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Search - On The Threshold

On The Threshold
Author: Wilfrid Wilson Gibson

MARY REED, Stephens mother. Scene Calerrteadr, a lonely rhepherdr cottage on the fells. A candle burns on the winilow-sill, though the light o f dawn already glimmerr through the snowblinded panes. Elizabeth Reed pacer the randedJloor with impatient step. Mary Rrrd ritr crouchrd on the settle over the peatyfre Elizabeths baby sleeping h a crade ... more »by her ride. The men are long away. MARY. Have patience, lass They l1 soon be back they ve scarce been gone an hour. T is toilsome travelling when the drifts are deep And William is no longer young. Fear naught, They l1 bring back Stephen with them safe and sound. Thou knowst he could not live through such a MARY. night. Nay, none may know but God. I only know That I have heard my father many times I Tell oer and oer, as though it were some tale He d learned by heart-for he was innocent And helpless as a babe for many years Before death took him-how, when he was young, A hundred sheep were buried in the drifts Down Devils Sike, yet not an ewe was lost, Though five days passed ere they could be dug out And they had cropped the grass beneath their feet Bare to the roots, and nibbled at their wool To stay the pangs of hunger, when, at last, The shepherds found them, nearly starved, poor beasts. If the frost hold, sheep live for many days Beneath a drift the snow lies on them light, So they can draw their breath, and keep them warm But when the thaw comes it is death to them, For they are smothered neath the melting snow. I ve heard my father speak these very words A thousand times and I can see him now, As, huddled in the ingle oer the fire, With crazy eyes and ever-groping hands, He sat all day, and mumbled to himself. If silly sheep can keep themselves alive So many days and nights, a shepherd lad, With all his wits to strive against the storm, Would never perish in a day and night And Stephen is a man . If Stephen lived, 2 He would not bide from home a day and night He could not lose his way across the fell, Unless the snow oercame him. MARY. Yet, maybe, He sheltered neath a dyke, and fell asleep And William and his man will find him there. .. Aye, they will find him sleeping sure enough, But from that slumber who shall waken him MARY. Nay, lass, thou shalt not speak so Stephen lives, The mothers heart within me tells me this That I shall look upon my son again Before an hour has passed. A wifes love knows Its loss ere time disclose it in my heart I know this night has taken him from me. Never again my husbands eyes shall look In mine, nor his lips ever call me wife. Love knows her full bereavement on the hour Yea, though the severing stroke doth fall unseen. Thou canst not love him as I love him. . . . MARY. Lass Because he is thy son, thou lovcst him 3 But I, for love of him, became his bride. MARY. Lass, speak not so. Thy son cries out to thee. Take him within thine arms, and comfort him Until his father comes. Poor babe, poor babe Thy father nevermore will look thee, And hug thee to his breast, and call thee his. Nay shut thine eyes To Mnry. 0 woman, take the boy I cannot bear to look into those eyes So like his fathers Hark didst thou hear aught MARY. Someone is on the threshold. See who comes. ELIZABETH. Nay, Nay I dare not. Give me back the child, And open thou the door...

ISBN-13: 9781408636886
ISBN-10: 1408636883
Publication Date: 1/31/2008
Pages: 40
Rating:

0 stars, based on 0 rating

Publisher: Read Books
Book Type: Paperback
Members Wishing: 0
Reviews: Amazon | Write a Review

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