The Shadow Kiss.
Three women and two men gather in a tight circle in the interior of a decorated room.
They look across the room at a wall
where there is a shadow of a man and woman kissing. 1/2 page.
Two deep bay windows lit the room1
In which we watch’d the evening gloom ;2
In this myself and Lucy sat,3
Pater and maiden aunts in that ;4
The gaslights on the flags below5
And on our ceiling cast a glow.6
While pater and his coterie7
Talk’d matters parliamentary ;8
Or rul’d, with solemn shake of head,9
How prudently the young should wed,10
In my committee I said, “ This,11
My dearest, is the time to kiss ! ’12
Lured by the shadowy hour and nook,13
The proffer’d pledge she coyly took ;14
When, lo ! by our unlucky fate,15
In silhouette, our tête-a-tête,16
Noses and pouted lips were all17
Obliquely shadow’d on the wall !18
So, when the footman brings in tea,19
Sombre are they, and scarlet are we :20
The lamp has prematurely shown21
A truth we dared not to own :22
Small thanks to light untimely cast,—23
And yet this kiss was not our last !24