the lady of the lake-第2节

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　in　air；　　Who　flagged　upon　Bochastle's　heath；　　Who　shunned　to　stem　the　flooded　Teith；　　For　twice　that　day；　from　shore　to　shore；　　The　gallant　stag　swam　stoutly　o'er。　Few　were　the　stragglers；　following　far；　　That　reached　the　lake　of　Vennachar；　　And　when　the　Brigg　of　Turk　was　won；　　The　headmost　horseman　rode　alone。


VII。

Alone；　but　with　unbated　zeal；　That　horseman　plied　the　scourge　and　steel；　For　jaded　now；　and　spent　with　toil；　Embossed　with　foam；　and　dark　with　soil；　While　every　gasp　with　sobs　he　drew；　The　laboring　stag　strained　full　in　view。　Two　dogs　of　black　Saint　Hubert's　breed；　Unmatched　for　courage；　breath；　and　speed；　Fast　on　his　flying　traces　came；　And　all　but　won　that　desperate　game；　For；　scarce　a　spear's　length　from　his　haunch；　Vindictive　toiled　the　bloodhounds　stanch；　Nor　nearer　might　the　dogs　attain；　Nor　farther　might　the　quarry　strain　Thus　up　the　margin　of　the　lake；　Between　the　precipice　and　brake；　O'er　stock　and　rock　their　race　they　take。


VIII。

The　Hunter　marked　that　mountain　high；　　The　lone　lake's　western　boundary；　　And　deemed　the　stag　must　turn　to　bay；　　Where　that　huge　rampart　barred　the　way；　　Already　glorying　in　the　prize；　　Measured　his　antlers　with　his　eyes；　For　the　death…wound　and　death…halloo　Mustered　his　breath；　his　whinyard　drew：　　But　thundering　as　he　came　prepared；　　With　ready　arm　and　weapon　bared；　　The　wily　quarry　shunned　the　shock；　　And　turned　him　from　the　opposing　rock；　　Then；　dashing　down　a　darksome　glen；　Soon　lost　to　hound　and　Hunter's　ken；　　In　the　deep　Trosachs'　wildest　nook　　His　solitary　refuge　took。　　There；　while　close　couched　the　thicket　shed　　Cold　dews　and　wild　flowers　on　his　head；　He　heard　the　baffled　dogs　in　vain　　Rave　through　the　hollow　pass　amain；　　Chiding　the　rocks　that　yelled　again。


IX。

Close　on　the　hounds　the　Hunter　came；　　To　cheer　them　on　the　vanished　game；　　But；　stumbling　in　the　rugged　dell；　　The　gallant　horse　exhausted　fell。　　The　impatient　rider　strove　in　vain　　To　rouse　him　with　the　spur　and　rein；　　For　the　good　steed；　his　labors　o'er；　Stretched　his　stiff　limbs；　to　rise　no　more；　Then；　touched　with　pity　and　remorse；　He　sorrowed　o'er　the　expiring　horse。　　'I　little　thought；　when　first　thy　rein　　I　slacked　upon　the　banks　of　Seine；　　That　Highland　eagle　e'er　should　feed　　On　thy　fleet　limbs；　my　matchless　steed！　Woe　worth　the　chase；　woe　worth　the　day；　That　costs　thy　life；　my　gallant　gray！'


X。

Then　through　the　dell　his　horn　resounds；　　From　vain　pursuit　to　call　the　hounds。　　Back　limped；　with　slow　and　crippled　pace；　　The　sulky　leaders　of　the　chase；　　Close　to　their　master's　side　they　pressed；　　With　drooping　tail　and　humbled　crest；　　But　still　the　dingle's　hollow　throat　　Prolonged　the　swelling　bugle…note。　　The　owlets　started　from　their　dream；　　The　eagles　answered　with　their　scream；　　Round　and　around　the　sounds　were　cast；　　Till　echo　seemed　an　answering　blast；　　And　on　the　Hunter　tried　his　way；　To　join　some　comrades　of　the　day；　　Yet　often　paused；　so　strange　the　road；　　So　wondrous　were　the　scenes　it　showed。


