Ralph Waldo Emerson, comp. (1803–1882). Parnassus: An Anthology of Poetry. 1880.
Rhyme of the Duchess MayElizabeth Barrett Browning (18061861)
T
Toll slowly.
And the oldest ringer said, “Ours is music for the Dead,
When the rebecks are all done.”
Toll slowly.
And the shadows of their tops rock across the little slopes
Of the grassy graves below.
Toll slowly.
And between the river flowing and the fair green trees a-growing
Do the dead lie at their rest.
Toll slowly.
Through the rain of willow-branches, I could see the low hill-ranges,
And the river on its way.
Toll slowly.
While the trees’ and river’s voices flowed between the solemn noises,—
Yet death seemed more loud to me.
Toll slowly.
And the solemn knell fell in with the tale of life and sin,
Like a rhythmic fate sublime.
Toll slowly.
And three hundred years had stood mute adown each hoary wood,
Like a full heart having prayed.
Toll slowly.
And but little thought was theirs, of the silent antique years,
In the building of their nest.
Toll slowly.
Lance and spear upon the height, bristling strange in fiery light,
While the castle stood in shade.
Toll slowly.
Like a sullen smouldering pyre, with a top that flickers fire,
When the wind is on its track.
Toll slowly.
And the castle, seethed in blood, fourteen days and nights had stood,
And to-night was near its fall.
Toll slowly.
One who proudly trod the floors, and softly whispered in the doors,
“May good angels bless our home.”
Toll slowly.
Oh, a bride of cordial mouth,—where the untired smile of youth
Did light outward its own sighs.
Toll slowly.
Who betrothed her, twelve years old, for the sake of dowry gold,
To his son Lord Leigh, the churl.
Toll slowly.
Unto both those Lords of Leigh, spake she out right sovranly,
“My will runneth as my blood.
Toll slowly.
“’Tis my will as lady free, not to wed a Lord of Leigh,
But Sir Guy of Linteged.”
Toll slowly.
“Good my niece, that hand withal looketh somewhat soft and small,
For so large a will, in sooth.”
Toll slowly.
“Little hand clasps muckle gold; or it were not worth the hold
Of thy son, good uncle mine!”
Toll slowly.
“He would wed his own betrothed, an she loved him, and she loathed,
Let the life come or the death.”
Toll slowly.
“Thy hound’s blood, my Lord of Leigh, stains thy knightly heel,” quoth she,
“And he moans not where he lies,
Toll slowly.
By that grave, my lords, which made me orphaned girl and dowered lady,
I deny you wife and ward.”
Toll slowly.
Ere the midnight-bell had ceased, in the chapel had the priest
Blessed her, bride of Linteged.
Toll slowly.
Hard the steeds of lord and serf struck their hoofs out on the turf,
In the pauses of the rain.
Toll slowly.
Steed on steed-track, dashing off—thickening, doubling hoof on hoof,
In the pauses of the rain.
Toll slowly.
And the bride lay on his arm, still as if she feared no harm,
Smiling out into the night.
Toll slowly.
“Not such death as we could find—only life with one behind—
Ride on fast as fear—ride fast!”
Toll slowly.
Headlong bounds, and rocking flanks,—down he staggered—down the banks,
To the towers of Linteged.
Toll slowly.
In the courtyard rose the cry—“Live the Duchess and Sir Guy!”
But she never heard them shout.
Toll slowly.
“I had happier died by thee, than lived on a Lady Leigh,”
Were the first words she did speak.
Toll slowly.
When five hundred archers tall stand beside the castle wall
To recapture Duchess May.
Toll slowly.
And a fortnight’s siege is done—and, except the Duchess, none
Can misdoubt the coming wrack.
Toll slowly.
And thin lips that scarcely sheath the cold white gnashing of his teeth
Gnashed in smiling, absently,
Toll slowly.
Look thy last upon that sun. If thou seest to-morrow’s one,
’Twill be through a foot of clay.
Toll slowly.
Thou and I have parted troth,—yet I keep my vengeance-oath,
And the other may come round.
Toll slowly.
Yet thine old love’s falchion brave is as strong a thing to have,
As the will of lady fair.
Toll slowly.
Thou shalt wear the same to-morrow, ere the grave has hid the sorrow
Of thy last ill-mated love.
