_
"Yet thine old love's falchion brave is as strong a thing to have,
As the will of lady fair.
"Yet thine old love's falchion brave is as strong a thing to have,
As the will of lady fair.
Elizabeth Browning - 2
III.
The maidens lean them over
The waters, side by side,
And shun each other's deepening eyes,
And gaze adown the tide;
For each within a little boat
A little lamp hath put,
And heaped for freight some lily's weight
Or scarlet rose half shut.
The river floweth on.
IV.
Of shell of cocoa carven
Each little boat is made;
Each carries a lamp, and carries a flower,
And carries a hope unsaid;
And when the boat hath carried the lamp
Unquenched till out of sight,
The maiden is sure that love will endure;
But love will fail with light.
The river floweth on.
V.
Why, all the stars are ready
To symbolize the soul,
The stars untroubled by the wind,
Unwearied as they roll;
And yet the soul by instinct sad
Reverts to symbols low--
To that small flame, whose very name
Breathed o'er it, shakes it so!
The river floweth on.
VI.
Six boats are on the river,
Seven maidens on the shore,
While still above them steadfastly
The stars shine evermore.
Go, little boats, go soft and safe,
And guard the symbol spark!
The boats aright go safe and bright
Across the waters dark.
The river floweth on.
VII.
The maiden Luti watcheth
Where onwardly they float:
That look in her dilating eyes
Might seem to drive her boat:
Her eyes still mark the constant fire,
And kindling unawares
That hopeful while, she lets a smile
Creep silent through her prayers.
The river floweth on.
VIII.
The smile--where hath it wandered?
She riseth from her knee,
She holds her dark, wet locks away--
There is no light to see!
She cries a quick and bitter cry--
"Nuleeni, launch me thine!
We must have light abroad to-night,
For all the wreck of mine. "
The river floweth on.
IX.
"I do remember watching
Beside this river-bed
When on my childish knee was leaned
My dying father's head;
I turned mine own to keep the tears
From falling on his face:
What doth it prove when Death and Love
Choose out the self-same place? "
The river floweth on.
X.
"They say the dead are joyful
The death-change here receiving:
Who say--ah me! who dare to say
Where joy comes to the living?
Thy boat, Nuleeni! look not sad--
Light up the waters rather!
I weep no faithless lover where
I wept a loving father. "
The river floweth on.
XI.
"My heart foretold his falsehood
Ere my little boat grew dim;
And though I closed mine eyes to dream
That one last dream of _him_,
They shall not now be wet to see
The shining vision go:
From earth's cold love I look above
To the holy house of snow. "[2]
The river floweth on.
XII.
"Come thou--thou never knewest
A grief, that thou shouldst fear one!
Thou wearest still the happy look
That shines beneath a dear one:
Thy humming-bird is in the sun,[3]
Thy cuckoo in the grove,
And all the three broad worlds, for thee
Are full of wandering love. "
The river floweth on.
XIII.
"Why, maiden, dost thou loiter?
What secret wouldst thou cover?
That peepul cannot hide thy boat,
And I can guess thy lover;
I heard thee sob his name in sleep,
It was a name I knew:
Come, little maid, be not afraid,
But let us prove him true! "
The river floweth on.
XIV.
The little maiden cometh,
She cometh shy and slow;
I ween she seeth through her lids
They drop adown so low:
Her tresses meet her small bare feet,
She stands and speaketh nought,
Yet blusheth red as if she said
The name she only thought.
The river floweth on.
XV.
She knelt beside the water,
She lighted up the flame,
And o'er her youthful forehead's calm
The fitful radiance came:--
"Go, little boat, go soft and safe,
And guard the symbol spark! "
Soft, safe doth float the little boat
Across the waters dark.
The river floweth on.
XVI.
Glad tears her eyes have blinded,
The light they cannot reach;
She turneth with that sudden smile
She learnt before her speech--
"I do not hear his voice, the tears
Have dimmed my light away,
But the symbol light will last to-night,
The love will last for aye! "
The river floweth on.
XVII.
Then Luti spake behind her,
Outspake she bitterly--
"By the symbol light that lasts to-night,
Wilt vow a vow to me? "
Nuleeni gazeth up her face,
Soft answer maketh she--
"By loves that last when lights are past,
I vow that vow to thee! "
The river floweth on.
