第 16 节
作者:大热      更新:2022-11-23 12:13      字数:9322
  him: 〃My Herbertmine once more!〃
  XVII。
  Now     Christmas   Eve   returning;  Saw    Alice  stand  beside   The  altar;
  greeting Dora; Again a smiling bride; And now the gloomy evening Sees
  Alice pale and worn; Leaving the house for ever; To wander out forlorn。
  XVIII。
  Forlornnay; not so。     Anguish Shall do its work at length; Her soul;
  passed through   the  fire;  Shall   gain   still   purer strength。  Somewhere  there
  waits for Alice An earnest noble part; And; meanwhile God is with her; …
  God; and her own true heart!
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  LEGENDS AND LYRICS … SECOND SERIES
  VERSE:                    THE WIND
  The wind went forth o'er land and sea Loud and free; Foaming waves
  leapt up to meet it; Stately pines bowed down to greet it; While the wailing
  sea And the forest's murmured sigh Joined the cry Of the wind that swept
  o'er land and sea。
  The wind that blew upon the sea Fierce and free; Cast the bark upon
  the shore; Whence it sailed the night before Full of hope and glee; And the
  cry of pain and death Was but a breath; Through the wind that roared upon
  the sea。
  The wind was whispering on the lea Tenderly; But the white rose felt it
  pass;   And    the  fragile  stalks  of  grass   Shook    with   fear  to  see  All  her
  trembling petals shed; As it fled; So gently by;the wind upon the lea。
  Blow; thou wind; upon the sea Fierce and free; And a gentler message
  send;   Where   frail   flowers   and   grasses   bend;   On   the   sunny   lea;   For   thy
  bidding still is one; Be it done In tenderness or wrath; on land or sea!
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  LEGENDS AND LYRICS … SECOND SERIES
  VERSE:                   EXPECTATION
  The King's three daughters stood on the terrace; The hanging terrace;
  so broad and green; Which keeps the sea from the marble Palace; There
  was    Princess    May;    and   Princess    Alice;  And    the   youngest    Princess;
  Gwendoline。
  Sighed Princess May; 〃Will it last much longer; Time throbs so slow
  and my Heart so quick; And oh; how long is the day in dying; Weary am I
  of waiting and sighing; For Hope deferred makes the spirit sick。〃
  But   Princess   Gwendoline   smiled   and   kissed   her:…   〃Am   I   not   sadder
  than    you;   my   Sister?   Expecting     joy   is  a  happy   pain。   The    Future's
  fathomless mine of treasures; All countless hordes of possible pleasures;
  Might bring their store to my feet in vain。〃
  Sighed Princess Alice as night grew nearer:… 〃So soon; so soon; is the
  daylight   fled! And   oh;   how   fast   comes   the   dark   to…morrow;   Who   hides;
  perhaps in her veil of sorrow; The terrible hour I wait and dread!〃
  But Princess Gwendoline kissed her; sighing; … 〃It is only Life that can
  fear dying; Possible loss means possible gain。 Those who still dread; are
  not   quite   forsaken;   But   not   to   fear;   because   all   is   taken;   Is   the   loneliest
  depth of human pain。〃
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  LEGENDS AND LYRICS … SECOND SERIES
  VERSE:                    AN IDEAL
  While the grey mists of early dawn Were lingering round the hill; And
  the   dew   was   still   upon   the   flowers; And   the   earth   lay   calm   and   still; A
  winged Spirit came to me Noble; and radiant; and free。
  Folding his blue and shining wings; He laid his hand on mine。 I know
  not if I felt; or heard The mystic word divine; Which woke the trembling
  air to sighs; And shone from out his starry eyes。
  The word he spoke; within my heart Stirred life unknown before; And
  cast a spell upon my soul To chain it evermore; Making the cold dull earth
  look bright; And skies flame out in sapphire light。
  When noon ruled from the heavens; and man Through busy day toiled
  on; My Spirit drooped his shining wings; His radiant smile was gone; His
  voice had ceased; his grace had flown; His hand grew cold within my own。
  Bitter;   oh   bitter   tears;   I   wept; Yet   still   I   held   his   hand;   Hoping   with
  vague   unreasoning   hope:   I   would   not   understand   That   this   pale   Spirit
