romantic ballads-第3章

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；　in　his　wake　it　roars。　His　wings　across　the　ocean　take　their　flight；　Groves；　cities；　hills；　have　vanish'd　from　his　sight；　…　See！　there　he　goes；　lone　rider　of　the　sky；　Miles　underneath　him；　black　the　billows　lie。

He　hears　a　clapping　on　the　midnight　wind：　Speed；　Harrald；　speed！　the　raven　is　behind。　Flames　from　his　swarthy…rolling　eye　are　cast：…　〃Ha！　Harrald；〃　scream'd　he；　〃have　we　met　at　last？〃　For　the　first　time；　the　youth　felt　terror's　force；　Pale　grew　his　cheek；　as　that　of　clammy　corse；　Chill　was　his　blood；　his　nervous　arm　was　faint；　While　thus　he　stammer'd　forth　his　lowly　plaint：

〃I　see　it　is　in　vain　to　strive　with　fate；　Thank　God；　my　soul　is　far　above　thy　hate；　But；　ere　my　mortal　part　thou　dost　destroy；　Let　me　one　moment　of　sweet　bliss　enjoy：　The　fair　unmatch'd　Minona　is　my　love；　For　her　I　travell'd；　fool…like；　here　above：　Let　me　fly　to　her　with　my　last　farewell；　And　I　am　thine；　ere　morning　decks　the　fell。〃

Firmly　the　raven　holding　him　in　air；　Survey'd　his　prize　with　fiercely…rabid　glare：　〃Now　is　the　time　to　wreak　on　thee　my　lust；　Yet　thou　shalt　own　that　I　am　good　and　just。〃　Then　from　its　socket；　Harrald's　eye　he　tore；　And　drank　a　full　half　of　the　hero's　gore：…　〃Since　I　have　mark'd　thee；　thou　art　free　to　go；　But　loiter　not　when　thou　art　there　below。〃

Young　Harrald　sinks　with　many　a　sob　and　tear；　Down　from　the　sky　to　nature's　lower　sphere：　He　rested　long　beneath　the　poplar　tall；　Which　grew　up；　under　the　red　church's　wall。　Then；　rising　slow；　he　feebly　stagger'd　on；　Till　his　Minona's　bower　he　had　won。　Trembling　and　sad　he　stood　beside　the　door　…　Pale　as　a　spectre；　and　besprent　with　gore！

〃Minona；　come；　ere　Harrald's　youthful　heart　Is　burst　by　love　and　complicated　smart。　Soon　will　his　figure　disappear　from　earth；　Yet　we　shall　meet　in　heaven's　halls　of　mirth：　Minona；　come　and　give　me　one　embrace；　That　I　may　instantly　my　path　retrace。〃　Thus　warbles　he　in　passion's　wildest　note；　While　death　each　moment　rattles　in　his　throat。

Minona　came：　　〃Almighty　God！〃　she　cried；　〃My　Harrald's　ghost　has　wander'd　o'er　the　tide；　Red　clots　of　blood　his　yellow　tresses　streak；　Drops　of　the　same　are　running　down　his　cheek。〃　〃Minona；　love；　survey　me　yet　more　near；　It　is　no　shadow　which　accosts　thee　here；　Place　thy　warm　hand　upon　my　heart；　and　feel　Whether　it　beats　for　thee　with　slacken'd　zeal。〃

At　once　the　current　of　her　tears　she　stopp'd；　His　arm　upheld　her；　or　the　maid　had　dropp'd；　The　roses　faded　from　her　face　away；　And　on　her　head　the　raven　locks　grew　gray。　All　he　had　borne；　and　what　he　yet　must　bear；　He　murmurs　to　her　whilst　she　trembles　there：　The　hero　then　with　dying　ardour　press'd；　For　the　last　time；　his　bosom　to　her　breast。