XVIII.
An earthly look had Luti
Though her voice was deep as prayer--
"The rice is gathered from the plains
To cast upon thine hair:[4]
But when _he_ comes his marriage-band
Around thy neck to throw,
Thy bride-smile raise to meet his gaze,
And whisper,--_There is one betrays,
While Luti suffers woe. _"
The river floweth on.
XIX.
"And when in seasons after,
Thy little bright-faced son
Shall lean against thy knee and ask
What deeds his sire hath done,--
Press deeper down thy mother-smile
His glossy curls among,
View deep his pretty childish eyes,
And whisper,--_There is none denies,
While Luti speaks of wrong. _"
The river floweth on.
XX.
Nuleeni looked in wonder,
Yet softly answered she--
"By loves that last when lights are past,
I vowed that vow to thee:
But why glads it thee that a bride-day be
By a word of _woe_ defiled?
That a word of _wrong_ take the cradle-song
From the ear of a sinless child? "
"Why? " Luti said, and her laugh was dread,
And her eyes dilated wild--
"That the fair new love may her bridegroom prove,
And the father shame the child! "
The river floweth on.
XXI.
"Thou flowest still, O river,
Thou flowest 'neath the moon;
Thy lily hath not changed a leaf,[5]
Thy charmèd lute a tune:
_He_ mixed his voice with thine and _his_
Was all I heard around;
But now, beside his chosen bride,
I hear the river's sound. "
The river floweth on.
XXII.
"I gaze upon her beauty
Through the tresses that enwreathe it;
The light above thy wave, is hers--
My rest, alone beneath it:
Oh, give me back the dying look
My father gave thy water!
Give back--and let a little love
O'erwatch his weary daughter! "
The river floweth on.
XXIII.
"Give back! " she hath departed--
The word is wandering with her;
And the stricken maidens hear afar
The step and cry together.
Frail symbols? None are frail enow
For mortal joys to borrow! --
While bright doth float Nuleeni's boat,
She weepeth dark with sorrow.
The river floweth on.
FOOTNOTES:
[2] The Hindoo heaven is localized on the summit of Mount Meru--one of
the mountains of Himalaya or Himmaleh, which signifies, I believe, in
Sanscrit, the abode of snow, winter, or coldness.
[3] Himadeva, the Indian god of love, is imagined to wander through
the three worlds, accompanied by the humming-bird, cuckoo, and gentle
breezes.
[4] The casting of rice upon the head, and the fixing of the band or
tali about the neck, are parts of the Hindoo marriage ceremonial.
[5] The Ganges is represented as a white woman, with a water-lily in
her right hand, and in her left a lute.
_RHYME OF THE DUCHESS MAY. _
I.
To the belfry, one by one, went the ringers from the sun,
_Toll slowly. _
And the oldest ringer said, "Ours is music for the dead
When the rebecks are all done. "
II.
Six abeles i' the churchyard grow on the north side in a row,
_Toll slowly. _
And the shadows of their tops rock across the little slopes
Of the grassy graves below.
III.
On the south side and the west a small river runs in haste,
_Toll slowly. _
And, between the river flowing and the fair green trees a-growing,
Do the dead lie at their rest.
IV.
On the east I sate that day, up against a willow grey:
_Toll slowly. _
Through the rain of willow-branches I could see the low hill-ranges
And the river on its way.
V.
There I sate beneath the tree, and the bell tolled solemnly,
_Toll slowly. _
While the trees' and river's voices flowed between the solemn noises,--
Yet death seemed more loud to me.
VI.
There I read this ancient rhyme while the bell did all the time
_Toll slowly. _
And the solemn knell fell in with the tale of life and sin,
Like a rhythmic fate sublime.
THE RHYME.
I.
Broad the forests stood (I read) on the hills of Linteged,
_Toll slowly. _
And three hundred years had stood mute adown each hoary wood,
Like a full heart having prayed.
II.
And the little birds sang east, and the little birds sang west,
_Toll slowly. _
And but little thought was theirs of the silent antique years,
In the building of their nest.
III.
