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قراءة كتاب At the Sign of the Sphinx Second series
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اللغة: English
الصفحة رقم: 1
AT THE SIGN OF THE SPHINX
At the
Sign of the SPHINX
BY CAROLYN WELLS
“Heyday a Riddle! Neither good nor bad!”
King Richard III. iv. 4.
King Richard III. iv. 4.
SECOND SERIES
NEW YORK
DUFFIELD & COMPANY
1906
Copyright, 1906, by
DUFFIELD & COMPANY
———
Published August, 1906
TO
WILLIAM BELLAMY
CONTENTS
| PAGE | |
| AT THE SIGN OF THE SPHINX | 1 |
| ANSWERS | 126 |
At the Sign of the Sphinx
Second Series
[Clicking on the number of the riddle will link to the answer.
(note of etext transcriber.)]
1
THE time has come. The waiting populace
Breathlessly watch him as he slowly mounts
The scaffold. Though his timid, trembling steps
Betoken fear, with calm and steady gaze
He sees my whole above his head. So bright!
So glittering! On that his eyes are fixed.
Garbed all in white, a rope about his waist,
My first upon his feet; silent, although
He suffers agonies untold. But hark!
He calls for drink. By some kind hand is passed
To him a brimming tumbler, and within
He sees my last and he is glad. He drinks,
Then once again turns to my whole. Brave man!
He fears not death, but murmurs to himself:
“This only I desire, that when I die
Men say I did my work and did it well.”
Breathlessly watch him as he slowly mounts
The scaffold. Though his timid, trembling steps
Betoken fear, with calm and steady gaze
He sees my whole above his head. So bright!
So glittering! On that his eyes are fixed.
Garbed all in white, a rope about his waist,
My first upon his feet; silent, although
He suffers agonies untold. But hark!
He calls for drink. By some kind hand is passed
To him a brimming tumbler, and within
He sees my last and he is glad. He drinks,
Then once again turns to my whole. Brave man!
He fears not death, but murmurs to himself:
“This only I desire, that when I die
Men say I did my work and did it well.”
2
THE scene was merry, bright and gay
As I came to my first one day.
Beside my last I saw a lass
Dispense refreshment in a glass.
She was my first. “My last,” said I,
“I ’ll take a drink, for I am dry.”
Smiling, as she the goblet passed,
She said, “Here you my first my last.”
“My whole,” said I, “ere I depart,
I ’ll say that there is in my heart
(Just here the word must be reversed—)
A wish for your my last my first.”
As I came to my first one day.
Beside my last I saw a lass
Dispense refreshment in a glass.
She was my first. “My last,” said I,
“I ’ll take a drink, for I am dry.”
Smiling, as she the goblet passed,
She said, “Here you my first my last.”
“My whole,” said I, “ere I depart,
I ’ll say that there is in my heart
(Just here the word must be reversed—)
A wish for your my last my first.”
3
MY first is now before us, my second is here too;
My whole is now here also,—and yet that ’s not quite true.
My first is,—no, what is it? That is for you to say;
And where ’s my second, tell me, yes, tell me that, I pray,
And I will tell you truly, that though you look around,
You cannot see my whole because it ’s nowhere to be found.
My whole is now here also,—and yet that ’s not quite true.
My first is,—no, what is it? That is for you to say;
And where ’s my second, tell me, yes, tell me that, I pray,
And I will tell you truly, that though you look around,
You cannot see my whole because it ’s nowhere to be found.
4
THE dusky shadows deepened and the night was drawing on,
A weary maiden watched my dying first, so nearly gone;
She mused awhile in silence, then to herself she spake,
“Ah, me, but when to-morrow dawns I know my first will break.”
A weary maiden watched my dying first, so nearly gone;
She mused awhile in silence, then to herself she spake,
“Ah, me, but when to-morrow dawns I know my first will break.”
The youth rode on. Like Scott’s brave knight he stayed not for my last;
He lingered not, nor faltered, but pressed onward hard and fast.
Alas! he took the downward course with many dangers rife;
But just in time he used my last and so he saved his life.
He lingered not, nor faltered, but pressed onward hard and fast.
Alas! he took the downward course with many dangers rife;
But just in time he used my last and so he saved his life.
My whole, by artists painted and by poets often sung,
Thou hast across the Orient thy royal banners flung.
Thy wonders and thy glories we travel miles to see,
And the benighted wanderer oft sighs in vain for thee.
Thou hast across the Orient thy royal banners flung.
Thy wonders and thy glories we travel miles to see,
And the benighted wanderer oft sighs in vain for thee.
5
MY first, thou ’rt beautiful. Thy noble brow,
Thy curving mouth, and straight and classic nose,
All, all are dear to me. And though thou hast
But scanty raiment, though both arms are gone,
And though some toes are missing, even thus,
To those who know thee and who love thee well,
Thou art a thing of beauty and a joy.
Thy curving mouth, and straight and classic nose,
All, all are dear to me. And though thou hast
But scanty raiment, though both arms are gone,
And though some toes are missing, even thus,
To those who know thee and who love thee well,
Thou art a thing of beauty and a joy.
An ancient poet, famous for his lyre,
With death was threatened by some wicked rogues.
Courageously escaping from their clutch,
He rode triumphantly upon my whole,
Swiftly propelled and balanced by my last.
With death was threatened by some wicked rogues.
Courageously escaping from their clutch,
He rode triumphantly upon my whole,
Swiftly propelled and balanced by my last.