English Narrative Poems Part 8

XX

"She came with mother and with sire-- 840 What need of more?--I will not tire With long recital of the rest, Since I became the Cossack's guest.

They found me senseless on the plain-- They bore me to the nearest hut-- 845 They brought me into life again-- Me--one day o'er their realm to reign!

Thus the vain fool who strove to glut His rage, refining on my pain, Sent me forth to the wilderness, 850 Bound, naked, bleeding, and alone, To pa.s.s the desert to a throne,-- What mortal his own doom may guess?-- Let none despond, let none despair!

To-morrow the Borysthenes 855 May see our coursers graze at ease Upon his Turkish bank,--and never Had I such welcome for a river As I shall yield when safely there.

Comrades, good night!"--The Hetman threw 860 His length beneath the oak-tree shade, With leafy couch already made, A bed nor comfortless nor new To him who took his rest whene'er The hour arrived, no matter where: 865 His eyes the hastening slumbers steep.

And if ye marvel Charles forgot To thank his tale _he_ wonder'd not,-- The king had been an hour asleep.

THE DESTRUCTION OF SENNACHERIB

The a.s.syrian came down like the wolf on the fold, And his cohorts were gleaming in purple and gold; And the sheen of their spears was like stars on the sea, When the blue wave rolls nightly on deep Galilee.

Like the leaves of the forest when Summer is green, 5 That host with their banners at sunset were seen: Like the leaves of the forest when Autumn hath blown, That host on the morrow lay withered and strown.

For the Angel of Death spread his wings on the blast, And breathed in the face of the foe as he pa.s.sed; 10 And the eyes of the sleepers waxed deadly and chill, And their hearts but once heaved, and forever grew still!

And there lay the steed with his nostril all wide, But through it there rolled not the breath of his pride; And the foam of his gasping lay white on the turf, 15 And cold as the spray of the rock-beating surf.

And there lay the rider distorted and pale, With the dew on his brow, and the rust on his mail, And the tents were all silent, the banners alone, The lances unlifted, the trumpet unblown. 20

And the widows of Ashur are loud in their wail, And the idols are broke in the temple of Baal; And the might of the Gentile, unsmote by the sword, Hath melted like snow in the glance of the Lord!

JOHN KEATS

THE EVE OF ST. AGNES

I

St. Agnes' Eve--Ah, bitter chill it was!

The owl, for all his feathers, was a-cold; The hare limp'd trembling through the frozen gra.s.s, And silent was the flock in woolly fold: Numb were the Beadsman's[143] fingers, while he told 5 His rosary, and while his frosted breath, Like pious incense from a censer old, Seem'd taking flight for heaven, without a death, Past the sweet Virgin's picture, while his prayer he saith.

II

His prayer he saith, this patient, holy man; 10 Then takes his lamp, and riseth from his knees And back returneth, meagre, barefoot, wan, Along the chapel aisle by slow degrees: The sculptured dead, on each side, seem to freeze, Emprison'd in black, purgatorial rails: 15 Knights, ladies, praying in dumb orat'ries, He pa.s.seth by; and his weak spirit fails To think how they may ache in icy hoods and mails.

III

Northward he turneth through a little door, And scarce three steps, ere Music's golden tongue 20 Flatter'd to tears this aged man and poor; But no--already had his death-bell rung; The joys of all his life were said and sung: His was harsh penance on St. Agnes' Eve; Another way he went, and soon among 25 Rough ashes sat he for his soul's reprieve, And all night kept awake, for sinners' sake to grieve.

IV

That ancient Beadsman heard the prelude soft; And so it chanced, for many a door was wide, From hurry to and fro. Soon, up aloft, 30 The silver, snarling[144] trumpets 'gan to chide: The level chambers, ready with their pride, Were glowing to receive a thousand guests: The carved angels, ever eager-eyed, Stared, where upon their heads the cornice rests, 35 With hair blown back, and wings put crosswise on their b.r.e.a.s.t.s.

V

At length burst in the argent revelry, With plume, tiara, and all rich array, Numerous as shadows haunting fairily The brain, new-stuff'd, [145]in youth, with triumphs gay 40 Of old romance. These let us wish away, And turn, sole-thoughted, to one Lady there, Whose heart had brooded, all that wintry day, On love, and wing'd St. Agnes' saintly care, As she had heard old dames full many times declare. 45

VI

They told her how, upon St. Agnes' Eve,[146]

Young virgins might have visions of delight, And soft adorings from their loves receive Upon the honey'd middle of the night, If ceremonies due they did aright; 50 As, supperless to bed they must retire, And couch supine their beauties, lily white; Nor look behind, nor sideways, but require Of Heaven with upward eyes for all that they desire.

VII

Full of this whim was thoughtful Madeline: 55 The music, yearning like a G.o.d in pain, She scarcely heard: her maiden eyes divine, Fix'd on the floor, saw many a sweeping train Pa.s.s by--she heeded not at all: in vain Came many a tiptoe, amorous cavalier, 60 And back retired; not cool'd by high disdain, But she saw not: her heart was otherwhere; She sigh'd for Agnes' dreams, the sweetest of the year.

VIII

She danced along with vague, regardless eyes, Anxious her lips, her breathing quick and short: 65 The hallow'd hour was near at hand: she sighs Amid the timbrels, and the throng'd resort Of whisperers in anger, or in sport; 'Mid looks of love, defiance, hate, and scorn, Hoodwink'd with faery fancy; all amort,[147] 70 Save to St. Agnes and her lambs[148] unshorn, And all the bliss to be before to-morrow morn.

IX

So, purposing each moment to retire, She lingered still. Meantime, across the moors, Had come young Porphyro,[149] with heart on fire 75 For Madeline. Beside the portal doors, b.u.t.tress'd[150] from moonlight, stands he, and implores All saints to give him sight of Madeline, But for one moment in the tedious hours, That he might gaze and wors.h.i.+p all unseen; 80 Perchance speak, kneel, touch, kiss--in sooth[151] such things have been.

X

He ventures in: let no buzz'd whisper tell: All eyes be m.u.f.fled, or a hundred swords Will storm his heart, Love's fev'rous citadel: For him, those chambers held barbarian hordes, 85 Hyena[152] foemen, and hot-blooded lords, Whose very dogs would execrations howl Against his lineage: not one breast affords Him any mercy, in that mansion foul, Save one old beldame,[153] weak in body and in soul. 90

XI

Ah, happy chance! the aged creature came, Shuffling along with ivory-headed wand, To where he stood, hid from the torch's flame, Behind a broad hall-pillar, far beyond The sound of merriment and chorus bland: 95 He startled her; but soon she knew his face, And grasp'd his fingers in her palsied hand, Saying, "Mercy, Porphyro! hie thee from this place; They are all here to-night, the whole bloodthirsty race!

XII

"Get hence! get hence! there's dwarfish Hildebrand; 100 He had a fever late, and in the fit He cursed thee and thine, both house and land: Then there's that old Lord Maurice, not a whit More tame for his gray hairs--Alas me! flit!

Flit like a ghost away."--"Ah, Gossip[154] dear, 105 We're safe enough; here in this armchair sit, And tell me how"--"Good Saints! not here, not here; Follow me, child, or else these stones will be thy bier."

XIII