the lady of the lake-第18节

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not　ride。'


XXXII。

'Thou　warn'st　me　I　have　done　amiss；　I　should　have　earlier　looked　to　this；　I　lost　it　in　this　bustling　day。　Retrace　with　speed　thy　former　way；　Spare　not　for　spoiling　of　thy　steed；　The　best　of　mine　shall　be　thy　meed。　Say　to　our　faithful　Lord　of　Mar；　We　do　forbid　the　intended　war；　Roderick　this　morn　in　single　fight　Was　made　our　prisoner　by　a　knight；　And　Douglas　hath　himself　and　cause　Submitted　to　our　kingdom's　laws。　The　tidings　of　their　leaders　lost　Will　soon　dissolve　the　mountain　host；　Nor　would　we　that　the　vulgar　feel；　For　their　Chief's　crimes；　avenging　steel。　Bear　Mar　our　message；　Braco；　fly！'　He　turned　his　steed；'My　liege；　I　hie；　Yet　ere　I　cross　this　lily　lawn　I　fear　the　broadswords　will　be　drawn。'　The　turf　the　flying　courser　spurned；　And　to　his　towers　the　King　returned。


XXXIII。

Ill　with　King　James's　mood　that　day　Suited　gay　feast　and　minstrel　lay；　Soon　were　dismissed　the　courtly　throng；　And　soon　cut　short　the　festal　song。　Nor　less　upon　the　saddened　town　The　evening　sunk　in　sorrow　down。　The　burghers　spoke　of　civil　jar；　Of　rumoured　feuds　and　mountain　war；　Of　Moray；　Mar；　and　Roderick　Dhu；　All　up　in　arms；the　Douglas　too；　They　mourned　him　pent　within　the　hold；　'Where　stout　Earl　William　was　of　old。'　And　there　his　word　the　speaker　stayed；　And　finger　on　his　lip　he　laid；　Or　pointed　to　his　dagger　blade。　But　jaded　horsemen　from　the　west　At　evening　to　the　Castle　pressed；　And　busy　talkers　said　they　bore　Tidings　of　fight　on　Katrine's　shore；　At　noon　the　deadly　fray　begun；　And　lasted　till　the　set　of　sun。　Thus　giddy　rumor　shook　the　town；　Till　closed　the　Night　her　pennons　brown。





　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CANTO　SIXTH。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Guard…room。



I。

The　sun；　awakening；　through　the　smoky　air　　　　　Of　the　dark　city　casts　a　sullen　glance；　Rousing　each　caitiff　to　his　task　of　care；　　　　　Of　sinful　man　the　sad　inheritance；　Summoning　revellers　from　the　lagging　dance；　　　　　Scaring　the　prowling　robber　to　his　den；　Gilding　on　battled　tower　the　warder's　lance；　　　　　And　warning　student　pale　to　leave　his　pen；　And　yield　his　drowsy　eyes　to　the　kind　nurse　of　men。

What　various　scenes；　and　O；　what　scenes　of　woe；　　　　　Are　witnessed　by　that　red　and　struggling　beam！　The　fevered　patient；　from　his　pallet　low；　　　　　Through　crowded　hospital　beholds　it　stream；　The　ruined　maiden　trembles　at　its　gleam；　　　　　The　debtor　wakes　to　thought　of　gyve　and　jail；　'The　love…lore　wretch　starts　from　tormenting　dream：　　　　　The　wakeful　mother；　by　the　glimmering　pale；　Trims　her　sick　infant's　couch；　and　soothes　his　feeble　wail


II。

At　dawn　the　towers　of　Stirling　rang　With　soldier…step　and　weapon…clang；　While　drums　with　rolling　note　foretell　Relief　to　weary　sentinel。　Through　narrow　loop　and　casement　barred；　The　sunbeams　sought　the　Court　of　Guard；　And；　struggling　with　the　smoky　air；　Deadened　the　torches'　yellow　glare。　In　comfortless　alliance　shone　The　lights　through　arch　of　blackened　stone；　And　showed　wild　shapes　in　garb　of　war；　Faces　deformed　with　beard　and　scar；　All　haggard　from　the　midnight　watch；　And　fevered　with　the　stern　debauch；　For　the　oak　table's　massive　board；　Flooded　with　wine；　with　fragments　stored；　And　beakers　drained；　and　cups　o'erthrown；　Showed　in　what　sport　the　night　had　flown。　Some；　weary；　snored　on　floor　and　bench；　Some　labored　still　their　thirst　to　quench；　Some；　chilled　with　watching；　spread　their　hands　O'er　the　huge　chimney's　dying　brands；　While　round　them；　or　beside　them　flung；　At　every　step　their　harness　rung。


