按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
A voice seemed crying from that grave so dreary；
〃What wouldst thou do； my daughter？〃and she started；
And quick recoiled； aghast； faint…hearted；
But Paul； impatient； urges evermore
Her steps towards the open door；
And when； beneath her feet； the unhappy maid
Crushes the laurel near the house immortal；
And with her head； as Paul talks on again；
Touches the crown of filigrane
Suspended from the low…arched portal；
No more restrained； no more afraid；
She walks； as for a feast arrayed；
And in the ancient chapel's sombre night
They both are lost to sight。
At length the bell；
With booming sound；
Sends forth； resounding round。
Its hymeneal peal o'er rock and down the dell。
It is broad day； with sunshine and with rain；
And yet the guests delay not long；
For soon arrives the bridal train；
And with it brings the village throng。
In sooth； deceit maketh no mortal gay；
For lo！ Baptiste on this triumphant day；
Mute as an idiot； sad as yester…morning；
Thinks only of the beldame's words of warning。
And Angela thinks of her cross； I wis；
To be a bride is all！ The pretty lisper
Feels her heart swell to hear all round her whisper；
〃How beautiful！ how beautiful she is！〃。
But she must calm that giddy head；
For already the Mass is said；
At the holy table stands the priest；
The wedding ring is blessed； Baptiste receives it；
Ere on the finger of the bride he leaves it；
He must pronounce one word at least！
'T is spoken； and sudden at the grooms…man's side
〃'T is he！〃 a well…known voice has cried。
And while the wedding guests all hold their breath；
Opes the confessional； and the blind girl； see！
〃Baptiste；〃 she said； 〃since thou hast wished my death；
As holy water be my blood for thee！〃
And calmly in the air a knife suspended！
Doubtless her guardian angel near attended；
For anguish did its work so well；
That； ere the fatal stroke descended；
Lifeless she fell！
At eve instead of bridal verse；
The De Profundis filled the air；
Decked with flowers a simple hearse
To the churchyard forth they bear；
Village girls in robes of snow
Follow； weeping as they go；
Nowhere was a smile that day；
No； ah no！ for each one seemed to say：
〃The road should mourn and be veiled in gloom；
So fair a corpse shall leave its home！
Should mourn and should weep； ah； well…away！
So fair a corpse shall pass to…day！〃
A CHRISTMAS CAROL
FROM THE NOEI BOURGUIGNON DE GUI BAROZAI
I hear along our street
Pass the minstrel throngs；
Hark！ they play so sweet；
On their hautboys； Christmas songs！
Let us by the fire
Ever higher
Sing them till the night expire！
In December ring
Every day the chimes；
Loud the gleemen sing
In the streets their merry rhymes。
Let us by the fire
Ever higher
Sing them till the night expire。
Shepherds at the grange；
Where the Babe was born；
Sang； with many a change；
Christmas carols until morn。
Let us by the fire
Ever higher
Sing them till the night expire！
These good people sang
Songs devout and sweet；
While the rafters rang；
There they stood with freezing feet。
Let us by the fire
Ever higher
Sing them till the night expire。
Nuns in frigid veils
At this holy tide；
For want of something else；
Christmas songs at times have tried。
Let us by the fire
Ever higher
Sing them fill the night expire！
Washerwomen old；
To the sound they beat；
Sing by rivers cold；
With uncovered heads and feet。
Let us by the fire
Ever higher
Sing them till the night expire。
Who by the fireside stands
Stamps his feet and sings；
But he who blows his hands
Not so gay a carol brings。
Let us by the fire
Ever higher
Sing them till the night expire！
CONSOLATION
To M。 Duperrier； Gentleman of Aix in Provence； on the
Death of his Daughter。
BY FRANCOISE MALHERBE
Will then； Duperrier； thy sorrow be eternal？
And shall the sad discourse
Whispered within thy heart； by tenderness paternal；
Only augment its force？
Thy daughter's mournful fate； into the tomb descending
By death's frequented ways；
Has it become to thee a labyrinth never ending；
Where thy lost reason strays？
I know the charms that made her youth a benediction：
Nor should I be content；
As a censorious friend； to solace thine affliction
By her disparagement。
But she was of the world； which fairest things exposes
To fates the most forlorn；
A rose； she too hath lived as long as live the roses；
The space of one brief morn。
* * * * *
Death has his rigorous laws； unparalleled； unfeeling；
All prayers to him are vain；
Cruel； he stops his ears； and； deaf to our appealing；
He leaves us to complain。
The poor man in his hut； with only thatch for cover；
Unto these laws must bend；
The sentinel that guards the barriers of the Louvre
Cannot our kings defend。
To murmur against death； in petulant defiance；
Is never for the best；
To will what God doth will； that is the only science
That gives us any rest。
TO CARDINAL RICHELIEU
BY FRANCOIS DE MALHERBE
Thou mighty Prince of Church and State；
Richelieu！ until the hour of death；
Whatever road man chooses； Fate
Still holds him subject to her breath。
Spun of all silks； our days and nights
Have sorrows woven with delights；
And of this intermingled shade
Our various destiny appears；
Even as one sees the course of years
Of summers and of winters made。
Sometimes the soft； deceitful hours
Let us enjoy the halcyon wave；
Sometimes impending peril lowers
Beyond the seaman's skill to save；
The Wisdom； infinitely wise；
That gives to human destinies
Their foreordained necessity；
Has made no law more fixed below；
Than the alternate ebb and flow
Of Fortune and Adversity。
THE ANGEL AND THE CHILD
BY JEAN REBOUL； THE BAKER OF NISMES
An angel with a radiant face；
Above a cradle bent to look；
Seemed his own image there to trace；
As in the waters of a brook。
〃Dear child！ who me resemblest so；〃
It whispered； 〃come； O come with me！
Happy together let us go；
The earth unworthy is of thee！
〃Here none to perfect bliss attain；
The soul in pleasure suffering lies；
Joy hath an undertone of pain；
And even the happiest hours their sighs。
〃Fear doth at every portal knock；
Never a day serene and pure
From the o'ershadowing tempest's shock
Hath made the morrow's dawn secure。
〃What then； shall sorrows and shall fears
Come to disturb so pure a brow？
And wit