Down the sun dropt large and red on the towers of Linteged,--
_Toll slowly. _
Lance and spear upon the height, bristling strange in fiery light,
While the castle stood in shade.
IV.
There the castle stood up black with the red sun at its back--
_Toll slowly_--
Like a sullen smouldering pyre with a top that flickers fire
When the wind is on its track.
V.
And five hundred archers tall did besiege the castle wall--
_Toll slowly. _
And the castle, seethed in blood, fourteen days and nights had stood
And to-night was near its fall.
VI.
Yet thereunto, blind to doom, three months since, a bride did come--
_Toll slowly. _
One who proudly trod the floors and softly whispered in the doors,
"May good angels bless our home. "
VII.
Oh, a bride of queenly eyes, with a front of constancies:
_Toll slowly. _
Oh, a bride of cordial mouth where the untired smile of youth
Did light outward its own sighs!
VIII.
'T was a Duke's fair orphan-girl, and her uncle's ward--the Earl--
_Toll slowly. _
Who betrothed her twelve years old, for the sake of dowry gold,
To his son Lord Leigh the churl.
IX.
But what time she had made good all her years of womanhood--
_Toll slowly. _
Unto both these lords of Leigh spake she out right sovranly,
"My will runneth as my blood.
X.
"And while this same blood makes red this same right hand's veins,"
she said--
_Toll slowly_--
"'T is my will, as lady free, not to wed a lord of Leigh,
But Sir Guy of Linteged. "
XI.
The old Earl he smilèd smooth, then he sighed for wilful youth--
_Toll slowly. _
"Good my niece, that hand withal looketh somewhat soft and small
For so large a will, in sooth. "
XII.
She too smiled by that same sign, but her smile was cold and fine--
_Toll slowly. _
"Little hand clasps muckle gold, or it were not worth the hold
Of thy son, good uncle mine! "
XIII.
Then the young lord jerked his breath, and sware thickly in his teeth--
_Toll slowly_--
"He would wed his own betrothed, an she loved him an she loathed,
Let the life come or the death. "
XIV.
Up she rose with scornful eyes, as her father's child might rise--
_Toll slowly. _
"Thy hound's blood, my lord of Leigh, stains thy knightly heel,"
quoth she,
"And he moans not where he lies:
XV.
"But a woman's will dies hard, in the hall or on the sward"--
_Toll slowly. _
"By that grave, my lords, which made me orphaned girl and dowered lady,
I deny you wife and ward! "
XVI.
Unto each she bowed her head and swept past with lofty tread.
_Toll slowly. _
Ere the midnight-bell had ceased, in the chapel had the priest
Blessed her, bride of Linteged.
XVII.
Fast and fain the bridal train along the night-storm rode amain--
_Toll slowly. _
Hard the steeds of lord and serf struck their hoofs out on the turf,
In the pauses of the rain.
XVIII.
Fast and fain the kinsmen's train along the storm pursued amain--
_Toll slowly. _
Steed on steed-track, dashing off,--thickening, doubling, hoof on hoof,
In the pauses of the rain.
XIX.
And the bridegroom led the flight on his red-roan steed of might--
_Toll slowly. _
And the bride lay on his arm, still, as if she feared no harm,
Smiling out into the night.
XX.
"Dost thou fear? " he said at last. "Nay," she answered him in haste,--
_Toll slowly. _
"Not such death as we could find--only life with one behind.
Ride on fast as fear, ride fast! "
XXI.
Up the mountain wheeled the steed--girth to ground, and fetlocks
spread--
_Toll slowly. _
Headlong bounds, and rocking flanks,--down he staggered, down the
banks,
To the towers of Linteged.
XXII.
High and low the serfs looked out, red the flambeaus tossed about--
_Toll slowly. _
In the courtyard rose the cry, "Live the Duchess and Sir Guy! "
But she never heard them shout.
XXIII.
On the steed she dropped her cheek, kissed his mane and kissed his
neck--
_Toll slowly. _
"I had happier died by thee than lived on, a Lady Leigh,"
Were the first words she did speak.
XXIV.
But a three months' joyaunce lay 'twixt that moment and to-day--
_Toll slowly. _
When five hundred archers tall stand beside the castle wall
To recapture Duchess May.
XXV.
