the complete poetical works-第70节

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warfare；

Brought　by　the　Indian；　and　speaking　with　arrowy　tongues　of

defiance。

This　Miles　Standish　beheld；　as　he　entered；　and　heard　them

debating

What　were　an　answer　befitting　the　hostile　message　and　menace；

Talking　of　this　and　of　that；　contriving；　suggesting；　objecting；

One　voice　only　for　peace；　and　that　the　voice　of　the　Elder；

Judging　it　wise　and　well　that　some　at　least　were　converted；

Rather　than　any　were　slain；　for　this　was　but　Christian　behavior！

Then　out　spake　Miles　Standish；　the　stalwart　Captain　of　Plymouth；

Muttering　deep　in　his　throat；　for　his　voice　was　husky　with　anger；

〃What！　do　you　mean　to　make　war　with　milk　and　the　water　of　roses？

Is　it　to　shoot　red　squirrels　you　have　your　howitzer　planted

There　on　the　roof　of　the　church；　or　is　it　to　shoot　red　devils？

Truly　the　only　tongue　that　is　understood　by　a　savage

Must　be　the　tongue　of　fire　that　speaks　from　the　mouth　of　the

cannon！〃

Thereupon　answered　and　said　the　excellent　Elder　of　Plymouth；

Somewhat　amazed　and　alarmed　at　this　irreverent　language：

〃Not　so　thought　Saint　Paul；　nor　yet　the　other　Apostles；

Not　from　the　cannon's　mouth　were　the　tongues　of　fire　they　spake

with！〃

But　unheeded　fell　this　mild　rebuke　on　the　Captain；

Who　had　advanced　to　the　table；　and　thus　continued　discoursing：

〃Leave　this　matter　to　me；　for　to　me　by　right　it　pertaineth。

War　is　a　terrible　trade；　but　in　the　cause　that　is　righteous；

Sweet　is　the　smell　of　powder；　and　thus　I　answer　the　challenge！〃



　　Then　from　the　rattlesnake's　skin；　with　a　sudden；　contemptuous

gesture；

Jerking　the　Indian　arrows；　he　filled　it　with　powder　and　bullets

Full　to　the　very　jaws；　and　handed　it　back　to　the　savage；

Saying；　in　thundering　tones：　〃Here；　take　it！　this　is　your

answer！〃

Silently　out　of　the　room　then　glided　the　glistening　savage；

Bearing　the　serpent's　skin；　and　seeming　himself　like　a　serpent；

Winding　his　sinuous　way　in　the　dark　to　the　depths　of　the　forest。







V



THE　SAILING　OF　THE　MAYFLOWER



Just　in　the　gray　of　the　dawn；　as　the　mists　uprose　from　the

meadows；

There　was　a　stir　and　a　sound　in　the　slumbering　village　of

Plymouth；

Clanging　and　clicking　of　arms；　and　the　order　imperative；

〃Forward！〃

Given　in　tone　suppressed；　a　tramp　of　feet；　and　then　silence。

Figures　ten；　in　the　mist；　marched　slowly　out　of　the　village。

Standish　the　stalwart　it　was；　with　eight　of　his　valorous　army；

Led　by　their　Indian　guide；　by　Hobomok；　friend　of　the　white　men；

Northward　marching　to　quell　the　sudden　revolt　of　the　savage。

Giants　they　seemed　in　the　mist；　or　the　mighty　men　of　King　David；

Giants　in　heart　they　were；　who　believed　in　God　and　the　Bible；

Ay；　who　believed　in　the　smiting　of　Midianites　and　Philistines。

Over　them　gleamed　far　off　the　crimson　banners　of　morning；

Under　them　loud　on　the　sands；　the　serried　billows；　advancing；

Fired　along　the　line；　and　in　regular　order　retreated。



　　Many　a　mile　had　they　marched；　when　at　length　the　village　of

