romantic ballads-第2章

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One　evening　late；　she　lay　upon　her　bed；　（King　Alf；　her　noble　spouse；　was　long　since　dead）　She　felt　so　languid；　and　her　aching　breast　With　more　than　usual　sorrow　was　oppress'd。　Ah；　then　she　heard　a　sudden　sound　that　thrill'd　Her　every　nerve；　and　life's　warm　current　chill'd：…　The　bird　of　death　had　through　the　casement　flown；　And　thus　he　scream'd　to　her；　in　frightful　tone：

〃The　wealthy　bird　came　towering；　Came　scowering；　O'er　hill　and　stream。　'Look　here；　look　here；　thou　needy　bird；　How　gay　my　feathers　gleam。'

〃The　needy　bird　came　fluttering；　Came　muttering；　And　sadly　sang；　'Look　here；　look　here；　thou　wealthy　bird；　How　loose　my　feathers　hang。'

〃Remember；　Queen；　the　stormy　day；　When　cast　away　Thou　wast　so　nigh：…　Thou　wast　the　needy　bird　that　day；　And　unto　me　didst　cry。

〃Death…raven　now　comes　towering；　Comes　scowering；　O'er　hill　and　stream；　But　when　wilt　thou；　Dame　Sigrid　fair；　Thy　plighted　word　redeem。〃

A　hollow　moan　from　Sigrid's　bosom　came；　While　he　survey'd　her　with　his　eye　of　flame：　〃Fly；〃　said　she；　〃demon　monster；　get　thee　hence！　My　humble　pray'r　shall　be　my　son's　defence。〃　She　cross'd　herself；　and　then　the　fiend　flew　out；　But　first；　contemptuously　he　danc'd　about；　And　sang；　〃No　pray'r　shall　save　him　from　my　rage；　In　Christian　blood　my　thirst　I　will　assuage。〃

Young　Harrald　seiz'd　his　scarlet　cap；　and　cried；　〃I'll　probe　the　grief　my　mother　fain　would　hide；〃　Then；　rushing　into　her　apartment　fair；　〃O　mother；〃　said　he；　〃wherefore　sitt'st　thou　there；　Far　from　thy　family　at　dead　of　night；　With　lips　so　mute；　and　cheeks　so　ghastly　white？　Tell　me　what　lies　so　heavy　at　thy　heart；　Grief；　when　confided；　loses　half　its　smart。〃

〃O　Harrald；〃　sigh'd　she；　yielding　to　his　pray'r；　〃Creatures　are　swarming　in　the　earth　and　air；　Who；　wild　with　wickedness；　and　hot　with　wrath；　Wage　war　on　those　who　follow　virtue's　path。　One　of　those　fiends　is　on　the　watch　for　thee；　Arm'd　with　a　promise　wrung　by　him　from　me：　His　blood…shot　eyes　in　narrow　sockets　roll；　And　every　night　he　leaves　his　mirksome　hole。

〃He　was　a　kind　of　God；　in　former　days；　Kings　worshipp'd　him；　and　minstrels　sang　his　praise；　But　when　Christ's　doctrine　through　the　dark　North　flam'd；　His；　and　all　evil　spirits'　might　was　tam'd。　He　now　is　but　a　raven；　yet　is　still　Full　strong　enough　to　work　on　thee　his　will：　Lost　is　the　wretch　who　in　his　power　falls　…　Vainly　he　shrieks；　in　vain　for　mercy　calls。〃

She　whisper'd　to　him　then；　with　bloodless　lip；　What　had　befallen　her　on　board　the　ship；　But　youthful　Harrald　listen'd　undismay'd；　And　merely　gripp'd　the　handle　of　his　blade。　〃My　son；〃　she　murmur'd；　when　her　tale　was　told；　〃Fear　withers　me；　but　thou　look'st　blythe　and　bold。〃　The　youth　uplifted　then　his　sparkling　eye；　And　said；　whilst　gazing　on　the　moon…lit　sky；