XI。

The　western　waves　of　ebbing　day　　Rolled　o'er　the　glen　their　level　way；　　Each　purple　peak；　each　flinty　spire；　　Was　bathed　in　floods　of　living　fire。　　But　not　a　setting　beam　could　glow　　Within　the　dark　ravines　below；　　Where　twined　the　path　in　shadow　hid；　　Round　many　a　rocky　pyramid；　Shooting　abruptly　from　the　dell　　Its　thunder…splintered　pinnacle；　　Round　many　an　insulated　mass；　　The　native　bulwarks　of　the　pass；　　Huge　as　the　tower　which　builders　vain　Presumptuous　piled　on　Shinar's　plain。　The　rocky　summits；　split　and　rent；　　Formed　turret；　dome；　or　battlement。　　Or　seemed　fantastically　set　　With　cupola　or　minaret；　Wild　crests　as　pagod　ever　decked；　　Or　mosque　of　Eastern　architect。　　Nor　were　these　earth…born　castles　bare；　　Nor　lacked　they　many　a　banner　fair；　　For；　from　their　shivered　brows　displayed；　　Far　o'er　the　unfathomable　glade；　　All　twinkling　with　the　dewdrop　sheen；　　The　briar…rose　fell　in　streamers　green；　kind　creeping　shrubs　of　thousand　dyes　Waved　in　the　west…wind's　summer　sighs。


XII。

Boon　nature　scattered；　free　and　wild；　　Each　plant　or　flower；　the　mountain's　child。　　Here　eglantine　embalmed　the　air；　　Hawthorn　and　hazel　mingled　there；　　The　primrose　pale　and　violet　flower　　Found　in　each　cliff　a　narrow　bower；　　Foxglove　and　nightshade；　side　by　side；　Emblems　of　punishment　and　pride；　　Grouped　their　dark　hues　with　every　stain　　The　weather…beaten　crags　retain。　　With　boughs　that　quaked　at　every　breath；　　Gray　birch　and　aspen　wept　beneath；　　Aloft；　the　ash　and　warrior　oak　　Cast　anchor　in　the　rifted　rock；　　And；　higher　yet；　the　pine…tree　hung　　His　shattered　trunk；　and　frequent　flung；　　Where　seemed　the　cliffs　to　meet　on　high；　　His　boughs　athwart　the　narrowed　sky。　Highest　of　all；　where　white　peaks　glanced；　　Where　glistening　streamers　waved　and　danced；　　The　wanderer's　eye　could　barely　view　　The　summer　heaven's　delicious　blue；　　So　wondrous　wild；　the　whole　might　seem　　The　scenery　of　a　fairy　dream。


XIII。

Onward；　amid　the　copse　'gan　peep　　A　narrow　inlet；　still　and　deep；　　Affording　scarce　such　breadth　of　brim　　As　served　the　wild　duck's　brood　to　swim。　　Lost　for　a　space；　through　thickets　veering；　　But　broader　when　again　appearing；　　Tall　rocks　and　tufted　knolls　their　face　　Could　on　the　dark…blue　mirror　trace；　And　farther　as　the　Hunter　strayed；　　Still　broader　sweep　its　channels　made。　　The　shaggy　mounds　no　longer　stood；　　Emerging　from　entangled　wood；　　But；　wave…encircled；　seemed　to　float；　Like　castle　girdled　with　its　moat；　　Yet　broader　floods　extending　still　　Divide　them　from　their　parent　hill；　　Till　each；　retiring；　claims　to　be　An　islet　in　an　inland　sea。


XIV。

And　now；　to　issue　from　the　glen；　　No　pathway　meets　the　wanderer's　ken；　　Unless　he　climb　with　footing　nice　　A　far…projecting　precipice。　　The　broom's　tough　roots　his　ladder　made；　　The　hazel　saplings　lent　their　aid；　And　thus　an　airy　point　he　won；　　Where；　gleaming　with　the　setting　sun；　　One　burnished　sheet　of　living　gold；　Loch　Katrine　lay　beneath　him　rolled；　　In　all　her　length　far　winding　lay；　　With　promontory；　creek；　and　bay；　　And　islands　that；　empurpled　bright；　　Floated　amid　the　livelier　light；　　And　mountains　that　like　giants　stand　　To　sentinel　enchanted　land。　　High　on　the　south；　huge　Benvenue　Down　to　the　lake　in　masses　threw　Crags；　knolls；　and　mounds；　confusedly　hurled；　　The　fragments　of　an　earlier　world；　　A　wildering　forest　feathered　o'er　His　ruined　sides　and　summit　hoar；　　While　on　the　north；　through　middle　air；　　Ben…an　heaved　high　his　forehead　bare。


