— The gale, — roameth about. It rides as fast
As if the devil had sat astride on him
And urged 'him on and on with spurs of fire.
All angrily he leaps from roof to roof,
Blows into every chimney he, might meet;
He then resumes his flight and with full throat
He yells loud into the blind night's deaf ears.
He grasps the clouds which on his way he found.
With sharpened nail he tears them into shreds.
The stars above affrighted seem to be,
Betwixt the shreds of clouds tremblingly shine.
The pale moon glides upon the heaven's dome

As floats a lifeless corpse upon a lake

The gale, to catch its breath, a moment stopped,
Into a mighty mass then blew the clouds,
And from the height, just like a bird erf prey,
It swooped down to the earth: uprooted trees,
Broke window panes and carried fences off.
When it had roused the people with its noise,
Who, frightened, looked what happened, it was gone
And they but hear its ghastly laughter's voice.
Depopulated are the storm-swept streets;
Who would be out at such a time! — But no!
There goes a -human form. Is it a ghost?

Yes, it approaches like a ghost. When near

And nearer still it came a female form
One recognizes, but to know her state
The secret of fhe darkness it remained:
Is she a lady or a mendicant?
Approaching, cautiously she looks around.
There at the curb she notes a cab to stop,
Sees on the seat the driver sound asleep.
With noiseless step she draweth near. To steal?
Oh, no! Just the reverse. She opens the door,
Put in the cab what she bore in her arms,

Then carefully again she shuts the door
And quickly, as thoughts fly, she disappears.
The house-door where the cab stood opens soon,
A lady and a gentleman come forth,
Get in, the driver promptly whips it up,
Is off with rapid gait and never 'hears
The lady's piercing scream, who at her feet
Has found a bundle which contained a babe'.

The cab its destination reached and stopped,
The lady and the gentleman descend,
The lady to the driver says: "Here man,
"Here is your fare, the tip is in the cab:
"A bouncing newborn babe; take care of him
"A gift from heaven to you he seems to be."
Said it and with the man entered the house.

Poor, God-forsaken foundling in that cab!

Why wert not born a dog? Her Ladyship

Would on her lap have gladly played with you,
And petted, played with you with loving care.
Unfortunately though you are no dog,
A human being art. God only knows
Is bright, is dark the fate for you in store?
The driver only scratched his head and ear,
Then murmured something, but it is not known
Did he a prayer say, or did he curse.
The gift of God was not welcome to him.
He ponders deeply what he is to do?
Should he the bastard to the stables take?
Dared he to do this, he felt pretty sure
The irate boss would throw it at his head,
Kick both into the street, he'l lose his job.
What 's to be done? His whip comes fiercely down
And off he drives at a most rapid rate.
While driving through the outskirts of the town,
A hostelry he saw. There's life within,
The window's red light 's like a drunkard's nose.
The driver could not wish for better chance,
Upon its threshold puts the gift of God,
And then resumes his drive towards his home.
Just then, one of the drunken crowd within,
Himself quite full, good-night said to his friends.
While stepping o'er the threshold of the inn
He stumbleth and he 'hurries deep his nose
Into the frozen snow. In Billingsgate
His injured dignity finds prompt relief.
Then says: "That threshold grew since yesterday.
Had it been yesterday as high as now
I would have had to fall then too. I didn't.
Still I did not drink one more drop to-day.
I have my principles, I am exact,
And every day I drink the same amount."
Such was his monologue as he arose.
He starts to go, but murmurs to himself
'Tis all in vain, I don't care what you say
That threshold must have grown since yesterday.
I won't give in, I know whereof I speak,
Did I drink more to-day than yesterday?
And yet I fell to-day. Shame and disgrace.
I say that threshold grows. But no! Hold on!
Might not a stone have been put in my way?
That might well be the case. The world is mean,
Some men are very bad, yes, very bad,
And glad to see a fellow-being fall;
Put stones into my way, my feet are blind
And my poor nose must pay the penalty.
My consolation is when they come out
Who still carouse in there, they too must fall.
I have a mind to hide myself somewhere
To see them stumbling, falling! Ha, ha, ha!
What's that? Hold on old man! Ain't you ashamed
To feel elated o'er your fellows ills?
To show repentance I shall now go back
And I'll remove that stone. I am a thief,
A robber, and I more than once have hit
Men o'er the head so that they never rose.
My conscience how'er does not allow
To see men break their noses as did I.
The good, old drunken man then, totters back
The stone to pick up, he do.es pick it up,
But ah! He looks at it. What's that? It screams.
The hoary man indeed dumbfounded is,
And all amazed he thus speaks to himself:
"By thund'rous lightning from above! What's this?
No stone like this was ever in my hands.
'Tis soft and then it has a human voice
Let's by the window look at it. Ho ho!
It is a child, a real and living child.
Good evening brother dear, or sister sweet,
I know not which you are, a boy? a girl?
How in the devil's name did you come here?
You ran away from home? You rascal you!
What nonsense is this stupid talk of mine.
The little one is still in swaddling clothes.
Did I the parents know I'd take it back.
What mean, contemptible, what brutal thing
To cast one's offspring off as one discards
A worn-out boot. Xo hog does ever this.
Not e'en the outlaw for the gallows fit.
The wraps are threadbare, 'tis poor people's child.
Suppose, that just to hide its rich descent
It had been with intent put into rags?
Forevermore, this must secret remain.
Poor child! who will your father be? I will!
Why not? Yes, Henceforth I your father am.
I'll bring you up all right! I'll steal for you,
And when through age my hand can no more steal
— It is but fair, — you shall then steal for me.
Henceforth my thefts shall be more justified,
I'll have to steal for two, for my little son,
My conscience, too. shall now bother me less.
But let me see! You need a mother's breast.
Just now that is the most important thing.
Oh, yes! that woman living near my rooms
Buried but yesterday her new-born babe.
She'll gladly nurse my child, of course she will
For money she would nurse the devil's own."

Such were his thoughts while slowly home he went.
Through narrow lanes and hidden paths he walked
To his own subterranean dark cave.
His neighbor he aroused by knocking loud
And louder still, upon her door. "Get up!"
He yelled and almost battered down her door.

"Come woman, hurry up!" the old man plead.
"Light up a candle quick, don't ask: for what?
For whom? and why? If you don't hurry up
I'll burn the house up o'er your lazy bones.
Well, well at least! and thanks, here is the light,
Now take this babe, sit down, give him your breast.
Ah, nurse it well! How does it come to me?
I found it on my way, God's gift to me.
I always said it: God is good to me.
God loves me more than Priests might think He does
This baby here a precious treasure is,
I place it, woman, now into your care;
And more attention than you gave your own
Give this one or I'll have something to say.
Of course for all expense you look to me,
We will agree how much I'll have to pay.
While it is true that money now is scarce, —
The dickens knows, all men seem argus-eyed, —
Don't worry, I shall pay you like a prince.
Let me impress you though; take care of it,
As if it were the apple of your eye,
It is the hope of my declining days."
They bargained and agreed. She took the child,
Which sucked with eager greed the proferred breast,
Imbibed sweet nurture for a bitter life.
Just one day old and what has it gone through!
And still will have to go through all its life!