ANOTHER servant, as they tell, Had chaffered long and bargained well, Had speculated here and there And watched the market-price with care, And brought when judgement was begun Ten talents back instead of one. He came, and as he neared the hall His thoughts ran backward over all His toil: 'The worry that I've spent Over house-property and rent, And all the lengthy in-and-out By which my gain was brought about! If in the end my lord should ask What gifts we covet for our task, A little house shall be my prayer, My freedom then, and if I dare A pension; last, only that he Will never more remember me. I couldn't stand another year Of agitated hope and fear.' He came, and as he neared the hall He heard the sudden trumpets call, Heard shouting and a rush of feet, And cars and horses in the street; A crowd poured by him; vivas ran Through house and road, and in the van Of all the tumult went the man For whom the trumpets sounded: he, Clothed in rich robes of dignity, Paced slowly by our servant's eyes, Who knew him, much to his surprise, Another servant and his friend— How brought unto this royal end? He paused, he asked; reply was brief And multitudinous: 'He is chief Now of ten townships; our great lord Lifts him thereto for meet reward Of vantage gained and profit won— Ten silver talents brought for one! Ten talents brought, ten cities hail Their master.' He began to quail: 'Ten cities' trouble for reward! Ten markets hailing me for lord When barely to be known in one Left me by worry half-undone! Ten crowds, ten thousand problems, ten Shouting and hurrying gulfs of men! ...' He paused, looked round, took breath,—and fled. His lord for long supposed him dead, Until one day by parcel post Came back the talent he had lost With other nine—a little note, Undated, with no place to quote: 'I bore my labour, but, O lord, I could not stomach the reward!' | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...A NIGHT-PIECE ON DEATH by THOMAS PARNELL THE DESERT WIND by WILFRID SCAWEN BLUNT CHRISTMAS EVE, 1917 by ROBERT SEYMOUR BRIDGES REVERIE IN A CLASSROOM by DOROTHY LAUD BROWN |