14。
Andyonder，atfootofthefrontingridgeThattakestheturntoarangebeyond，Isthechapelreachedbytheone-archedbridge，WherethewaterisstoppedinastagnantpondDancedoverbythemidge。
15。
Thechapelandbridgeareofstonealike，Blackish-grayandmostlywet；
Cuthemp-stalkssteepinthenarrowdike。
Seehereagain，howthelichensfretAndtherootsoftheivystrike！
16。
Poorlittleplace，whereitsonepriestcomesOnafesta-day，ifhecomesatall，Tothedozenfolkfromtheirscatteredhomes，GatheredwithinthatprecinctsmallBythedozenwaysoneroams——
17。
Todropfromthecharcoal-burners’huts，Orclimbfromthehemp-dressers’lowshed，Leavethegrangewherethewoodmanstoreshisnuts，OrthewattledcotewherethefowlersspreadTheirgearontherock’sbarejuts。
18。
Ithassomepretensiontoo，thisfront，Withitsbitoffrescohalf-moon-wiseSetovertheporch，Art’searlywont：
’TisJohnintheDesert，Isurmise，Buthasbornetheweather’sbrunt——
19。
Notfromthefaultofthebuilder，though，Forapent-houseproperlyprojectsWherethreecarvedbeamsmakeacertainshow，Dating——goodthoughtofourarchitect’s——
’Five，six，nine，heletsyouknow。
20。
Andalldaylongabirdsingsthere，Andastraysheepdrinksatthepondattimes；
Theplaceissilentandaware；
Ithashaditsscenes，itsjoysandcrimes，Butthatisitsownaffair——
St。20。aware：self-conscious。”……ingreenruins，inthedesolatewallsOfantiquepalaces，whereManhathbeen，*****
TherethetrueSilenceis，self-consciousandalone。”——
Hood’s`SonnetonSilence’。
21。
Myperfectwife，myLeonor，Oheart，myown，Oheyes，minetoo，WhomelsecouldIdarelookbackwardfor，WithwhombesideshouldIdarepursueThepathgrayheadsabhor?——
St。21。Hedigresseshere，anddoesnotreturntothesubjecttillthe31ststanza，”WhatdidIsay?——thatasmallbirdsings”。
Thepathgrayheadsabhor：thisverseandthefollowingstanzaare，withmostreaders，theCRUXofthepoem；”grayheads”mustbeunderstoodwithsomerestriction：manygrayheads，notall，abhor——grayheadswhowentalongthroughtheirfloweryyouthasifithadnolimit，andwithoutinsuring，inLove’strueseason，thehappinessoftheirlivesbeyondyouth’slimit，”life’ssafehem”，whichtocrosswithoutsuchinsurance，isoftenfatal。Andthese，whentheyreacholdage，shunretracingthepathwhichledtothegulfwhereintheiryouthdropped。
22。
Foritleadstoacrag’ssheeredgewiththem；
Youth，floweryalltheway，therestops——
Notthey；agethreatensandtheycontemn，Tilltheyreachthegulfwhereinyouthdrops，Oneinchfromourlife’ssafehem！
23。
Withme，youthled……Iwillspeaknow，NolongerwatchyouasyousitReadingbyfirelight，thatgreatbrowAndthespirit-smallhandproppingit，Mutely，myheartknowshow——
St。23。Withme：thespeakercontinues，youthled：——wearetoldwhither，inSt。25，v。4，”toanagesoblestthat，byitsside，youthseemsthewasteinstead”。
Iwillspeaknow：uptothispointhisreflectionshavebeensilent，hiswife，thewhile，reading，mutely，byfire-light，hisheartknowshow，thatis，withherheartsecretlyresponsivetohisown。ThemutualresponsivenessoftheirheartsisexpressedinSt。24。
24。
When，ifIthinkbutdeepenough，Youarewonttoanswer，promptasrhyme；
Andyou，too，findwithoutrebuffResponseyoursoulseeksmanyatime，Piercingitsfineflesh-stuff。
25。
Myown，confirmme！IfItreadThispathback，isitnotinprideTothinkhowlittleIdreameditledToanagesoblestthat，byitsside，Youthseemsthewasteinstead?
26。
Myown，seewheretheyearsconduct！
Atfirst，’twassomethingourtwosoulsShouldmixasmistsdo；eachissuckedIneachnow：on，thenewstreamrolls，Whateverrocksobstruct。
27。
Think，whenouronesoulunderstandsThegreatWordwhichmakesallthingsnew，Whenearthbreaksupandheavenexpands，HowwillthechangestrikemeandyouInthehousenotmadewithhands?
28。
OhImustfeelyourbrainpromptmine，Yourheartanticipatemyheart，Youmustbejustbefore，infine，Seeandmakemesee，foryourpart，Newdepthsofthedivine！——
St。28。”TheconvictionoftheeternityofmarriagemeetsusagainandagaininBrowning’spoems；e。g。，`Prospice’，`AnyWifetoanyHusband’，`TheEpiloguetoFifine’。”
Theunionbetweentwocomplementarysoulscannotbedissolved。”Loveisall，andDeathisnought！”
29。
ButwhocouldhaveexpectedthisWhenwetwodrewtogetherfirstJustfortheobvioushumanbliss，Tosatisfylife’sdailythirstWithathingmenseldommiss?
