The Feast of the Virgins and Other Poems Part 13

'Explain,' he faltered. 'Pray _you_, sir, explain!'

I said, and thrust the letters in his hand.

And as he sat in silence reading hers, I saw the pangs of conscience on his face; I saw him tremble like a stricken soul; And then a tear-drop fell upon his hand; And there we sat in silence. Then he groaned And fell upon his knees and hid his face, And stretched his hand toward me wailing out-- 'I cannot bear this burden on my soul; O Paul!--O G.o.d!--forgive me or I die.'

"His anguish touched my heart. I took his hand, And kneeling by him prayed a solemn prayer-- 'Father, forgive him, for he knew not what He did who broke the bond that bound us twain.

O may her spirit whisper in his ear Forever--G.o.d is love and all is well.

"The iron man--all bowed and broken down-- Sobbed like a child. He laid his trembling hand With many a fervent blessing on my head, And, with the crust all crumbled from his heart, Arose and led me to her silent couch; And I looked in upon my darling dead.

Mine--O mine in heaven forevermore!

G.o.d's angel sweetly smiling in her sleep; How beautiful--how radiant of heaven!

The ring I gave begirt her finger still; Her golden hair was wreathed with immortelles; The lips half-parted seemed to move in psalm Or holy blessing. As I kissed her brow, It seemed as if her dead cheeks flushed again As in those happy days beneath the pines; And as my warm tears fell upon her face, Methought I heard that dear familiar voice So full of love and faith and calmest peace, So near and yet so far and far away, So mortal, yet so spiritual--like an air Of softest music on the slumbering bay Wafted on midnight wings to silent sh.o.r.es, When myriad stars are twinkling in the sea:

[Ill.u.s.tration: 'AND I LOOKED IN UPON MY DARLING DEAD.']

"'_Paul, O Paul, forgive and be forgiven; Earth is all trial;--there is peace in heaven_.'

"Aye, Captain, in that sad and solemn hour I laid my hand upon the arm of Christ, And he hath led me all the weary way To this last battle. I shall win through Him; And ere you hear the _reveille_ again Paul and Pauline, amid the psalms of heaven, Embraced will kneel and at the feet of G.o.d Receive His benediction. Let me sleep.

You know the rest;--I'm weary and must sleep.

An angel's bugle-blast will waken me, But not to pain, for there is peace in heaven."

He slept, but not the silent sleep of death.

I felt his fitful pulse and caught anon The softly-whispered words "_Pauline_," and "_Peace_."

Anon he clutched with eager, nervous hand, And in hoa.r.s.e whisper shouted--"_Steady, men_!"

Then sunk again. Thus pa.s.sed an hour or more And he woke, half-raised himself and said With feeble voice and eyes strange l.u.s.ter-lit:

"Captain, my boat is swiftly sailing out Into the misty and eternal sea From out whose waste no mortal craft returns.

The fog is closing round me and the mist Is damp and cold upon my hands and face.

Why should I fear?--the loved have gone before: I seem to hear the plash of coming oars; The mists are lifting and the boat is near.

'Tis well. To die as I am dying now-- A soldier's death amid the gladsome shouts Of victory for which my puny hands Did their full share, albeit it was small, Was all my late ambition. Bring the Flag, And hold it over my head. Let me die thus Under the stars I've followed. Dear old Flag--"

But here his words became inaudible, As in the mazes of the Mammoth Cave, Fainter and fainter on the listening ear, The low, retreating voices die away.

His eyes were closed; a gentle smile of peace Sat on his face. I held his nerveless hand, And bent my ear to catch his latest breath; And as the spirit fled the pulseless clay, I heard--or thought I heard--his wonder-words-- "_Pauline,--how beautiful!_"

As I arose The gray dawn paled the shadows in the east.

THE SEA-GULL.[1]

THE LEGEND OF THE PICTURED ROCKS OF LAKE SUPERIOR. OJIBWAY

_In the measure of Hiawatha._

[The numerals refer to Notes to The Sea-Gull, in Appendix.]

On the sh.o.r.e of Gitchee Gumee[2]-- Deep, mysterious, mighty waters-- Where the manitoes--the spirits-- Ride the storms and speak in thunder, In the days of Neme-Shomis,[3]

In the days that are forgotten, Dwelt a tall and tawny hunter-- Gitchee Pez-ze-u the Panther, Son of Waub-Ojeeg,[4] the warrior, Famous Waub-Ojeeg, the warrior.

Strong was he and fleet as roebuck, Brave was he and very stealthy; On the deer crept like a panther; Grappled with Makwa,[5] the monster, Grappled with the bear and conquered; Took his black claws for a necklet, Took his black hide for a blanket.

When the Panther wed the Sea-Gull, Young was he and very gladsome; Fair was she and full of laughter; Like the robin in the spring-time, Sang from sunrise till the sunset; For she loved the handsome hunter.

Deep as Gitchee Gumee's waters Was her love--as broad and boundless; And the wedded twain were happy-- Happy as the mated robins.

When their first-born saw the sunlight Joyful was the heart of Panther, Proud and joyful was the mother.

All the days were full of suns.h.i.+ne, All the nights were full of starlight.

Nightly from the land of spirits On them smiled the starry faces-- Faces of their friends departed.

Little moccasins she made him, Feathered cap and belt of wampum; From the hide of fawn a blanket, Fringed with feathers, soft as sable; Singing at her pleasant labor, By her side the tekenagun, [6]

And the little hunter in it, Oft the Panther smiled and fondled, Smiled upon the babe and mother, Frolicked with the boy and fondled, Tall he grew and like his father, And they called the boy the Raven-- Called him Kak-kah-ge--the Raven.

