THE NKW LIFE
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hat it was the lady of the salutation whohad deigned the day before to salute me.And he who held her held also in his hand athing that was burning in flames; and hesaid to me» Vide cor fuumfi But when hehad remained with me a little while, Ithought that he set himself to waken herthat slept ; after the which he made her toeat that thing which flamed in his hand ; andshe ate as one fearing. Then, having waitedagain a space, all his joy was turned intomost bitter weeping; and as he wept hegathered the lady into his arms, and itseemed to me that he went with her uptowards heaven: whereby such a greatanguish came upon me that my light slumbercould not endure through it, but was sud-denly broken. And immediately havingconsidered, I knew that the hour whereinthis vision had been made manifest to mewas the fourth hour (which is to say, thefirst of the nine last hours) of the night. Then, musing on what I had seen, Iproposed to relate the same to many poetswho were famous in that day: and for that Ihad myself in some sort the art of discoursingwith rhyme, I resolved on making a sonnet,in the which, having saluted all such as aresubject unto Love, and entreated them toexpound my vision, I should write unto them
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