I.
Where freezing wastes of dazzl'ing Snow O'er
AN'S Lake rose, tow'ring;
The
ON
RE'S Castle
Was seen, the silv'ry peaks among, With ramparts, darkly low'ring!—Tall Battlements of flint, uprose, Long shadowing down the valley,
A grove of sombre Pine, antique,
Amid the white expanse would break, In many a gloomy alley.
A strong portcullis entrance show'd, With ivy brown hung over;
And stagnate the green moat was found,
Whene'er the Trav'ller wander'd round, Or moon-enamour'd Lover.
Within the spacious Courts were seen A thousand gothic fancies;
Of banners, trophies, armour bright,
Of shields, thick batter'd in the fight, And interwoven lances.
The
ON
RE long had been To solitude devoted;
And oft, in pray'r would pass the night'Till day's vermillion stream of light Along the blue hill floated.
And yet, his pray'r was little mark'd With pure and calm devotion;
For oft, upon the pavement bare,
He'd dash his limbs and rend his hair With terrible emotion!
And sometimes he, at midnight hour Would howl, like wolves, wide-prowling;
And pale, the lamps would glimmer round—And deep, the self-mov'd bell would sound A knell prophetic, tolling!
For, in the Hall, three lamps were seen, That quiver'd dim;—and near themA bell rope hung, that from the
Three knells would toll, at midnight's hour, Startl'ing the soul to hear them!
And oft, a dreadful crash was heard, Shaking the Castle's chambers!
And suddenly, the lights would
To paly grey, and dimly burn, Like faint and dying embers.
Beneath the steep, a Maiden dwelt, The dove-eyed
TO;
A damsel blest with ev'ry grace—And springing from as old a race— As Lady of
TO!
Her dwelling was a Goatherds poor; Yet she his heart delighted;
Their little hovel open stood,
Beside a lonesome frowning wood. To travellers—benighted.
Yet oft, at midnight when the Moon Its dappled course was steering,
The Castle bell would break their sleep,
And
TO slow would creep— To bar the wicket—fearing!
What did she fear?
O! dreadful thought! The Moon's wan lustre, streaming;
The dim grey lamps, the crashing sound,
The lonely Bittern—shrieking round The roof,—with pale light gleaming.
And often, when the wintry wind Loud whistled o'er their dwelling;
They sat beside their faggot
While
TO'S aged Sire A dismal Tale was telling.
He told a long and dismal Tale How a fair
DY perish'd;
How her sweet Baby, doom'd to
The partner of her destiny Was by a peasant cherish'd!
He told a long and dismal Tale, How, from a flinty Tow'rA Lady wailing sad was seen,
The lofty grated bars between, At dawnlight's purple hour!
He told a Tale of bitter woe, His heart with pity swelling,
How the fair
DY pin'd and died,
And how her Ghost, at Christmas-tide— Would wander,—near her dwelling.
He told her, how a lowly
ME The
DY, lorn, befriended—Who chang'd her own dear baby, dead,
And took the
DY'S in its stead—And then—"Forgive her Heav'n! " He said, And so, his Story ended.
II.
As on the rushy floor she sat, Her hand her pale cheek pressing;
Oft, on the
RD'S face, her
Would fix intent, her mute surprize— In frequent starts confessing.
Then, slowly would she turn her head, And watch the narrow wicket;
And shudder, while the wintry
In shrilly cadence swiftly past Along the neighb'ring thicket.
One night, it was in winter time, The Castle bell was tolling;
The air was still, the Moon was seen,
Sporting, her starry train between, The thin clouds round her rolling.
And now she watch'd the wasting lamp, Her timid bosom panting;
And now, the Crickets faintly sing,
And now she hears the Raven's wing Sweeping their low roof, slanting.
And, as the wicket latch she clos'd, A groan was heard!—she trembled!
And now a clashing, steely sound,
In quick vibrations echoed round, Like murd'rous swords, assembled!
She started back; she look'd around, The Goatherd Swain was sleeping;
A stagnate paleness mark'd her cheek,
She would have call'd, but could not speak, While, through the lattice peeping.
And O! how dimly shone the Moon, Upon the snowy mountain!
And fiercely did the wild blast blow,
And now her tears began to flow, Fast, as a falling fountain.
And now she heard the Castle bell Again toll sad and slowly;
She knelt and sigh'd: the lamp burnt pale—She thought upon the dismal Tale— And pray'd, with fervour holy!
And now, her little string of beads She kiss'd,—and cross'd her breast;
It was a simple rosary,
Made of the Mountain Holly-tree, By Sainted Father's blest!
And now the wicket open flew, As though a whirlwind fell'd it;
And now a ghastly figure
Before the Maiden—while her blood Congeal'd, as she beheld it!
