evangeline-第4节

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Sounded　the　bell　from　its　tower；　and　over　the　meadows　a　drum　beat。
Thronged　erelong　was　the　church　with　men。　　Without；　in　the　churchyard；
Waited　the　women。　　They　stood　by　the　graves；　and　hung　on　the　headstones
Garlands　of　autumn…leaves　and　evergreens　fresh　from　the　forest。
Then　came　the　guard　from　the　ships；　and　marching　proudly　among　them
Entered　the　sacred　portal。　　With　loud　and　dissonant　clangor
Echoed　the　sound　of　their　brazen　drums　from　ceiling　and　casement；
Echoed　a　moment　only；　and　slowly　the　ponderous　portal
Closed；　and　in　silence　the　crowd　awaited　the　will　of　the　soldiers。
Then　uprose　their　commander；　and　spake　from　the　steps　of　the　altar；
Holding　aloft　in　his　hands；　with　its　seals；　the　royal　commission。
〃You　are　convened　this　day；〃　he　said；　〃by　his　Majesty's　orders。
Clement　and　kind　has　he　been；　but　how　you　have　answered　his　kindness；
Let　your　own　hearts　reply！　　To　my　natural　make　and　my　temper
Painful　the　task　is　I　do；　which　to　you　I　know　must　be　grievous。
Yet　must　I　bow　and　obey；　and　deliver　the　will　of　our　monarch；
Namely；　that　all　your　lands；　and　dwellings；　and　cattle　of　all　kinds
Forfeited　be　to　the　crown；　and　that　you　yourselves　from　this　province
Be　transported　to　other　lands。　　God　grant　you　may　dwell　there
Ever　as　faithful　subjects；　a　happy　and　peaceable　people！
Prisoners　now　I　declare　you；　for　such　is　his　Majesty's　pleasure！〃
As；　when　the　air　is　serene　in　the　sultry　solstice　of　summer；
Suddenly　gathers　a　storm；　and　the　deadly　sling　of　the　hailstones
Beats　down　the　farmer's　corn　in　the　field　and　shatters　his　windows；
Hiding　the　sun；　and　strewing　the　ground　with　thatch　from　the　house…roofs；
Bellowing　fly　the　herds；　and　seek　to　break　their　enclosures；
So　on　the　hearts　of　the　people　descended　the　words　of　the　speaker。
Silent　a　moment　they　stood　in　speechless　wonder；　and　then　rose
Louder　and　ever　louder　a　wail　of　sorrow　and　anger；
And；　by　one　impulse　moved；　they　madly　rushed　to　the　door…way。
Vain　was　the　hope　of　escape；　and　cries　and　fierce　imprecations
Rang　through　the　house　of　prayer；　and　high　o'er　the　heads　of　the　others
Rose；　with　his　arms　uplifted；　the　figure　of　Basil　the　blacksmith；
As；　on　a　stormy　sea；　a　spar　is　tossed　by　the　billows。
Flushed　was　his　face　and　distorted　with　passion；　and　wildly　he　shouted；
〃Down　with　the　tyrants　of　England！　　we　never　have　sworn　them　allegiance！
Death　to　these　foreign　soldiers；　who　seize　on　our　homes　and　our　harvests！〃
More　he　fain　would　have　said；　but　the　merciless　hand　of　a　soldier
Smote　him　upon　the　mouth；　and　dragged　him　down　to　the　pavement。

