The other, with cold drops upon her brow, Joins her two hands, and kneels upon the floor, And whispers, as her brother opes the door, "O God! forgive me now!" And then the orphan, young and blind, Towards the church, through paths unscanned, With tranquil air, her way doth wind. And in the sky as yet no sunny ray, Near that castle, fair to see, And proud of its name of high degree, At the base of the rock is builded there; Above each jealous cottage-roof, Its sacred summit, swept by autumn gales, "Paul, lay thy noisy rattle by !" Thus Margaret said. "Where are we? we ascend!" Take care of Paul; I feel that I am dying!' There is his grave; there stands the cross we set: Come in! The bride will be here soon: Thou tremblest! O my God! thou art going to swoon!" She could no more,—the blind girl, weak and weary! But Paul, impatient, urges ever more Her steps towards the open door; And when beneath her feet the unhappy maid At length the bell, With booming sound, Sends forth, resounding round, Its hymeneal peal o'er rock and down the dell. In sooth, deceit maketh no mortal gay, To be a bride is all! The pretty lisper Feels her heart swell to hear all round her whisper, "How beautiful! how beautiful she is!" But she must calm that giddy head, At the holy table stands the priest; He must pronounce one word at least! 'Tis spoken; and sudden at the groomsman's side, And while the wedding guests all hold their breath, Baptiste," she said, "since thou hast wished my death, As holy water be my blood for thee !" And calmly in the air a knife suspended! Village girls in robes of snow No where was a smile that day, No, ah no! for each one seemed to say: "The roads should mourn and be veiled in gloom, So fair a corpse shall leave its home! Should mourn and should weep, ah, well-away! shall pass to-day!" So fair a corpse A CHRISTMAS CAROL.25 FROM THE NOEI BOURGUIGNON DE GUI BARÔZAI. I HEAR along our street On their hautboys, Christmas songs! Ever higher Sing them till the night expire! In December ring Every day the chimes; Loud the gleemen sing Ever higher These good people sang There they stood with freezing feet. Ever higher Sing them till the night expire! Nuns in frigid cells For want of something else, Christmas songs at times have tried. Let us by the fire Ever higher |