〃Farewell！　　Minona；　all　my　fears　are　flown；　And　if　I　grieve；　it　is　for　thee　alone：　Give　me　a　kiss；　and　give　me　too　a　smile；　And　let　not　tears　that　parting　look　defile。　Now　will　I　drink　the　bitter　draught　of　death；　And　yield　courageously　my　forfeit　breath：…　Farewell！　may　heaven　take　thee　in　its　care；〃　He　said；　and　mounted　swiftly　in　the　air。

She　gaz'd；　but　he　had　vanish'd　from　her　view；　She　stood　forsaken　in　the　damp　and　dew；　Then　dark　emotion　quiver'd　in　her　eye；　And　thus　she　pray'd；　with　hands　uplifted　high：　〃Thou　who　wert　vainly　tempted　in　the　wild；　Thou　who　wert　always　charitably　mild；　Thou　who　mad'st　Peter　walk　on　billows　blue；　Enable　me　my　Harrald　to　pursue。〃

Sunken　already　was　the　morning　star；　The　song　of　nightingales　was　heard　afar；　The　red　sun　peep'd　above　the　mountain's　brow；　And　flowers　scented　all　the　vale　below。　There　came　a　youthful　maiden；　gaily　drest；　Bearing　upon　her　back　a　feather…vest；　Fondly　she　kiss'd　Minona's　features　wan；　Gave　her　the　robe；　and　then　at　once　was　gone。

And　straight　Minona　clothes　in　it　her　limbs；　And　soaring　upward　through　the　ether　swims：　To　moan　and　sob；　her　madden'd　breast　disdains；　Too　big　for　such　low　comfort　are　its　pains。　The　fowls　that　meet　her　in　yon　airy　fields；　She　clips　in　pieces　with　an　axe　she　wields；　Each　clanging　pinion　ceaselessly　she　plies；　But　cannot　meet　the　raven　or　his　prize。

She　hears　a　faint　shriek　in　the　air　below；　And；　swift　as　eagle　pounces　on　his　foe；　Down；　down；　she　dropp'd；　and　lighted　on　the　shore；　Which　far　and　wide　was　wet　with　Harrald's　gore。　She　smil'd　so　ruefully；　but　still　was　mute　…　His　good　right　hand　was　lying　at　her　foot：　That　pledge　of　truth；　in　love's　unclouded　day；　Was　the　sole　remnant　of　the　demon's　prey。

Deep　in　her　breast　she　hid　the　bloody　hand；　And　bade　adieu；　for　ever；　to　the　land：　Again　she　scower'd　through　the　airy　path；　Her　eyeballs　terrible　with　madden'd　wrath：　The　raven…sorcerer　at　length　she　spied；　And　soon　her　steel　was　with　his　hot　blood　dyed：　The　huge　black　body；　piecemeal；　found　a　grave　Amid　the　bosom　of　the　briny　wave。

The　ocean　billows　fret　and　foam　no　more；　But　softly　rush　towards　the　pebbled　shore；　On　which　the　lindens　stand；　in　many　a　group；　With　leafy　boughs　that　o'er　the　waters　droop。　There　floats　one　single　cloudlet　in　the　blue；　Close　where　the　pale　moon　shows　her　face　anew：　It　is　Minona　dying　there　that　flies；　…　She　sinks　not！noshe　mounts　unto　the　skies。



FRIDLEIF　AND　HELGA。　FROM　THE　DANISH　OF　OEHLENSLAEGER。



The　woods　were　in　leaf；　and　they　cast　a　sweet　shade；　Among　them　walk'd　Helga；　the　beautiful　maid。

The　water　is　dashing　o'er　yon　little　stones；　She　sat　down　beside　it；　and　rested　her　bones。

She　sat　down；　and　soon；　from　a　bush　that　was　near；　Sir　Fridleif　approach'd　her　with　sword　and　with　spear：

〃Ah；　pity　me；　Helga；　and　fly　me　not　now；　I　live；　only　live；　on　the　smile　of　thy　brow：

