the complete poetical works-第73节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



allotment

In　the　division　of　cattle；　might　ruminate　in　the　night…time

Over　the　pastures　he　cropped；　made　fragrant　by　sweet　pennyroyal。



　　Oft　when　his　labor　was　finished；　with　eager　feet　would　the

dreamer

Follow　the　pathway　that　ran　through　the　woods　to　the　house　of

Priscilla；

Led　by　illusions　romantic　and　subtile　deceptions　of　fancy；

Pleasure　disguised　as　duty；　and　love　in　the　semblance　of

friendship。

Ever　of　her　he　thought；　when　he　fashioned　the　walls　of　his

dwelling；

Ever　of　her　he　thought；　when　he　delved　in　the　soil　of　his　garden；

Ever　of　her　he　thought；　when　he　read　in　his　Bible　on　Sunday

Praise　of　the　virtuous　woman；　as　she　is　described　in　the

Proverbs；

How　the　heart　of　her　husband　doth　safely　trust　in　her　always；

How　all　the　days　of　her　life　she　will　do　him　good；　and　not　evil；

How　she　seeketh　the　wool　and　the　flax　and　worketh　with　gladness；

How　she　layeth　her　hand　to　the　spindle　and　holdeth　the　distaff；

How　she　is　not　afraid　of　the　snow　for　herself　or　her　household；

Knowing　her　household　are　clothed　with　the　scarlet　cloth　of　her

weaving！



　　So　as　she　sat　at　her　wheel　one　afternoon　in　the　Autumn；

Alden；　who　opposite　sat；　and　was　watching　her　dexterous　fingers；

As　if　the　thread　she　was　spinning　were　that　of　his　life　and　his

fortune；

After　a　pause　in　their　talk；　thus　spake　to　the　sound　of　the

spindle。

〃Truly；　Priscilla；〃　he　said；　〃when　I　see　you　spinning　and

spinning；

Never　idle　a　moment；　but　thrifty　and　thoughtful　of　others；

Suddenly　you　are　transformed；　are　visibly　changed　in　a　moment；

You　are　no　longer　Priscilla；　but　Bertha　the　Beautiful　Spinner。〃

Here　the　light　foot　on　the　treadle　grew　swifter　and　swifter；　the

spindle

Uttered　an　angry　snarl；　and　the　thread　snapped　short　in　her

fingers；

While　the　impetuous　speaker；　not　heeding　the　mischief；　continued：

〃You　are　the　beautiful　Bertha；　the　spinner；　the　queen　of

Helvetia；

She　whose　story　I　read　at　a　stall　in　the　streets　of　Southampton；

Who；　as　she　rode　on　her　palfrey；　o'er　valley　and　meadow　and

mountain；

Ever　was　spinning　her　thread　from　a　distaff　fixed　to　her　saddle。

She　was　so　thrifty　and　good；　that　her　name　passed　into　a　proverb。

So　shall　it　be　with　your　own；　when　the　spinning…wheel　shall　no

longer

Hum　in　the　house　of　the　farmer；　and　fill　its　chambers　with　music。

Then　shall　the　mothers；　reproving；　relate　how　it　was　in　their

childhood；

Praising　the　good　old　times；　and　the　days　of　Priscilla　the

spinner！〃

Straight　uprose　from　her　wheel　the　beautiful　Puritan　maiden；

Pleased　with　the　praise　of　her　thrift　from　him　whose　praise　was

the　sweetest；

Drew　from　the　reel　on　the　table　a　snowy　skein　of　her　spinning；

Thus　making　answer；　meanwhile；　to　the　flattering　phrases　of

Alden：

〃Come；　you　must　not　be　idle；　if　I　am　a　pattern　for　housewives；

Show　yourself　equally　worthy　of　being　the　model　of　husbands。

Hold　this　skein　on　your　hands；　while　I　wind　it；　ready　for

knitting；

Then　who　knows　but　hereafter；　when　fashions　have　changed　and　the

manners；

Fathers　may　talk　to　their　sons　of　the　good　old　times　of　John

Alden！〃

Thus；　with　a　jest　and　a　laugh；　the　skein　on　his　hands　she

adjusted；

He　sitting　awkwardly　there；　with　his　arms　extended　before　him；

She　standing　graceful；　erect；　and　winding　the　thread　from　his

fingers；

Sometimes　chiding　a　little　his　clumsy　manner　of　holding；

Sometimes　touching　his　hands；　as　she　disentangled　expertly

Twist　or　knot　in　the　yarn；　unawaresfor　how　could　she　help　it？

Sending　electrical　thrills　through　every　nerve　in　his　body。



　　Lo！　in　the　midst　of　this　scene；　a　breathless　messenger　entered；

Bringing　in　hurry　and　heat　the　terrible　news　from　the　village。

Yes；　Miles　Standish　was　dead！an　Indian　had　brought　them　the

tidings；

Slain　by　a　poisoned　arrow；　shot　down　in　the　front　of　the　battle；

Into　an　ambush　beguiled；　cut　off　with　the　whole　of　his　forces；

All　the　town　would　be　burned；　and　all　the　people　be　murdered！

Such　were　the　tidings　of　evil　that　burst　on　the　hearts　of　the

hearers。

Silent　and　statue…like　stood　Priscilla；　her　face　looking　backward

Still　at　the　face　of　the　speaker；　her　arms　uplifted　in　horror；

But　John　Alden；　upstarting；　as　if　the　barb　of　the　arrow

Piercing　the　heart　of　his　friend　had　struck　his　own；　and　had

sundered

Once　and　for　ever　the　bonds　that　held　him　bound　as　a　captive；

Wild　with　excess　of　sensation；　the　awful　delight　of　his　freedom；

