the complete poetical works-第104节

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And　the　Musician　with　a　bound

Sprang　up　in　terror　from　his　chair；

And　for　a　moment　listening　stood；

Then　strode　across　the　room；　and　found

His　dear；　his　darling　violin

Still　lying　safe　asleep　within

Its　little　cradle；　like　a　child

That　gives　a　sudden　cry　of　pain；

And　wakes　to　fall　asleep　again；

And　as　he　looked　at　it　and　smiled；

By　the　uncertain　light　beguiled；

Despair！　two　strings　were　broken　in　twain。



While　all　lamented　and　made　moan；

With　many　a　sympathetic　word

As　if　the　loss　had　been　their　own；

Deeming　the　tones　they　might　have　heard

Sweeter　than　they　had　heard　before；

They　saw　the　Landlord　at　the　door；

The　missing　man；　the　portly　Squire！

He　had　not　entered；　but　he　stood

With　both　arms　full　of　seasoned　wood；

To　feed　the　much…devouring　fire；

That　like　a　lion　in　a　cage

Lashed　its　long　tail　and　roared　with　rage。



The　missing　man！　　Ah；　yes；　they　said；

Missing；　but　whither　had　he　fled？

Where　had　he　hidden　himself　away？

No　farther　than　the　barn　or　shed；

He　had　not　hidden　himself；　nor　fled；

How　should　he　pass　the　rainy　day

But　in　his　barn　with　hens　and　hay；

Or　mending　harness；　cart；　or　sled？

Now；　having　come；　he　needs　must　stay

And　tell　his　tale　as　well　as　they。



The　Landlord　answered　only：　〃These

Are　logs　from　the　dead　apple…trees

Of　the　old　orchard　planted　here

By　the　first　Howe　of　Sudbury。

Nor　oak　nor　maple　has　so　clear

A　flame；　or　burns　so　quietly；

Or　leaves　an　ash　so　clean　and　white〃；

Thinking　by　this　to　put　aside

The　impending　tale　that　terrified；

When　suddenly；　to　his　delight；

The　Theologian　interposed；

Saying　that　when　the　door　was　closed；

And　they　had　stopped　that　draft　of　cold；

Unpleasant　night　air；　he　proposed

To　tell　a　tale　world…wide　apart

From　that　the　Student　had　just　told；

World…wide　apart；　and　yet　akin；

As　showing　that　the　human　heart

Beats　on　forever　as　of　old；

As　well　beneath　the　snow…white　fold

Of　Quaker　kerchief；　as　within

Sendal　or　silk　or　cloth　of　gold；

And　without　preface　would　begin。



And　then　the　clamorous　clock　struck　eight；

Deliberate；　with　sonorous　chime

Slow　measuring　out　the　march　of　time；

Like　some　grave　Consul　of　old　Rome

In　Jupiter's　temple　driving　home

The　nails　that　marked　the　year　and　date。

Thus　interrupted　in　his　rhyme；

The　Theologian　needs　must　wait；

But　quoted　Horace；　where　he　sings

The　dire　Necessity　of　things；

That　drives　into　the　roofs　sublime

Of　new…built　houses　of　the　great

The　adamantine　nails　of　Fate。



When　ceased　the　little　carillon

To　herald　from　its　wooden　tower

The　important　transit　of　the　hour；

The　Theologian　hastened　on；

Content　to　be　all　owed　at　last

To　sing　his　Idyl　of　the　Past。







THE　THEOLOGIAN'S　TALE



ELIZABETH



I



〃Ah；　how　short　are　the　days！　　How　soon　the　night　overtakes　us！

In　the　old　country　the　twilight　is　longer；　but　here　in　the　forest

Suddenly　comes　the　dark；　with　hardly　a　pause　in　its　coming；

Hardly　a　moment　between　the　two　lights；　the　day　and　the

lamplight；

Yet　how　grand　is　the　winter！　　How　spotless　the　snow　is；　and

perfect！〃



　　Thus　spake　Elizabeth　Haddon　at　nightfall　to　Hannah　the

housemaid；

As　in　the　farm…house　kitchen；　that　served　for　kitchen　and　parlor；

By　the　window　she　sat　with　her　work；　and　looked　on　a　landscape

White　as　the　great　white　sheet　that　Peter　saw　in　his　vision；

By　the　four　corners　let　down　and　descending　out　of　the　heavens。

Covered　with　snow　were　the　forests　of　pine；　and　the　fields　and

the　meadows。

Nothing　was　dark　but　the　sky；　and　the　distant　Delaware　flowing

Down　from　its　native　hills；　a　peaceful　and　bountiful　river。



　　Then　with　a　smile　on　her　lips　made　answer　Hannah　the　housemaid：

〃Beautiful　winter！　yea；　the　winter　is　beautiful；　surely；

If　one　could　only　walk　like　a　fly　with　one's　feet　on　the　ceiling。

But　the　great　Delaware　River　is　not　like　the　Thames；　as　we　saw　it

Out　of　our　upper　windows　in　Rotherhithe　Street　in　the　Borough；

Crowded　with　masts　and　sails　of　vessels　coming　and　going；

Here　there　is　nothing　but　pines；　with　patches　of　snow　on　their

branches。

There　is　snow　in　the　air；　and　see！　it　is　falling　already；

All　the　roads　will　be　blocked；　and　I　pity　Joseph　to…morrow；

Breaking　his　way　through　the　drifts；　with　his　sled　and　oxen；　and

then；　too；

How　in　all　the　world　shall　we　get　to　Meeting　on　First…Day？〃



　　But　Elizabeth　checked　her；　and　answered；　mildly　reproving：

〃Surely　the　Lord　will　provide；　for　unto　the　snow　he　sayeth；

