Page 79 of The Sea Siren of Broadwater Bottom

---

Dr. Landon was still reading.

Oh this,this only

Stirs the troubled heart in my breast to tremble!

For should I but see thee a little moment,

Straight is my voice hushed;

Yea, my tongue is broken, and through and through me

’Neath the flesh impalpable fire runs tingling;

Nothing see mine eyes, and a noise of roaring

Waves in my ears.

Someone seated behind them whispered,incandescent, and his companion murmured in agreement. Edward swallowed thickly as Dr. Landon continued,

Sweat runs down in rivers,a tremor seizes

All my limbs, and paler than grass in autumn,

Caught by pains of menacing death, I falter,

Lost in the love trance.

But all this will I bear, my darling Elissa—

The crowd,which had been hanging on every word, erupted as the dedicatee of this rendition of Sappho’s famous ode to her beloved was revealed. Now it was Edward’s turn to be stared at, as of course he was the one sitting next to Elissa, holding her hand, and, apparently, being less-than-subtle in the looks he was giving her.

After a minute, the room quieted enough for Dr. Landon to continue reading.

For although allI yearn for in this life

Is to spend each day with you,

I will cherish whatever crumbs of your attention

You might choose to give me

As manna from the gods.

For in youI have found a prize beyond compare:

Your heart, as kind as Eleos.

Your mind, sharp as Achilles’ spear,

And your will, forged from adamantine.

And, if you will let me, I will treasure you every day,

For the rest of our lives.

You could’ve hearda pin drop in the church. Oh, but this was agony. He never thought there was a chance anyone would hear this drivel, save the judges to whom he would be anonymous, which was the only reason he’d let his emotions flow unfiltered onto the page.

The tortuous silence was broken by a voice from the front row. “By Jove, I wonder who wrote that one?”

---