the complete poetical works-第68节

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Friendship　prevailed　over　love；　and　Alden　went　on　his　errand。







III



THE　LOVER'S　ERRAND



So　the　strong　will　prevailed；　and　Alden　went　on　his　errand；

Out　of　the　street　of　the　village；　and　into　the　paths　of　the

forest；

Into　the　tranquil　woods；　where　blue…birds　and　robins　were

building

Towns　in　the　populous　trees；　with　hanging　gardens　of　verdure；

Peaceful；　aerial　cities　of　joy　and　affection　and　freedom。

All　around　him　was　calm；　but　within　him　commotion　and　conflict；

Love　contending　with　friendship；　and　self　with　each　generous

impulse。

To　and　fro　in　his　breast　his　thoughts　were　heaving　and　dashing；

As　in　a　foundering　ship；　with　every　roll　of　the　vessel；

Washes　the　bitter　sea；　the　merciless　surge　of　the　ocean！

〃Must　I　relinquish　it　all；〃　he　cried　with　a　wild　lamentation；

〃Must　I　relinquish　it　all；　the　joy；　the　hope；　the　illusion？

Was　it　for　this　I　have　loved；　and　waited；　and　worshipped　in

silence？

Was　it　for　this　I　have　followed　the　flying　feet　and　the　shadow

Over　the　wintry　sea；　to　the　desolate　shores　of　New　England？

Truly　the　heart　is　deceitful；　and　out　of　its　depths　of　corruption

Rise；　like　an　exhalation；　the　misty　phantoms　of　passion；

Angels　of　light　they　seem；　but　are　only　delusions　of　Satan。

All　is　clear　to　me　now；　I　feel　it；　I　see　it　distinctly！

This　is　the　hand　of　the　Lord；　it　is　laid　upon　me　in　anger；

For　I　have　followed　too　much　the　heart's　desires　and　devices；

Worshipping　Astaroth　blindly；　and　impious　idols　of　Baal。

This　is　the　cross　I　must　bear；　the　sin　and　the　swift

retribution。〃



　　So　through　the　Plymouth　woods　John　Alden　went　on　his　errand；

Crossing　the　brook　at　the　ford；　where　it　brawled　over　pebble　and

shallow；

Gathering　still；　as　he　went；　the　May…flowers　blooming　around　him；

Fragrant；　filling　the　air　with　a　strange　and　wonderful　sweetness；

Children　lost　in　the　woods；　and　covered　with　leaves　in　their

slumber。

〃Puritan　flowers；〃　he　said；　〃and　the　type　of　Puritan　maidens；

Modest　and　simple　and　sweet；　the　very　type　of　Priscilla！

So　I　will　take　them　to　her；　to　Priscilla　the　May…flower　of

Plymouth；

Modest　and　simple　and　sweet；　as　a　parting　gift　will　I　take　them；

Breathing　their　silent　farewells；　as　they　fade　and　wither　and

perish；

Soon　to　be　thrown　away　as　is　the　heart　of　the　giver。〃

So　through　the　Plymouth　woods　John　Alden　went　on　his　errand；

Came　to　an　open　space；　and　saw　the　disk　of　the　ocean；

Sailless；　sombre　and　cold　with　the　comfortless　breath　of　the

east…wind；

Saw　the　new…built　house　and　people　at　work　in　a　meadow；

Heard；　as　he　drew　near　the　door；　the　musical　voice　of　Priscilla

Singing　the　hundredth　Psalm；　the　grand　old　Puritan　anthem；

Music　that　Luther　sang　to　the　sacred　words　of　the　Psalmist；

Full　of　the　breath　of　the　Lord；　consoling　and　comforting　many。

Then；　as　he　opened　the　door；　he　beheld　the　form　of　the　maiden

Seated　beside　her　wheel；　and　the　carded　wool　like　a　snow…drift

