the complete poetical works-第28节

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Homeward　serenely　she　walked　with　God's　benediction　upon　her。

When　she　had　passed；　it　seemed　like　the　ceasing　of　exquisite

music。



　　Firmly　builded　with　rafters　of　oak；　the　house　of　the　farmer

Stood　on　the　side　of　a　hill　commanding　the　sea；　and　a　shady

Sycamore　grew　by　the　door；　with　a　woodbine　wreathing　around　it。

Rudely　carved　was　the　porch；　with　seats　beneath；　and　a　footpath

Led　through　an　orchard　wide；　and　disappeared　in　the　meadow。

Under　the　sycamore…tree　were　hives　overhung　by　a　penthouse；

Such　as　the　traveller　sees　in　regions　remote　by　the　roadside；

Built　o'er　a　box　for　the　poor；　or　the　blessed　image　of　Mary。

Farther　down；　on　the　slope　of　the　hill；　was　the　well　with　its

moss…grown

Bucket；　fastened　with　iron；　and　near　it　a　trough　for　the　horses。

Shielding　the　house　from　storms；　on　the　north；　were　the　barns　and

the　farm…yard；

There　stood　the　broad…wheeled　wains　and　the　antique　ploughs　and

the　harrows；

There　were　the　folds　for　the　sheep；　and　there；　in　his　feathered

seraglio；

Strutted　the　lordly　turkey；　and　crowed　the　cock；　with　the

selfsame

Voice　that　in　ages　of　old　had　startled　the　penitent　Peter。

Bursting　with　hay　were　the　barns；　themselves　a　village。　　In　each

one

Far　o'er　the　gable　projected　a　roof　of　thatch；　and　a　staircase；

Under　the　sheltering　eaves；　led　up　to　the　odorous　corn…loft。

There　too　the　dove…cot　stood；　with　its　meek　and　innocent　inmates

Murmuring　ever　of　love；　while　above　in　the　variant　breezes

Numberless　noisy　weathercocks　rattled　and　sang　of　mutation。



　　Thus；　at　peace　with　God　and　the　world；　the　farmer　of　Grand…Pre

Lived　on　his　sunny　farm；　and　Evangeline　governed　his　household。

Many　a　youth；　as　he　knelt　in　the　church　and　opened　his　missal；

Fixed　his　eyes　upon　her　as　the　saint　of　his　deepest　devotion；

Happy　was　he　who　might　touch　her　hand　or　the　hem　of　her　garment！

Many　a　suitor　came　to　her　door；　by　the　darkness　befriended；

And；　as　he　knocked　and　waited　to　hear　the　sound　of　her　footsteps；

Knew　not　which　beat　the　louder；　his　heart　or　the　knocker　of　iron；

Or　at　the　joyous　feast　of　the　Patron　Saint　of　the　village；

Bolder　grew；　and　pressed　her　hand　in　the　dance　as　he　whispered

Hurried　words　of　love；　that　seemed　a　part　of　the　music。

But；　among　all　who　came；　young　Gabriel　only　was　welcome；

Gabriel　Lajeunesse；　the　son　of　Basil　the　blacksmith；

Who　was　a　mighty　man　in　the　village；　and　honored　of　all　men；

For；　since　the　birth　of　time；　throughout　all　ages　and　nations；

Has　the　craft　of　the　smith　been　held　in　repute　by　the　people。

Basil　was　Benedict's　friend。　　Their　children　from　earliest

childhood

Grew　up　together　as　brother　and　sister；　and　Father　Felician；

Priest　and　pedagogue　both　in　the　village；　had　taught　them　their

letters

Out　of　the　selfsame　book；　with　the　hymns　of　the　church　and　the

plain…song。

But　when　the　hymn　was　sung；　and　the　daily　lesson　completed；

Swiftly　they　hurried　away　to　the　forge　of　Basil　the　blacksmith。

There　at　the　door　they　stood；　with　wondering　eyes　to　behold　him

Take　in　his　leathern　lap　the　hoof　of　the　horse　as　a　plaything；

Nailing　the　shoe　in　its　place；　while　near　him　the　tire　of　the

cart…wheel

Lay　like　a　fiery　snake；　coiled　round　in　a　circle　of　cinders。

Oft　on　autumnal　eves；　when　without　in　the　gathering　darkness

Bursting　with　light　seemed　the　smithy；　through　every　cranny　and

crevice；

Warm　by　the　forge　within　they　watched　the　laboring　bellows；

And　as　its　panting　ceased；　and　the　sparks　expired　in　the　ashes；

Merrily　laughed；　and　said　they　were　nuns　going　into　the　chapel。

Oft　on　sledges　in　winter；　as　swift　as　the　swoop　of　the　eagle；

Down　the　hillside　hounding；　they　glided　away　o'er　the　meadow。

Oft　in　the　barns　they　climbed　to　the　populous　nests　on　the

rafters；

Seeking　with　eager　eyes　that　wondrous　stone；　which　the　swallow

Brings　from　the　shore　of　the　sea　to　restore　the　sight　of　its

fledglings；

Lucky　was　he　who　found　that　stone　in　the　nest　of　the　swallow！

Thus　passed　a　few　swift　years；　and　they　no　longer　were　children。

He　was　a　valiant　youth；　and　his　face；　like　the　face　of　the

morning；

Gladdened　the　earth　with　its　light；　and　ripened　thought　into

action。

She　was　a　woman　now；　with　the　heart　and　hopes　of　a　woman。

〃Sunshine　of　Saint　Eulalie〃　was　she　called；　for　that　was　the

sunshine

Which；　as　the　farmers　believed；　would　load　their　orchards　with

apples

She；　too；　would　bring　to　her　husband's　house　delight　and

abundance；

