the complete poetical works-第31节

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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　mournful　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　was　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　disconsolate　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　the　shore　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　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。

Team　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　mischances　may　happen！〃

Smiling　she　spake　these　words；　then　suddenly　paused；　for　her

father

Saw　she　slowly　advancing。　　Alas！　how　changed　was　his　aspect！

Gone　was　the　glow　from　his　cheek；　and　the　fire　from　his　eye；　and

his　footstep

Heavier　seemed　with　the　weight　of　the　heavy　heart　in　his　bosom。

But　with　a　smile　and　a　sigh；　she　clasped　his　neck　and　embraced

him；

Speaking　words　of　endearment　where　words　of　comfort　availed　not。

Thus　to　the　Gaspereau's　mouth　moved　on　that　mournful　procession。



　　There　disorder　prevailed；　and　the　tumult　and　stir　of　embarking。

Busily　plied　the　freighted　boats；　and　in　the　confusion

Wives　were　torn　from　their　husbands；　and　mothers；　too　late；　saw

their　children

Left　on　the　land；　extending　their　arms；　with　wildest　entreaties。

So　unto　separate　ships　were　Basil　and　Gabriel　carried；

While　in　despair　on　the　shore　Evangeline　stood　with　her　father。

Half　the　task　was　not　done　when　the　sun　went　down；　and　the

twilight

Deepened　and　darkened　around；　and　in　haste　the　refluent　ocean

Fled　away　from　the　shore；　and　left　the　line　of　the　sand…beach

Covered　with　waifs　of　the　tide；　with　kelp　and　the　slippery

sea…weed。

Farther　back　in　the　midst　of　the　household　goods　and　the　wagons；

Like　to　a　gypsy　camp；　or　a　leaguer　after　a　battle；

All　escape　cut　off　by　the　sea；　and　the　sentinels　near　them；

Lay　encamped　for　the　night　the　houseless　Acadian　farmers。

Back　to　its　nethermost　caves　retreated　the　bellowing　ocean；

Dragging　adown　the　beach　the　rattling　pebbles；　and　leaving

Inland　and　far　up　the　shore　the　stranded　boats　of　the　sailors。

Then；　as　the　night　descended；　the　herds　returned　from　their

pastures；

Sweet　was　the　moist　still　air　with　the　odor　of　milk　from　their

udders；

Lowing　they　waited；　and　long；　at　the　well…known　bars　of　the

farm…yard；

Waited　and　looked　in　vain　for　the　voice　and　the　hand　of　the

milkmaid。

Silence　reigned　in　the　streets；　from　the　church　no　Angelus

sounded；

Rose　no　smoke　from　the　roofs；　and　gleamed　no　lights　from　the

windows。



　　But　on　the　shores　meanwhile　the　evening　fires　had　been　kindled；

Built　of　the　drift…wood　thrown　on　the　sands　from　wrecks　in　the

tempest。

Round　them　shapes　of　gloom　and　sorrowful　faces　were　gathered；

Voices　of　women　were　heard；　and　of　men；　and　the　crying　of

children。

Onward　from　fire　to　fire；　as　from　hearth　to　hearth　in　his　parish；

Wandered　the　faithful　priest；　consoling　and　blessing　and

cheering；

Like　unto　shipwrecked　Paul　on　Melita's　desolate　sea…shore。

Thus　he　approached　the　place　where　Evangeline　sat　with　her

father；

And　in　the　flickering　light　beheld　the　face　of　the　old　man；

Haggard　and　hollow　and　wan；　and　without　either　thought　or

emotion；

E'en　as　the　face　of　a　clock　from　which　the　hands　have　been　taken。

Vainly　Evangeline　strove　with　words　and　caresses　to　cheer　him；

Vainly　offered　him　food；　yet　he　moved　not；　he　looked　not；　he

spake　not

But；　with　a　vacant　stare；　ever　gazed　at　the　flickering

fire…light。

〃Benedicite！〃　murmured　the　priest；　in　tones　of　compassion。

More　he　fain　would　have　said；　but　his　heart　was　full；　and　his

accents

Faltered　and　paused　on　his　lips；　as　the　feet　of　a　child　on　a

threshold；

Hushed　by　the　scene　he　beholds；　and　the　awful　presence　of　sorrow。

Silently；　therefore；　he　laid　his　hand　on　the　head　of　the　maiden；

Raising　his　tearful　eyes　to　the　silent　stars　that　above　them

Moved　on　their　way；　unperturbed　by　the　wrongs　and　sorrows　of

mortals。

Then　sat　he　down　at　her　side；　and　they　wept　together　in　silence。



　　Suddenly　rose　from　the　south　a　light；　as　in　autumn　the

blood…red

Moon　climbs　the　crystal　walls　of　heaven；　and　o'er　the　horizon

Titan…like　stretches　its　hundred　hands　upon　mounta