the lady of the lake-第10节

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n　wail　the　dead。'　　Then　weapon…　clang　and　martial　call　　Resounded　through　the　funeral　hall；　　While　from　the　walls　the　attendant　band　　Snatched　sword　and　targe　with　hurried　hand；　And　short　and　flitting　energy　　Glanced　from　the　mourner's　sunken　eye；　　As　if　the　sounds　to　warrior　dear　　Might　rouse　her　Duncan　from　his　bier。　　But　faded　soon　that　borrowed　force；　　Grief　claimed　his　right；　and　tears　their　course。


XIX。

Benledi　saw　the　Cross　of　Fire；　　It　glanced　dike　lightning　up　Strath…Ire。　　O'er　dale　and　hill　the　summons　flew；　　Nor　rest　nor　pause　young　Angus　knew；　　The　tear　that　gathered　in　his　eye　　He　deft　the　mountain…breeze　to　dry；　　Until；　where　Teith's　young　waters　roll　　Betwixt　him　and　a　wooded　knoll　　That　graced　the　sable　strath　with　green；　　The　chapel　of　Saint　Bride　was　seen。　　Swoln　was　the　stream；　remote　the　bridge；　　But　Angus　paused　not　on　the　edge；　　Though　the　clerk　waves　danced　dizzily；　　Though　reeled　his　sympathetic　eye；　　He　dashed　amid　the　torrent's　roar：　　His　right　hand　high　the　crosslet　bore；　　His　left　the　pole…axe　grasped；　to　guide　　And　stay　his　footing　in　the　tide。　　He　stumbled　twice；the　foam　splashed　high；　　With　hoarser　swell　the　stream　raced　by；　　And　had　he　fallen；forever　there；　　Farewell　Duncraggan's　orphan　heir！　　But　still；　as　if　in　parting　life；　　Firmer　he　grasped　the　Cross　of　strife；　Until　the　opposing　bank　he　gained；　　And　up　the　chapel　pathway　strained。　A　blithesome　rout　that　morning…tide　　Had　sought　the　chapel　of　Saint　Bride。　　Her　troth　Tombea's　Mary　gave　　To　Norman；　heir　of　Armandave；　　And；　issuing　from　the　Gothic　arch；　　The　bridal　now　resumed　their　march。　　In　rude　but　glad　procession　came　　Bonneted　sire　and　coif…clad　dame；　　And　plaided　youth；　with　jest　and　jeer　　Which　snooded　maiden　would　not　hear：　　And　children；　that；　unwitting　why；　　Lent　the　gay　shout　their　shrilly　cry；　　And　minstrels；　that　in　measures　vied　　Before　the　young　and　bonny　bride；　　Whose　downcast　eye　and　cheek　disclose　　The　tear　and　blush　of　morning　rose。　　With　virgin　step　and　bashful　hand　　She　held　the　kerchief's　snowy　band。　　The　gallant　bridegroom　by　her　side　　Beheld　his　prize　with　victor's　pride。　　And　the　glad　mother　in　her　ear　　Was　closely　whispering　word　of　cheer。


XXI。

Who　meets　them　at　the　churchyard　gate？　　The　messenger　of　fear　and　fate！　　Haste　in　his　hurried　accent　lies；　　And　grief　is　swimming　in　his　eyes。　　All　dripping　from　the　recent　flood；　　Panting　and　travel…soiled　he　stood；　　The　fatal　sign　of　fire　and　sword　　Held　forth；　and　spoke　the　appointed　word：　'The　muster…place　is　Lanrick　mead；　Speed　forth　the　signal！　Norman；　speed！'　And　must　he　change　so　soon　the　hand　Just　linked　to　his　by　holy　band；　For　the　fell　Cross　of　blood　and　brand？　And　must　the　day　so　blithe　that　rose；　And　promised　rapture　in　the　close；　Before　its　setting　hour；　divide　The　bridegroom　from　the　plighted　bride？　O　fatal　doom'it　must！　it　must！　Clan…Alpine's　cause；　her　Chieftain's　trust；　Her　summons　dread；　brook　no　delay；　Stretch　to　the　race；away！　away！


