第 6 节
作者:曾氏六合网      更新:2021-02-27 01:39      字数:9322
  ow might you see the tartars brave;  And plaids and plumage dance and wave:  Now see the bonnets sink and rise;  As his tough oar the rower plies;  See; flashing at each sturdy stroke;  The wave ascending into smoke;  See the proud pipers on the bow;  And mark the gaudy streamers flow  From their loud chanters down; and sweep  The furrowed bosom of the deep;  As; rushing through the lake amain;  They plied the ancient Highland strain。
  XVII。
  Ever; as on they bore; more loud  And louder rung the pibroch proud。  At first the sounds; by distance tame;  Mellowed along the waters came;  And; lingering long by cape and bay;  Wailed every harsher note away; Then bursting bolder on the ear;  The clan's shrill Gathering they could hear;  Those thrilling sounds that call the might  Of old Clan…Alpine to the fight。  Thick beat the rapid notes; as when  The mustering hundreds shake the glen;  And hurrying at the signal dread;  'Fine battered earth returns their tread。  Then prelude light; of livelier tone;  Expressed their merry marching on;  Ere peal of closing battle rose;  With mingled outcry; shrieks; and blows;  And mimic din of stroke and ward;  As broadsword upon target jarred;  And groaning pause; ere yet again;  Condensed; the battle yelled amain:  The rapid charge; the rallying shout;  Retreat borne headlong into rout;  And bursts of triumph; to declare  Clan…Alpine's congestall were there。  Nor ended thus the strain; but slow  Sunk in a moan prolonged and low;  And changed the conquering clarion swell  For wild lament o'er those that fell。
  XVIII。
  The war…pipes ceased; but lake and hill  Were busy with their echoes still;  And; when they slept; a vocal strain  Bade their hoarse chorus wake again;  While loud a hundred clansmen raise  Their voices in their Chieftain's praise。  Each boatman; bending to his oar;  With measured sweep the burden bore; In such wild cadence as the breeze  Makes through December's leafless trees。  The chorus first could Allan know;  'Roderick Vich Alpine; ho! fro!'  And near; and nearer as they rowed;  Distinct the martial ditty flowed。
  XIX。
  Boat Song
  Hail to the Chief who in triumph advances!      Honored and blessed be the ever…green Pine! Long may the tree; in his banner that glances;      Flourish; the shelter and grace of our line!           Heaven send it happy dew;           Earth lend it sap anew;      Gayly to bourgeon and broadly to grow;           While every Highland glen           Sends our shout back again;      'Roderigh Vich Alpine dhu;; ho! ieroe!'
  Ours is no sapling; chance…sown by the fountain;
  Blooming at Beltane; in winter to fade; When the whirlwind has stripped every leaf on the mountain;      The more shall Clan…Alpine exult in her shade。           Moored in the rifted rock;           Proof to the tempest's shock;      Firmer he roots him the ruder it blow;           Menteith and Breadalbane; then;           Echo his praise again;      'Roderigh Vich Alpine dhu; ho! ieroe!'
  XX。
  Proudly our pibroch has thrilled in Glen Fruin;       And Bannochar's groans to our slogan replied ; Glen Luss and Ross…dhu; they are smoking in ruin;      And the best of Loch Lomond lie dead on her side。           Widow and Saxon maid            Long shall lament our raid;      Think of Clan…Alpine with fear and with woe;            Lennox and Leven…glen            Shake when they hear again; 'Roderigh Vich Alpine dhu; ho! ieroe!'
  Row; vassals; row; for the pride of the Highlands!      Stretch to your oars for the ever…green Pine! O that the rosebud that graces yon islands      Were wreathed in a garland around him to twine!           O that some seedling gem;           Worthy such noble stem;      Honored and blessed in their shadow might grow!           Loud should Clan…Alpine then           Ring from her deepmost glen;      Roderigh Vich Alpine dhu; ho! ieroe!'
