Indeed the poison that she buys will not transform her rival
more completely than the dreadful poison of jealousy has already
transformed her from what she was to what she is.
The language and metre fit the thought. Tennyson passed a severe
judgment on the first line
Now that I, tying thy glass mask tightly
saying that it lacked smoothness, that it was a very difficult
mouthful. But is this not intentional and absolutely right? The
woman is speaking slowly with compressed lips, her voice convulsed
with terrible hatred and the terrible resolution for revenge.
THE LABORATORY
ANCIEN REGIME
1844
I
Now that I, tying thy glass mask tightly,
May gaze thro' these faint smokes curling whitely,
As thou pliest thy trade in this devil's-smithy--
Which is the poison to poison her, prithee?
II
He is with her, and they know that I know
Where they are, what they do: they believe my tears flow
While they laugh, laugh at me, at me fled to the drear
Empty church, to pray God in, for them!--I am here.
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