Toll slowly.
He shall altar be and priest,—and he will not cry at least
‘I forbid you,—I am loath!’
Toll slowly.
‘Little hand and muckle gold’ close shall lie within my hold,
As the sword did, to prevail.”
Toll slowly.
Oh, and laughed the Duchess May, and her soul did put away
All his boasting, for a jest.
Toll slowly.
“Tower is strong and will is free—thou canst boast, my Lord of Leigh,
But thou boasteth little wit.”
Toll slowly.
She blushed half from her disdain—half, her beauty was so plain,—
—“Oath for oath, my Lord of Leigh!”
Toll slowly.
That a bridal such as mine should lack gauds to make it fine,
Come and shrive me from that sin.
Toll slowly.
Bring the gold and bring the gem, we will keep bride-state in them,
While we keep the foe at bay.
Toll slowly.
I would look in purple pall from this lattice down the wall,
And throw scorn to one that’s there!”
Toll slowly.
On the tower the castle’s lord leant in silence on his sword,
With an anguish in his breast.
Toll slowly.
They have almost sapped the wall,—they will enter there withal,
With no knocking at the gate.
Toll slowly.
“Sword,” he thought, with inward laugh, “ill thou servest for a staff
When thy nobler use is done!
Toll slowly.
If we met them in the breach, hilt to hilt, or speech to speech,
We should die there, each for one.
Toll slowly.
But if I die here alone,—then I die, who am but one,
And die nobly for them all.
Toll slowly.
Thirteen warriors lie at rest, with a black wound in the breast,
And not one of these will wake.
Toll slowly.
And I could not sleep in grave, with the faithful and the brave
Heaped around and over me.
Toll slowly.
Since my pale young sister’s cheeks blush like rose when Ronald speaks,
Albeit never a word she saith—
Toll slowly.
And if I die here apart,—o’er my dead and silent heart
They shall pass out safe and free.
Toll slowly.
That new corse new peace shall bring; and a blessèd, blessèd thing,
Shall the stone be at its head.
Toll slowly.
Then my foes shall sleek their pride, soothing fair my widowed bride
Whose sole sin was love of me.
And their purple pall will spread underneath her fainting head
While her tears drop over it.
Toll slowly.
But her heart is young in pain, and her hopes will spring again
By the suntime of her years.
Toll slowly.
That thy name expressed thy sweetness,—May of poets, in completeness!
Now my May-day seemeth brief.”
Toll slowly.
Till his true men in the place, wished they stood there face to face
With the foe instead of him.
Toll slowly.
Tower must fall, and bride be lost!—swear me service worth the cost,”
—Bold they stood around to swear.
Toll slowly.
Not for vengeance, not for right, will ye strike one blow to-night!”
—Pale they stood around—to swear.
Toll slowly.
Bring that steed up from his stall, which she kissed before you all,
Guide him up the turret-stair.
Toll slowly.
Once in love and twice in war, hath he borne me strong and far,
He shall bear me far to-night.”
Toll slowly.
—“’Las! the noble heart,” they thought,—“he in sooth is grief-distraught.
Would we stood here with the foe!”
Toll slowly.
“Have ye so much time to waste! We who ride here, must ride fast,
As we wish our foes to fly.”
Toll slowly.
Past the court and through the doors, across the rushes of the floors;
But they goad him up the stair.
Toll slowly.
“Tell me now what is your need,” said the lady, “of this steed,
That ye goad him up the stair?”
Toll slowly.
And the smile upon her face, ere she left the tiring-glass,
Had not time enough to go.
Toll slowly.
One half-hour completes the breach; and thy lord grows wild of speech,
Get thee in, sweet lady, and pray.
Toll slowly.
He would ride as far,” quoth he, “as for love and victory,
Though he rides the castle wall.
Toll slowly.
Wifely prayer meets deathly need! may the sweet Heavens hear thee plead,
If he rides the castle-wall.”
Toll slowly.
And tear after tear you heard fall distinct as any word
Which you might be listening for.
Toll slowly.
Braid thy hair and clasp thy gown, that thy beauty in its moan
May find grace with Leigh of Leigh.”
Toll slowly.