  XXI。
  With all her joyful female band  Had Lady Margaret sought the strand。  Loose on the breeze their tresses flew;  And high their snowy arms they threw;  As echoing back with shrill acclaim;  And chorus wild; the Chieftain's name;  While; prompt to please; with mother's art  The darling passion of his heart;  The Dame called Ellen to the strand;  To greet her kinsman ere he land:  'Come; loiterer; come! a Douglas thou;  And shun to wreathe a victor's brow?' Reluctantly and slow; the maid  The unwelcome summoning obeyed;  And when a distant bugle rung;  In the mid…path aside she sprung: 'List; Allan…bane! From mainland cast I hear my father's signal blast。 Be ours;' she cried; ' the skiff to guide;  And waft him from the mountain…side。'  Then; like a sunbeam; swift and bright;  She darted to her shallop light; And; eagerly while Roderick scanned;  For her dear form; his mother's band;  The islet far behind her lay; And she had landed in the bay。
  XXII。
  Some feelings are to mortals given  With less of earth in them than heaven;  And if there be a human tear  From passion's dross refined and clear;  A tear so limpid and so meek  It would not stain an angel's cheek;  'Tis that which pious fathers shed  Upon a duteous daughter's head!  And as the Douglas to his breast  His darling Ellen closely pressed;  Such holy drops her tresses steeped;  Though 't was an hero's eye that weeped。  Nor while on Ellen's faltering tongue  Her filial welcomes crowded hung;  Marked she that fearaffection's proof  Still held a graceful youth aloof;  No! not till Douglas named his name;  Although the youth was Malcolm Graeme。
  XXIII。
  Allan; with wistful look the while;  Marked Roderick landing on the isle;  His master piteously he eyed;  Then gazed upon the Chieftain's pride; Then dashed with hasty hand away  From his dimmed eye the gathering spray;  And Douglas; as his hand he laid  On Malcolm's shoulder; kindly said: 'Canst thou; young friend; no meaning spy  In my poor follower's glistening eye?  I 'll tell thee:he recalls the day  When in my praise he led the lay  O'er the arched gate of Bothwell proud;  While many a minstrel answered loud;  When Percy's Norman pennon; won  In bloody field; before me shone;  And twice ten knights; the least a name  As mighty as yon Chief may claim;  Gracing my pomp; behind me came。  Yet trust me; Malcolm; not so proud  Was I of all that marshalled crowd;  Though the waned crescent owned my might;  And in my train trooped lord and knight;  Though Blantyre hymned her holiest lays;  And Bothwell's bards flung back my praise;  As when this old man's silent tear;  And this poor maid's affection dear;  A welcome give more kind and true  Than aught my better fortunes knew。  Forgive; my friend; a father's boast;  O; it out…beggars all I lost!'
  XXIV。
  Delightful praise!like summer rose;  That brighter in the dew…drop glows;  The bashful maiden's cheek appeared;  For Douglas spoke; and Malcolm heard。  The flush of shame…faced joy to hide;  The hounds; the hawk; her cares divide; The loved caresses of the maid  The dogs with crouch and whimper paid;  And; at her whistle; on her hand  The falcon took his favorite stand;  Closed his dark wing; relaxed his eye;  Nor; though unhooded; sought to fly。  And; trust; while in such guise she stood;  Like fabled Goddess of the wood;  That if a father's partial thought  O'erweighed her worth and beauty aught;  Well might the lover's judgment fail  To balance with a juster scale;  For with each secret glance he stole;  The fond enthusiast sent his soul。
  XXV。
  Of stature fair; and slender frame;  But firmly knit; was Malcolm Graeme。  The belted plaid and tartan hose  Did ne'er more graceful limbs disclose;  His flaxen hair; of sunny hue;  Curled closely round his bonnet blue。  Trained to the chase; his eagle eye  The ptarmigan in snow could spy;  Each pass; by mountain; lake; and heath;  He knew; through Lennox and Menteith;  Vain was the bound of dark… brown doe  When Malcolm bent his sounding bow;  And scarce that doe; though winged with fear;  Outstripped in speed the mountaineer:  Right up Ben Lomond could he press;  And not a sob his toil confess。  His form accorded with a mind  Lively and ardent; frank and kind; A blither heart; till Ellen came  Did never love nor sorrow tame; It danced as lightsome in his breast  As played the feather on his crest。  Yet friends; who nearest knew the youth  His scorn of wrong; his zeal for truth  And bards; who saw his features bold  When kindled by the tales of old  Said; were that youth to manhood grown;  Not long should Roderick Dhu's renown  Be foremost voiced by mountain fame;  But quail to that of Malcolm Graeme。
  XXVI。
  Now back they wend their watery way;  And; 'O my sire!' did Ellen say;  'Why urge thy chase so far astray?  And why so late returned? And why '  The rest was in her speaking eye。  'My child; the chase I follow far;  'Tis mimicry of noble war;  And with that gallant pastime reft  Were all of Douglas I have left。  I met young Malcolm as I strayed  Far eastward; in Glenfinlas' shade  Nor strayed I safe; for all around  Hunters and horsemen scoured the ground。  This youth; though still a royal ward;  Risked life and land to be my guard;  And through the passes of the wood  Guided my steps; not unpursued;  And Roderick shall his welcome make;  Despite old spleen; for Doug