XXII。

Yet　slow　he　laid　his　plaid　aside；　And　lingering　eyed　his　lovely　bride；　Until　he　saw　the　starting　tear　Speak　woe　he　might　not　stop　to　cheer：　Then；　trusting　not　a　second　look；　In　haste　he　sped　hind　up　the　brook；　Nor　backward　glanced　till　on　the　heath　Where　Lubnaig's　lake　supplies　the　Teith；　What　in　the　racer's　bosom　stirred？　The　sickening　pang　of　hope　deferred；　And　memory　with　a　torturing　train　Of　all　his　morning　visions　vain。　Mingled　with　love's　impatience；　came　The　manly　thirst　for　martial　fame；　The　stormy　joy　of　mountaineers　Ere　yet　they　rush　upon　the　spears　；　And　zeal　for　Clan　and　Chieftain　burning；　And　hope；　from　well…fought　field　returning；　With　war's　red　honors　on　his　crest；　To　clasp　his　Mary　to　his　breast。　Stung　by　such　thoughts；　o'er　bank　and　brae；　Like　fire　from　flint　he　glanced　away；　While　high　resolve　and　feeling　strong　Burst　into　voluntary　song。


XXIII。

Song。

The　heath　this　night　must　be　my　bed；　The　bracken　curtain　for　my　head；　My　lullaby　the　warder's　tread；　　　　　　Far；　far；　from　love　and　thee；　Mary；　To…　morrow　eve；　more　stilly　laid；　My　couch　may　be　my　bloody　plaid；　My　vesper　song　thy　wail；　sweet　maid！　　　　　　It　will　not　waken　me；　Mary！

I　may　not；　dare　not；　fancy　now　The　grief　that　clouds　thy　lovely　brow；　I　dare　not　think　upon　thy　vow；　　　　　　And　all　it　promised　me；　Mary。　No　fond　regret　must　Norman　know；　When　bursts　Clan…Alpine　on　the　foe；　His　heart　must　be　like　bended　bow；　　　　　　His　foot　like　arrow　free；　Mary。

A　time　will　come　with　feeling　fraught；　For；　if　I　fall　in　battle　fought；　Thy　hapless　lover's　dying　thought　　　　　　Shall　be　a　thought　on　thee；　Mary。　And　if　returned　from　conquered　foes；　How　blithely　will　the　evening　close；　How　sweet　the　linnet　sing　repose；　　　　　　To　my　young　bride　and　me；　Mary！


XXIV。

Not　faster　o'er　thy　heathery　braes　Balquidder；　speeds　the　midnight　blaze；　Rushing　in　conflagration　strong　Thy　deep　ravines　and　dells　along；　Wrapping　thy　cliffs　in　purple　glow；　And　reddening　the　dark　lakes　below；　Nor　faster　speeds　it；　nor　so　far；　As　o'er　thy　heaths　the　voice　of　war。　The　signal　roused　to　martial　coil　The　sullen　margin　of　Loch　Voil；　Waked　still　Loch　Doine；　and　to　the　source　Alarmed；　Balvaig；　thy　swampy　course；　Thence　southward　turned　its　rapid　road　　Adown　Strath…Gartney's　valley　broad　Till　rose　in　arms　each　man　might　claim　A　portion　in　Clan…Alpine's　name；　From　the　gray　sire；　whose　trembling　hand　Could　hardly　buckle　on　his　brand；　To　the　raw　boy；　whose　shaft　and　bow　Were　yet　scarce　terror　to　the　crow。　Each　valley；　each　sequestered　glen；　Mustered　its　little　horde　of　men　That　met　as　torrents　from　the　height　In　Highland　dales　their　streams　unite　Still　gathering；　as　they　pour　along；　A　voice　more　loud；　a　tide　more　strong；　Till　at　the　rendezvous　they　stood　By　hundreds　prompt　for　blows　and　blood；　Each　trained　to　arms　since　life　began；　Owning　no　tie　but　to　his　clan；　　No　oath　but　by　his　chieftain's　hand；　No　law　but　Roderick　Dhu's　command。