And the castle standeth black with the red sun at its back--
_Toll slowly. _
And a fortnight's siege is done, and, except the duchess, none
Can misdoubt the coming wrack.
XXVI.
Then the captain, young Lord Leigh, with his eyes so grey of blee--
_Toll slowly. _
And thin lips that scarcely sheath the cold white gnashing of his
teeth,
Gnashed in smiling, absently,--
XXVII.
Cried aloud, "So goes the day, bridegroom fair of Duchess May! "
_Toll slowly. _
"Look thy last upon that sun! if thou seest to-morrow's one
'T will be through a foot of clay.
XXVIII.
"Ha, fair bride! dost hear no sound save that moaning of the hound? "
_Toll slowly. _
"Thou and I have parted troth, yet I keep my vengeance-oath,
And the other may come round.
XXIX.
"Ha! thy will is brave to dare, and thy new love past compare"--
_Toll slowly.
_
"Yet thine old love's falchion brave is as strong a thing to have,
As the will of lady fair.
XXX.
"Peck on blindly, netted dove! If a wife's name thee behove"--
_Toll slowly_--
"Thou shalt wear the same to-morrow, ere the grave has hid the sorrow
Of thy last ill-mated love.
XXXI.
"O'er his fixed and silent mouth, thou and I will call back troth":
_Toll slowly. _
"He shall altar be and priest,--and he will not cry at least
'I forbid you, I am loth! '
XXXII.
"I will wring thy fingers pale in the gauntlet of my mail":
_Toll slowly. _
"'Little hand and muckle gold' close shall lie within my hold,
As the sword did, to prevail. "
XXXIII.
Oh, the little birds sang east, and the little birds sang west--
_Toll slowly. _
Oh, and laughed the Duchess May, and her soul did put away
All his boasting, for a jest.
XXXIV.
In her chamber did she sit, laughing low to think of it,--
_Toll slowly. _
"Tower is strong and will is free: thou canst boast, my lord of Leigh,
But thou boastest little wit. "
XXXV.
In her tire-glass gazèd she, and she blushed right womanly--
_Toll slowly. _
She blushed half from her disdain, half her beauty was so plain,
--"Oath for oath, my lord of Leigh! "
XXXVI.
Straight she called her maidens in--"Since ye gave me blame herein"--
_Toll slowly_--
"That a bridal such as mine should lack gauds to make it fine,
Come and shrive me from that sin.
XXXVII.
"It is three months gone to-day since I gave mine hand away":
_Toll slowly. _
"Bring the gold and bring the gem, we will keep bride-state in them,
While we keep the foe at bay.
XXXVIII.
"On your arms I loose mine hair; comb it smooth and crown it fair":
_Toll slowly. _
"I would look in purple pall from this lattice down the wall,
And throw scorn to one that's there! "
XXXIX.
Oh, the little birds sang east, and the little birds sang west--
_Toll slowly. _
On the tower the castle's lord leant in silence on his sword,
With an anguish in his breast.
XL.
With a spirit-laden weight did he lean down passionate:
_Toll slowly. _
They have almost sapped the wall,--they will enter therewithal
With no knocking at the gate.
XLI.
Then the sword he leant upon, shivered, snapped upon the stone--
_Toll slowly. _
"Sword," he thought, with inward laugh, "ill thou servest for a staff
When thy nobler use is done!
XLII.
"Sword, thy nobler use is done! tower is lost, and shame begun! "--
_Toll slowly. _
"If we met them in the breach, hilt to hilt or speech to speech,
We should die there, each for one.
XLIII.
"If we met them at the wall, we should singly, vainly fall"--
_Toll slowly. _
"But if _I_ die here alone,--then I die who am but one,
And die nobly for them all.
XLIV.
"Five true friends lie for my sake in the moat and in the brake"--
_Toll slowly. _
"Thirteen warriors lie at rest with a black wound in the breast,
And not one of these will wake.
XLV.
"So, no more of this shall be! heart-blood weighs too heavily"--
_Toll slowly. _
"And I could not sleep in grave, with the faithful and the brave
Heaped around and over me.
XLVI.
"Since young Clare a mother hath, and young Ralph a plighted faith"--
_Toll slowly. _
"Since my pale young sister's cheeks blush like rose when Ronald
speaks,
Albeit never a word she saith--
XLVII.