Like a statue thunderstruck, which, though quivering, seems to look
Right against the thunder-place.
Toll slowly.
“Go to, faithful friends, go to!—Judge no more what ladies do,—
No, nor how their lords may ride!”
Toll slowly.
Soft he neighed to answer her; and then followed up the stair,
For the love of her sweet look.
Toll slowly.
Oh, and closely speeding, step by step beside her treading,
Did he follow, meek as hound.
Toll slowly.
Out they swept, a vision steady,—noble steed and lovely lady,
Calm as if in bower or stall!
Toll slowly.
And he kissed her twice and thrice, for that look within her eyes
Which he could not bear to see.
Toll slowly.
In this hour, I stand in need of my noble red-roan steed—
But no more of my noble wife.”
Toll slowly.
But by all my womanhood,—which is proved so true and good,
I will never do this one.
Toll slowly.
In this hour if thou hast need of thy noble red-roan steed,
Thou hast also need of me.
Toll slowly.
If this hour, on castle-wall, can be room for steed from stall,
Shall be also room for me.
Toll slowly.
“If a man, this eventide, on this castle-wall will ride,
He shall ride the same with me.”
Toll slowly.
“Wouldst thou ride among the leaves, as we used on other eves,
To hear chime a vesper-bell?”
Toll slowly.
Mock me not; for otherwhere than along the greenwood fair,
Have I ridden fast with thee!
Toll slowly.
What! and would you men should reck that I dared more for love’s sake
As a bride than as a spouse?
Toll slowly.
That a bride may keep your side while through castlegate you ride,
Yet eschew the castle-wall?”
Toll slowly.
With the inarticulate din, and the dreadful falling in—
Shrieks of doing and undoing!
Toll slowly.
Back he reined the steed—back, back! but she trailed along his track
With a frantic clasp and strain!
Toll slowly.
And the shouts of Leigh and Leigh, and the shrieks of “kill!” and “flee!”
Strike up clear amid the roar.
Toll slowly.
Wild she clung, as one, withstood, clasps a Christ upon the rood,
In a spasm of deathly pain.
Toll slowly.
Her head fallen as half in swound,—hair and knee swept on the ground,
She clung wild to stirrup and foot.
Toll slowly.
Back the iron hoofs did grind on the battlement behind,
Whence a hundred feet went down.
Toll slowly.
“Friends and brothers, save my wife!—Pardon, sweet, in change for life,—
But I ride alone to God.”
Toll slowly.
She upsprang, she rose upright,—in his selle she sat in sight;
By her love she overcame.
Toll slowly.
“Ring,” she cried, “O vesper-bell, in the beech-wood’s old chapelle!
But the passing-bell rings best.”
Toll slowly.
For the horse in stark despair, with his front hoofs poised in air,
On the last verge rears amain.
Toll slowly.
And he shivers head and hoof—and the flakes of foam fall off;
And his face grows fierce and thin!
Toll slowly.
And a sharp cry uttered he, in a foretold agony
Of the headlong death below,—
Toll slowly.
Then back-toppling, crushing back, a dead weight flung out to wrack,
Horse and riders overfell!
Toll slowly.
And I read this ancient Rhyme in the churchyard, while the chime
Slowly tolled for one at rest.
Toll slowly.
And the ancient Rhyme rang strange, with its passion and its change,
Here, where all done lay undone.
Toll slowly.
Where was graved,—H
E
Toll slowly.
Did star-wheels and angel-wings, with their holy winnowings,
Keep beside you all the way?
Toll slowly.
Up against the thick-bossed shield of God’s judgment in the field,—
Though your heart and brain were rash,—
Toll slowly.
Now, ye lie as meek and mild (whereso laid) as Maud the child,
Whose small grave was lately filled.
Toll slowly.
And the children might be bold to pluck the kingcups from your mould
Ere a month had let them grow.
Toll slowly.
Let her build her nest and sit all the three weeks out on it,
Murmuring not at any thing.
Toll slowly.
When the trumpet of the angel blows eternity’s evangel,
Time will seem to you not long.
Toll slowly.
And I said in underbreath,—all our life is mixed with death,
And who knoweth which is best?
Toll slowly.
And I smiled to think God’s greatness flowed around our incompleteness,—
Round our restlessness, his rest.