Happy hunter was the Panther.

From the woods he brought the pheasant, Brought the red deer and the rabbit, Brought the trout from Gitchee Gumee-- Brought the mallard from the marshes-- Royal feast for boy and mother: Brought the hides of fox and beaver, Brought the skins of mink and otter, Lured the loon and took his blanket, Took his blanket for the Raven.

Winter swiftly followed winter, And again the tekenagun Held a babe--a tawny daughter, Held a dark-eyed, dimpled daughter; And they called her Waub-omee-mee Thus they named her--the White-Pigeon.

But as winter followed winter Cold and sullen grew the Panther; Sat and smoked his pipe in silence; When he spoke he spoke in anger; In the forest often tarried Many days, and homeward turning, Brought no game unto his wigwam; Only brought his empty quiver, Brought his dark and sullen visage.

Sad at heart and very lonely Sat the Sea-Gull in the wigwam; Sat and swung the tekenagun Sat and sang to Waub-omee-mee: Thus she sang to Waub-omee-mee, Thus the lullaby she chanted:

Wa-wa, wa-wa, wa-we-yea; Kah-ween, nee-zheka ke-diaus-ai, Ke-gah nau-wai, ne-me-go s'ween, Ne-baun, ne-baun, ne-daun-is ais, Wa-wa, wa-wa, wa-we-yea; Ne-baun, ne-baun, ne-daun-is-ais, E-we wa-wa, wa-we-yea, E-we wa-wa, wa-we-yea.

TRANSLATION

Swing, swing, little one, lullaby; Thou'rt not left alone to weep; Mother cares for you--she is nigh; Sleep, my little one, sweetly sleep; Swing, swing, little one, lullaby; Mother watches you--she is nigh; Gently, gently, wee one, swing; Gently, gently, while I sing E-we wa-wa--lullaby, E-we wa-wa--lullaby.

Homeward to his lodge returning Kindly greeting found the hunter, Fire to warm and food to nourish, Golden trout from Gitchee Gumee, Caught by Kah-kah-ge--the Raven.

With a snare he caught the rabbit-- Caught Wabose,[7] the furry-footed, Caught Penay,[7] the forest-drummer; Sometimes with his bow and arrows, Shot the red deer in the forest, Shot the squirrel in the pine-top, Shot Ne-ka, the wild-goose, flying.

Proud as Waub-Ojeeg, the warrior, To the lodge he bore his trophies.

So when homeward turned the Panther, Ever found he food provided, Found the lodge-fire brightly burning, Found the faithful Sea-Gull waiting.

"You are cold," she said, "and famished; Here are fire and food, my husband."

Not by word or look he answered; Only ate the food provided, Filled his pipe and pensive puffed it, Sat and smoked in sullen silence.

Once--her dark eyes full of hunger-- Thus she spoke and thus besought him: "Tell me, O my silent Panther, Tell me, O beloved husband, What has made you sad and sullen?

Have you met some evil spirit-- Met some goblin in the forest?

Has he put a spell upon you-- Filled your heart with bitter waters, That you sit so sad and sullen, Sit and smoke, but never answer, Only when the storm is on you?"

Gruffly then the Panther answered: "Brave among the brave is Panther Son of Waub-Ojeeg, the warrior, And the brave are ever silent; But a whining dog is woman, Whining ever like a coward."

Forth into the tangled forest, Threading through the th.o.r.n.y thickets, Treading trails on marsh and meadow, Sullen strode the moody hunter.

Saw he not the bear or beaver, Saw he not the elk or roebuck; From his path the red fawn scampered, But no arrow followed after; From his den the sly wolf listened, But no tw.a.n.g of bow-string heard he.

Like one walking in his slumber, Listless, dreaming, walked the Panther; Surely had some witch bewitched him, Some bad spirit of the forest.

When the Sea-Gull wed the Panther, Fair was she and full of laughter; Like the robin in the spring-time, Sang from sunrise till the sunset; But the storms of many winters Sifted frost upon her tresses, Seamed her tawny face with wrinkles.

Not alone the storms of winters Seamed her tawny face with wrinkles.

Twenty winters for the Panther Had she ruled the humble wigwam; For her haughty lord and master Borne the burdens on the journey, Gathered f.a.gots for the lodge-fire, Tanned the skins of bear and beaver, Tanned the hides of moose and red-deer; Made him moccasins and leggins, Decked his hood with quills and feathers-- Colored quills of Kaug,[8] the th.o.r.n.y, Feathers from Kenew,[8] the eagle.

For a warrior brave was Panther; Often had he met the foemen, Met the bold and fierce Dakotas, Westward on the war-path met them; And the scalps he won were numbered, Numbered seven by Kenew-feathers.

Sad at heart was Sea-Gull waiting, Watching, waiting in the wigwam; Not alone the storms of winters Sifted frost upon her tresses.

Ka-be-bon-ik-ka, the mighty,[9]

He that sends the cruel winter, He that turned to stone the Giant, From the distant Thunder-mountain, Far across broad Gitchee Gumee, Sent his warning of the winter, Sent the white frost and Kewaydin,[10]

Sent the swift and hungry North-wind.

Homeward to the South the Summer Turned and fled the naked forests.

With the Summer flew the robin, Flew the bobolink and blue-bird.

Flock-wise following chosen leaders, Like the shaftless heads of arrows Southward cleaving through the ether, Soon the wild-geese followed after.

One long moon the Sea-Gull waited, Watched and waited for her husband, Till at last she heard his footsteps, Heard him coming through the thicket.