"These shall never die for me: life-blood falls too heavily":
_Toll slowly. _
"And if _I_ die here apart, o'er my dead and silent heart
They shall pass out safe and free.
XLVIII.
"When the foe hath heard it said--'Death holds Guy of Linteged'"--
_Toll slowly. _
"That new corse new peace shall bring, and a blessèd, blessèd thing
Shall the stone be at its head.
XLIX.
"Then my friends shall pass out free, and shall bear my memory"--
_Toll slowly. _
"Then my foes shall sleek their pride, soothing fair my widowed bride
Whose sole sin was love of me:
L.
"With their words all smooth and sweet, they will front her and
entreat"--
_Toll slowly. _
"And their purple pall will spread underneath her fainting head
While her tears drop over it.
LI.
"She will weep her woman's tears, she will pray her woman's prayers"--
_Toll slowly. _
"But her heart is young in pain, and her hopes will spring again
By the suntime of her years.
LII.
"Ah, sweet May! ah, sweetest grief! --once I vowed thee my belief"--
_Toll slowly_--
"That thy name expressed thy sweetness,--May of poets, in completeness!
Now my May-day seemeth brief. "
LIII.
All these silent thoughts did swim o'er his eyes grown strange and
dim--
_Toll slowly. _
Till his true men, in the place, wished they stood there face to face
With the foe instead of him.
LIV.
"One last oath, my friends that wear faithful hearts to do and dare! "
_Toll slowly. _
"Tower must fall and bride be lost--swear me service worth the cost! "
Bold they stood around to swear.
LV.
"Each man clasp my hand and swear by the deed we failed in there"--
_Toll slowly. _
"Not for vengeance, not for right, will ye strike one blow to-night! "
Pale they stood around to swear.
LVI.
"One last boon, young Ralph and Clare! faithful hearts to do and dare! "
_Toll slowly. _
"Bring that steed up from his stall, which she kissed before you all.
Guide him up the turret-stair.
LVII.
"Ye shall harness him aright, and lead upward to this height:"
_Toll slowly. _
"Once in love and twice in war hath he borne me strong and far:
He shall bear me far to-night. "
LVIII.
Then his men looked to and fro, when they heard him speaking so--
_Toll slowly. _
"'Las! the noble heart," they thought, "he in sooth is grief-
distraught:
Would we stood here with the foe! "
LIX.
But a fire flashed from his eye, 'twixt their thought and their reply--
_Toll slowly. _
"Have ye so much time to waste? We who ride here, must ride fast
As we wish our foes to fly. "
LX.
They have fetched the steed with care, in the harness he did wear--
_Toll slowly. _
Past the court and through the doors, across the rushes of the floors,
But they goad him up the stair.
LXI.
Then from out her bower chambère did the Duchess May repair:
_Toll slowly. _
"Tell me now what is your need," said the lady, "of this steed,
That ye goad him up the stair? "
LXII.
Calm she stood; unbodkined through, fell her dark hair to her shoe:
_Toll slowly. _
And the smile upon her face, ere she left the tiring-glass,
Had not time enough to go.
LXIII.
"Get thee back, sweet Duchess May! hope is gone like yesterday":
_Toll slowly. _
One half-hour completes the breach; and thy lord grows wild of speech--
Get thee in, sweet lady, and pray!
LXIV.
"In the east tower, high'st of all, loud he cries for steed from
stall":
_Toll slowly. _
"'He would ride as far,' quoth he, 'as for love and victory,
Though he rides the castle-wall. '
LXV.
"And we fetch the steed from stall, up where never a hoof did fall"--
_Toll slowly. _
"Wifely prayer meets deathly need: may the sweet Heavens hear thee
plead
If he rides the castle-wall! "
LXVI.
Low she dropt her head, and lower, till her hair coiled on the floor--
_Toll slowly. _
And tear after tear you heard fall distinct as any word
Which you might be listening for.
LXVII.
"Get thee in, thou soft ladye! here is never a place for thee! "
_Toll slowly. _
"Braid thine hair and clasp thy gown, that thy beauty in its moan
May find grace with Leigh of Leigh. "
LXVIII.
