the complete poetical works-第29节

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bagpipe；

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

As　in　a　church；　when　the　chant　of　the　choir　at　intervals　ceases；

Footfalls　are　heard　in　the　aisles；　or　words　of　the　priest　at　the

altar；

So；　in　each　pause　of　the　song；　with　measured　motion　the　clock

clicked。



　　Thus　as　they　sat；　there　were　footsteps　heard；　and；　suddenly

lifted；

Sounded　the　wooden　latch；　and　the　door　swung　back　on　its　hinges。

Benedict　knew　by　the　hob…nailed　shoes　it　was　Basil　the

blacksmith；

And　by　her　beating　heart　Evangeline　knew　who　was　with　him。

〃Welcome！〃　the　farmer　exclaimed；　as　their　footsteps　paused　on　the

threshold。

〃Welcome；　Basil；　my　friend！　　Come；　take　thy　place　on　the　settle

Close　by　the　chimney…side；　which　is　always　empty　without　thee；

Take　from　the　shelf　overhead　thy　pipe　and　the　box　of　tobacco；

Never　so　much　thyself　art　thou　as　when　through　the　curling

Smoke　of　the　pipe　or　the　forge　thy　friendly　and　jovial　face

gleams

Round　and　red　as　the　harvest　moon　through　the　mist　of　the

marshes。〃

Then；　with　a　smile　of　content；　thus　answered　Basil　the

blacksmith；

Taking　with　easy　air　the　accustomed　seat　by　the　fireside：

〃Benedict　Bellefontaine；　thou　hast　ever　thy　jest　and　thy　ballad！

Ever　in　cheerfullest　mood　art　thou；　when　others　are　filled　with

Gloomy　forebodings　of　ill；　and　see　only　ruin　before　them。

Happy　art　thou；　as　if　every　day　thou　hadst　picked　up　a

horseshoe。〃

Pausing　a　moment；　to　take　the　pipe　that　Evangeline　brought　him；

And　with　a　coal　from　the　embers　had　lighted；　he　slowly

continued：

〃Four　days　now　are　passed　since　the　English　ships　at　their

anchors

Ride　in　the　Gaspereau's　mouth；　with　their　cannon　pointed　against

us。

What　their　design　may　be　is　unknown；　but　all　are　commanded

On　the　morrow　to　meet　in　the　church；　where　his　Majesty's　mandate

Will　be　proclaimed　as　law　in　the　land。　　Alas！　in　the　mean　time

Many　surmises　of　evil　alarm　the　hearts　of　the　people。〃

Then　made　answer　the　farmer：〃Perhaps　some　friendlier　purpose

Brings　these　ships　to　our　shores。　　Perhaps　the　harvests　in

England

By　untimely　rains　or　untimelier　heat　have　been　blighted；

And　from　our　bursting　barns　they　would　feed　their　cattle　and

children。〃

〃Not　so　thinketh　the　folk　in　the　village；〃　said；　warmly；　the

blacksmith；

Shaking　his　head；　as　in　doubt；　then；　heaving　a　sigh；　he

continued：

〃Louisburg　is　not　forgotten；　nor　Beau　Sejour；　nor　Port　Royal。

Many　already　have　fled　to　the　forest；　and　lurk　on　its　outskirts；

Waiting　with　anxious　hearts　the　dubious　fate　of　to…morrow。