　　In　the　midst　of　the　strife　and　tumult　of　angry　contention；
Lo！　the　door　of　the　chancel　opened；　and　Father　Felician
Entered；　with　serious　mien；　and　ascended　the　steps　of　the　altar。
Raising　his　reverend　hand；　with　a　gesture　he　awed　into　silence
All　that　clamorous　throng；　and　thus　he　spake　to　his　people；
Deep　were　his　tones　and　solemn；　in　accents　measured　and　mournful
Spake　he；　as；　after　the　tocsin's　alarum；　distinctly　the　clock　strikes。
〃What　is　this　that　ye　do；　my　children？　what　madness　has　seized　you？
Forty　years　of　my　life　have　I　labored　among　you；　and　taught　you；
Not　in　word　alone；　but　in　deed；　to　love　one　another！
Is　this　the　fruit　of　my　toils；　of　my　vigils　and　prayers　and　privations？
Have　you　so　soon　forgotten　all　lessons　of　love　and　forgiveness？
This　is　the　house　of　the　Prince　of　Peace；　and　would　you　profane　it
Thus　with　violent　deeds　and　hearts　overflowing　with　hatred？
Lo！　where　the　crucified　Christ　from　his　cross　is　gazing　upon　you！
See！　in　those　sorrowful　eyes　what　meekness　and　holy　compassion！
Hark！　how　those　lips　still　repeat　the　prayer；　‘O　Father；　forgive　them！'
Let　us　repeat　that　prayer　in　the　hour　when　the　wicked　assail　us；
Let　us　repeat　it　now；　and　say；　‘O　Father；　forgive　them！'　〃
Few　were　his　words　of　rebuke；　but　deep　in　the　hearts　of　his　people
Sank　they；　and　sobs　of　contrition　succeeded　the　passionate　outbreak；
And　they　repeated　his　prayer；　and　said；　〃O　Father；　forgive　them！〃

　　Then　came　the　evening　service。　　The　tapers　gleamed　from　the　altar。
Fervent　and　deep　was　the　voice　of　the　priest；　and　the　people　responded；
Not　with　their　lips　alone；　but　their　hearts；　and　the　Ave　Maria
Sang　they；　and　fell　on　their　knees；　and　their　souls；　with　devotion　translated；
Rose　on　the　ardor　of　prayer；　like　Elijah　ascending　to　heaven。

　　Meanwhile　had　spread　in　the　village　the　tidings　of　ill；　and　on　all　sides
Wandered；　wailing；　from　house　to　house　the　women　and　children。
Long　at　her　father's　door　Evangeline　stood；　with　her　right　hand
Shielding　her　eyes　from　the　level　rays　of　the　sun；　that；　descending；
Lighted　the　village　street　with　mysterious　splendor；　and　roofed　each
Peasant's　cottage　with　golden　thatch；　and　emblazoned　its　windows。
Long　within　had　been　spread　the　snow…white　cloth　on　the　table；
There　stood　the　wheaten　loaf；　and　the　honey　fragrant　with　wild…flowers；
There　stood　the　tankard　of　ale；　and　the　cheese　fresh　brought　from　the　dairy；
And；　at　the　head　of　the　board；　the　great　arm…chair　of　the　farmer。
Thus　did　Evangeline　wait　at　her　father's　door；　as　the　sunset
Threw　the　long　shadows　of　trees　o'er　the　broad　ambrosial　meadows。
Ah！　on　her　spirit　within　a　deeper　shadow　had　fallen；
And　from　the　fields　of　her　soul　a　fragrance　celestial　ascended；
Charity；　meekness；　love；　and　hope；　and　forgiveness；　and　patience！
Then；　all…forgetful　of　self；　she　wandered　into　the　village；
Cheering　with　looks　and　words　the　disconsolate　hearts　of　the　women；
As　o'er　the　darkening　fields　with　lingering　steps　they　departed；
Urged　by　their　household　cares；　and　the　weary　feet　of　their　children。
Down　sank　the　great　red　sun；　and　in　golden；　glimmering　vapors
Veiled　the　light　of　his　face；　like　the　Prophet　descending　from　Sinai。
Sweetly　over　the　village　the　bell　of　the　Angelus　sounded。

