the complete poetical works-第36节

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With　a　delicious　sound　the　brook　rushed　by；　and　the　branches

Swayed　and　sighed　overhead　in　scarcely　audible　whispers。

Filled　with　the　thoughts　of　love　was　Evangeline's　heart；　but　a

secret；

Subtile　sense　crept　in　of　pain　and　indefinite　terror；

As　the　cold；　poisonous　snake　creeps　into　the　nest　of　the　swallow。

It　was　no　earthly　fear。　　A　breath　from　the　region　of　spirits

Seemed　to　float　in　the　air　of　night；　and　she　felt　for　a　moment

That；　like　the　Indian　maid；　she；　too；　was　pursuing　a　phantom。

With　this　thought　she　slept；　and　the　fear　and　the　phantom　had

vanished。



　　Early　upon　the　morrow　the　march　was　resumed；　and　the　Shawnee

Said；　as　they　journeyed　along；　〃On　the　western　slope　of　these

mountains

Dwells　in　his　little　village　the　Black　Robe　chief　of　the　Mission。

Much　he　teaches　the　people；　and　tells　them　of　Mary　and　Jesus；

Loud　laugh　their　hearts　with　joy；　and　weep　with　pain；　as　they

hear　him。〃

Then；　with　a　sudden　and　secret　emotion；　Evangeline　answered；

〃Let　us　go　to　the　Mission；　for　there　good　tidings　await　us！〃

Thither　they　turned　their　steeds；　and　behind　a　spur　of　the

mountains；

Just　as　the　sun　went　down；　they　heard　a　murmur　of　voices；

And　in　a　meadow　green　and　broad；　by　the　bank　of　a　river；

Saw　the　tents　of　the　Christians；　the　tents　of　the　Jesuit　Mission。

Under　a　towering　oak；　that　stood　in　the　midst　of　the　village；

Knelt　the　Black　Robe　chief　with　his　children。　　A　crucifix

fastened

High　on　the　trunk　of　the　tree；　and　overshadowed　by　grapevines；

Looked　with　its　agonized　face　on　the　multitude　kneeling　beneath

it。

This　was　their　rural　chapel。　　Aloft；　through　the　intricate　arches

Of　its　aerial　roof；　arose　the　chant　of　their　vespers；

Mingling　its　notes　with　the　soft　susurrus　and　sighs　of　the

branches。

Silent；　with　heads　uncovered；　the　travellers；　nearer　approaching；

Knelt　on　the　swarded　floor；　and　joined　in　the　evening　devotions。

But　when　the　service　was　done；　and　the　benediction　had　fallen

Forth　from　the　hands　of　the　priest；　like　seed　from　the　hands　of

the　sower；

Slowly　the　reverend　man　advanced　to　the　strangers；　and　bade　them

Welcome；　and　when　they　replied；　he　smiled　with　benignant

expression；

Hearing　the　homelike　sounds　of　his　mother…tongue　in　the　forest；

And；　with　words　of　kindness；　conducted　them　into　his　wigwam。

There　upon　mats　and　skins　they　reposed；　and　on　cakes　of　the

maize…ear

Feasted；　and　slaked　their　thirst　from　the　water…gourd　of　the

teacher。

Soon　was　their　story　told；　and　the　priest　with　solemnity

answered：

〃Not　six　suns　have　risen　and　set　since　Gabriel；　seated

On　this　mat　by　my　side；　where　now　the　maiden　reposes；

Told　me　this　same　sad　tale　then　arose　and　continued　his　journey！〃

Soft　was　the　voice　of　the　priest；　and　he　spake　with　an　accent　of

kindness；

But　on　Evangeline's　heart　fell　his　words　as　in　winter　the

snow…flakes

Fall　into　some　lone　nest　from　which　the　birds　have　departed。

〃Far　to　the　north　he　has　gone；〃　continued　the　priest；　〃but　in

autumn；

When　the　chase　is　done；　will　return　again　to　the　Mission。〃

Then　Evangeline　said；　and　her　voice　was　meek　and　submissive；

〃Let　me　remain　with　thee；　for　my　soul　is　sad　and　afflicted。〃

So　seemed　it　wise　and　well　unto　all；　and　betimes　on　the　morrow；

Mounting　his　Mexican　steed；　with　his　Indian　guides　and

companions。

Homeward　Basil　returned；　and　Evangeline　stayed　at　the　Mission。



　　Slowly；　slowly；　slowly　the　days　succeeded　each　other；

Days　and　weeks　and　months；　and　the　fields　of　maize　that　were

springing

Green　from　the　ground　when　a　stranger　she　came；　now　waving　above

her；

Lifted　their　slender　shafts；　with　leaves　interlacing；　and　forming

Cloisters　for　mendicant　crows　and　granaries　pillaged　by

squirrels。

Then　in　the　golden　weather　the　maize　was　husked；　and　the　maidens

Blushed　at　each　blood…red　ear；　for　that　betokened　a　lover；

But　at　the　crooked　laughed；　and　called　it　a　thief　in　the

corn…field。

Even　the　blood…red　ear　to　Evangeline　brought　not　her　lover。

〃Patience！〃　the　priest　would　say；　〃have　faith；　and　thy　prayer

will　be　answered！

Look　at　this　vigorous　plant　that　lifts　its　head　from　the　meadow；

See　how　its　leaves　are　turned　to　the　north；　as　true　as　the

magnet；

This　is　the　compass…flower；　that　the　finger　of　God　has　planted

Here　in　the　houseless　wild；　to　direct　the　traveller's　journey

Over　the　sea…like；　pathless；　limitless　waste　of　the　desert。

Such　in　the　soul　of　man　is　faith。　　The　blossoms　of　passion；

