«Toujours le même» was engraved on the token,
The ring Rosa gave to the youth she preferred,
Sadly she gazed from her casement heart-broken,
And waved a farewell, but she spoke not a word.
He sighed adieu, and she thought sighed sincerely,
Whilst fondly he cried, «Oh! forget not my name,
When far, far away, I shall love thee as dearly,
As fondly, faithfully, Toujours le même.»
When he was gone, for a time, he roved blindly
'Midst beauties, and sighed at the liveliest ball;
But when fair maids on his sadness looked kindly,
The sad one had smiles to bestow on them all.
If on the past the gay youth e'er reflected,
New pleasures were sought to drown sorrow and shame;
Too soon he forgot Rosa's smiles, and neglected
Her ring and its motto of – Toujours le même
Rosa was sad; for a time she persuaded
Her fond heart, that chance his return might defer;
But when the hopes she had cherished all faded,
His coldness, his falsehood were fatal to her.
Ah! is it strange, while men wildly are roving,
Their thoughts and their vows are not ever the same?
Man loves again, and ne'er suffers from loving,
But woman, sweet woman, is Toujours le même.