第 14 节
作者:管他三七二十一      更新:2021-10-16 18:45      字数:9322
  and waving dimly In the grey and misty air; Saw blazoned on a carriage
  Once more the well…known shield; The stars and azure fleurs…de…lis Upon
  a silver field。
  He lookedwas that pale woman; So grave; so worn; so sad; The child;
  once   young   and   smiling;  The   bride;   once   fair   and   glad? What   grief   had
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  dimmed   that   glory;   And   brought   that   dark   eclipse   Upon   her   blue   eyes'
  radiance; And paled those trembling lips?
  What memory of past sorrow; What stab of present pain; Brought that
  deep look of anguish; That watched the dismal rain; That watched (with
  the   absent    spirit   That  looks;   yet   does   not   see)  The   dead    and   leafless
  branches Upon the Judas Tree。
  The   slow   dark   months   crept   onward   Upon   their   icy   way;   'Till April
  broke     in  showers     And    Spring    smiled    forth   in  May;    Upon     the  apple…
  blossoms The sun shone bright again; When slowly up the highway Came
  a long funeral train。
  The bells toiled slowly; sadly; For a noble spirit fled; Slowly; in pomp
  and honour; They bore the quiet dead。 Upon a black…plumed charger One
  rode;   who held   a   shield; Where stars   and   azure   fleurs…de…lis  Shone on   a
  silver field。
  'Mid   all   that   homage   given   To   a   fluttering   heart   at   rest;   Perhaps   an
  honest   sorrow   Dwelt   only   in   one   breast。   One   by   the   inn…door   standing
  Watched       with   fast…dropping      tears   The    long   procession     passing;    And
  thought of bygone years;
  The   boyish; silent homage To   child   and bride unknown; The   pitying
  tender sorrow   Kept in   his   heart   alone;   Now  laid   upon   the  coffin With   a
  purple flower; might be Told to the cold dead sleeper; The rest could only
  see A fragrant purple blossom; Plucked from a Judas Tree。
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  VERSE:                   VOICES OF THE PAST
  You wonder that my tears should flow In listening to that simple strain;
  That those unskilful sounds should fill My soul with joy and pain … How
  can you tell what thoughts it stirs Within my heart again?
  You wonder why that common phrase; So all unmeaning to your ear;
  Should stay me in my merriest mood; And thrill my soul to hear … How can
  you tell what ancient charm Has made me hold it dear?
  You marvel that I turn away From all those flowers so fair and bright;
  And gaze at this poor herb; till tears Arise and dim my sight … You cannot
  tell how every leaf Breathes of a past delight。
  You   smile   to   see   me   turn   and   speak   With   one   whose   converse   you
  despise; You do not see the dreams of old That with his voice arise … How
  can you tell what links have made Him sacred in my eyes?
  Oh; these are Voices of the Past; Links of a broken chain; Wings that
  can bear me back to Times Which cannot come again … Yet God forbid that
  I should lose The echoes that remain!
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  VERSE:                   THE DARK SIDE
  Thou hast done well; perhaps; To lift the bright disguise; And lay the
  bitter   truth   Before   our   shrinking  eyes;   When   evil   crawls   below   What
  seems so pure and fair; Thine eyes are keen and true To find the serpent
  there: And yetI turn away; Thy task is not divine … The evil angels look
  On earth with eyes like thine。
  Thou    hast  done   well;   perhaps;   To   show   how   closely   wound     Dark
  threads of sin and self With our best deeds are found。 How great and noble
  hearts; Striving for lofty aims; Have still some earthly cord A meaner spirit
  claims; And yetalthough thy task Is well and fairly done; Methinks for
  such as thou There is a holier one。
  Shadows there are; who dwell Among us; yet apart; Deaf to the claim
  of God; Or kindly human heart; Voices of earth and heaven Call; but they
  turn away; And Love; through such black night; Can see no hope of day;
  And yetour eyes are dim; And thine are keener far … Then gaze till thou
  canst see The glimmer of some star。
  The   black   stream   flows   along;   Whose   waters   we   despise   …   Show   us
  reflected   there   Some   fragment   of   the   skies;   'Neath   tangled   thorns   and
  briars; (The task is fit for thee;) Seek for the hidden flowers; We are too
  blind to see; Then will I thy great gift A crown and blessing call; Angels
  look thus on men; And God sees good in all!
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  VERSE:                  A FIRST SORROW
  Arise!   this   day   shall   shine;   For   evermore;   To   thee   a   star   divine;   On
  Time's dark shore。
  Till now thy soul has been All glad and gay: Bid it awake; and look At
  grief to…day!
  No    shade   has   come    between    Thee   and   the  sun;  Like   some    long
  childish dream Thy life has run:
  But now  the   stream  has   reached A dark;   deep sea; And   Sorrow;   dim
  and crowned; Is waiting thee。
  Each of God's soldiers bears A sword divine: Stretch out thy trembling
  hands To…day for thine!
  To each anointed Priest God's summons came: Oh; Soul; he speaks to…
  day And calls thy name。
  Then; with slow reverent step; And beating heart; From out thy joyous
  days; Thou must depart。
  And; leaving all behind; Come forth; alone; To join the chosen band
  Around the throne。
  Raise up thine eyesbe strong; Nor cast away The crown; that God has
  given Thy soul to…day!
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  VERSE:                  MURMURS
  Why  wilt   thou   make   bright   music   Give   forth   a sound   of   pain? Why
  wilt thou weave fair flowers Into a weary chain?
  Why turn each cool grey shadow Into a world of fears? Why say the
  winds are wailing? Why call the dewdrops tears?
  The voices of happy nature; And the Heaven's sunny gleam; Reprove
  thy sick heart's fancies; Upbraid thy foolish dream。
  Listen; and I will tell thee The song Creation sings; From the humming
  of bees in the heather; To the flutter of angels' wings。
  An echo rings for ever; The sound can never cease; It speaks to God of
  glory; It speaks to Earth of peace。
  Not    alone   did  angels   sing  it  To  the  poor  shepherds'    ear;  But  the
  sphered Heavens chant it; While listening ages hear。
  Above thy peevish wailing Rises that holy song; Above Earth's foolish
  clamour; Above the voice of wrong。
  No creature of God's too lowly To murmur peace and praise: When the
  starry nights grow silent; Then speak the sunny days。
  So leave thy sick heart's fancies; And lend thy little voice To the silver
  song of glory That bids the world rejoice。
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  VERSE:                  GIVE
  See    the  rivers   flowing   Downwards      to  the   sea;  Pouring   all  their
  treasures Bountiful and free … Yet to help their giving Hidden springs arise;
  Or; if need be; showers Feed them from the skies!
  Watch the princely  flowers Their   rich   fragrance   spread;   Load   the   air
  with perfumes; From their beauty shed … Yet their lavish spending Leaves
  them not in dearth; With fresh life replenished By their mother earth!
  Give thy heart's best treasures … From fair Nature learn; Give thy love
  and ask not; Wait not a return! And the more thou spendest From thy little
  store; With a double bounty; God will give thee more。
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  VERSE:                    MY JOURNAL
  It   is   a   dreary   evening;   The   shadows   rise   and   fall:   With   strange   and
  ghostly changes; They flicker on the wall。
  Make the charred logs burn brighter; I will show you; by their blaze;
  The half…forgotten record Of bygone things and days。
  Bring here the ancient volume; The clasp is old and wor