Plymouth

Woke　from　its　sleep；　and　arose；　intent　on　its　manifold　labors。

Sweet　was　the　air　and　soft；　and　slowly　the　smoke　from　the

chimneys

Rose　over　roofs　of　thatch；　and　pointed　steadily　eastward；

Men　came　forth　from　the　doors；　and　paused　and　talked　of　the

weather；

Said　that　the　wind　had　changed；　and　was　blowing　fair　for　the

Mayflower；

Talked　of　their　Captain's　departure；　and　all　the　dangers　that

menaced；

He　being　gone；　the　town；　and　what　should　be　done　in　his　absence。

Merrily　sang　the　birds；　and　the　tender　voices　of　women

Consecrated　with　hymns　the　common　cares　of　the　household。

Out　of　the　sea　rose　the　sun；　and　the　billows　rejoiced　at　his

coming；

Beautiful　were　his　feet　on　the　purple　tops　of　the　mountains；

Beautiful　on　the　sails　of　the　Mayflower　riding　at　anchor；

Battered　and　blackened　and　worn　by　all　the　storms　of　the　winter。

Loosely　against　her　masts　was　hanging　and　flapping　her　canvas；

Rent　by　so　many　gales；　and　patched　by　the　hands　of　the　sailors。

Suddenly　from　her　side；　as　the　sun　rose　over　the　ocean；

Darted　a　puff　of　smoke；　and　floated　seaward；　anon　rang

Loud　over　field　and　forest　the　cannon's　roar；　and　the　echoes

Heard　and　repeated　the　sound；　the　signal…gun　of　departure！

Ah！　but　with　louder　echoes　replied　the　hearts　of　the　people！

Meekly；　in　voices　subdued；　the　chapter　was　read　from　the　Bible；

Meekly　the　prayer　was　begun；　but　ended　in　fervent　entreaty！

Then　from　their　houses　in　haste　came　forth　the　Pilgrims　of

Plymouth；

Men　and　women　and　children；　all　hurrying　down　to　the　sea…shore；

Eager；　with　tearful　eyes；　to　say　farewell　to　the　Mayflower；

Homeward　bound　o'er　the　sea；　and　leaving　them　here　in　the　desert。



　　Foremost　among　them　was　Alden。　　All　night　he　had　lain　without

slumber；

Turning　and　tossing　about　in　the　heat　and　unrest　of　his　fever。

He　had　beheld　Miles　Standish；　who　came　back　late　from　the

council；

Stalking　into　the　room；　and　heard　him　mutter　and　murmur；

Sometimes　it　seemed　a　prayer；　and　sometimes　it　sounded　like

swearing。

Once　he　had　come　to　the　bed；　and　stood　there　a　moment　in　silence；

Then　he　had　turned　away；　and　said：　〃I　will　not　awake　him；

Let　him　sleep　on；　it　is　best；　for　what　is　the　use　of　more

talking！〃

Then　he　extinguished　the　light；　and　threw　himself　down　on　his

pallet；

Dressed　as　he　was；　and　ready　to　start　at　the　break　of　the

morning；

Covered　himself　with　the　cloak　he　had　worn　in　his　campaigns　in

Flanders；

Slept　as　a　soldier　sleeps　in　his　bivouac；　ready　for　action。

But　with　the　dawn　he　arose；　in　the　twilight　Alden　beheld　him

Put　on　his　corselet　of　steel；　and　all　the　rest　of　his　armor；

Buckle　about　his　waist　his　trusty　blade　of　Damascus；

Take　from　the　corner　his　musket；　and　so　stride　out　of　the

chamber。

Often　the　heart　of　the　youth　had　burned　and　yearned　to　embrace

him；

Often　his　lips　had　essayed　to　speak；　imploring　for　pardon；

All　the　old　friendship　came　back；　with　its　tender　and　grateful

emotions；

But　his　pride　overmastered　the　nobler　nature　within　him；