　　Meanwhile；　amid　the　gloom；　by　the　church　Evangeline　lingered。
All　was　silent　within；　and　in　vain　at　the　door　and　the　windows
Stood　she；　and　listened　and　looked；　till；　overcome　by　emotion；
〃Gabriel！〃　cried　she　aloud　with　tremulous　voice；　but　no　answer
Came　from　the　graves　of　the　dead；　nor　the　gloomier　grave　of　the　living。
Slowly　at　length　she　returned　to　the　tenantless　house　of　her　father。
Smouldered　the　fire　on　the　hearth；　on　the　board　stood　the　supper　untasted；
Empty　and　drear　was　each　room；　and　haunted　with　phantoms　of　terror。
Sadly　echoed　her　step　on　the　stair　and　the　floor　of　her　chamber。
In　the　dead　of　the　night　she　heard　the　whispering　rain　fall
Loud　on　the　withered　leaves　of　the　sycamore…tree　by　the　window。
Keenly　the　lightning　flashed；　and　the　voice　of　the　echoing　thunder
Told　her　that　God　was　in　heaven；　and　governed　the　world　he　created！
Then　she　remembered　the　tale　she　had　heard　of　the　justice　of　Heaven；
Soothed　was　her　troubled　soul；　and　she　peacefully　slumbered　till　morning。



V。


　　FOUR　times　the　sun　had　risen　and　set；　and　now　on　the　fifth　day
Cheerily　called　the　cock　to　the　sleeping　maids　of　the　farm…house。
Soon　o'er　the　yellow　fields；　in　silent　and　mournful　procession；
Came　from　the　neighboring　hamlets　and　farms　the　Acadian　women；
Driving　in　ponderous　wains　their　household　goods　to　the　sea…shore；
Pausing　and　looking　back　to　gaze　once　more　on　their　dwellings；
Ere　they　were　shut　from　sight　by　the　winding　road　and　the　woodland。
Close　at　their　sides　their　children　ran；　and　urged　on　the　oxen；
While　in　their　little　hands　they　clasped　some　fragments　of　playthings。

　　Thus　to　the　Gaspereau's　mouth　they　hurried；　and　there　on　the　sea…beach
Piled　in　confusion　lay　the　household　goods　of　the　peasants。
All　day　long　between　theshore　and　the　ships　did　the　boats　ply；
All　day　long　the　wains　came　laboring　down　from　the　village。
Late　in　the　afternoon；　when　the　sun　was　near　to　his　setting；
Echoed　far　o'er　the　fields　came　the　roll　of　drums　from　the　churchyard。
Thither　the　women　and　children　thronged。　　On　a　sudden　the　church…doors
Opened；　and　forth　came　the　guard；　and　marching　in　gloomy　procession
Followed　the　long…imprisoned；　but　patient；　Acadian　farmers。
Even　as　pilgrims；　who　journey　afar　from　their　homes　and　their　country；
Sing　as　they　go；　and　in　singing　forget　they　are　weary　and　wayworn；
So　with　songs　on　their　lips　the　Acadian　peasants　descended
Down　from　the　church　to　the　shore；　amid　their　wives　and　their　daughters。
Foremost　the　young　men　came；　and；　raising　together　their　voices；
Sang　they　with　tremulous　lips　a　chant　of　the　Catholic　Missions：
〃Sacred　heart　of　the　Saviour！　　O　inexhaustible　fountain！
Fill　our　hearts　this　day　with　strength　and　submission　and　patience！〃
Then　the　old　men；　as　they　marched；　and　the　women　that　stood　by　the　wayside
Joined　in　the　sacred　psalm；　and　the　birds　in　the　sunshine　above　them
Mingled　their　notes　therewith；　like　voices　of　spirits　departed。

　　Half…way　down　to　the　shore　Evangeline　waited　in　silence；
Not　overcome　with　grief；　but　strong　in　the　hour　of　affliction；
Calmly　and　sadly　she　waited；　until　the　procession　approached　her；
And　she　beheld　the　face　of　Gabriel　pale　with　emotion。
Tears　then　filled　her　eyes；　and；　eagerly　running　to　meet　him；
Clasped　she　his　hands；　and　laid　her　head　on　his　shoulder　and　whispered；
〃Gabriel！　be　of　good　cheer！　for　if　we　love　one　another；
Nothing；　in　truth；　can　harm　us；　whatever　mischance