the complete poetical works-第71节

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

landing；

So；　with　the　blessing　of　God；　shall　it　be　the　last　at　the

leaving！〃



　　Meanwhile　the　Master　alert；　but　with　dignified　air　and

important；

Scanning　with　watchful　eye　the　tide　and　the　wind　and　the　weather；

Walked　about　on　the　sands；　and　the　people　crowded　around　him

Saying　a　few　last　words；　and　enforcing　his　careful　remembrance。

Then；　taking　each　by　the　hand；　as　if　he　were　grasping　a　tiller；

Into　the　boat　he　sprang；　and　in　haste　shoved　off　to　his　vessel；

Glad　in　his　heart　to　get　rid　of　all　this　worry　and　flurry；

Glad　to　be　gone　from　a　land　of　sand　and　sickness　and　sorrow；

Short　allowance　of　victual；　and　plenty　of　nothing　but　Gospel！

Lost　in　the　sound　of　the　oars　was　the　last　farewell　of　the

Pilgrims。

O　strong　hearts　and　true！　not　one　went　back　in　the　Mayflower！

No；　not　one　looked　back；　who　had　set　his　hand　to　this　ploughing！



　　Soon　were　heard　on　board　the　shouts　and　songs　of　the　sailors

Heaving　the　windlass　round；　and　hoisting　the　ponderous　anchor。

Then　the　yards　were　braced；　and　all　sails　set　to　the　west…wind；

Blowing　steady　and　strong；　and　the　Mayflower　sailed　from　the

harbor；

Rounded　the　point　of　the　Gurnet；　and　leaving　far　to　the　southward

Island　and　cape　of　sand；　and　the　Field　of　the　First　Encounter；

Took　the　wind　on　her　quarter；　and　stood　for　the　open　Atlantic；

Borne　on　the　send　of　the　sea；　and　the　swelling　hearts　of　the

Pilgrims。



　　Long　in　silence　they　watched　the　receding　sail　of　the　vessel；

Much　endeared　to　them　all；　as　something　living　and　human；

Then；　as　if　filled　with　the　spirit；　and　wrapt　in　a　vision

prophetic；

Baring　his　hoary　head；　the　excellent　Elder　of　Plymouth

Said；　〃Let　us　pray！〃　and　they　prayed；　and　thanked　the　Lord　and

took　courage。

Mournfully　sobbed　the　waves　at　the　base　of　the　rock；　and　above

them

Bowed　and　whispered　the　wheat　on　the　hill　of　death；　and　their

kindred

Seemed　to　awake　in　their　graves；　and　to　join　in　the　prayer　that

they　uttered。

Sun…illumined　and　white；　on　the　eastern　verge　of　the　ocean

Gleamed　the　departing　sail；　like　a　marble　slab　in　a　graveyard；

Buried　beneath　it　lay　for　ever　all　hope　of　escaping。

Lo！　as　they　turned　to　depart；　they　saw　the　form　of　an　Indian；

Watching　them　from　the　hill；　but　while　they　spake　with　each

other；

Pointing　with　outstretched　hands；　and　saying；　〃Look！〃　he　had

vanished。

So　they　returned　to　their　homes；　but　Alden　lingered　a　little；

Musing　alone　on　the　shore；　and　watching　the　wash　of　the　billows

Round　the　base　of　the　rock；　and　the　sparkle　and　flash　of　the

sunshine；

Like　the　spirit　of　God；　moving　visibly　over　the　waters。







VI



PRISCILLA



Thus　for　a　while　he　stood；　and　mused　by　the　shore　of　the　ocean；

Thinking　of　many　things；　and　most　of　all　of　Priscilla；

And　as　if　thought　had　the　power　to　draw　to　itself；　like　the

loadstone；

Whatsoever　it　touches；　by　subtile　laws　of　its　nature；

Lo！　as　he　turned　to　depart；　Priscilla　was　standing　beside　him。



　　〃Are　you　so　much　offended；　you　will　not　speak　to　me？〃　said　she。

〃Am　I　so　much　to　blame；　that　yesterday；　when　you　were　pleading

Warmly　the　cause　of　another；　my　heart；　impulsive　and　wayward；

Pleaded　your　own；　and　spake　out；　forgetful　perhaps　of　decorum？

Certainly　you　can　forgive　me　for　speaking　so　frankly；　for　saying

What　I　ought　not　to　have　said；　yet　now　I　can　never　unsay　it；

For　there　are　moments　in　life；　when　the　heart　is　so　full　of

emotion；

That　if　by　chance　it　be　shaken；　or　into　its　depths　like　a　pebble

Drops　some　careless　word；　it　overflows；　and　its　secret；

Spilt　on　the　ground　like　water；　can　never　be　gathered　together。

Yesterday　I　was　shocked；　when　I　heard　you　speak　of　Miles

Standish；

Praising　his　virtues；　transforming　his　very　defects　into　virtues；

Praising　his　courage　and　strength；　and　even　his　fighting　in

Flanders；

As　if　by　fighting　alone　you　could　win　the　heart　of　a　woman；

Quite　overlooking　yourself　and　the　rest；　in　exalting　your　hero。

Therefore　I　spake　as　I　did；　by　an　irresistible　impulse。

You　will　forgive　me；　I　hope；　for　the　sake　of　the　friendship

between　us；

Which　is　too　true　and　too　sacred　to　be　so　easily　broken！〃

Thereupon　answered　John　Alden；　the　scholar；　the　friend　of　Miles

Standish：

〃I　was　not　angry　with　you；　with　myself　alone　I　was　angry；

Seeing　how　badly　I　managed　the　matter　I　had　in　my　keeping。〃

〃No！〃　interrupted　the　maiden；　with　answer　prompt　and　decisive；