Mingled　with　pain　and　regret；　unconscious　of　what　he　was　doing；

Clasped；　almost　with　a　groan；　the　motionless　form　of　Priscilla；

Pressing　her　close　to　his　heart；　as　for　ever　his　own；　and

exclaiming：

〃Those　whom　the　Lord　hath　united；　let　no　man　put　them　asunder！〃



　　Even　as　rivulets　twain；　from　distant　and　separate　sources；

Seeing　each　other　afar；　as　they　leap　from　the　rocks；　and　pursuing

Each　one　its　devious　path；　but　drawing　nearer　and　nearer；

Rush　together　at　last；　at　their　trysting…place　in　the　forest；

So　these　lives　that　had　run　thus　far　in　separate　channels；

Coming　in　sight　of　each　other；　then　swerving　and　flowing　asunder；

Parted　by　barriers　strong；　but　drawing　nearer　and　nearer；

Rushed　together　at　last；　and　one　was　lost　in　the　other。







IX



THE　WEDDING…DAY



Forth　from　the　curtain　of　clouds；　from　the　tent　of　purple　and

scarlet；

Issued　the　sun；　the　great　High…Priest；　in　his　garments

resplendent；

Holiness　unto　the　Lord；　in　letters　of　light；　on　his　forehead；

Round　the　hem　of　his　robe　the　golden　bells　and　pomegranates。

Blessing　the　world　he　came；　and　the　bars　of　vapor　beneath　him

Gleamed　like　a　grate　of　brass；　and　the　sea　at　his　feet　was　a

laver！



　　This　was　the　wedding　morn　of　Priscilla　the　Puritan　maiden。

Friends　were　assembled　together；　the　Elder　and　Magistrate　also

Graced　the　scene　with　their　presence；　and　stood　like　the　Law　and

the　Gospel；

One　with　the　sanction　of　earth　and　one　with　the　blessing　of

heaven。

Simple　and　brief　was　the　wedding；　as　that　of　Ruth　and　of　Boaz。

Softly　the　youth　and　the　maiden　repeated　the　words　of　betrothal；

Taking　each　other　for　husband　and　wife　in　the　Magistrate's

presence；

After　the　Puritan　way；　and　the　laudable　custom　of　Holland。

Fervently　then；　and　devoutly；　the　excellent　Elder　of　Plymouth

Prayed　for　the　hearth　and　the　home；　that　were　founded　that　day　in

affection；

Speaking　of　life　and　of　death；　and　imploring　divine　benedictions。



　　Lo！　when　the　service　was　ended；　a　form　appeared　on　the

threshold；

Clad　in　armor　of　steel；　a　sombre　and　sorrowful　figure！

Why　does　the　bridegroom　start　and　stare　at　the　strange

apparition？

Why　does　the　bride　turn　pale；　and　hide　her　face　on　his　shoulder？

Is　it　a　phantom　of　air；a　bodiless；　spectral　illusion？

Is　it　a　ghost　from　the　grave；　that　has　come　to　forbid　the

betrothal？

Long　had　it　stood　there　unseen；　a　guest　uninvited；　unwelcomed；

Over　its　clouded　eyes　there　had　passed　at　times　an　expression

Softening　the　gloom　and　revealing　the　warm　heart　hidden　beneath

them；

As　when　across　the　sky　the　driving　rack　of　the　rain…cloud

Grows　for　a　moment　thin；　and　betrays　the　sun　by　its　brightness。

Once　it　had　lifted　its　hand；　and　moved　its　lips；　but　was　silent；

As　if　an　iron　will　had　mastered　the　fleeting　intention。

But　when　were　ended　the　troth　and　the　prayer　and　the　last

benediction；

Into　the　room　it　strode；　and　the　people　beheld　with　amazement

Bodily　there　in　his　armor　Miles　Standish；　the　Captain　of

Plymouth！

Grasping　the　bridegroom's　hand；　he　said　with　emotion；　〃Forgive

me！

I　have　been　angry　and　hurt；too　long　have　I　cherished　the

feeling；

I　have　been　cruel　and　hard；　but　now；　thank　God！　it　is　ended。

Mine　is　the　same　hot　blood　that　leaped　in　the　veins　of　Hugh

Standish；

Sensitive；　swift　to　resent；　but　as　swift　in　atoning　for　error。

Never　so　much　as　now　was　Miles　Standish　the　friend　of　John

Alden。〃

Thereupon　answered　the　bridegroom：　〃Let　all　be　forgotten　between

us；

All　save　the　dear；　old　friendship；　and　that　shall　grow　older　and

dearer！〃

Then　the　Captain　advanced；　and；　bowing；　saluted　Priscilla；

Gravely；　and　after　the　manner　of　old…fashioned　gentry　in　England；

Something　of　camp　and　of　court；　of　town　and　of　country；

commingled；

Wishing　her　joy　of　her　wedding；　and　loudly　lauding　her　husband。

Then　he　said　with　a　smile：　〃I　should　have　remembered　the　adage；

If　you　would　be　well　served；　you　must　serve　yourself；　and

moreover；

No　man　can　gather　cherries　in　Kent　at　the　season　of　Christmas！〃



　　Great　was　the　people's　amazement；　and　greater　yet　their

rejoicing；

Thus　to　behold　once　more　the　sun…burnt　face　of　their　Captain；

Whom　they　had　mourned　as　dead；　and　they　gathered　and　crowded

about　him；

Eager　to　see　him　and　hear　him；　forgetful　of　bride　and　of

bridegroom；

Questioning；　answering；　laughing；　and　each　interrupting　the

other；

Till　the　good　Captain　declared；　being　quite　overpowered　and

bewildered；

He　had　rather　by　far　break　into　an　Indian　encampment；

Than　come　again　to　a　wedding　to　which　he　had　not　been　invit