XV。

From　the　steep　promontory　gazed　The　stranger；　raptured　and　amazed；　And；　'What　a　scene　were　here；'　he　cried；　'For　princely　pomp　or　churchman's　pride！　On　this　bold　brow；　a　lordly　tower；　In　that　soft　vale；　a　lady's　bower；　On　yonder　meadow　far　away；　The　turrets　of　a　cloister　gray；　How　blithely　might　the　bugle…horn　Chide　on　the　lake　the　lingering　morn！　How　sweet　at　eve　the　lover's　lute　Chime　when　the　groves　were　still　and　mute！　And　when　the　midnight　moon　should　lave　Her　forehead　in　the　silver　wave；　How　solemn　on　the　ear　would　come　　The　holy　matins'　distant　hum；　　While　the　deep　peal's　commanding　tone　　Should　wake；　in　yonder　islet　lone；　　A　sainted　hermit　from　his　cell；　　To　drop　a　bead　with　every　knell！　And　bugle；　lute；　and　bell；　and　all；　　Should　each　bewildered　stranger　call　　To　friendly　feast　and　lighted　hall。


XVI。

'Blithe　were　it　then　to　wander　here！　But　nowbeshrew　yon　nimble　deer　　Like　that　same　hermit's；　thin　and　spare；　　The　copse　must　give　my　evening　fare；　　Some　mossy　bank　my　couch　must　be；　　Some　rustling　oak　my　canopy。　　Yet　pass　we　that；　the　war　and　chase　Give　little　choice　of　resting…place；　　A　summer　night　in　greenwood　spent　　Were　but　to…morrow's　merriment：　　But　hosts　may　in　these　wilds　abound；　　Such　as　are　better　missed　than　found；　　To　meet　with　Highland　plunderers　here　　Were　worse　than　loss　of　steed　or　deer。　　I　am　alone；my　bugle…strain　May　call　some　straggler　of　the　train；　　Or；　fall　the　worst　that　may　betide；　　Ere　now　this　falchion　has　been　tried。'


XVII。

But　scarce　again　his　horn　he　wound；　When　lo！　forth　starting　at　the　sound；　From　underneath　an　aged　oak　That　slanted　from　the　islet　rock；　A　damsel　guider　of　its　way；　　A　little　skiff　shot　to　the　bay；　　That　round　the　promontory　steep　　Led　its　deep　line　in　graceful　sweep；　Eddying；　in　almost　viewless　wave；　　The　weeping　willow　twig　to　rave；　　And　kiss；　with　whispering　sound　and　slow；　　The　beach　of　pebbles　bright　as　snow。　　The　boat　had　touched　this　silver　strand　　Just　as　the　Hunter　left　his　stand；　　And　stood　concealed　amid　the　brake；　To　view　this　Lady　of　the　Lake。　　The　maiden　paused；　as　if　again　　She　thought　to　catch　the　distant　strain。　　With　head　upraised；　and　look　intent；　　And　eye　and　ear　attentive　bent；　　And　locks　flung　back；　and　lips　apart；　　Like　monument　of　Grecian　art；　　In　listening　mood；　she　seemed　to　stand；　　The　guardian　Naiad　of　the　strand。


XVIII。

And　ne'er　did　Grecian　chisel　trace　　A　Nymph；　a　Naiad；　or　a　Grace；　　Of　finer　form　or　lovelier　face！　What　though　the　sun；　with　ardent　frown；　　Had　slightly　tinged　her　cheek　with　brown；　The　sportive　toil；　which；　short　and　light　　Had　dyed　her　glowing　hue　so　bright；　　Served　too　in　hastier　swell　to　show　　Short　glimpses　of　a　breast　of　snow：　　What　though　no　rule　of　courtly　grace　　To　measured　mood　had　trained　her　pace；　　A　foot　more　light；　a　step　more　true；