She stood up in bitter case, with a pale yet steady face:
_Toll slowly. _
Like a statue thunderstruck, which, though quivering, seems to look
Right against the thunder-place.
LXIX.
And her foot trod in, with pride, her own tears i' the stone beside--
_Toll slowly. _
"Go to, faithful friends, go to! judge no more what ladies do,
No, nor how their lords may ride! "
LXX.
Then the good steed's rein she took, and his neck did kiss and stroke:
_Toll slowly. _
Soft he neighed to answer her, and then followed up the stair
For the love of her sweet look:
LXXI.
Oh, and steeply, steeply wound up the narrow stair around--
_Toll slowly. _
Oh, and closely, closely speeding, step by step beside her treading
Did he follow, meek as hound.
LXXII.
On the east tower, high'st of all,--there, where never a hoof did
fall--
_Toll slowly. _
Out they swept, a vision steady, noble steed and lovely lady,
Calm as if in bower or stall.
LXXIII.
Down she knelt at her lord's knee, and she looked up silently--
_Toll slowly. _
And he kissed her twice and thrice, for that look within her eyes
Which he could not bear to see.
LXXIV.
Quoth he, "Get thee from this strife, and the sweet saints bless thy
life! "
_Toll slowly. _
"In this hour I stand in need of my noble red-roan steed,
But no more of my noble wife. "
LXXV.
Quoth she, "Meekly have I done all thy biddings under sun":
_Toll slowly. _
"But by all my womanhood, which is proved so, true and good,
I will never do this one.
LXXVI.
"Now by womanhood's degree and by wifehood's verity"--
_Toll slowly. _
"In this hour if thou hast need of thy noble red-roan steed,
Thou hast also need of _me_.
LXXVII.
"By this golden ring ye see on this lifted hand pardiè"--
_Toll slowly. _
"If, this hour, on castle-wall can be room for steed from stall,
Shall be also room for _me_.
LXXVIII.
"So the sweet saints with me be," (did she utter solemnly)--
_Toll slowly. _
"If a man, this eventide, on this castle wall will ride,
He shall ride the same with _me_. "
LXXIX.
Oh, he sprang up in the selle and he laughed out bitter-well--
_Toll slowly. _
"Wouldst thou ride among the leaves, as we used on other eves,
To hear chime a vesper-bell? "
LXXX.
She clung closer to his knee--"Ay, beneath the cypress-tree! "
_Toll slowly. _
"Mock me not, for otherwhere than along the greenwood fair
Have I ridden fast with thee.
LXXXI.
"Fast I rode with new-made vows from my angry kinsman's house":
_Toll slowly. _
"What, and would you men should reck that I dared more for love's sake
As a bride than as a spouse?
LXXXII.
"What, and would you it should fall, as a proverb, before all"--
_Toll slowly. _
"That a bride may keep your side while through castle-gate you ride,
Yet eschew the castle-wall? "
LXXXIII.
Ho! the breach yawns into ruin and roars up against her suing--
_Toll slowly. _
With the inarticulate din and the dreadful falling in--
Shrieks of doing and undoing!
LXXXIV.
Twice he wrung her hands in twain, but the small hands closed again.
_Toll slowly. _
Back he reined the steed--back, back! but she trailed along his track
With a frantic clasp and strain.
LXXXV.
Evermore the foemen pour through the crash of window and door--
_Toll slowly. _
And the shouts of Leigh and Leigh, and the shrieks of "kill! " and
"flee! "
Strike up clear amid the roar.
LXXXVI.
Thrice he wrung her hands in twain, but they closed and clung again--
_Toll slowly. _
While she clung, as one, withstood, clasps a Christ upon the rood,
In a spasm of deathly pain.
LXXXVII.
She clung wild and she clung mute with her shuddering lips half-shut.
_Toll slowly. _
Her head fallen as half in swound, hair and knee swept on the ground,
She clung wild to stirrup and foot.
LXXXVIII.
Back he reined his steed back-thrown on the slippery coping-stone:
_Toll slowly. _
Back the iron hoofs did grind on the battlement behind
Whence a hundred feet went down:
LXXXIX.
And his heel did press and goad on the quivering flank bestrode--
_Toll slowly. _
"Friends and brothers, save my wife!
