Уолтер де ла Мар Ужин

Уолтер ду ла Мар Ужин












     Walter De La Mare  The Supper

     A wolf he pricks with eyes of fire
     Across the night's o'ercrusted snows,
         Seeking his prey,
         He pads his way
     Where Jane benighted goes,
        Where Jane benighted goes.

     He curdles the bleak air with ire,
     Ruffling his hoary raiment through,
         And lo! he sees
         Beneath the trees
     Where Jane's light footsteps go,
        Where Jane's light footsteps go.

     No hound peals thus in wicked joy,
     He snaps his muzzle in the snows,
         His five-clawed feet
         Do scamper fleet
     Where Jane's bright lanthorn shows,
        Where Jane's bright lanthorn shows.

     Now his greed's green doth gaze unseen
     On a pure face of wilding rose,
         Her amber eyes
         In fear's surprise
     Watch largely as she goes,
        Watch largely as she goes.

     Salt wells his hunger in his jaws,
     His lust it revels to and fro,
         Yet small beneath
         A soft voice saith,
     'Jane shall in safety go,
        Jane shall in safety go.'

     He lurched as if a fiery lash
     Had scourged his hide, and through and through,
         His furious eyes
         O'erscanned the skies,
     But nearer dared not go,
        But nearer dared not go.

     He reared like wild Bucephalus,
     His fangs like spears in him uprose,
         Ev'n to the town
         Jane's flitting gown
     He grins on as she goes,
        He grins on as she goes.

     In fierce lament he howls amain,
     He scampers, marvelling in his throes
         What brought him there
         To sup on air,
     While Jane unarm;d goes,
        While Jane unarm;d goes.