the complete poetical works-第163节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
ELSIE。
A foolish jest！
PRINCE HENRY。
And here the heart of the new…wedded wife；
Coming from church with her beloved lord；
He startles with the rattle of his drum。
ELSIE。
Ah； that is sad！ And yet perhaps 't is best
That she should die； with all the sunshine on her；
And all the benedictions of the morning；
Before this affluence of golden light
Shall fade into a cold and clouded gray；
Then into darkness！
PRINCE HENRY。
Under it is written；
〃Nothing but death shall separate thee and me！〃
ELSIE。
And what is this； that follows close upon it？
PRINCE HENRY。
Death playing on a dulcimer。 Behind him；
A poor old woman； with a rosary；
Follows the sound； and seems to wish her feet
Were swifter to o'ertake him。 Underneath；
The inscription reads； 〃Better is Death than Life。〃
ELSIE。
Better is Death than Life！ Ah yes！ to thousands
Death plays upon a dulcimer； and sings
That song of consolation； till the air
Rings with it； and they cannot choose but follow
Whither he leads。 And not the old alone；
But the young also hear it； and are still。
PRINCE HENRY。
Yes； in their sadder moments。 'T is the sound
Of their own hearts they hear； half full of tears；
Which are like crystal cups； half filled with water；
Responding to the pressure of a finger
With music sweet and low and melancholy。
Let us go forward； and no longer stay
In this great picture…gallery of Death！
I hate it！ ay； the very thought of it！
ELSIE。
Why is it hateful to you？
PRINCE HENRY。
For the reason
That life； and all that speaks of life； is lovely；
And death； and all that speaks of death； is hateful。
ELSIE。
The grave itself is but a covered bridge；
Leading from light to light； through a brief darkness！
PRINCE HENRY； emerging from the bridge。
I breathe again more freely！ Ah； how pleasant
To come once more into the light of day；
Out of that shadow of death！ To hear again
The hoof…beats of our horses on firm ground；
And not upon those hollow planks； resounding
With a sepulchral echo； like the clods
On coffins in a churchyard！ Yonder lies
The Lake of the Four Forest…Towns； apparelled
In light； and lingering； like a village maiden；
Hid in the bosom of her native mountains
Then pouring all her life into another's；
Changing her name and being！ Overhead；
Shaking his cloudy tresses loose in air；
Rises Pilatus； with his windy pines。
They pass on。
THE DEVIL'S BRIDGE
PRINCE HENRY and ELSIE crossing with attendants。
GUIDE。
This bridge is called the Devil's Bridge。
With a single arch； from ridge to ridge；
It leaps across the terrible chasm
Yawning beneath us； black and deep；
As if； in some convulsive spasm；
The summits of the hills had cracked；
And made a road for the cataract
That raves and rages down the steep！
LUCIFER； under the bridge。
Ha！ ha！
GUIDE。
Never any bridge but this
Could stand across the wild abyss；
All the rest； of wood or stone；
By the Devil's hand were overthrown。
He toppled crags from the precipice；
And whatsoe'er was built by day
In the night was swept away；
None could stand but this alone。
LUCIFER； under the bridge。
Ha！ ha！
GUIDE。
I showed you in the valley a bowlder
Marked with the imprint of his shoulder；
As he was bearing it up this way；
A peasant； passing； cried； 〃Herr Je！
And the Devil dropped it in his fright；
And vanished suddenly out of sight！
LUCIFER； under the bridge。
Ha！ ha！
GUIDE。
Abbot Giraldus of Einsiedel；
For pilgrims on their way to Rome；
Built this at last； with a single arch；
Under which； on its endless march；
Runs the river； white with foam；
Like a thread through the eye of a needle。
And the Devil promised to let it stand；
Under compact and condition
That the first living thing which crossed
Should he surrendered into his hand；
And be beyond redemption lost。
LUCIFER； under the bridge。
Ha！ ha！ perdition！
GUIDE。
At length； the bridge being all completed；
The Abbot； standing at its head；
Threw across it a loaf of bread；
Which a hungry dog sprang after；
And the rocks re…echoed with the peals of laughter；
To see the Devil thus defeated！
They pass on。
LUCIFER； under the bridge。
Ha！ ha！ defeated！
