第 5 节
作者:大热      更新:2022-11-23 12:13      字数:9321
  heart of hearts was the magic Of days that will come no more; The manic
  of joy departed; That Time can never restore。
  That never; ah; never; never; Never again can be:… Shall I tell you what
  powerful fairy Built up this palace for me? It was only a little white Violet
  I found at the root of a tree。
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  VERSE:                   TWO WORLDS
  God's world is bathed in beauty; God's world is steeped in light; It is
  the self…same glory That makes the day so bright; Which thrills the earth
  with music; Or hangs the stars in night。
  Hid in earth's mines of silver; Floating on clouds above; … Ringing in
  Autumn's   tempest;   Murmured   by   every   dove;   One   thought   fills      God's
  creation … His own great name of Love!
  In God's world Strength is lovely; And so is Beauty strong; And Light…
  …God's glorious shadow … To both great gifts belong; And they all melt into
  sweetness; And fill the earth with Song。
  Above God's world bends Heaven; With day's kiss pure and bright; Or
  folds her still more fondly In the tender shade of night; And she casts back
  Heaven's sweetness; In fragrant love and light。
  God's world has one great echo; Whether calm blue mists are curled;
  Or lingering dew…drops quiver; Or red storms are unfurled; The same deep
  love is throbbing Through the great heart of God's world。
  Man's world is black and blighted; Steeped through with self and sin;
  And   should   his   feeble   purpose   Some   feeble   good   begin;   The   work   is
  marred and tainted By Leprosy within。
  Man's   world is bleak   and   bitter; Wherever   he   has trod   He   spoils the
  tender beauty That blossoms on the sod; And blasts the loving Heaven Of
  the great; good world of God。
  There  Strength   on   coward   weakness   In   cruel   might   will   roll;   Beauty
  and Joy are cankers That eat away the soul; And LoveOh God; avenge it
  … The plague…spot of the whole。
  Man's world is Pain and Terror; He found it pure and fair; And wove in
  nets of sorrow The golden summer air。 Black; hideous; cold; and dreary;
  Man's curse; not God's; is there。
  And yet God's world is speaking: Man will not hear it call; But listens
  where the echoes Of his own discords fall; Then clamours back to Heaven
  That God has done it all。
  Oh God; man's heart is darkened; He will not understand! Show him
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  Thy   cloud   and  fire;  And;  with  Thine   own   right  hand  Then   lead  him
  through his desert; Back to Thy Holy Land!
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  VERSE:                   A NEW MOTHER
  I was with my lady when she died: I it was who guided her weak hand
  For a blessing on each little head; Laid her baby by her on the bed; Heard
  the words they could not understand。
  And I drew them round my knee that night; Hushed their childish glee;
  and made them say They  would keep her words with loving tears; They
  would not forget her dying fears Lest the thought of her should fade away。
  I; who guessed what her last dread had been; Made a promise to that
  still; cold face; That her children's hearts; at any cost; Should be with the
  mother they had lost; When a stranger came to take her place。
  And I knew so much! for I had lived With my lady since her childhood:
  known What her young and happy days had been; And the grief no other
  eyes had seen I had watched and sorrowed for alone。
  Ah!   she   once   had   such   a   happy  smile!   I   had   known   how  sorely  she
  was tried: Six short years before; her eyes were bright As her little blue…
  eyed May's that night; When she stood by her dead mother's side。
  NoI will not say he was unkind; But she had been used to love and
  praise。  He   was   somewhat   graveperhaps;  in   truth;   Could   not   weave   her
  joyous; smiling youth; Into all his stern and serious ways。
  She;  who   should   have   reigned   a   blooming   flower;   First   in   pride   and
  honour; as in grace; … She; whose will had once ruled all around; Queen
  and darling of us allshe found Change indeed in that cold; stately place。
  Yet she would not blame him; even to me; Though she often sat and
  wept alone; But she could not hide it near her death; When she said with
  her last struggling breath; 〃Let my babies still remain my own!〃
  I it was who drew the sheet aside; When he saw his dead wife's face。
  That test Seemed to strike right to his heart。          He said; In a strange; low
  whisper; to the dead; 〃God knows; love; I did it for the best!〃
  And he weptOh yes; I will be just … When I brought the children to
  him  there   … Wondering sorrow   in   their baby  eyes; And   he   soothed   them
  with his fond replies; Bidding me give double love and care。
  Ah; I loved them well for her dear sake: Little Arthur; with his serious
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  air; May; with all her mother's pretty ways; Blushing; and at any word of
  praise Shaking out her sunny golden hair。
  And     the  little  one   of  allpoor    child!   She   had   cost   that  dear   and
  precious   life。   Once   Sir   Arthur   spoke   my   lady's   name;   When   the   baby's
  gloomy christening came; And he called her 〃Olgalike my wife!〃
  Save that time; he never spoke of her; He grew graver; sterner; every
  day; And the children felt it; for they dropped Low their voices; and their
  laughter stopped While he stood and watched them at their play。
  No; he never named their mother's name。 But I told them of her:                     told
  them   all   She   had   been;   so   gentle;   good;   and   bright; And   I   always   took
  them every night Where her picture hung in the great hall。
  There she stood:        white daisies in her hand; And her red lips parted as
  to speak With a smile; the blue and sunny air Seemed to stir her floating
  golden hair; And to bring a faint blush on her cheek。
  Well;   so   time   passed   on;   a   year   was   gone; And   Sir Arthur   had   been
  much   away。   Then   the   news   came!        I   shed   many   tears   When   I   saw   the
  truth of all my fears Rise before me on that bitter day。
  Any   one   but   her   I   could   have   borne!   But   my   lady   loved   her   as   her
  friend。  Through   their   childhood   and   their   early   youth;   How   she   used   to
  count upon the truth Of this friendship that would never end!
  Older;   graver   than   my   lady   was;   Whose   young;   gentle   heart   on   her
  relied; She would give advice; and praise; and blame; And my lady leant
  on Margaret's name; As her dearest comfort; help; and guide。
  I had never liked her; and I think That my lady grew to doubt her too;
  Since her marriage; for she named her less; Never saw her; and I used to
  guess At some secret wrong I never knew。
  That might be or not。          But now; to hear   She would   come and   reign
  here   in   her   stead;   With   the   pomp   and   splendour   of   a   bride:   Would   no
  thought reproach her in her pride With the silent memory of the dead?
  So; the day came; and the bells rang out; And I laid the children's black
  aside; And   I   held   each   little   trembling   hand; As   I   strove   to   make   them
  understand They must greet their father's new…made bride。
  Ah; Sir Arthur might look grave and stern; And his lady's eyes might
  well grow dim; When the children shrank in fear away; … Little Arthur hid
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  his face; and May Would not raise her eyes; or speak to him。
  When Sir Arthur bade them greet their 〃mother;〃 I was forced to chide;
  yet   proud   to   hear   How   my   little   loving   May   replied;   With   her   mother's
  pretty air of pride; … 〃Our dear mother has been dead a year!〃
  Ah; the lady's tears might well fall fast; As she kissed them; and then
  turned   away。   She   might   strive   to   smile   or   to   forget;   But   I   think   some
  shadow of regret Must have risen to blight her wedding…day。
  She   had   some   strange   touch   of   self…reproach;   For   she   used   to   linger
  day by day; By the nursery door; or garden gate; With a sad; calm; wistful
  look; and wait Watching the three children at their play。
  But   they   always   shrank   away   from   her   When   she   strove