Pride；　and　the　sense　of　his　wrong；　and　the　burning　fire　of　the

insult。

So　he　beheld　his　friend　departing　in　anger；　but　spake　not；

Saw　him　go　forth　to　danger；　perhaps　to　death；　and　he　spake　not！

Then　he　arose　from　his　bed；　and　heard　what　the　people　were

saying；

Joined　in　the　talk　at　the　door；　with　Stephen　and　Richard　and

Gilbert；

Joined　in　the　morning　prayer；　and　in　the　reading　of　Scripture；

And；　with　the　others；　in　haste　went　hurrying　down　to　the

sea…shore；

Down　to　the　Plymouth　Rock；　that　had　been　to　their　feet　as　a

door…step

Into　a　world　unknown；the　corner…stone　of　a　nation！



　　There　with　his　boat　was　the　Master；　already　a　little　impatient

Lest　he　should　lose　the　tide；　or　the　wind　might　shift　to　the

eastward；

Square…built；　hearty；　and　strong；　with　an　odor　of　ocean　about

him；

Speaking　with　this　one　and　that；　and　cramming　letters　and　parcels

Into　his　pockets　capacious；　and　messages　mingled　together

Into　his　narrow　brain；　till　at　last　he　was　wholly　bewildered。

Nearer　the　boat　stood　Alden；　with　one　foot　placed　on　the　gunwale；

One　still　firm　on　the　rock；　and　talking　at　times　with　the

sailors；

Seated　erect　on　the　thwarts；　all　ready　and　eager　for　starting。

He　too　was　eager　to　go；　and　thus　put　an　end　to　his　anguish；

Thinking　to　fly　from　despair；　that　swifter　than　keel　is　or

canvas；

Thinking　to　drown　in　the　sea　the　ghost　that　would　rise　and　pursue

him。

But　as　he　gazed　on　the　crowd；　he　beheld　the　form　of　Priscilla

Standing　dejected　among　them；　unconscious　of　all　that　was

passing。

Fixed　were　her　eyes　upon　his；　as　if　she　divined　his　intention；

Fixed　with　a　look　so　sad；　so　reproachful；　imploring；　and　patient；

That　with　a　sudden　revulsion　his　heart　recoiled　from　its　purpose；

As　from　the　verge　of　a　crag；　where　one　step　more　is　destruction。

Strange　is　the　heart　of　man；　with　its　quick；　mysterious

instincts！

Strange　is　the　life　of　man；　and　fatal　or　fated　are　moments；

Whereupon　turn；　as　on　hinges；　the　gates　of　the　wall　adamantine！

〃Here　I　remain！〃　he　exclaimed；　as　he　looked　at　the　heavens　above

him；

Thanking　the　Lord　whose　breath　had　scattered　the　mist　and　the

madness；

Wherein；　blind　and　lost；　to　death　he　was　staggering　headlong。

〃Yonder　snow…white　cloud；　that　floats　in　the　ether　above　me；

Seems　like　a　hand　that　is　pointing　and　beckoning　over　the　ocean。

There　is　another　hand；　that　is　not　so　spectral　and　ghost…like；

Holding　me；　drawing　me　back；　and　clasping　mine　for　protection。

Float；　O　hand　of　cloud；　and　vanish　away　in　the　ether！


Roll　thyself　up　like　a　fist；　to　threaten　and　daunt　me；　I　heed　not

Either　your　warning　or　menace；　or　any　omen　of　evil！

There　is　no　land　so　sacred；　no　air　so　pure　and　so　wholesome；

As　is　the　air　she　breathes；　and　the　soil　that　is　pressed　by　her

footsteps。

Here　for　her　sake　will　I　stay；　and　like　an　invisible　presence

Hover　around　her　for　ever；　protecting；　supporting　her　weakness；

Yes！　as　my　foot　was　the　first　that　stepped　on　this　rock　at　the

landing；

So；　with　the　blessing　of　God；　s