Arms　have　been　taken　from　us；　and　warlike　weapons　of　all　kinds；

Nothing　is　left　but　the　blacksmith's　sledge　and　the　scythe　of　the

mower。〃

Then　with　a　pleasant　smile　made　answer　the　jovial　farmer：

〃Safer　are　we　unarmed；　in　the　midst　of　our　flocks　and　our

cornfields；

Safer　within　these　peaceful　dikes；　besieged　by　the　ocean；

Than　our　fathers　in　forts；　besieged　by　the　enemy's　cannon。

Fear　no　evil；　my　friend；　and　to…night　may　no　shadow　of　sorrow

Fall　on　this　house　and　hearth；　for　this　is　the　night　of　the

contract。

Built　are　the　house　and　the　barn。　　The　merry　lads　of　the　village

Strongly　have　built　them　and　well；　and；　breaking　the　glebe　round

about　them；

Filled　the　barn　with　hay；　and　the　house　with　food　for　a

twelvemonth。

Rene　Leblanc　will　be　here　anon；　with　his　papers　and　inkhorn。

Shall　we　not　then　be　glad；　and　rejoice　in　the　joy　of　our

children？〃

As　apart　by　the　window　she　stood；　with　her　hand　in　her　lover's；

Blushing　Evangeline　heard　the　words　that　her　father　had　spoken；

And；　as　they　died　on　his　lips；　the　worthy　notary　entered。







III



Bent　like　a　laboring　oar；　that　toils　in　the　surf　of　the　ocean；

Bent；　but　not　broken；　by　age　was　the　form　of　the　notary　public；

Shocks　of　yellow　hair；　like　the　silken　floss　of　the　maize；　hung

Over　his　shoulders；　his　forehead　was　high；　and　glasses　with　horn

bows

Sat　astride　on　his　nose；　with　a　look　of　wisdom　supernal。

Father　of　twenty　children　was　he；　and　more　than　a　hundred

Children's　children　rode　on　his　knee；　and　heard　his　great　watch

tick。

Four　long　years　in　the　times　of　the　war　had　he　languished　a

captive；

Suffering　much　in　an　old　French　fort　as　the　friend　of　the

English。

Now；　though　warier　grown；　without　all　guile　or　suspicion；

Ripe　in　wisdom　was　he；　but　patient；　and　simple；　and　childlike。

He　was　beloved　by　all；　and　most　of　all　by　the　children；

For　he　told　them　tales　of　the　Loup…garou　in　the　forest；

And　of　the　goblin　that　came　in　the　night　to　water　the　horses；

And　of　the　white　Letiche；　the　ghost　of　a　child　who　unchristened

Died；　and　was　doomed　to　haunt　unseen　the　chambers　of　children；

And　how　on　Christmas　eve　the　oxen　talked　in　the　stable；

And　how　the　fever　was　cured　by　a　spider　shut　up　in　a　nutshell；

And　of　the　marvellous　powers　of　four…leaved　clover　and

horseshoes；

With　whatsoever　else　was　writ　in　the　lore　of　the　village。

Then　up　rose　from　his　seat　by　the　fireside　Basil　the　blacksmith；

Knocked　from　his　pipe　the　ashes；　and　slowly　extending　his　right

hand；

〃Father　Leblanc；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃thou　hast　heard　the　talk　in　the