His face was pale, his eyes were wild, His beard was dark; and near himA stream of light was seen to glide,
Marking a poniard, crimson-dyed; The bravest soul might fear him!
His forehead was all gash'd and gor'd— His vest was black and
His strong hand grasp'd a dagger keen,
And wild and frantic was his mien, Dread signs of terror, showing."O fly me not!" the
ON cried, "In
AV'N'S name, do not fear me!"Just as he spoke the bell thrice toll'd—Three paly lamps they now behold— While a faint voice,
AR ME!"And now, upon the threshold low, The wounded
RE, kneeling,
Again to
AV'N address'd his pray'r;
The waning Moon, with livid glare, Was down the dark sky stealing.
They led him in, they bath'd his wounds, Tears, to the red stream adding:
The haughty
RE gaz'd, admir'd!
The Peasant Girl his fancy fir'd, And set his senses, madding!
He prest her hand; she turn'd away, Her blushes deeper glowing,
Her cheek still spangled o'er with
So the wild rose more fresh appears When the soft dews are flowing!
Again, the
ON fondly gaz'd; Poor
TO trembled;
And
RE watch'd her throbbing
Which seem'd, with weighty woes oppress'd, And softest
VE, dissembled.
The
RD, fourscore years had seen, And he was sick and needy;
The
ON wore a
RD OF
LD,
Which Poverty might well behold, With eyes, wide stretch'd, and greedy!
The dawn arose!
The yellow light Around the Alps spread chearing!
The
ON kiss'd the
RD'S child—"Farewell!" she cried,—and blushing smil'd— No future peril fearing.
Now
RE homeward bent his
His breast with passion burning:
The Chapel bell was rung, for pray'r, And all—save
RE, prostrate there—Thank'd
AV'N, for his returning!
II.
Three times the orient ray was seen Above the East cliff mounting,
When
RE sought the Cottage
To share the honours of his race, With treasures, beyond counting!
The Ev'ning Sun was burning red; The Twilight veil spread slowly;
While
TO, near the
Where long a little cross had stood, Was singing Vespers holy.
And now she kiss'd her Holly-beads, And now she cross'd her breast;
The night-dew fell from ev'ry tree—It fell upon her rosary, Like tears of Heav'n twice bless'd!
She knelt upon the brown moss, cold, She knelt, with eyes, mild beaming!
The day had clos'd, she heard a sigh!
She mark'd the dear and frosty sky With starry lustre gleaming.
She rose; she heard the draw-bridge chains Loud clanking down the valley;
She mark'd the yellow torches
Between the antique groves of Pine— Bright'ning each gloomy alley.
And now the breeze began to blow, Soft-stealing up the mountain;
It seem'd at first a dulcet sound—Like mingled waters, wand'ring round Slow falling from a fountain.
And now, in wilder tone it rose, The white peaks sweeping, shrilly:
It play'd amidst her golden
It kiss'd her bosom cold and fair— And sweet, as vale-born Lily!
She heard the hollow tread of feet Thridding the piny cluster;
The torches flam'd before the wind—And many a spark was left behind, To mock the glow-worm's lustre.
She saw them guard the Cottage door, Her heart beat high with wonder!
She heard the fierce and Northern
As o'er the topmost point it past Like peals of bursting thunder!
And now she hied her swift along And reach'd the guarded wicket;
But O! what terror fill'd her soul,
When thrice she heard the deep bell toll— Above the gloomy thicket.
Now fierce, the
ON darted forth, His trembling victim seizing;
She felt her blood, in ev'ry
Move, with a sense of dead'ning pain, As though her heart were freezing."This night," said he, "Yon castle tow'rs "Shall echo to their centre!"For, by the
LY
SS,
I swear,"—And straight a
SS of ruby glare Did through the wicket enter!
And now a snowy hand was seen Slow moving, round the chamberA clasp of pearl, it seem'd to bear—A clasp of pearl, most rich and rare! Fix'd to a zone of amber.
And now the lowly Hovel shook, The wicket open flying,
And by, the croaking
EN
And, whistling shrill, the night-blast blew Like shrieks, that mark the dying!
But suddenly the tumult ceas'd— And silence, still more fearful,
Around the little chamber
Such horrors as attend the dead, Where no Sun glitters chearful!"Now
SU
AR ME!"
RE cried,
AR ME," a faint voice mutter'd!
The
ON drew his poniard forth—The Maiden sunk upon the earth, And—"Save me Heav'n!" she utter'd."Yes,
Heav'n will save thee,"
RE said, "Save thee, to be MY bride!"But while he spoke a beam of
Shone on her bosom, deathly white, Then onward seem'd to glide.