III。

These　drew　not　for　their　fields　the　sword；　Like　tenants　of　a　feudal　lord；　Nor　owned　the　patriarchal　claim　Of　Chieftain　in　their　leader's　name；　Adventurers　they；　from　far　who　roved；　To　live　by　battle　which　they　loved。　There　the　Italian's　clouded　face；　The　swarthy　Spaniard's　there　you　trace；　The　mountain…loving　Switzer　there　More　freely　breathed　in　mountain…air；　The　Fleming　there　despised　the　soil　That　paid　so　ill　the　labourer's　toil；　Their　rolls　showed　French　and　German　name；　And　merry　England's　exiles　came；　To　share；　with　ill…concealed　disdain；　Of　Scotland's　pay　the　scanty　gain。　All　brave　in　arms；　well　trained　to　wield　The　heavy　halberd；　brand；　and　shield；　In　camps　licentious；　wild；　and　bold；　In　pillage　fierce　and　uncontrolled；　And　now；　by　holytide　and　feast；　From　rules　of　discipline　released。


IV。

'They　held　debate　of　bloody　fray；　Fought　'twixt　Loch　Katrine　and　Achray。　Fierce　was　their　speech；　and　mid　their　words　'Their　hands　oft　grappled　to　their　swords；　Nor　sunk　their　tone　to　spare　the　ear　Of　wounded　comrades　groaning　near；　Whose　mangled　limbs　and　bodies　gored　Bore　token　of　the　mountain　sword；　Though；　neighbouring　to　the　Court　of　Guard；　Their　prayers　and　feverish　wails　were　heard；　Sad　burden　to　the　ruffian　joke；　And　savage　oath　by　fury　spoke！　At　length　up　started　John　of　Brent；　A　yeoman　from　the　banks　of　Trent；　A　stranger　to　respect　or　fear；　In　peace　a　chaser　of　the　deer；　In　host　a　hardy　mutineer；　But　still　the　boldest　of　the　crew　When　deed　of　danger　was　to　do。　He　grieved　that　day　their　games　cut　short；　And　marred　the　dicer's　brawling　sport；　And　shouted　loud；　'Renew　the　bowl！　And；　while　a　merry　catch　I　troll；　Let　each　the　buxom　chorus　bear；　Like　brethren　of　the　brand　and　spear。'


V。

Soldier's　Song。

Our　vicar　still　preaches　that　Peter　and　Poule　Laid　a　swinging　long　curse　on　the　bonny　brown　bowl；　That　there　''s　wrath　and　despair　in　the　jolly　black…jack；　And　the　seven　deadly　sins　in　a　flagon　of　sack；　Yet　whoop；　Barnaby！　off　with　thy　liquor；　Drink　upsees　out；　and　a　fig　for　the　vicar！

Our　vicar　he　calls　it　damnation　to　sip　The　ripe　ruddy　dew　of　a　woman's　dear　lip；　Says　that　Beelzebub　lurks　in　her　kerchief　so　sly；　And　Apollyon　shoots　darts　from　her　merry　black　eye；　Yet　whoop；　Jack！　kiss　Gillian　the　quicker；　Till　she　bloom　like　a　rose；　and　a　fig　for　the　vicar！

Our　vicar　thus　preaches；and　why　should　he　not？　For　the　dues　of　his　cure　are　the　placket　and　pot；　And　'tis　right　of　his　office　poor　laymen　to　lurch　Who　infringe　the　domains　of　our　good　Mother　Church。　Yet　whoop；　bully…boys！　off　with　your　liquor；　Sweet　Marjorie　's　the　word　and　a　fig　for　the　vicar！