For journeys and for crimes like this
I let the bridge stand o'er the abyss！
THE ST。 GOTHARD PASS
PRINCE HENRY。
This is the highest point。 Two ways the rivers
Leap down to different seas； and as they roll
Grow deep and still； and their majestic presence
Becomes a benefaction to the towns
They visit； wandering silently among them；
Like patriarchs old among their shining tents。
ELSIE。
How bleak and bare it is！ Nothing but mosses
Grow on these rocks。
PRINCE HENRY。
Yet are they not forgotten；
Beneficent Nature sends the mists to feed them。
ELSIE。
See yonder little cloud； that； borne aloft
So tenderly by the wind； floats fast away
Over the snowy peaks！ It seems to me
The body of St。 Catherine； borne by angels！
PRINCE HENRY。
Thou art St。 Catherine； and invisible angels
Bear thee across these chasms and precipices；
Lest thou shouldst dash thy feet against a stone！
ELSIE。
Would I were borne unto my grave； as she was；
Upon angelic shoulders！ Even now
I seem uplifted by them； light as air！
What sound is that？
PRINCE HENRY。
The tumbling avalanches！
ELSIE。
How awful； yet how beautiful！
PRINCE HENRY。
These are
The voices of the mountains！ Thus they ope
Their snowy lips； and speak unto each other；
In the primeval language； lost to man。
ELSIE。
What land is this that spreads itself beneath us？
PRINCE HENRY。
Italy！ Italy！
ELSIE。
Land of the Madonna！
How beautiful it is！ It seems a garden
Of Paradise！
PRINCE HENRY。
Nay； of Gethsemane
To thee and me； of passion and of prayer！
Yet once of Paradise。 Long years ago
I wandered as a youth among its bowers；
And never from my heart has faded quite
Its memory； that； like a summer sunset；
Encircles with a ring of purple light
All the horizon of my youth。
GUIDE。
O friends！
The days are short； the way before us long：
We must not linger； if we think to reach
The inn at Belinzona before vespers！
They pass on。
AT THE FOOT OF THE ALPS
A halt under the trees at noon。
PRINCE HENRY。
Here let us pause a moment in the trembling
Shadow and sunshine of the roadside trees；
And； our tired horses in a group assembling；
Inhale long draughts of this delicious breeze。
Our fleeter steeds have distanced our attendants；
They lag behind us with a slower pace；
We will await them under the green pendants
Of the great willows in this shady place。
Ho； Barbarossa！ how thy mottled haunches
Sweat with this canter over hill and glade！
Stand still； and let these overhanging branches
Fan thy hot sides and comfort thee with shade！
ELSIE。
What a delightful landscape spreads before us；
Marked with a whitewashed cottage here and there！
And； in luxuriant garlands drooping o'er us；
Blossoms of grape…vines scent the sunny air。
PRINCE HENRY。
Hark！ what sweet sounds are those； whose accents holy
Fill the warm noon with music sad and sweet！
ELSIE。
It is a band of pilgrims； moving slowly
On their long journey； with uncovered feet。
PILGRIMS； chanting the Hymn of St。 Hildebert。
Me receptet Sion illa；
Sion David； urbs tranquilla；
Cujus faber auctor lucis；
Cujus portae lignum crucis；
Cujus claves lingua Petri；
Cujus cives semper laeti；
Cujus muri lapis vivus；
Cujus custos rex festivus！
LUCIFER； as a Friar in the procession。
Here am I； too； in the pious band；
In the garb of a barefooted Carmelite dressed！
The soles of my feet are as hard and tanned
As the conscience of old Pope Hildebrand；
The Holy Satan； who made the wives
Of the bishops lead such shameful lives；
All day long I beat my breast；
And chant with a most particular zest
The Latin hymns； which I understand
Quite as well； I think； as the rest。
And at night such lodging in barns and sheds；
Such a hurly…burly in country inns；
Such a clatter of tongues in empty heads；
Such a helter…skelter of prayers and sins！
Of all the contrivances of the time
For sowing broadcast the seeds of crime；
There is none so pleasing to me and mine
As a pilgrimage to some far…off shrine！
PRINCE HENRY。
If from the outward man we judge the inner；
And cleanliness is godliness； I fear
A hopeless reprobate； a hardened Sinner；
Must be that Carmelite now passing near。
LUCIFER。
There is my German Prince again；
Thus far on his journey to Salern；
And