〃Once；　my　dear　mother；　at　the　close　of　day；　Among　tall　flowers　in　the　grove　I　lay；　Soft　sang　the　linnets　from　a　thousand　trees；　And；　sweetly　lull'd；　I　slumber'd　by　degrees。　Then；　heaven's　curtain　was；　methought；　undrawn；　And；　clad　in　hues　that　deck　the　brow　of　morn；　An　angel　slowly　sank　towards　the　earth；　Which　seem'd　to　hail　him　with　a　smile　of　mirth。

〃He　rais'd　his　hand；　and　bade　me　fix　my　eye　Upon　a　chain　which；　hanging　from　the　sky；　Embrac'd　the　world；　and；　stretching　high　and　low；　Clink'd；　as　it　mov'd；　the　notes　of　joy　and　wo：　The　links　that　came　in　sight　were　purpled　o'er　Full　frequently　with　what　seem'd　human　gore；　Of　various　metals　made；　it　clasp'd　the　mould；　…　Steel　clung　to　silver；　iron　clung　to　gold。

〃Then　said　the　angel；　with　majestic　air；　…　'The　chain　of　destiny　thou　seest　there。　Accept　whate'er　it　gives；　and　murmur　not；　For　hard　necessity　has　cast　each　lot。'　He　vanish'dI　awoke　with　sudden　start；　But　that　strange　dream　was　graven　on　my　heart。　I　go　wherever　fate　shall　please　to　call；　…　Without　God's　leave；　no　fly　to　earth　can　fall。〃

It　thundersand　from　midnight's　mirky　cloud；　Comes　peal　on　peal　reverberating　loud：　The　froth…clad　breakers　cast；　with　sullen　roar；　A　Scottish　bark　upon　the　whiten'd　shore。　Straight　to　the　royal　palace　hasten　then　A　lovely　maid　and　thirty　sea…worn　men。　Minona；　Scotland's　princess；　Scotland's　boast；　The　storm　has　driven　to　the　Danish　coast。

Oft；　while　the　train　hew　timber　in　the　groves；　Minona；　arm　in　arm；　with　Harrald　roves。　Warm　from　his　lip　the　words　of　passion　flow；　Pure　in　her　eyes　the　flames　of　passion　glow。　One　summer　eve；　upon　a　mossy　bank；　Mouth　join'd　to　mouth；　and　breast　to　breast；　they　sank：　The　moon　arose　in　haste　to　see　their　love；　And　wild　birds　carroll'd　from　the　boughs　above。

But　now　the　ship；　which　seem'd　of　late　a　wreck；　Floats　with　a　mast　set　proudly　on　her　deck。　Minona　kisses　Harrald's　blooming　face；　Whilst　he　attends　her　to　the　parting　place。　His　bold　young　heart　beats　high　against　his　side　…　She　sail'd　awayand；　like　one　petrified；　Full　long　he　stood　upon　the　shore；　to　view　The　smooth　keel　slipping　through　the　waters　blue。

Months　pass；　and　Sigrid's　sorrow　disappears；　The　wild　death…raven's　might　no　more　she　fears；　A　gentle　red　bedecks　her　cheek　again；　And　briny　drops　her　eye　no　longer　stain。　〃My　Harrald　stalks　in　manly　size　and　strength；　Swart　bird　of　darkness；　I　rejoice　at　length；　If　thy　curst　claw　could　hurt　my　gallant　son；　Long；　long；　ere　this；　the　deed　would　have　been　done。〃

But　Harrald　look'd　so　moody　and　forlorn；　And　thus　his　mother　he　address'd　one　morn：　〃Minona's　face　is　equall'd　by　her　mind；　Methinks　she　calls　me　from　her　hills　of　wind？　Give　me　a　ship　with　men　and　gold　at　need；　And　let　me　to　her　father's　kingdom　speed；　I'll　soon　return；　and　back　across　the　tide　Bring　thee　a　daughter；　and　myself　a　bride。〃

