Behold me waiting—waiting for the knife.... The thick, sweet mystery of chloroform, The drunken dark, the little death-in-life.... [F]ace to face with chance, I shrink a little: My hopes are strong, my will is something weak. ...I am ready But, gentlemen my porters, life is brittle: You carry Cæsar and his fortunes—steady!
William Ernest Henley, “Before”
![Behold me waiting—waiting for the knife.... The thick, sweet mystery of chloroform, The drunken dark, the little death-in-life.... [F]ace to face with chance, I shrink a little: My hopes are strong, my will is something](http://cdn.quoteddaily.com/images/william-ernest-henley/behold-me-waitingwaiting-for-the-knife-the-thick-sweet-mystery-of-chloroform-the-drunken-dark-the-little-death-in-life.jpg)