  never more Could be what he had been before。
  Could it be so?      My heart stood still。 Yet he was by my side。 I strove;
  but   my   despair   was   vain; Vain;   too;   was   love   and   pride。   Could   he   have
  changed to me so soon? My day was only at its noon。
  Now stars are rising one by one; Through the dim evening air; Near
  me   a   household   Spirit   waits;   With   tender   loving   care;   He   speaks   and
  smiles; but never sings; Long since he lost his shining wings。
  With   thankful;   true   content;   I   know   This   is   the   better   way;   Is   not   a
  faithful spirit mine … Mine stillat close of day? 。 。 。 Yet will my foolish
  heart repine For that bright morning dream of mine。
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  LEGENDS AND LYRICS … SECOND SERIES
  VERSE:                    OUR DEAD
  Nothing   is   our   own:    we   hold   our   pleasures   Just   a   little   while;   ere
  they are fled: One by one life robs us of our treasures; Nothing is our own
  except our Dead。
  They are ours; and hold in faithful keeping Safe for ever; all they took
  away。  Cruel   life   can   never   stir   that sleeping;   Cruel   time   can   never   seize
  that prey。
  Justice pales; truth fades; stars fall from Heaven; Human are the great
  whom we revere: No true crown of honour can be given; Till we place it
  on a funeral bier。
  How   the   Children   leave   us:     and   no   traces   Linger   of   that   smiling
  angel   band;   Gone;   for   ever   gone;   and   in   their   places;   Weary   men   and
  anxious women stand。
  Yet we have some little ones; still ours; They have kept the baby smile
  we know; Which we kissed one day and hid with flowers; On their dead
  white faces; long ago。
  When our  Joy  is   lostand life  will take   it   … Then   no   memory  of   the
  past   remains;   Save   with   some   strange;   cruel   sting;  to   make   it   Bitterness
  beyond all present pains。
  Death; more tender…hearted; leaves to sorrow Still the radiant shadow;
  fond regret: We shall find; in some far; bright to…morrow; Joy that he has
  taken; living yet。
  Is Love ours; and do we dream we know it; Bound with all our heart…
  strings;   all   our   own? Any   cold   and   cruel   dawn   may   show   it;   Shattered;
  desecrated; overthrown。
  Only the dead Hearts forsake us never; Death's last kiss has been the
  mystic sign Consecrating Love our own for ever; Crowning it eternal and
  divine。
  So when Fate would fain besiege our city; Dim our gold; or make our
  flowers   fall;   Death   the Angel;   comes   in   love   and   pity; And   to   save   our
  treasures; claims them all。
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  LEGENDS AND LYRICS … SECOND SERIES
  VERSE:                   A WOMAN'S ANSWER
  I will not let you say a Woman's part Must be to give exclusive love
  alone;   Dearest;   although   I   love   you   so;   my   heart   Answers   a   thousand
  claims beside your own。
  I lovewhat do I not love? earth and air Find space within my heart;
  and myriad things You would not deign to heed; are cherished there; And
  vibrate on its very inmost strings。
  I love the summer   with her   ebb and   flow Of   light; and   warmth;  and
  music that have nurst Her tender buds to blossoms 。 。 。 and you know It
  was in summer that I saw you first。
  I   love   the   winter   dearly   too;   。   。   。   but   then   I   owe   it   so   much;   on   a
  winter's day; Bleak; cold; and stormy; you returned again; When you had
  been those weary months away。
  I love the Stars like friends; so many nights I gazed at them; when you
  were   far   from   me;   Till   I   grew   blind   with   tears   。   。   。   those   far…off   lights
  Could watch you; whom I longed in vain to see。
  I love the Flowers; happy hours lie Shut up within their petals close
  and fast: You have forgotten; dear:          but they and I Keep every fragment
  of the golden Past。
  I love; too; to be loved; all loving praise Seems like a crown upon my
  Life;to make It better worth the giving; and to raise Still nearer to your
  own the heart you take。
  I love all good and noble souls;I heard One speak of you but lat