XXV。

That　summer　morn　had　Roderick　Dhu　Surveyed　the　skirts　of　Benvenue；　And　sent　his　scouts　o'er　hill　and　heath；　To　view　the　frontiers　of　Menteith。　All　backward　came　with　news　of　truce；　Still　lay　each　martial　Graeme　and　Bruce；　In　Rednock　courts　no　horsemen　wait；　No　banner　waved　on　Cardross　gate；　On　Duchray's　towers　no　beacon　shone；　Nor　scared　the　herons　from　Loch　Con；　All　seemed　at　peace。Now　wot　ye　wily　The　Chieftain　with　such　anxious　eye；　Ere　to　the　muster　he　repair；　This　western　frontier　scanned　with　care？　In　Benvenue's　most　darksome　cleft；　A　fair　though　cruel　pledge　was　left；　For　Douglas；　to　his　promise　true；　That　morning　from　the　isle　withdrew；　And　in　a　deep　sequestered　dell　Had　sought　a　low　and　lonely　cell。　By　many　a　bard　in　Celtic　tongue　Has　Coir…nan…Uriskin　been　sung　A　softer　name　the　Saxons　gave；　And　called　the　grot　the　Goblin　Cave。


XXVI。

It　was　a　wild　and　strange　retreat；　As　e'er　was　trod　by　outlaw's　feet。　The　dell；　upon　the　mountain's　crest；　Yawned　like　a　gash　on　warrior's　breast；　Its　trench　had　stayed　full　many　a　rock；　Hurled　by　primeval　earthquake　shock　From　Benvenue's　gray　summit　wild；　And　here；　in　random　ruin　piled；　They　frowned　incumbent　o'er　the　spot　And　formed　the　rugged　sylvan　〃rot。　The　oak　and　birch　with　mingled　shade　At　noontide　there　a　twilight　made；　Unless　when　short　and　sudden　shone　Some　straggling　beam　on　cliff　or　stone；　With　such　a　glimpse　as　prophet's　eye　Gains　on　thy　depth；　Futurity。　No　murmur　waked　the　solemn　still；　Save　tinkling　of　a　fountain　rill；　But　when　the　wind　chafed　with　the　lake；　A　sullen　sound　would　upward　break；　With　dashing　hollow　voice；　that　spoke　The　incessant　war　of　wave　and　rock。　Suspended　cliffs　with　hideous　sway　Seemed　nodding　o'er　the　cavern　gray。　From　such　a　den　the　wolf　had　sprung；　In　such　the　wild…cat　leaves　her　young；　Yet　Douglas　and　his　daughter　fair　Sought　for　a　space　their　safety　there。　Gray　Superstition's　whisper　dread　Debarred　the　spot　to　vulgar　tread；　For　there；　she　said；　did　fays　resort；　And　satyrs　hold　their　sylvan　court；　By　moonlight　tread　their　mystic　maze；　And　blast　the　rash　beholder's　gaze。


XXVII。

Now　eve；　with　western　shadows　long；　Floated　on　Katrine　bright　and　strong；　When　Roderick　with　a　chosen　few　Repassed　the　heights　of　Benvenue。　Above　the　Goblin　Cave　they　go；　Through　the　wild　pass　of　Beal…nam…bo；　The　prompt　retainers　speed　before；　To　launch　the　shallop　from　the　shore；　For　'cross　Loch　Katrine　lies　his　way　To　view　the　passes　of　Achray；　And　place　his　clansmen　in　array。　Yet　lags　the　Chief　in　musing　mind；　Unwonted　sight；　his　men　behind。　A　single　page；　to　bear　his　sword；　Alone　attended　on　his　lord；　The　rest　their　way　through　thickets　break；　And　soon　await　him　by　the　lake。　It　was　a　fair　and　gallant　sight　To　view　them　from　the　neighboring　height；　By　the　low…levelled　sunbeam's　light！　For　strength　and　stature；　from　the　clan　Each　warrior　was　a　chosen　man；　As　even　afar　might　well　be　seen；　By　their　proud　step　and　martial　mien。　heir　feathers　dance；　their　tartars　float；　Their　targets　gleam；　as　by　the　boat　A　wild　and　warlike　group　they　stand；　That　well　became　such　mountain…strand。


XXVI

Their　Chief　with　step　reluctant　still　Was　lingering　on　the　craggy　hill；　Hard　by　where　turned　apart　the　road　To　Douglas's　obscure　abode。　It　was　but　with　that　dawning　morn　That　Roderick　Dhu　had　proudly　sworn　To　drown　his　love　in　war's　wild　roar；　Nor　think　of　Ellen　Douglas　more；　But　he