village；

And；　perchance；　canst　tell　us　some　news　of　these　ships　and　their

errand。〃

Then　with　modest　demeanor　made　answer　the　notary　public；

〃Gossip　enough　have　I　heard；　in　sooth；　yet　am　never　the　wiser；

And　what　their　errand　may　be　I　know　not　better　than　others。

Yet　am　I　not　of　those　who　imagine　some　evil　intention

Brings　them　here；　for　we　are　at　peace；　and　why　then　molest　us？〃

〃God's　name！〃　shouted　the　hasty　and　somewhat　irascible

blacksmith；

〃Must　we　in　all　things　look　for　the　how；　and　the　why；　and　the

wherefore？

Daily　injustice　is　done；　and　might　is　the　right　of　the

strongest！〃

But；　without　heeding　his　warmth；　continued　the　notary　public；

〃Man　is　unjust；　but　God　is　just；　and　finally　justice

Triumphs；　and　well　I　remember　a　story；　that　often　consoled　me；

When　as　a　captive　I　lay　in　the　old　French　fort　at　Port　Royal。〃

This　was　the　old　man's　favorite　tale；　and　he　loved　to　repeat　it

When　his　neighbors　complained　that　any　injustice　was　done　them。

〃Once　in　an　ancient　city；　whose　name　I　no　longer　remember；

Raised　aloft　on　a　column；　a　brazen　statue　of　Justice

Stood　in　the　public　square；　upholding　the　scales　in　its　left

hand；

And　in　its　right　a　sword；　as　an　emblem　that　justice　presided

Over　the　laws　of　the　land；　and　the　hearts　and　homes　of　the

people。

Even　the　birds　had　built　their　nests　in　the　scales　of　the

balance；

Having　no　fear　of　the　sword　that　flashed　in　the　sunshine　above

them。

But　in　the　course　of　time　the　laws　of　the　land　were　corrupted；

Might　took　the　place　of　right；　and　the　weak　were　oppressed；　and

the　mighty

Ruled　with　an　iron　rod。　　Then　it　chanced　in　a　nobleman's　palace

That　a　necklace　of　pearls　was　lost；　and　erelong　a　suspicion

Fell　on　an　orphan　girl　who　lived　as　maid　in　the　household。

She；　after　form　of　trial　condemned　to　die　on　the　scaffold；

Patiently　met　her　doom　at　the　foot　of　the　statue　of　Justice。

As　to　her　Father　in　heaven　her　innocent　spirit　ascended；

Lo！　o'er　the　city　a　tempest　rose；　and　the　bolts　of　the　thunder

Smote　the　statue　of　bronze；　and　hurled　in　wrath　from　its　left

hand

Down　on　the　pavement　below　the　clattering　scales　of　the　balance；

And　in　the　hollow　thereof　was　found　the　nest　of　a　magpie；

Into　whose　clay…built　walls　the　necklace　of　pearls　was　inwoven。〃

Silenced；　but　not　convinced；　when　the　story　was　ended；　the

blacksmith

Stood　like　a　man　who　fain　would　speak；　but　findeth　no　language；

All　his　thoughts　were　congealed　into　lines　on　his　face；　as　the

vapors

Freeze　in　fantastic　shapes　on　the　window…panes　in　the　winter。



　　Then　Evangeline　lighted　the　brazen　lamp　on　the　table；

Filled；　till　it　overflowed；　the　pewter　tankard　with　home…brewed

Nut…brown　ale；　that　was　famed　for　its　strength　in　the　village　of

Grand…Pre；

While　from　his　pocket　the　notary　drew　his　papers　and　inkhorn；

Wrote　with　a　steady　hand　the　date　and　the　age　of　the　parties；

Naming　the　dower　of　the　bride　in　flocks　of　sheep　and　in　cattle。

Orderly　all　things　proceeded；　and　duly　and　well　were　completed；

And　the　great　seal　of　the　law　was　set　like　a　sun　on　the　margin。

Then　from　his　leathern　pouch　the　farmer　threw　on　the　table

Three　times　the　old　man's　fee　in　solid　pieces　of　silver；

And　the　notary　rising；　and　blessing　the　bride　and　the　bridegroom；

Lifted　aloft　the　tankard　of　ale　and　drank　to　their　welfare。

Wiping　the　foam　from　his　lip；　he　solemnly　bowed　and　departed；

While　in　silence　the　others　sat　and　mused　by　the　fireside；

Till　Evangeline　brought　the　draught…board　out　of　its　corner。

Soon　was　the　game　begun。　　In　friendly　contention　the　old　men

Laughed　at　each　lucky　hit；　or　unsuccessful　manoeuver；

Laughed　when　a　man　was　crowned；　or　a　breach　was　made　in　the

king…row

Meanwhile　apart；　in　the　twilight　gloom　of　a　window's　embrasure；

Sat　the　lovers；　and　whispered　together；　beholding　the　moon　rise

Over　the　pallid　sea　and　the　silvery　mist　of　the　mead