第 4 节
作者:
大热 更新:2022-11-23 12:13 字数:9322
when great deeds cry out in vain On coward heart and trembling hand; …
Then will a seeming Angel speak: … 〃The hours are fleetinggreat
the need … If thou art strong and others weak; Thine be the effort and the
deed。
〃Deaf are their ears who ought to hear; Idle their hands; and dull their
soul; While sloth; or ignorance; or fear; Fetters them with a blind control。
〃Sort thou the tangled web aright; Take thou the toiltake thou the
pain: For fear the hour begin its flight; While Right and Duty plead in
vain。〃
And now it is I bid thee pause; Nor let this Tempter bend thy will:
There are diviner; truer laws That teach a nobler lesson still。
Learn that each duty makes its claim Upon one soul: not each on all。
How; if God speaks thy Brother's name; Dare thou make answer to the
call?
The greater peril in the strife; The less this evil should be done; For as
in battle; so in life; Danger and honour still are one。
Arouse him then:… this is thy part: Show him the claim; point out the
need; And nerve his arm; and cheer his heart; Then stand aside; and say
〃God speed!〃
Smooth thou his path ere it is trod; Burnish the arms that he must
wield; And pray; with all thy strength; that God May crown him Victor of
the field。
And then; I think; thy soul shall feel A nobler thrill of true content;
Than if presumptuous; eager zeal Had seized a crown for others meant。
And even that very deed shall shine In mystic sense; divine and true;
More wholly and more purely thine … Because it is another's too。
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LEGENDS AND LYRICS … SECOND SERIES
VERSE: A LOST CHORD
Seated one day at the Organ; I was weary and ill at ease; And my
fingers wandered idly Over the noisy keys。
I do not know what I was playing; Or what I was dreaming then; But I
struck one chord of music; Like the sound of a great Amen。
It flooded the crimson twilight Like the close of an Angel's Psalm; And
it lay on my fevered spirit With a touch of infinite calm。
It quieted pain and sorrow; Like love overcoming strife; It seemed the
harmonious echo From our discordant life。
It linked all perplexed meanings Into one perfect peace; And trembled
away into silence As if it were loth to cease。
I have sought; but I seek it vainly; That one lost chord divine; Which
came from the soul of the Organ; And entered into mine。
It may be that Death's bright angel Will speak in that chord again; … It
may be that only in Heaven I shall hear that grand Amen。
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LEGENDS AND LYRICS … SECOND SERIES
VERSE: TOO LATE
Hush! speak low; tread softly; Draw the sheet aside; … Yes; she does
look peaceful; With that smile she died。
Yet stern want and sorrow Even now you trace On the wan; worn
features Of the still white face。
Restless; helpless; hopeless; Was her bitter part; … Nowhow still the
Violets Lie upon her Heart!
She who toiled and laboured For her daily bread; See the velvet
hangings Of this stately bed。
Yes; they did forgive her; Brought her home at last; Strove to cover
over Their relentless past。
Ah; they would have given Wealth; and home; and pride; To see her
just look happy Once before she died!
They strove hard to please her; But; when death is near All you know
is deadened; Hope; and joy; and fear。
And besides; one sorrow Deeper stillone pain Was beyond them:
healing Came to…dayin vain!
If she had but lingered Just a few hours more; Or had this letter
reached her Just one day before!
I can almost pity Even him to…day; Though he let this anguish Eat her
heart away。
Yet she never blamed him:… One day you shall know How this sorrow
happened; It was long ago。
I have read the letter: Many a weary year; For one word she hungered …
There are thousands here。
If she could but hear it; Could but understand; SeeI put the letter In
her cold white hand。
Even these words; so longed for; Do not stir her rest; WellI should
not murmur; For God judges best。
She needs no more pity; … But I mourn his fate; When he hears his
letter Came a day too late。
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LEGENDS AND LYRICS … SECOND SERIES
VERSE: THE REQUITAL
Loud roared the Tempest; Fast fell the sleet; A little Child Angel
Passed down the street; With trailing pinions; And weary feet。
The moon was hidden; No stars were bright; So she could not shelter
In heaven that night; For the Angels' ladders Are rays of light。
She beat her wings At each window pane; And pleaded for shelter; But
all in vain: … 〃Listen;〃 they said; 〃To the pelting rain!〃
She sobbed; as the laughter And mirth grew higher; 〃Give me rest and
shelter Beside your fire; And I will give you Your heart's desire。〃
The dreamer sat watching His embers gleam; While his heart was
floating Down hope's bright stream; 。 。 。 So he wove her wailing Into his
dream。
The worker toiled on; For his time was brief; The mourner was nursing
Her own pale grief: They heard not the promise That brought relief。
But fiercer the Tempest Rose than before; When the Angel paused At a
humble door; And asked for shelter And help once more。
A weary woman; Pale; worn; and thin; With the brand upon her Of
want and sin; Heard the Child Angel And took her in。
Took her in gently; And did her best To dry her pinions; And made her
rest With tender pity Upon her breast。
When the eastern morning Grew bright and red; Up the first sunbeam
The Angel fled; Having kissed the woman And left herdead。
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VERSE: RETURNED
〃MISSING〃 (FIVE YEARS AFTER)
Yes; I was sad and anxious; But now; dear; I am gay; I know that it is
wisest To put all hope away:… Thank God that I have done so And can be
calm to…day。
For hope deferredyou know it; Once made my heart so sick: Now; I
expect no longer; It is but the old trick Of hope; that makes me tremble;
And makes my heart beat quick。
All day I sit here calmly; Not as I did before; Watching for one whose
footstep Comes never; never more 。 。 。 Hush! was that someone passing;
Who paused beside the door?
For years I hung on chances; Longing for just one word; At last I feel
it:… silence Will never more be stirred 。 。 。 Tell me once more that rumour;
You fancied you had heard。
Life has more things to dwell on Than just one useless pain; Useless
and past for ever; But noble things remain; And wait us all: 。 。 。 you too;
dear; Do you think hope quite vain?
All others have forgotten; 'Tis right I should forget; Nor live on a keen
longing Which shadows forth regret: 。 。 。 Are not the letters coming? The
sun is almost set。
Now that my restless legion Of hopes and fears is fled; Reading is joy
and comfort 。 。 。 。 。 。This very day I read; Oh; such a strange returning Of
one whom all thought dead!
Not that _I_ dream or fancy; You know all that is past; Earth has no
hope to give me; And yet:… Time flies so fast That all but the impossible
Might be brought back at last。
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VERSE: IN THE WOOD
In the wood where shadows are deepest From the branches overhead;
Where the wild wood…strawberries cluster And the softest moss is spread; I
met to…day with a fairy; And I followed her where she led。
Some magical words she uttered; I alone could understand; For the sky
grew bluer and brighter; While there rose on either hand The cloudy walls
of a palace That was built in Fairy…land。
And I stood in a strange enchantment; I had known it all before: In my
heart of hearts was the magic Of days that will come no more; The manic
of joy departed; That Time can never res