Piled　at　her　knee；　her　white　hands　feeding　the　ravenous　spindle；

While　with　her　foot　on　the　treadle　she　guided　the　wheel　in　its

motion。

Open　wide　on　her　lap　lay　the　well…worn　psalm…book　of　Ainsworth；

Printed　in　Amsterdam；　the　words　and　the　music　together；

Rough…hewn；　angular　notes；　like　stones　in　the　wall　of　a

churchyard；

Darkened　and　overhung　by　the　running　vine　of　the　verses。

Such　was　the　book　from　whose　pages　she　sang　the　old　Puritan

anthem；

She；　the　Puritan　girl；　in　the　solitude　of　the　forest；

Making　the　humble　house　and　the　modest　apparel　of　home…spun

Beautiful　with　her　beauty；　and　rich　with　the　wealth　of　her　being！

Over　him　rushed；　like　a　wind　that　is　keen　and　cold　and

relentless；

Thoughts　of　what　might　have　been；　and　the　weight　and　woe　of　his

errand；

All　the　dreams　that　had　faded；　and　all　the　hopes　that　had

vanished；

All　his　life　henceforth　a　dreary　and　tenantless　mansion；

Haunted　by　vain　regrets；　and　pallid；　sorrowful　faces。

Still　he　said　to　himself；　and　almost　fiercely　he　said　it；

〃Let　not　him　that　putteth　his　hand　to　the　plough　look　backwards；

Though　the　ploughshare　cut　through　the　flowers　of　life　to　its

fountains；

Though　it　pass　o'er　the　graves　of　the　dead　and　the　hearths　of　the

living；

It　is　the　will　of　the　Lord；　and　his　mercy　endureth　for　ever！〃



　　So　he　entered　the　house：　and　the　hum　of　the　wheel　and　the

singing

Suddenly　ceased；　for　Priscilla；　aroused　by　his　step　on　the

threshold；

Rose　as　he　entered；　and　gave　him　her　hand；　in　signal　of　welcome；

Saying；　〃I　knew　it　was　you；　when　I　heard　your　step　in　the

passage；

For　I　was　thinking　of　you；　as　I　sat　there　singing　and　spinning。〃

Awkward　and　dumb　with　delight；　that　a　thought　of　him　had　been

mingled

Thus　in　the　sacred　psalm；　that　came　from　the　heart　of　the　maiden；

Silent　before　her　he　stood；　and　gave　her　the　flowers　for　an

answer；

Finding　no　words　for　his　thought。　　He　remembered　that　day　in　the

winter；

After　the　first　great　snow；　when　he　broke　a　path　from　the

village；

Reeling　and　plunging　along　through　the　drifts　that　encumbered　the

doorway；

Stamping　the　snow　from　his　feet　as　he　entered　the　house；　and

Priscilla

Laughed　at　his　snowy　locks；　and　gave　him　a　seat　by　the　fireside；

Grateful　and　pleased　to　know　he　had　thought　of　her　in　the

snow…storm。

Had　he　but　spoken　then！　perhaps　not　in　vain　had　he　spoken；

Now　it　was　all　too　late；　the　golden　moment　had　vanished！

So　he　stood　there　abashed；　and　gave　her　the　flowers　for　an

answer。



　　Then　they　sat　down　and　talked　of　the　birds　and　the　beautiful

Spring…time；

Talked　of　their　friends　at　home；　and　the　Mayflower　that　sailed

on　the　morrow。

〃I　have　been　thinking　all　day；〃　said　gently　the　Puritan　maiden；

〃Dreaming　all　night；　and　thinking　all　day；　of　the　hedge…rows　of

England；

They　are　in　blossom　now；　and　the　country　is　all　like　a　garden；

Thinking　of　lanes　and　fields；　and　the　song　of　the　lark　and　the

linnet；

Seeing　the　village　street；　and　familiar　faces　of　neighbors

Going　about　as　of　old；　and　stopping　to　gossip　together；

