To Rosabelle

WHEN my young lady has grown great and staid,

And in long raiment wondrously¹ arrayed,

She may take pleasure with a smile to know

How she delighted men-folk long ago.

For her long after, then, this tale I tell

Of the two fans and fairy Rosabelle.

Hot was the day; her weary sire and I

Sat in our chairs companionably nigh,

Each with a headache sat her sire and I.

Instant the hostess waked: she viewed the scene,

Divined the giants’ languor² by their mien³,

And with hospitable⁴ care

Tackled at once an Atlantean chair.

Her pigmy stature⁵ scarce attained⁶ the seat —

She dragged it where she would, and with her feet

Surmounted⁷; thence, a Phaeton launched, she crowned

The vast plateau of the piano, found

And culled⁸ a pair of fans; wherewith equipped,

Our mountaineer back to the level slipped;

And being landed, with considerate eyes,

Betwixt her elders dealt her double prize;

The small to me, the greater to her sire.

As painters now advance and now retire

Before the growing canvas, and anon

Once more approach and put the climax⁹ on:

So she awhile withdrew, her piece she viewed —

For half a moment half supposed it good —

Spied her mistake, nor sooner spied than ran

To remedy; and with the greater fan,

In gracious better thought, equipped the guest.

From ill to well, from better on to best,

Arts move; the homely¹⁰, like the plastic kind;

And high ideals fired that infant mind.

Once more she backed, once more a space apart

Considered and reviewed her work of art:

Doubtful at first, and gravely yet awhile;

Till all her features blossomed in a smile.

And the child, waking at the call of bliss¹¹,

To each she ran, and took and gave a kiss.

1 wondrously   

adv.惊奇地，非常，极其

参考例句：

• She grow wondrously fond of stealing off to corners by herself. 她变得出奇地喜欢独自躲在角落里。 来自辞典例句
• If you but smile, spring zephyrs blow through my spirits, wondrously. 假使你只是仅仅对我微笑，春天的和风就会惊奇的吹过我的心灵间。 来自互联网

2 languor   

n.无精力，倦怠

参考例句：

• It was hot,yet with a sweet languor about it.天气是炎热的，然而却有一种惬意的懒洋洋的感觉。
• She,in her languor,had not troubled to eat much.她懒懒的，没吃多少东西。

3 mien   

n.风采；态度

参考例句：

• He was a Vietnam veteran with a haunted mien.他是个越战老兵，举止总有些惶然。
• It was impossible to tell from his mien whether he was offended.从他的神态中难以看出他是否生气了。

4 hospitable   

adj.好客的；宽容的；有利的，适宜的

参考例句：

• The man is very hospitable.He keeps open house for his friends and fellow-workers.那人十分好客，无论是他的朋友还是同事，他都盛情接待。
• The locals are hospitable and welcoming.当地人热情好客。

5 stature   

n.（高度）水平，（高度）境界，身高，身材

参考例句：

• He is five feet five inches in stature.他身高5英尺5英寸。
• The dress models are tall of stature.时装模特儿的身材都较高。

6 attained   

（通常经过努力）实现( attain的过去式和过去分词 )； 达到； 获得； 达到（某年龄、水平、状况）

参考例句：

• She has attained the degree of Master of Arts. 她已获得文学硕士学位。
• Lu Hsun attained a high position in the republic of letters. 鲁迅在文坛上获得崇高的地位。

7 surmounted   

战胜( surmount的过去式和过去分词 )； 克服（困难）； 居于…之上； 在…顶上

参考例句：

• She was well aware of the difficulties that had to be surmounted. 她很清楚必须克服哪些困难。
• I think most of these obstacles can be surmounted. 我认为这些障碍大多数都是可以克服的。

8 culled   

v.挑选，剔除( cull的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The herd must be culled. 必须有选择地杀掉部分牧畜。 来自辞典例句
• The facts were culled from various sources. 这些事实是从各方收集到的。 来自辞典例句

9 climax   

n.顶点；高潮；v.(使)达到顶点

参考例句：

• The fifth scene was the climax of the play.第五场是全剧的高潮。
• His quarrel with his father brought matters to a climax.他与他父亲的争吵使得事态发展到了顶点。

10 homely   

adj.家常的，简朴的；不漂亮的

参考例句：

• We had a homely meal of bread and cheese.我们吃了一顿面包加乳酪的家常便餐。
• Come and have a homely meal with us,will you?来和我们一起吃顿家常便饭，好吗？

11 bliss   

n.狂喜，福佑，天赐的福

参考例句：

• It's sheer bliss to be able to spend the day in bed.整天都可以躺在床上真是幸福。
• He's in bliss that he's won the Nobel Prize.他非常高兴，因为获得了诺贝尔奖金。