Be　thou　on　the　earth；　the　good　Lord　sayeth；　he　is　it

Giveth　snow　like　wool；　like　ashes　scatters　the　hoar…frost。〃

So　she　folded　her　work　and　laid　it　away　in　her　basket。



　　Meanwhile　Hannah　the　housemaid　had　closed　and　fastened　the

shutters；

Spread　the　cloth；　and　lighted　the　lamp　on　the　table；　and　placed

there

Plates　and　cups　from　the　dresser；　the　brown　rye　loaf；　and　the

butter

Fresh　from　the　dairy；　and　then；　protecting　her　hand　with　a

holder；

Took　from　the　crane　in　the　chimney　the　steaming　and　simmering

kettle；

Poised　it　aloft　in　the　air；　and　filled　up　the　earthen　teapot；

Made　in　Delft；　and　adorned　with　quaint　and　wonderful　figures。



　　Then　Elizabeth　said；　〃Lo！　Joseph　is　long　on　his　errand。

I　have　sent　him　away　with　a　hamper　of　food　and　of　clothing

For　the　poor　in　the　village。　　A　good　lad　and　cheerful　is　Joseph；

In　the　right　place　is　his　heart；　and　his　hand　is　ready　and

willing。〃



　　Thus　in　praise　of　her　servant　she　spake；　and　Hannah　the

housemaid

Laughed　with　her　eyes；　as　she　listened；　but　governed　her　tongue；

and　was　silent；

While　her　mistress　went　on：　〃The　house　is　far　from　the　village；

We　should　be　lonely　here；　were　it　not　for　Friends　that　in　passing

Sometimes　tarry　o'ernight；　and　make　us　glad　by　their　coming。〃



　　Thereupon　answered　Hannah　the　housemaid；　the　thrifty；　the

frugal：

〃Yea；　they　come　and　they　tarry；　as　if　thy　house　were　a　tavern；

Open　to　all　are　its　doors；　and　they　come　and　go　like　the　pigeons

In　and　out　of　the　holes　of　the　pigeon…house　over　the　hayloft；

Cooing　and　smoothing　their　feathers　and　basking　themselves　in　the

sunshine。〃



　　But　in　meekness　of　spirit；　and　calmly；　Elizabeth　answered：

〃All　I　have　is　the　Lord's；　not　mine　to　give　or　withhold　it；

I　but　distribute　his　gifts　to　the　poor；　and　to　those　of　his

people

Who　in　journeyings　often　surrender　their　lives　to　his　service。

His；　not　mine；　are　the　gifts；　and　only　so　far　can　I　make　them

Mine；　as　in　giving　I　add　my　heart　to　whatever　is　given。

Therefore　my　excellent　father　first　built　this　house　in　the

clearing；

Though　he　came　not　himself；　I　came；　for　the　Lord　was　my　guidance；

Leading　me　here　for　this　service。　　We　must　not　grudge；　then；　to

others

Ever　the　cup　of　cold　water；　or　crumbs　that　fall　from　our　table。〃



　　Thus　rebuked；　for　a　season　was　silent　the　penitent　housemaid；

And　Elizabeth　said　in　tones　even　sweeter　and　softer：

〃Dost　thou　remember；　Hannah；　the　great　May…Meeting　in　London；

When　I　was　still　a　child；　how　we　sat　in　the　silent　assembly；

Waiting　upon　the　Lord　in　patient　and　passive　submission？

No　one　spake；　till　at　length　a　young　man；　a　stranger；　John

Estaugh；

Moved　by　the　Spirit；　rose；　as　if　he　were　John　the　Apostle；

Speaking　such　words　of　power　that　they　bowed　our　hearts；　as　a

strong　wind

Bends　the　grass　of　the　fields；　or　grain　that　is　ripe　for　the

sickle。

Thoughts　of　him　to…day　have　been　oft　borne　inward　upon　me；

Wherefore　I　do　not　know；　but　strong　is　the　feeling　within　me

That　once　more　I　shall　see　a　face　I　have　never　forgotten。〃





II



E'en　as　she　spake　they　heard　the　musical　jangle　of　sleigh…bells；

First　far　off；　with　a　dreamy　sound　and　faint　in　the　distance；

Then　growing　nearer　and　louder；　and　turning　into　the　farmyard；

Till　it　stopped　at　the　door；　with　sudden　creaking　of　runners。

Then　there　were　voices　heard　as　of　two　men　talking　together；

And　to　herself；　as　she　listened；　upbraiding　said　Hannah　the

housemaid；

〃It　is　Joseph　come　back；　and　I　wonder　what　stranger　is　with　him？〃



　　Down　from　its　nail　she　took　and　lighted　the　great　tin　lantern

Pierced　with　holes；　and　round；　and　roofed　like　the　top　of　a

lighthouse；

And　went　forth　to　receive　the　coming　guest　at　the　doorway；

Casting　into　the　dark　a　network　of　glimmer　and　shadow

Over　the　falling　snow；　the　yellow　sleigh；　and　the　horses；

And　the　forms　of　men；　snow…covered；　looming　gigantic。

Then　giving　Joseph　the　lantern；　she　entered　the　house　with　the

stranger。

Youthful　he　was　and　tall；　and　his　cheeks　aglow　with　the　night

air；

And　as　he　entered；　Elizabeth　rose；　and；　going　to　meet　him；

As　if　an　unseen　power　had　announced　and　preceded　his　presence；

And　he　had　come　as　one　whose　coming　had　long　been　expected；

Quietly　gave　him　her　hand；　and　said；　〃Thou　art　welcome；　John

Estaugh。〃

And　the　stranger　replied；　with　staid　and　quiet　behavior；

〃Dost　thou　remember　me　still；　Elizabeth？　　After　so　many

Years　have　passed；　it　seemeth　a　wonderful　thing　that　I　find　thee。