第 16 节
作者:管他三七二十一      更新:2021-10-16 18:45      字数:9322
  Of Austrian war and strife; Each day she rose contented; To the calm toils
  of life。
  Yet; when her master's children Would clustering round her stand; She
  sang them ancient ballads Of her own native land; And when at morn and
  evening She knelt before God's throne; The accents of her childhood Rose
  to her lips alone。
  And   so   she   dwelt:   the   valley   More   peaceful   year   by   year;   When
  suddenly  strange   portents;   Of   some   great deed   seemed   near。 The   golden
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  corn was bending Upon its fragile stalk; While farmers; heedless of their
  fields; Paced up and down in talk。
  The   men   seemed   stern   and   altered;   With   looks   cast   on   the   ground;
  With anxious faces; one by one; The women gathered round; All talk of
  flax; or spinning; Or work; was put away; The very children seemed afraid
  To go alone to play。
  One   day;   out   in   the   meadow   With   strangers   from   the   town;   Some
  secret plan discussing; The men walked up and down。 Yet; now and then
  seemed watching; A strange uncertain gleam; That looked like lances 'mid
  the trees; That stood below the stream。
  At eve they all assembled; Then care and doubt were fled; With jovial
  laugh they feasted; The board was nobly spread。 The elder of the village
  Rose   up;   his   glass   in   hand;   And   cried;   〃We   drink   the   downfall   〃Of   an
  accursed land!
  〃The night is growing darker; 〃Ere one more day is flown; 〃Bregenz;
  our foemen's stronghold; 〃Bregenz shall be our own!〃 The women shrank
  in terror;   (Yet   Pride;  too;   had   her  part;)   But   one  poor Tyrol   maiden   Felt
  death within her heart。
  Before   her;   stood   fair   Bregenz;   Once   more   her   towers   arose;   What
  were   the   friends   beside   her?   Only   her   country's   foes!   The   faces   of   her
  kinsfolk;   The   days   of   childhood   flown;   The   echoes   of   her   mountains;
  Reclaimed her as their own!
  Nothing she heard around her; (Though shouts rang forth again;) Gone
  were the green Swiss valleys; The pasture; and the plain; Before her eyes
  one vision; And in her heart one cry; That said; 〃Go forth; save Bregenz;
  And then; if need be; die!〃
  With   trembling   haste   and   breathless;   With   noiseless   step   she   sped;
  Horses and weary cattle Were standing in the shed; She loosed the strong
  white charger; That fed from out her hand; She mounted; and she turned
  his head Towards her native land。
  Outout   into   the   darkness   …   Faster;   and   still   more   fast;   The   smooth
  grass flies behind her; The chestnut wood is past; She looks up; clouds are
  heavy: Why is her steed so slow? … Scarcely the wind beside them; Can
  pass them as they go。
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  〃Faster!〃   she   cries;   〃Oh   faster!〃   Eleven   the   church…bells   chime:   〃Oh
  God;〃 she cries; 〃help Bregenz; And bring me there in time!〃 But louder
  than bells' ringing; Or lowing of the kine; Grows nearer in the midnight
  The rushing of the Rhine。
  Shall not   the roaring   waters Their  headlong gallop   check? The  steed
  draws     back    in  terror;  She   leans   upon   his   neck   To   watch    the  flowing
  darkness;   The   bank   is   high   and   steep;   One   pausehe   staggers   forward;
  And plunges in the deep。
  She   strives   to   pierce   the   blackness; And   looser   throws   the   rein;   Her
  steed   must   breast   the   waters   That   dash   above   his   mane。   How   gallantly;
  how nobly;  He  struggles   through   the foam; And   seein the  far distance;
  Shine out the lights of home!