30。
Comebackwithmetothefirstofall，Letusleanandloveitoveragain，Letusnowforgetandnowrecall，Breaktherosaryinapearlyrain，Andgatherwhatweletfall！
31。
WhatdidIsay?——thatasmallbirdsingsAlldaylong，savewhenabrownpairOfhawksfromthewoodfloatwithwidewingsStrainedtoabell：’gainstnoondayglareYoucountthestreaksandrings——
St。31。HerehereturnstothesubjectbrokenoffatSt。21。
32。
Butatafternoonoralmosteve’Tisbetter；thenthesilencegrowsTothatdegree，youhalfbelieveItmustgetridofwhatitknows，Itsbosomdoessoheave。
33。
Hitherwewalkedthen，sidebyside，Arminarmandcheektocheek，AndstillIquestionedorreplied，Whilemyheart，convulsedtoreallyspeak，Laychokinginitspride。
34。
Silentthecrumblingbridgewecross，Andpityandpraisethechapelsweet，Andcareaboutthefresco’sloss，Andwishforoursoulsalikeretreat，Andwonderatthemoss。
35。
Stoopandkneelonthesettleunder，Lookthroughthewindow’sgratedsquare：
Nothingtosee！Forfearofplunder，Thecrossisdownandthealtarbare，Asifthievesdon’tfearthunder。
36。
Westoopandlookinthroughthegrate，Seethelittleporchandrusticdoor，Readdulythedeadbuilder’sdate；
Thencrossthebridgethatwecrossedbefore，Takethepathagain——butwait！
37。
Ohmomentoneandinfinite！
Thewaterslipso’erstockandstone；
TheWestistender，hardlybright：
Howgrayatonceistheeveninggrown——
Onestar，itschrysolite！
38。
Wetwostoodtherewithneverathird，Buteachbyeach，aseachknewwell：
Thesightswesawandthesoundsweheard，ThelightsandtheshadesmadeupaspellTillthetroublegrewandstirred——
St。37，38。”Mr。Browning’smostcharacteristicfeelingfornatureappearsinhisrenderingofthoseaspectsofsky，orearth，orsea，ofsunset，ornoonday，ordawn，whichseemtoacquiresomesuddenandpassionatesignificance；whichseemtobechargedwithsomespiritualsecreteagerfordisclosure；inhisrenderingofthosemomentswhichbetraythepassionattheheartofthings，whichthrillandtinglewithpropheticfire。Whenlightningsearchesfortheguiltylovers，OttimaandSebald[in`PippaPasses’]，likeanangelicswordplungedintothegloom，whenthetendertwilightwithitsonechrysolitestar，growsaware，andthelightandshademakeupaspell，andtheforestsbytheirmystery，andsound，andsilence，mingletogethertwohumanlivesforever[`BytheFireside’]，whentheapparitionofthemoon-rainbowappearsgloriouslyafterstorm，andChristisinhisheaven[`ChristmasEve’]，whentoDavidthestarsshootoutthepainofpentknowledgeandinthegreyofthehillsatmorningtheredwellsagatheredintensity[`Saul’]，——thennaturerisesfromhersweetwaysofuseandwont，andshowsherselfthePriestess，thePythoness，theDivinitywhichsheis。Orrather，throughnature，theSpiritofGodaddressesitselftothespiritofman。”——EdwardDowden。
39。
Oh，thelittlemore，andhowmuchitis！
Andthelittleless，andwhatworldsaway！
Howasoundshallquickencontenttobliss，Orabreathsuspendtheblood’sbestplay，Andlifebeaproofofthis！
40。
Hadshewilledit，stillhadstoodthescreenSoslight，sosure，’twixtmyloveandher：
Icouldfixherfacewithaguardbetween，Andfindhersoulaswhenfriendsconfer，Friends——loversthatmighthavebeen。
41。
Formyhearthadatouchofthewoodlandtime，Wantingtosleepnowoveritsbest。
Shakethewholetreeinthesummer-prime，Butbringtothelastleafnosuchtest！”Holdthelastfast！”runstherhyme。
42。
Forachancetomakeyourlittlemuch，Togainaloverandloseafriend，Venturethetreeandamyriadsuch，Whennothingyoumarbuttheyearcanmend：
Butalastleaf——feartotouch！
43。
YetshoulditunfastenitselfandfallEddyingdowntillitfindyourfaceAtsomeslightwind——bestchanceofall！
Beyourhearthenceforthitsdwelling-placeYoutrembledtoforestall！
44。
Worthhowwell，thosedarkgrayeyes，Thathairsodarkanddear，howworthThatamanshouldstriveandagonize，AndtasteaveriesthellonearthForthehopeofsuchaprize！
45。
Youmighthaveturnedandtriedaman，Sethimaspacetowearyandwear，Andprovewhichsuitedmoreyourplan，Hisbestofhopeorhisworstdespair，Yetendashebegan。
46。
Butyousparedmethis，liketheheartyouare，Andfilledmyemptyheartataword。
Iftwolivesjoin，thereisoftascar，Theyareoneandone，withashadowythird；
Onenearoneistoofar。
47。
Amomentafter，andhandsunseenWerehangingthenightaroundusfast；
ButweknewthatabarwasbrokenbetweenLifeandlife：weweremixedatlastInspiteofthemortalscreen。
48。