〃No；　you　were　angry　with　me；　for　speaking　so　frankly　and　freely。

It　was　wrong；　I　acknowledge；　for　it　is　the　fate　of　a　woman

Long　to　be　patient　and　silent；　to　wait　like　a　ghost　that　is

speechless；

Till　some　questioning　voice　dissolves　the　spell　of　its　silence。

Hence　is　the　inner　life　of　so　many　suffering　women

Sunless　and　silent　and　deep；　like　subterranean　rivers

Running　through　caverns　of　darkness；　unheard；　unseen；　and

unfruitful；

Chafing　their　channels　of　stone；　with　endless　and　profitless

murmurs。〃

Thereupon　answered　John　Alden；　the　young　man；　the　lover　of　women：

〃Heaven　forbid　it；　Priscilla；　and　truly　they　seem　to　me　always

More　like　the　beautiful　rivers　that　watered　the　garden　of　Eden；

More　like　the　river　Euphrates；　through　deserts　of　Havilah

flowing；

Filling　the　land　with　delight；　and　memories　sweet　of　the　garden！〃

〃Ah；　by　these　words；　I　can　see；〃　again　interrupted　the　maiden；

〃How　very　little　you　prize　me；　or　care　for　what　I　am　saying。

When　from　the　depths　of　my　heart；　in　pain　and　with　secret

misgiving；

Frankly　I　speak　to　you；　asking　for　sympathy　only　and　kindness；

Straightway　you　take　up　my　words；　that　are　plain　and　direct　and

in　earnest；

Turn　them　away　from　their　meaning；　and　answer　with　flattering

phrases。

This　is　not　right；　is　not　just；　is　not　true　to　the　best　that　is

in　you；

For　I　know　and　esteem　you；　and　feel　that　your　nature　is　noble；

Lifting　mine　up　to　a　higher；　a　more　ethereal　level。

Therefore　I　value　your　friendship；　and　feel　it　perhaps　the　more

keenly

If　you　say　aught　that　implies　I　am　only　as　one　among　many；

If　you　make　use　of　those　common　and　complimentary　phrases

Most　men　think　so　fine；　in　dealing　and　speaking　with　women；

But　which　women　reject　as　insipid；　if　not　as　insulting。〃



　　Mute　and　amazed　was　Alden；　and　listened　and　looked　at

Priscilla；

Thinking　he　never　had　seen　her　more　fair；　more　divine　in　her

beauty。

He　who　but　yesterday　pleaded　so　glibly　the　cause　of　another；

Stood　there　embarrassed　and　silent；　and　seeking　in　vain　for　an

answer。

So　the　maiden　went　on；　and　little　divined　or　imagined

What　was　at　work　in　his　heart；　that　made　him　so　awkward　and

speechless。

〃Let　us；　then；　be　what　we　are；　and　speak　what　we　think；　and　in

all　things

Keep　ourselves　loyal　to　truth；　and　the　sacred　professions　of

friendship。

It　is　no　secret　I　tell　you；　nor　am　I　ashamed　to　declare　it：

I　have　liked　to　be　with　you；　to　see　you；　to　speak　with　you

always。

So　I　was　hurt　at　your　words；　and　a　little　affronted　to　hear　you

Urge　me　to　marry　your　friend；　though　he　were　the　Captain　Miles

Standish。

For　I　must　tell　you　the　truth：　much　more　to　me　is　your　friendship

Than　all　the　love　he　could　give；　were　he　twice　the　hero　you　think

him。〃

Then　she　extended　her　hand；　and　Alden；　who　eagerly　grasped　it；

Felt　all　the　wounds　in　his　heart；　that　were　aching　and　bleeding

so　sorely；

Healed　by　the　touch　of　that　hand；　and　he　said；　with　a　voice　full

of　feeling：

〃Yes；　we　must　ever　be　friends；　and　of　all　who　offer　you

friendship

Let　me　be　ever　the　first；　the　truest；　the　nearest　and　dearest！〃



　　Casting　a　farewell　look　at　the　glimmering　sail　of　the

Mayflower；

Distant；　but　still　in　sight；　and　sinking　below　the　horizon；

Homeward　together　they　walked；　with　a　strange；　indefinite

feeling；

That　all　the　rest　had　departed　and　left　them　alone　in　the　desert。

But；　as　they　went　through　the　fields　in　the　blessing　and　smile　of

the　sunshine；

Lighter　grew　their　hearts；　and　Priscilla　said　very　archly：

〃Now　that　our　terrible　Captain　has　gone　in　pursuit　of　the

Indians；

Where　he　is　happier　far　than　he　would　be　commanding　a　household；

You　may　speak　boldly；　and　tell　me　of　all　that　happened　between

you；

When　you　returned　last　night；　and　said　how　ungrateful　you　found

me。〃

Thereupon　answered　John　Alden；　and　told　her　the　whole　of　the

story；

Told　her　his　own　despair；　and　the　direful　wrath　of　Miles

Standish。

Whereat　the　maiden　smiled；　and　said　between　laughing　and　earnest；

〃He　is　a　little　chimney；　and　heated　hot　in　a　moment！〃

But　as　he　gently　rebuked　her；　and　told　her　how　much　he　had

suffered；

How　he　had　even　determined　to　sail　that　day　in　the　Mayflower；

And　had　remained　for　her　sake；　on　hearing　the　dangers　that

threatened；

All　her　manner　was　changed；　and　she　said　with　a　faltering　accent；

〃Truly　I　thank　you　for　this：　how　good　you　have　been　to　me

always！〃



　　Thus；　as　a　pilgrim　devout；　who　toward　Jerusalem　journeys；

Taking　three　steps　in　advance；　and　one　reluctantly　back