And；　at　the　end　of　the　street；　the　village　church；　with　the　ivy

Climbing　the　old　gray　tower；　and　the　quiet　graves　in　the

churchyard。

Kind　are　the　people　I　live　with；　and　dear　to　me　my　religion；

Still　my　heart　is　so　sad；　that　I　wish　myself　back　in　Old　England。

You　will　say　it　is　wrong；　but　I　cannot　help　it：　I　almost

Wish　myself　back　in　Old　England；　I　feel　so　lonely　and　wretched。〃



　　Thereupon　answered　the　youth：〃Indeed　I　do　not　condemn　you；

Stouter　hearts　than　a　woman's　have　quailed　in　this　terrible

winter。

Yours　is　tender　and　trusting；　and　needs　a　stronger　to　lean　on；

So　I　have　come　to　you　now；　with　an　offer　and　proffer　of　marriage

Made　by　a　good　man　and　true；　Miles　Standish　the　Captain　of

Plymouth！〃



　　Thus　he　delivered　his　message；　the　dexterous　writer　of

letters；

Did　not　embellish　the　theme；　nor　array　it　in　beautiful　phrases；

But　came　straight　to　the　point；　and　blurted　it　out　like　a

schoolboy；

Even　the　Captain　himself　could　hardly　have　said　it　more　bluntly。

Mute　with　amazement　and　sorrow；　Priscilla　the　Puritan　maiden

Looked　into　Alden's　face；　her　eyes　dilated　with　wonder；

Feeling　his　words　like　a　blow；　that　stunned　her　and　rendered　her

speechless；

Till　at　length　she　exclaimed；　interrupting　the　ominous　silence：

〃If　the　great　Captain　of　Plymouth　is　so　very　eager　to　wed　me；

Why　does　he　not　come　himself；　and　take　the　trouble　to　woo　me？

If　I　am　not　worth　the　wooing；　I　surely　am　not　worth　the　winning！〃

Then　John　Alden　began　explaining　and　smoothing　the　matter；

Making　it　worse　as　he　went；　by　saying　the　Captain　was　busy；

Had　no　time　for　such　things；such　things！　the　words　grating

harshly

Fell　on　the　ear　of　Priscilla；　and　swift　as　a　flash　she　made

answer：

〃Has　he　no　time　for　such　things；　as　you　call　it；　before　he　is

married；

Would　he　be　likely　to　find　it；　or　make　it；　after　the　wedding？

That　is　the　way　with　you　men；　you　don't　understand　us；　you

cannot。

When　you　have　made　up　your　minds；　after　thinking　of　this　one　and

that　one；

Choosing；　selecting；　rejecting；　comparing　one　with　another；

Then　you　make　known　your　desire；　with　abrupt　and　sudden　avowal；

And　are　offended　and　hurt；　and　indignant　perhaps；　that　a　woman

Does　not　respond　at　once　to　a　love　that　she　never　suspected；

Does　not　attain　at　a　bound　the　height　to　which　you　have　been

climbing。

This　is　not　right　nor　just：　for　surely　a　woman's　affection

Is　not　a　thing　to　be　asked　for；　and　had　for　only　the　asking。

When　one　is　truly　in　love；　one　not　only　says　it；　but　shows　it。

Had　he　but　waited　awhile；　had　he　only　showed　that　he　loved　me；

Even　this　Captain　of　yourswho　knows？at　last　might　have　won

me；

Old　and　rough　as　he　is；　but　now　it　never　can　happen。〃



　　Still　John　Alden　went　on；　unheeding　the　words　of　Priscilla；

Urging　the　suit　of　his　friend；　explaining；　persuading；　expanding；

Spoke　of　his　courage　and　skill；　and　of　all　his　battles　in

Flanders；

How　with　the　people　of　God　he　had　chosen　to　suffer　affliction；

How；　in　return　for　his　zea