VI。

The　warder's　challenge；　heard　without；　Stayed　in　mid…roar　the　merry　shout。　A　soldier　to　the　portal　went；　'Here　is　old　Bertram；　sirs；　of　Ghent；　Andbeat　for　jubilee　the　drum！　A　maid　and　minstrel　with　him　come。'　Bertram；　a　Fleming；　gray　and　scarred；　Was　entering　now　the　Court　of　Guard；　A　harper　with　him；　and；　in　plaid　All　muffled　close；　a　mountain　maid；　Who　backward　shrunk　to　'scape　the　view　Of　the　loose　scene　and　boisterous　crew。　'What　news？　'　they　roared：'　I　only　know；　From　noon　till　eve　we　fought　with　foe；　As　wild　and　as　untamable　As　the　rude　mountains　where　they　dwell；　On　both　sides　store　of　blood　is　lost；　Nor　much　success　can　either　boast。'　　'But　whence　thy　captives；　friend？　such　spoil　As　theirs　must　needs　reward　thy　toil。　Old　cost　thou　wax；　and　wars　grow　sharp；　Thou　now　hast　glee…maiden　and　harp！　Get　thee　an　ape；　and　trudge　the　land；　The　leader　of　a　juggler　band。'


VII。

'No；　comrade；no　such　fortune　mine。　After　the　fight　these　sought　our　line；　That　aged　harper　and　the　girl；　And；　having　audience　of　the　Earl；　Mar　bade　I　should　purvey　them　steed；　And　bring　them　hitherward　with　speed。　Forbear　your　mirth　and　rude　alarm；　For　none　shall　do　them　shame　or　harm。　'Hear　ye　his　boast？　'　cried　John　of　Brent；　Ever　to　strife　and　jangling　bent；　'Shall　he　strike　doe　beside　our　lodge；　And　yet　the　jealous　niggard　grudge　To　pay　the　forester　his　fee？　I'll　have　my　share　howe'er　it　be；　Despite　of　Moray；　Mar；　or　thee。'　Bertram　his　forward　step　withstood；　And；　burning　in　his　vengeful　mood；　Old　Allan；　though　unfit　for　strife；　Laid　hand　upon　his　dagger…knife；　But　Ellen　boldly　stepped　between；　And　dropped　at　once　the　tartan　screen：　So；　from　his　morning　cloud；　appears　The　sun　of　May　through　summer　tears。　The　savage　soldiery；　amazed；　As　on　descended　angel　gazed；　Even　hardy　Brent；　abashed　and　tamed；　Stood　half　admiring；　half　ashamed。


VIII。

Boldly　she　spoke：　'Soldiers；　attend！　My　father　was　the　soldier's　friend；　Cheered　him　in　camps；　in　marches　led；　And　with　him　in　the　battle　bled。　Not　from　the　valiant　or　the　strong　Should　exile's　daughter　suffer　wrong。'　Answered　De　Brent；　most　forward　still　In　every　feat　or　good　or　ill：　'I　shame　me　of　the　part　I　played；　And　thou　an　outlaw's　child；　poor　maid！　An　outlaw　I　by　forest　laws；　And　merry　Needwood　knows　the　cause。　Poor　Rose；if　Rose　be　living　now；'　He　wiped　his　iron　eye　and　brow；　'Must　bear　such　age；　I　think；　as　thou。　Hear　ye；　my　mates！　I　go　to　call　The　Captain　of　our　watch　to　hall：　There　lies　my　halberd　on　the　floor；　And　he　that　steps　my　halberd　o'er；　To　do　the　maid　injurious　part；　My　shaft　shall　quiver　in　his　heart！　Beware　loose　speech；　or　jesting　rough；　Ye　all　know　John　de　Brent。　Enough。'


IX。

Their　Captain　came；　a　gallant　young；　Of　Tullibardine's　house　he　sprung；　Nor　wore　he　yet　the　spurs　of　knight；　Gay　was　his　mien；　his　humor　light　And；　though　by　courtesy　controlled；　Forward　his　speech；　his　bearing　bold。　The　high…born　maiden　ill　could　brook　The　scanning　of　his　curious　look　And　dauntless　eye：and　yet；　in　sooth　Young　Lewis　was　a　generous　youth；　But　Ellen's　lovely　face　and　mien　Ill　suited　to　the　garb　and　scene；　Might　lightly　bear　construction　strange；　And　give　loose　fancy　scope　to　range。