  Up the steep banks he bears her; And now; they rush again Towards the
  heights   of   Bregenz;   That   tower   above   the   plain。   They   reach   the   gate   of
  Bregenz;   Just   as   the   midnight   rings;  And   out   come   serf   and   soldier   To
  meet the news she brings。
  Bregenz      is   saved!     Ere     daylight    Her    battlements     are   manned;
  Defiance greets the army That marches on the land。 And if to deeds heroic
  Should   endless   fame   be   paid;   Bregenz   does   well   to   honour   The   noble
  Tyrol maid。
  Three hundred years are vanished; And yet upon the hill An old stone
  gateway rises; To do her honour still。 And there; when Bregenz women Sit
  spinning in the shade; They see in quaint old carving The Charger and the
  Maid。
  And when; to guard old Bregenz; By gateway; street; and tower; The
  warder paces   all night   long; And   calls   each   passing   hour;   〃Nine;〃   〃ten;〃
  〃eleven;〃 he cries aloud; And then (Oh crown of Fame!) When midnight
  pauses in the skies; He calls the maiden's name!
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  VERSE:                  A FAREWELL
  Farewell;  oh   dream  of   mine!   I   dare not stay; The hour is   come;   and
  time Will not delay: Pleasant and dear to me Wilt thou remain; No future
  hour Brings thee again。
  She stands; the Future dim; And draws me on; And shows me dearer
  joys … But thou art gone! Treasures and Hopes more fair; Bears she for me;
  And yet I linger; Oh dream; with thee!
  Other and brighter days; Perhaps she brings; Deeper and holier songs;
  Perchance   she   sings;   But   thou   and   I;   fair time;  We   too   must   sever   …   Oh
  dream of mine; Farewell for ever!
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  VERSE:                  SOWING AND
  REAPING
  Sow   with   a   generous   hand;   Pause   not   for   toil   or   pain;   Weary   not
  through the heat of summer; Weary not through the cold spring rain; But
  wait till the autumn comes For the sheaves of golden grain。
  Scatter the seed; and fear not; A table will be spread; What matter if
  you are too weary To eat your hard…earned bread: Sow; while the earth is
  broken; For the hungry must be fed。
  Sow;while the seeds are lying In the warm earth's bosom deep; And
  your warm tears fall upon it … They will stir in their quiet sleep; And the
  green blades rise the quicker; Perchance; for the tears you weep。
  Then sow;for the hours are fleeting; And the seed must fall to…day;
  And care not what hands shall reap it; Or if you shall have passed away
  Before the waving corn…fields Shall gladden the sunny day。
  Sow;     and  look   onward;   upward;    Where    the  starry  light  appears  …
  Where; in spite of the coward's doubting; Or your own heart's trembling
  fears; You shall reap in joy the harvest You have sown to…day in tears。
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  VERSE:                  THE STORM
  The tempest rages wild and high; The waves lift up their voice and cry
  Fierce answers to the angry sky; … Miserere Domine。
  Through the black night and driving rain; A ship is struggling; all in
  vain To live upon the stormy main; … Miserere Domine。
  The thunders roar; the lightnings glare; Vain is it now to strive or dare;
  A cry goes up of great despair; … Miserere Domine。
  The   stormy  voices of   the   main; The   moaning   wind;  and   pelting   rain
  Beat on the nursery window pane:… Miserere Domine。
  Warm curtained was the little bed;  Soft pillowed was the little  head;
  〃The storm will wake the child;〃 they said:… Miserere Domine。
  Cowering among his pillows white He prays; his blue eyes dim with
  fright; 〃Father; save those at sea to…night!〃 Miserere Domine。
  The morning shone all clear and gay; On a ship at anchor in the bay;
  And on a little child at play; … Gloria tibi Domine!
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  VERSE:                    WORDS
  Words   are   lighter   than   the   cloud…foam   Of   the   restless   ocean   spray;
  Vainer than the trembling shadow That the next hour steals away。 By the
  fall of summer raindrops Is the air as deeply stirred; And the rose…leaf that
  we tread on Will outlive a word。
  Yet;   on   the  dull  silence   breaking    Wit