And now the
RD, on his knees, With frantic accent cried,"O!
OD forbid! that I should see"The beauteous
TO, be "The
ON
RE'S bride!"Poor Lady! she did shrink and fall, "As leaves fall in September!"Then be not
ON
RE'S bride—"Alack! in yon black tow'r
HE died— "Full well,
I do remember!""Oft, to the lattice grate I stole "To hear her, sweetly singing;"And oft, whole nights, beside the moat,"I listen'd to the dying note— "Till matin's bell was ringing."And when she died!
Poor Lady dear! "A sack of gold, she gave,"That, masses every Christmas day"Twelve bare-foot Monks should sing, or say, "Slow moving round her Grave."That, at the Holy Virgin's shrine "Three Lamps should burn for ever—"That, ev'ry month, the bell should toll,"For pray'rs to save her Husband's soul— "I shall forget it, never!"While thus he spoke, the
ON'S eye Look'd inward on his soul:
For He the masses ne'er had said—No lamps, their quiv'ring light had shed, No bell, been taught to toll!
And yet, the bell did toll, self-mov'd; And sickly lamps were gleaming;
And oft, their faintly wand'ring
Illum'd the Chapel aisles at night, Till
RN'S broad eye, was beaming.
IV.
The Maid refus'd the
ON'S suit, For, well she lov'd another;
The angry
RE'S vengeful
Nor pride nor reason could assuage, Nor pity prompt to smother.
His Sword was gone; the Goatherd Swain Seem'd guilty, past recalling:
The
ON now his life
Where the tall Gibbet skirts the lands With black'ning bones appalling!
Low at the
ON'S feet, in tears Fair
TO kneeling,
The Goatherd's life requir'd;—but
That Pride can give the deepest wound Without the pang of feeling.
That Pow'r can mock the suff'rer's woes And triumph o'er the sighing;
Can scorn the noblest mind oppress'd,
Can fill with thorns the feeling breast Soft pity's tear denying."Take me," she cried, "but spare his age— "Let me his ransom tender;"I will the fatal deed atone,"For crimes that never were my own, "My breaking heart surrender."The marriage day was fix'd, the Tow'rs With banners rich were mounted;
His heart beat high against his
While
RE, waiting for his bride, The weary minutes counted.
The snow fell fast, with mingling hail, The dawn was late, and louring;
Poor
TO rose aghast!
Unmindful of the Northern blast And prowling Wolves, devouring.
Swift to the wood of Pines she flew, Love made the assignation;
For there, the sov'reign of her
Watch'd the blue mists of morning roll Mound her habitation.
The
ON, by a Spy appriz'd, Was there before his Bride;
He seiz'd the Youth, and madly
The white Cliff, with his steaming blood, Then hurl'd him down its side.
And now 'twas said, an hungry wolf Had made the Youth his prey:
His heart lay frozen on the snow,
And here and there a purple glow Speckled the pathless way.
The marriage day at length arriv'd, The Priest bestow'd his blessing:
A clasp of orient pearl fast boundA zone of amber circling round, Her slender waist compressing.
On
TO'S snowy breast A ruby cross was heaving;
So the pale snow-drop faintly glows,
When shelter'd by the damask rose, Their beauties interweaving!
And now the holy vow began Upon her lips to falter!
And now all deathly wan she
And now three lamps, of livid hue Pass'd slowly round the Altar.
And now she saw the clasp of pearl A ruby lustre taking:
And thrice she heard the Castle
Ring out a loud funereal knell The antique turrets shaking.
O! then how pale the
ON grew, His eyes wide staring fearful!
While o'er the Virgin's image fairA sable veil was borne on air Shading her dim eyes, tearful.
And, on her breast a clasp of pearl Was stain'd with blood, fast flowing:
And round her lovely waist she
An amber zone; a cross she bore Of rubies—richly glowing.
The Bride, her dove-like eyes to Heav'n Rais'd, calling Christ to save her!
The cross now danc'd upon her breast;
The shudd'ring Priest his fears confest, And benedictions gave her.
Upon the pavement sunk the Bride Cold as a corpse, and fainting!
The pearly clasp, self-bursting,
Her beating side, where crimson glow'd Three spots, of nature's painting.
Three crimson spots, of deepest hue! The
ON gaz'd with wonder:
For on his buried Lady's
Just three such drops had nature dyed, An equal space asunder.
And now remembrance brought to view, For Heaven the truth discloses,
The Baby, who had early died,
Bore, tinted on its little side, Three spots—as red as roses!
Now, ere the wedding-day had past, Stern
RE, and his
Walk'd forth to taste the ev'ning
Soft sighing, mid the sombre trees, That drest the mountain's side.
