第 7 节
作者:大热      更新:2022-11-23 12:13      字数:9321
  many hours of pain。
  What   must   I   leave   you;   my   Alice?   Nothing;   Love;   to   do   or   bear;
  Nothing that can dim your blue eyes With the slightest cloud of care。 I will
  leave my heart to love you; With the tender faith of old; Still to comfort;
  warm; and light you; Should your life grow dark or cold。 No one else; my
  child;   can   claim   it;   Though   you   find   old   scars   of   pain;   They   were   only
  wounds; my darling; There is not; I trust; one stain。
  Are my gifts indeed so worthless Now the slender sum is told? Well; I
  know   not:     years   may   bless   them   With   a   nobler   price   than   gold。 Am   I
  poor? ah no; most wealthy; Not in these poor gifts you take; But in the true
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  hearts that tell me You will keep them for my sake。
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  VERSE:                    KING AND SLAVE
  If in my  soul; dear; An omen should   dwell; Bidding me   pause; ere   I
  love   thee   too   well;   If   the   whole   circle;   Of   noble   and   wise;   With   stern
  forebodings; Between us should rise。
  I   will  tell  THEM;     dear;  That   Love    reignsa   King;   Where    storms
  cannot   reach   him; And   words   cannot   sting;   He   counts   it   dishonour   His
  faith to recall; He trusts;and for ever He givesand gives all!
  I will tell THEE; dear; That Love isa Slave; Who dreads thought of
  freedom; As life dreads the grave; And if doubt or peril Of change there
  may be; Such fear would but drive him Still nearer to thee!
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  VERSE:                   A CHANT
  〃Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini。〃
  I。
  Who   is   the   Angel   that   cometh?   Life!   Let   us   not   question   what   he
  brings; Peace or Strife; Under the shade of his mighty wings; One by one;
  Are   his   secrets   told;   One   by   one;   Lit   by   the   rays   of   each   morning   sun;
  Shall a new flower its petals unfold; With the mystery hid in its heart of
  gold。   We   will   arise   and   go   forth   to   greet   him;   Singly;   gladly;   with   one
  accord; … 〃Blessed is he that cometh In the name of the Lord!〃
  II。
  Who   is   the Angel   that   cometh?   Joy!   Look   at   his   glittering   rainbow
  wings … No alloy Lies in the radiant gifts he brings; Tender and sweet; He
  is come to…day; Tender and sweet: While chains of love on his silver feet
  Will hold him in lingering fond delay。 But greet him quickly; he will not
  stay; Soon he will leave us; but though for others All his brightest treasures
  are stored; … 〃Blessed is he that cometh In the name of the Lord!〃
  III。
  Who is the Angel that cometh? Pain! Let us arise and go forth to greet
  him; Not in vain Is the summons come for us to meet him; He will stay;
  And darken our sun; He will stay A desolate night; a weary day。 Since in
  that shadow our work is done; And in that shadow our crowns are won;
  Let us say still; while his bitter chalice Slowly into our hearts is poured; …
  〃Blessed is he that cometh In the name of the Lord!〃
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  IV。
  Who is the Angel that cometh? Death! But do not shudder and do not
  fear; Hold your breath; For a kingly presence is drawing near。 Cold and
  bright   Is   his   flashing   steel;  Cold   and   bright The smile   that   comes   like   a
  starry light To calm the terror and grief we feel; He comes to help and to
  save and heal: Then let us; baring our hearts and kneeling; Sing; while we
  wait this Angel's sword; … 〃Blessed is he that cometh In the name of the
  Lord!〃
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  VERSE:                   DREAM…LIFE
  Listen; friend; and I will tell you Why I sometimes seem so glad; Then;
  without a reason changing; Soon become so grave and sad。
  Half my life I live a beggar; Ragged; helpless; and alone; But the other
  half a monarch; With my courtiers round my throne。
  Half my life is full of sorrow; Half of joy; still fresh and new; One of
  these lives is a fancy; But the other one is true。
  While I live and feast on gladness; Still I feel the thought remain; This
  must soon end;nearer; nearer Comes the life of grief and pain。
  While   I   live   a   wretched   beggar;   One   bright   hope   my   lot   can   cheer;
  Soon; soon; thou shalt have thy kingdom; Brighter hours are drawing near。
  So you see my life is twofold; Half a pleasure; half a grief; Thus all joy
  is somewhat tempered; And all sorrow finds relief。
  Which; you ask me; is the real life; Which the Dreamthe joy; or woe?
  Hush; friend! it is little matter; And; indeedI never know。
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  VERSE:                    REST
  Spread; spread thy silver wings; oh Dove! And seek for rest by land
  and sea; And bring the tidings back to me For thee and me and those I love。
  Look how my Dove soars far away; Go with her; heart of mine; I pray; Go
  where her fluttering silver pinions Follow the track of the crimson day。
  Is   rest   where   cloudlets   slowly   creep;   And   sobbing   winds   forget   to
  grieve; And quiet waters gently heave; As if they rocked the ship to sleep?
  Ah no! that southern vapour white Will bring a tempest ere the night; And
  thunder through the quiet Heaven; Lashing the sea in its angry might。
  The battle…field lies still and cold; While stars that watch in silent light
  Gleam   here   and   there   on   weapons   bright;   In   weary   sleepers'   slackened
  hold; Nay; though they dream of no alarm; One bugle sound will stir that
  calm; And all the strength of two great nations; Eager for battle; will rise
  and arm。
  Pause where the Pilgrim's day is done; Where scrip and staff aside are
  laid; And; resting in the silent shade; They watch the slowly sinking sun。
  Ah no!  that   worn   and   weary  band Must   journey  long   before they  stand;
  With   bleeding   feet;   and   hearts   rejoicing;   Kissing   the   dust   of   the   Holy
  Land。
  Then find a soul who meets at last A noble prize but hard to gain; Or
  joy   long   pleaded   for   in   vain;   Now   sweeter   for   a   bitter   past。 Ah   no!   for
  Time can rob her yet; And even should cruel Time forget; Then Death will
  come; and; unrelenting; Brand her with sorrowful long regret。
  Seek farther; farther yet; oh Dove! Beyond the Land; beyond the Sea;
  There shall be rest for thee and me; For thee and me and those I love。 I
  heard a promise gently fall; I heard a far…off Shepherd call The weary and
  the broken…hearted; Promising rest unto each and all。
  It   is   not   marred   by   outward   strife;   It   is   not   lost   in   calm   repose;   It
  heedeth neither joys nor woes; Is not disturbed by death or life; Through;
  and beyond them; lies our Rest: Then cease; oh Heart; thy longing quest!
  And thou; my Dove; with silver pinions Flutter again to thy quiet nest!
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  VERSE:                   THE TYRANT AND
  THE CAPTIVE
  It was midnight when I listened; And I heard two Voices speak; One
  was harsh; and stern; and cruel; And the other soft and weak: Yet I saw no
  Vision    enter;  And    I  heard   no   steps  depart;   Of  this  Tyrant    and  his
  Captive; 。 。 。 FATE it might be and a HEART。
  Thus   the   stern Voice   spake   in   triumph:…   〃I   have   shut   your   life   away
  From the radiant world of nature; And the perfumed light of day。 You; who
  loved to steep your spirit In the charm of Earth's delight; See no glory of
  the daytime; And no sweetness of the night。〃
  But the soft Voice answered calmly: 〃Nay; for when the March winds
  bring Just a whisper to my window; I can dream the rest of Spring; And to…
  day I saw a Swallow Flitting past my prison bars; And my cell has just one
  corner Whence at night I see the stars。〃
  But its bitter