Dame　Sigrid　promis'd　him　an　answer　soon；　And　went　that　night；　when　risen　was　the　moon；　Deep　through　the　black　recesses　of　the　wood；　To　where　old　Bruno's　shelter'd　cabin　stood。　She　enter'dthere　he　sat　behind　his　board；　His　woollen　vestment　girded　by　a　cord；　The　little　lamp；　which　hung　from　overhead；　Gleam'd　on　the　Bible…leaves　before　him　spread。

〃Hail　to　thee；　Father！man　of　hoary　age；　Thy　Queen　demands　from　thee　thy　counsel　sage。　Young　Harrald　to　a　distant　land　will　go；　And　I　his　destiny　would　gladly　know：　Thou　read'st　the　stars；O　do　the　stars　portend　That　he　shall　come　to　an　untimely　end？　Take　from　his　mother's　heart　this　one　last　care；　And　she　will　always　name　thee　in　her　pray'r。〃

The　hermit；　rising　from　his　lonely　nook；　With　naked　head；　and　coldly　placid　look；　Went　out　and　gaz'd　intently　on　the　sky；　Whose　lights　were　letters　to　his　ancient　eye。　〃The　stars；〃　said　he；　〃in　friendly　order　stand；　One　only；　flashes　like　an　angry　brand：…　Thy　Harrald；　gentle　Queen；　will　not　be　slain　Upon　the　EARTH；　nor　yet　upon　the　MAIN。〃

While　thus　the　seer　prophetically　spoke；　A　flush　of　joy　o'er　Sigrid's　features　broke：　〃He'll　not　be　slain　on　ocean　or　on　land；〃　She　said；　and　kiss'd　the　hermit's　wrinkled　hand；　〃Why　then；　I'm　happy；　and　my　son　is　free　To　mount　his　bark；　and　gallop　through　the　sea：　Upon　the　grey　stone　he　will　sit　as　king；　When；　in　the　grave；　my　bones　are　mouldering。〃

The　painted　galley　floats　now　in　the　creek　…　Flags　at　her　mast；　and　garlands　at　her　beak；　High　on　the　yard…arm　hoisted　is　the　sail；　Half　spread　it　flutters　in　the　evening　gale。　The　night　before　he　goes；　young　Harrald　stray'd　Into　the　wood　where　first　he　saw　his　maid：　Burning　impatience　fever'd　all　his　blood；　He　wish'd　for　wings　to　bear　him　o'er　the　flood。

Then　sigh'd　the　wind　among　the　bushy　grounds；　Far　in　the　distance　rose　the　yell　of　hounds：　The　flame…wisps；　starting　from　the　sedge　and　grass；　Hung；　'mid　the　vapours；　over　the　morass。　Up　to　him　came　a　beldame；　wildly　drest；　Bearing　a　closely…folded　feather…vest：　She　smil'd　upon　him　with　her　cheeks　so　wan；　Gave　him　the　robe；　and　was　already　gone。

Young　Harrald；　though　astonish'd；　has　no　fears；　The　mighty　garment　in　his　hand　he　rears：　Of　wond'rous　lovely　feathers　it　was　made；　Which　once　the　roc　and　ostrich　had　array'd。　He　wishes　much　to　veil　in　it　his　form；　And　speed　as　rapidly　as　speeds　the　storm：　He　puts　it　on；　then　seeks　the　open　plain；　…　Takes　a　short　flight；　and　flutters　back　again。

〃Courage！〃　he　cried；　〃I　will　no　longer　stay；　Scotland　shall　see　me；　ere　the　break　of　day。〃　Then　like　a　dragon　in　the　air　he　soars；　Startled　from　slumber；　in　his　wake　it　roars。　His　wings　across　the　ocean　take　their　flight；