And now, beneath the grove of Pine, Two lovely Forms were gliding;
A Lady, with a beauteous face!
A Youth with stern, but manly, grace Smil'd,—as in scorn deriding.
Close, by the wond'ring Bride they pass'd, The red Sun sinking slowly:
And to the little cross they hied—And there she saw them, side by side, Kneeling, with fervour holy.
The little cross was golden ting'd The western radiance stealing;
And now it bore a purple hue,
And now all black and dim it grew, And still she saw them, kneeling.
White were their robes as fleecy snow Their faces pale, yet chearful.
Their golden hair, like waves of
Shone lust'rous mid the glooms of night; Their starry eyes were tearful.
And now they look'd to Heav'n, and smil'd, Three paly lamps descended!
And now their shoulders seem'd to
Expanding pinions broad and fair,
And now they wav'd in viewless air! And so, the Vision ended.
V.
Now, suddenly, a storm arose, The thunder roar'd, tremendous!
The lightning flash'd, the howling
Fierce, strong, and desolating, past The Altitudes stupendous!
Rent by the wind, a fragment huge From the steep summit bounded:
That summit, where the Peasant's
Found, mid the snow, a grave of rest, By
RE'S poniard wounded.
Loud shrieks, across the mountain wild, Fill'd up the pause of thunder:
The groves of Pine the lightning past,
And swift the desolating blast Scatter'd them wide asunder.
The Castle-turrets seem'd to blaze, The lightning round them flashing;
The drawbridge now was all on fire,
The moat foam'd high, with furious ire, Against the black walls dashing.
The Prison Tow'r was silver white, And radiant as the morning;
Two angels' wings were spreading wide,
The battlements, from side to side— And lofty roof adorning.
And now the Bride was sore afraid, She sigh'd, and cross'd her breast;
She kiss'd her simple rosary,
Made of the mountain holly-tree, By sainted Fathers blest.
She kiss'd it once, she kiss'd it twice; It seem'd to freeze her breast;
The cold show'rs fell from ev'ry tree,
They fell upon her rosary Like nature's tears, "twice blest!""What do you fear?" the
ON cried— For
TO trembled—"A
LF," she sigh'd with whisper low,"Hark how the angry whirlwinds blow "Like Demons dark assembled."That
LF! which did my Lover slay!" The
ON wildly started."That Wolf accurs'd!" she madly cried—"Whose fangs, by human gore were died,"Who dragg'd him down the mountain's side, "And left me—Broken hearted!"Now
RE shook in ev'ry joint, He grasp'd her arm, and
Hell seem'd to yawn, on ev'ry side,"Hear me!" the frantic tyrant cried—
AR ME!" a faint voice utter'd."I hear thee! yes,
I hear thee well!" Cried
RE, "I'll content thee."I see thy vengeful eye-balls roll—"Thou com'st to claim my guilty soul— "The
DS—the
DS have sent thee!"And now a Goatherd-Boy was heard— Swift climbing up the mountain:
A Kid was lost, the fearful hind—Had rov'd his truant care to find, By wood-land's side—and fountain.
And now a murm'ring throng advanc'd, And howlings echoed round them:
Now
RE tried the path to pace,
His feet seem'd rooted to the place, As though a spell had bound them.
And now loud mingling voices cried— "Pursue that
LF, pursue him!"The guilty
ON, conscience stung,
About his fainting
ER hung, As to the ground she drew him."Oh! shield me Holy
RY! shield "A tortur'd wretch!" he mutter'd."A murd'rous
LF!
O
OD!
I crave"A dark unhallow'd silent grave—" Aghast the Caitiff utter'd."'Twas I, beneath the
RD'S bed "The golden sword did cover;"'Twas I who tore the quiv'ring wound,"Pluck'd forth the heart, and scatter'd round "The life-stream of thy Lover."And now he writh'd in ev'ry limb, And big his heart was swelling;
Fresh peals of thunder echoed strong,
With famish'd
ES the peaks among Their dismal chorus yelling!"O
SU Save me!"
RE shriek'd— But
RE shriek'd no more!
The rosy dawn's returning
Display'd his corse,—a dreadful sight, Black, wither'd, smear'd with gore!
High on a gibbet, near the wood— His mangled limbs were hung;
Yet
TO oft was
Prostrate the Chapel aisles between— When holy mass was sung.
And there, three lamps now dimly burn,— Twelve Monks their masses saying;
And there, the midnight bell doth
For quiet to the murd'rer's soul— While all around are praying.
For
TY and
TY kind, To gentle souls are given;
And
CY is the sainted pow'r,
Which beams thro' mis'ry's darkest hour, And lights the way,—TO
EN!