Gay　and　luxuriant　flowers；　are　brighter　and　fuller　of　fragrance；

But　they　beguile　us；　and　lead　us　astray；　and　their　odor　is

deadly。

Only　this　humble　plant　can　guide　us　here；　and　hereafter

Crown　us　with　asphodel　flowers；　that　are　wet　with　the　dews　of

nepenthe。〃



　　So　came　the　autumn；　and　passed；　and　the　winter；yet　Gabriel

came　not；

Blossomed　the　opening　spring；　and　the　notes　of　the　robin　and

bluebird

Sounded　sweet　upon　wold　and　in　wood；　yet　Gabriel　came　not。

But　on　the　breath　of　the　summer　winds　a　rumor　was　wafted

Sweeter　than　song　of　bird；　or　hue　or　odor　of　blossom。

Far　to　the　north　and　east；　it　said；　in　the　Michigan　forests；

Gabriel　had　his　lodge　by　the　banks　of　the　Saginaw　River；

And；　with　returning　guides；　that　sought　the　lakes　of　St。

Lawrence；

Saying　a　sad　farewell；　Evangeline　went　from　the　Mission。

When　over　weary　ways；　by　long　and　perilous　marches；

She　had　attained　at　length　the　depths　of　the　Michigan　forests；

Found　she　the　hunter's　lodge　deserted　and　fallen　to　ruin！



　　Thus　did　the　long　sad　years　glide　on；　and　in　seasons　and　places

Divers　and　distant　far　was　seen　the　wandering　maiden；

Now　in　the　Tents　of　Grace　of　the　meek　Moravian　Missions；

Now　in　the　noisy　camps　and　the　battle…fields　of　the　army；

Now　in　secluded　hamlets；　in　towns　and　populous　cities。

Like　a　phantom　she　came；　and　passed　away　unremembered。

Fair　was　she　and　young；　when　in　hope　began　the　long　journey；

Faded　was　she　and　old；　when　in　disappointment　it　ended。

Each　succeeding　year　stole　something　away　from　her　beauty；

Leaving　behind　it；　broader　and　deeper；　the　gloom　and　the　shadow。

Then　there　appeared　and　spread　faint　streaks　of　gray　o'er　her

forehead；

Dawn　of　another　life；　that　broke　o'er　her　earthy　horizon；

As　in　the　eastern　sky　the　first　faint　streaks　of　the　morning。







V



In　that　delightful　land　which　is　washed　by　the　Delaware's　waters；

Guarding　in　sylvan　shades　the　name　of　Penn　the　apostle；

Stands　on　the　banks　of　its　beautiful　stream　the　city　he　founded。

There　all　the　air　is　balm；　and　the　peach　is　the　emblem　of　beauty；

And　the　streets　still　re…echo　the　names　of　the　trees　of　the

forest；

As　if　they　fain　would　appease　the　Dryads　whose　haunts　they

molested。

There　from　the　troubled　sea　had　Evangeline　landed；　an　exile；

Finding　among　the　children　of　Penn　a　home　and　a　country。

There　old　Rene　Leblanc　had　died；　and　when　he　departed；

Saw　at　his　side　only　one　of　all　his　hundred　descendants。

Something　at　least　there　was　in　the　friendly　streets　of　the　city；

Something　that　spake　to　her　heart；　and　made　her　no　longer　a

stranger；

And　her　ear　was　pleased　with　the　Thee　and　Thou　of　the　Quakers；

For　it　recalled　the　past；　the　old　Acadian　country；

Where　all　men　were　equal；　and　all　were　brothers　and　sisters。

So；　when　the　fruitless　search；　the　disappointed　endeavor；

Ended；　to　recommence　no　more　upon　earth；　uncomplaining；

Thither；　as　leaves　to　the　light；　were　turned　her　thoughts　and　her

footsteps。

As　from　a　mountain's　top　the　rainy　mists　of　the　morning

Roll　away；　and　afar　we　behold　the　landscape　below　us；

Sun…illumined；　with　shining　rivers　and　cities　and　hamlets；

So　fell　the　mists　from　her　mind；　and　she　saw　the　world　far　below

her；

Dark　no　longer；　but　all　illumined　with　love；　and　the　pathway

Which　she　had　climbed　so　far；　lying　smooth　and　fair　in　the

distance。

Gabriel　was　not　forgotten。　　Within　her　heart　was　his　image；

Clothed　in　the　beauty　of　love　and　youth；　as　last　she　beheld　him；

Only　more　beautiful　made　by　his　deathlike　silence　and　absence。

Into　her　thoughts　of　him　time　entered　not；　for　it　was　not。

Over　him　years　had　no　power；　he　was　not　changed；　but

transfigured；

He　had　become　to　her　heart　as　one　who　is　dead；　and　not　absent；

Patience　and　abnegation　of　self；　and　devotion　to　others；

This　was　the　lesson　a　life　of　trial　and　sorrow　had　taught　her。

So　was　her　love　diffused；　but；　like　to　some　odorous　spices；

Suffered　no　waste　nor　loss；　though　filling　the　air　with　aroma。

Other　hope　had　she　none；　nor　wish　in　life；　but　to　follow

Meekly；　with　reverent　steps；　the　sacred　feet　of　her　Saviour。

Thus　many　years　she　lived　as　a　Sister　of　Mercy；　frequenting

Lonely　and　wretched　roofs　in　the　crowded　lanes　of　the　city；

Where　distress　and　want　concealed　themselves　from　the　sunlight；

Where　disease　and　sorrow　in　garrets　languished　neglected。

Night　after　night；　when　the　world　was　asleep；　as　the　watchman

repeated

Loud；　through　the　gusty　streets；　that　all　was　well　in　the　city；

High　at　some　lonely　window　he　saw　the　light　of　her　taper