lucile-第13章
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s in vain With the truth that leaps from me。 We two meet again 'Neath yon terrible heaven that is watching above To avenge if I lie when I swear that I love； And beneath yonder terrible heaven； at your feet； I humble my head and my heart。 I entreat Your pardon； Lucile； for the pastI implore For the future your mercyimplore it with more Of passion than prayer ever breathed。 By the power Which invisibly touches us both in this hour； By the rights I have o'er you； Lucile； I demand〃 〃The rights！〃 。 。 。 said Lucile； and drew from him her hand。
〃Yes； the rights！ for what greater to man may belong Than the right to repair in the future the wrong To the past？ and the wrong I have done you； of yore； Hath bequeath'd to me all the sad right to restore； To retrieve； to amend！ I； who injured your life； Urge the right to repair it； Lucile！ Be my wife； My guide； my good angel； my all upon earth； And accept； for the sake of what yet may give worth To my life； its contrition！〃
XV。
He paused； for there came O'er the cheek of Lucile a swift flush like the flame That illumined at moments the darkness o'erhead。 With a voice faint and marr'd by emotion； she said； 〃And your pledge to another？〃
XVI。
〃Hush； hush！〃 he exclaim'd； 〃My honor will live where my love lives； unshamed。 'Twere poor honor indeed； to another to give That life of which YOU keep the heart。 Could I live In the light of those young eyes； suppressing a lie？ Alas； no！ YOUR hand holds my whole destiny。 I can never recall what my lips have avow'd； In your love lies whatever can render me proud。 For the great crime of all my existence hath been To have known you in vain。 And the duty best seen； And most hallow'dthe duty most sacred and sweet； Is that which hath led me； Lucile； to your feet。 O speak！ and restore me the blessing I lost When I lost youmy pearl of all pearls beyond cost！ And restore to your own life its youth； and restore The vision； the rapture； the passion of yore！ Ere our brows had been dimm'd in the dust of the world； When our souls their white wings yet exulting unfurl'd！ For your eyes rest no more on the unquiet man； The wild star of whose course its pale orbit outran； Whom the formless indefinite future of youth； With its lying allurements； distracted。 In truth I have wearily wander'd the world； and I feel That the least of your lovely regards； O Lucile； Is worth all the world can afford； and the dream Which； though follow'd forever； forever doth seem As fleeting； and distant； and dim； as of yore When it brooded in twilight； at dawn； on the shore Of life's untraversed ocean！ I know the sole path To repose； which my desolate destiny hath； Is the path by whose course to your feet I return。 And who else； O Lucile； will so truly discern； And so deeply revere； all the passionate strength； The sublimity in you； as he whom at length These have saved from himself； for the truth they reveal To his worship？〃
XVII。
She spoke not； but Alfred could feel The light hand and arm； that upon him reposed； Thrill and tremble。 Those dark eyes of hers were half closed。 But； under their languid mysterious fringe； A passionate softness was beaming。 One tinge Of faint inward fire flush'd transparently through The delicate； pallid； and pure olive hue Of the cheek； half averted and droop'd。 The rich bosom Heaved； as when in the heart of a ruffled rose…blossom A bee is imprison'd and struggles。
XVIII。
Meanwhile The sun； in his setting； sent up the last smile Of his power； to baffle the storm。 And； behold！ O'er the mountains embattled； his armies； all gold； Rose and rested： while far up the dim airy crags； Its artillery silenced； its banners in rags； The rear of the tempest its sullen retreat Drew off slowly； receding in silence； to meet The powers of the night； which； now gathering afar； Had already sent forward one bright； signal star The curls of her soft and luxuriant hair； From the dark riding…hat； which Lucile used to wear； Had escaped； and Lord Alfred now cover'd with kisses The redolent warmth of those long falling tresses。 Neither he； nor Lucile； felt the rain； which not yet Had ceased falling around them； when； splash'd； drench'd； and wet； The Duc de Luvois down the rough mountain course Approached them as fast as the road； and his horse； Which was limping； would suffer。 The beast had just now Lost his footing； and over the perilous brow Of the storm…haunted mountain his master had thrown； But the Duke； who was agile； had leap'd to a stone； And the horse； being bred to the instinct which fills The breast of the wild mountaineer in these hills； Had scrambled again to his feet； and now master And horse bore about them the signs of disaster； As they heavily footed their way through the mist； The horse with his shoulder； the Duke with his wrist； Bruised and bleeding。
XIX。
If ever your feet； like my own； O reader； have traversed these mountains alone； Have you felt your identity shrink and contract At the sound of the distant and dim cataract； In the presence of nature's immensities？ Say； Have you hung o'er the torrent； bedew'd with its spray； And； leaving the rock…way； contorted and roll'd； Like a huge couchant Typhon； fold heaped over fold； Track'd the summits from which every step that you tread Rolls the loose stones； with thunder below； to the bed Of invisible waters； whose mistical sound Fills with awful suggestions the dizzy profound？ And； laboring onwards； at last through a break In the walls of the world； burst at once on the lake？ If you have； this description I might have withheld。 You remember how strangely your bosom has swell'd At the vision reveal'd。 On the overwork'd soil Of this planet； enjoyment is sharpen'd by toil； And one seems； by the pain of ascending the height； To have conquer'd a claim of that wonderful sight。
XX。
Hail； virginal daughter of cold Espingo！ Hail； Naiad； whose realm is the cloud and the snow； For o'er thee the angels have whiten'd their wings； And the thirst of the seraphs is quench'd at thy springs。 What hand hath； in heaven； upheld thine expanse？ When the breath of creation first fashion'd fair France； Did the Spirit of Ill； in his downthrow appalling； Bruise the world； and thus hollow thy basin while falling？ Ere the mammoth was born hath some monster unnamed The base of thy mountainous pedestal framed？ And later； when Power to Beauty was wed； Did some delicate fairy embroider thy bed With the fragile valerian and wild columbine？
XXI。
But thy secret thou keepest； and I will keep mine； For once gazing on thee； it flash'd on my soul； All that secret！ I saw in a vision the whole Vast design of the ages； what was and shall be！ Hands unseen raised the veil of a great mystery For one moment。 I saw； and I heard； and my heart Bore witness within me to infinite art； In infinite power proving infinite love； Caught the great choral chant； mark'd the dread pageant move The divine Whence and Whither of life！ But； O daughter Of Oo； not more safe in the deep silent water Is thy secret； than mine in my heart。 Even so。 What I then saw and heard； the world never shall know。
XXII。
The dimness of eve o'er the valleys had closed； The rain had ceased falling； the mountains reposed。 The stars had enkindled in luminous courses Their slow…sliding lamps； when； remounting their horses； The riders retraversed that mighty serration Of rock…work。 Thus left to its own desolation； The lake； from whose glimmering limits the last Transient pomp of the pageants of sunset had pass'd； Drew into its bosom the darkness； and only Admitted within it one imagea lonely And tremulous phantom of flickering light That follow'd the mystical moon through the night。
XXIII。
It was late when o'er Luchon at last they descended。 To her chalet； in silence； Lord Alfred attended Lucile。 As they parted； she whispered him low； 〃You have made to me； Alfred； an offer I know All the worth of； believe me。 I cannot reply Without time for reflection。 Good night！not good by。〃 〃Alas！ 'tis the very same answer you made To the Duc de Luvois but a day since；〃 he said。 〃No； Alfred！