Filling　it　full　of　love　and　the　ruddy　faces　of　children。







II



Now　had　the　season　returned；　when　the　nights　grow　colder　and

longer；

And　the　retreating　sun　the　sign　of　the　Scorpion　enters。

Birds　of　passage　sailed　through　the　leaden　air；　from　the

ice…bound；

Desolate　northern　bays　to　the　shores　of　tropical　islands；

Harvests　were　gathered　in；　and　wild　with　the　winds　of　September

Wrestled　the　trees　of　the　forest；　as　Jacob　of　old　with　the　angel。

All　the　signs　foretold　a　winter　long　and　inclement。

Bees；　with　prophetic　instinct　of　want；　had　hoarded　their　honey

Till　the　hives　overflowed；　and　the　Indian　bunters　asserted

Cold　would　the　winter　be；　for　thick　was　the　fur　of　the　foxes。

Such　was　the　advent　of　autumn。　　Then　followed　that　beautiful

season；

Called　by　the　pious　Acadian　peasants　the　Summer　of　All…Saints！

Filled　was　the　air　with　a　dreamy　and　magical　light；　and　the

landscape

Lay　as　if　new…created　in　all　the　freshness　of　childhood。

Peace　seemed　to　reign　upon　earth；　and　the　restless　heart　of　the

ocean

Was　for　a　moment　consoled。　　All　sounds　were　in　harmony　blended。

Voices　of　children　at　play；　the　crowing　of　cocks　in　the

farm…yards；

Whir　of　wings　in　the　drowsy　air；　and　the　cooing　of　pigeons；

All　were　subdued　and　low　as　the　murmurs　of　love；　and　the　great

sun

Looked　with　the　eye　of　love　through　the　golden　vapors　around　him；

While　arrayed　in　its　robes　of　russet　and　scarlet　and　yellow；

Bright　with　the　sheen　of　the　dew；　each　glittering　tree　of　the

forest

Flashed　like　the　plane…tree　the　Persian　adorned　with　mantles　and

jewels。



　　Now　recommenced　the　reign　of　rest　and　affection　and　stillness。

Day　with　its　burden　and　heat　had　departed；　and　twilight

descending

Brought　back　the　evening　star　to　the　sky；　and　the　herds　to　the

homestead。

Pawing　the　ground　they　came；　and　resting　their　necks　on　each

other；

And　with　their　nostrils　distended　inhaling　the　freshness　of

evening。

Foremost；　bearing　the　bell；　Evangeline's　beautiful　heifer；

Proud　of　her　snow…white　hide；　and　the　ribbon　that　waved　from　her

collar；

Quietly　paced　and　slow；　as　if　conscious　of　human　affection。

Then　came　the　shepherd　back　with　his　bleating　flocks　from　the

seaside；

Where　was　their　favorite　pasture。　　Behind　them　followed　the

watch…dog；

Patient；　full　of　importance；　and　grand　in　the　pride　of　his

instinct；

Walking　from　side　to　side　with　a　lordly　air；　and　superbly

Waving　his　bushy　tail；　and　urging　forward　the　stragglers；

Regent　of　flocks　was　he　when　the　shepherd　slept；　their　protector；

When　from　the　forest　at　night；　through　the　starry　silence；　the

wolves　howled。

Late；　with　the　rising　moon；　returned　the　wains　from　the　marshes；

Laden　with　briny　hay；　that　filled　the　air　with　its　odor。

Cheerily　neighed　the　steeds；　with　dew　on　their　manes　and　their

fetlocks；

While　aloft　on　their　shoulders　the　wooden　and　ponderous　saddles；

Painted　with　brilliant　dyes；　and　adorned　with　tassels　of　crimson；

Nodded　in　bright　array；　like　hollyhocks　heavy　with　blossoms。

Patiently　stood　the　cows　meanwhile；　and　yielded　their　udders

Unto　the　milkmaid's　hand；　whilst　loud　and　in　regular　cadence

Into　the　sounding　pails　the　foaming　streamlets　descended。

Lowing　of　cattle　and　peals　of　laughter　were　heard　in　the

farm…yard；

Echoed　back　by　the　barns。　　Anon　they　sank　into　stillness；

Heavily　closed；　with　a　jarring　sound；　the　valves　of　the

barn…doors；

Rattled　the　wooden　bars；　and　all　for　a　season　was　silent。



　　In…doors；　warm　by　the　wide…mouthed　fireplace；　idly　the　farmer

Sat　in　his　elbow…chair；　and　watched　how　the　flames　and　the

smoke…wreaths

Struggled　together　like　foes　in　a　burning　city。　　Behind　him；

Nodding　and　mocking　along　the　wall；　with　gestures　fantastic；

Darted　his　own　huge　shadow；　and　vanished　away　into　darkness。

Faces；　clumsily　carved　in　oak；　on　the　back　of　his　arm…chair

Laughed　in　the　flickering　light；　and　the　pewter　plates　on　the

dresser

Caught　and　reflected　the　flame；　as　shields　of　armies　the

sunshine。

Fragments　of　song　the　old　man　sang；　and　carols　of　Christmas；

Such　as　at　home；　in　the　olden　time；　his　fathers　before　him

Sang　in　their　Norman　orchards　and　bright　Burgundian　vineyards。

Close　at　her　father's　side　was　the　gentle　Evangeline　seated；

Spinning　flax　for　the　loom；　that　stood　in　the　corner　behind　her。

Silent　awhile　were　its　treadles；　at　rest　was　its　diligent

shuttle；

While　the　monotonous　drone　of　the　wheel；　like　the　drone　of　a

bagpipe；

Followed　the　old　man's　songs　and　united　the　fragments　together。

As　in　a　church；　when　the　chan