〃In　thy　father's　whole　garden　is　found　not　a　rose；　Which　bright　as　thyself；　and　as　beautiful　grows。〃

〃Sir　Fridleif；　thy　words　are　but　meant　to　deceive；　Yet　tell　me　what　brings　thee　so　late　here　at　eve。〃

〃I　cannot　find　rest；　and　I　cannot　find　ease；　Though　sweet　sing　the　linnets　among　the　wild　trees；

〃If　thou　wilt　but　promise；　one　day　to　be　mine；　No　more　shall　I　sorrow；　no　more　shall　I　pine。〃

She　sank　in　his　arms；　and　her　cheeks　were　as　red　As　the　sun　when　he　sinks　in　his　watery　bed；

But　soon　she　arose　from　his　loving　embrace；　He　walk'd　by　her　side；　through　the　wood；　for　a　space。

〃Now　listen；　young　Fridleif；　the　gallant　and　bold；　Take　off　from　my　finger　this　ring　of　red　gold；

Take　off　from　my　finger　this　ring　of　red　gold；　And　part　with　it　not；　till　in　death　thou　art　cold。〃

Sir　Fridleif　stood　there　in　a　sorrowful　plight；　Salt　tears　wet　his　eyeballs；　and　blinded　his　sight。

〃Go　home；　and　I'll　come　to　thy　father　with　speed；　And　claim　thee　from　him；　on　my　mighty　grey　steed。〃

Sir　Fridleif；　at　night；　through　the　thick　forest　rode；　He　fain　would　arrive　at　his　lov'd　one's　abode；

His　harness　was　clanking；　his　helm　glitter'd　sheen；　His　horse　was　so　swift；　and　himself　was　so　keen：

He　reach'd　the　proud　castle；　and　jump'd　on　the　ground；　His　horse　to　the　branch　of　a　linden　he　bound；

He　shoulder'd　his　mantle　of　grey　otter　skin；　And　through　the　wide　door；　to　Sir　Erik　went　in。

〃Here　sitt'st　thou；　Sir　Erik；　in　scarlet　array'd；　I've　wedded　thy　daughter；　the　beautiful　maid。〃

〃And　who　art　thou；　Rider？　what　feat　hast　thou　done？　No　nidering　coward　shall　e'er　be　my　son。〃

〃O　far　have　I　wander'd；　renown'd　is　my　name；　The　heroes　I　conquer'd　wherever　I　came：

〃Han　Elland；　't　is　true；　long　disputed　the　ground；　But　yet　he　receiv'd　from　my　hand　his　death…wound。〃

Sir　Erik　then　alter'd　his　countenance　quite；　And　out　hurried　he；　in　the　gloom　of　the　night。

〃Fill　high；　little　Kirstin；　my　best　drinking　cup；　And　be　the　brown　liquor　with　poison　mixt　up。〃

She　gave　him　the　draught；　and　returning　with　speed；　〃Young　gallant；〃　said　he；　〃thou　must　taste　my　old　mead。〃

Sir　Fridleif　unbuckled　his　helmet　and　drank；　Sweat　sprung　from　his　foreheadhis　features　grew　blank。

〃I　never　have　drain'd；　since　the　day　I　was　born；　A　bitterer　draught；　from　a　costlier　horn：

〃My　course　is　completed；　my　life　is　summ'd　up；　For　treason　I　smell　in　the　dregs　of　the　cup。〃

Sir　Erik　then　said；　while　he　stamp'd　on　the　ground；　〃Young　knight；　't　is　thy　fortune　to　die　like　a　hound。

〃My　best　belov'd　friend　thou　didst　boast　to　have　slain；　And　I　have　aveng'd　him　by　giving　thee　bane：

〃Not　Helga；　but　Hela；　｛1｝　shall　now　be　thy　bride；　Dark　blue　are　her　cheeks；　and　she　looks　stony…eyed。〃

〃S