But none of all their kin are yet return'd, No, nor shall ever. Ter. Still run thy thoughts upon those hapless women Of that small hamlet, whose advent❜rous peasants To Palestine with noble Baldwin went, Aur. They perish'd there; and of their dismal fate No trace remain'd-none of them all return'd. Didst thou not say so?-Husbands, lovers, friends Not one return'd again. Ter. So I believe. Aur. Thou but believest then? Ter. As I was told. Ed. Thou hast the story wrong. Four years gone by, one did return again; But marr'd, and maim'd, and changed-a woful man. Aur. And what though every limb were hack'd and maim'd, And roughen'd o'er with scars?—he did return. [Rising lightly from her seat. I would a pilgrimage to Iceland go, To the Antipodes or burning zone, To see that man who did return again, And her who did receive him.-Did re ceive him! Oh! what a moving thought lurks here! How was't? Tell it me all :-and oh! another time Ulrick, the Lord of the Isle, loves Aurora; and, impatient of her inextinguishable Hope, has threatened to Terentia that night to quench the Beacon. On being told of that threat, the spirit of Aurora leaps up-and she indignantly cries— "He does! Then will we have This night our lofty blaze A noble fire. Shall through the darkness shoot full many a league Its streamy rays, like to a bearded star, Preceding changeful-ay, and better times. It may, in very truth. O, if his bark (For many a bark within its widen'd reach "Aur. Talk not of disappointment: be assured Some late intelligence does Ulrick prompt To these stern orders. On our seas there sails, Or soon will sail, some vessel which, right gladly, He would permit to founder on the coast, Or miss its course. But no; it will not be: In spite of all his hatred, to the shore, Through seas as dark as subterraneous night, It will arrive in safety." All the dialogue is full of exquisite touches-bold strokes of nature like these. As, for example, what can be more beautiful than these lines-yet we do not remember to have seen them quoted? "Aur. Well, taunt me as thou wilt, I'll worship still The blessed morrow, storehouse of all good For wretched folks. They who lament today May then rejoice; they who in misery bend E'en to the earth, be then in honour robed. O! who shall reckon what its brighten'd "Wish'd-for gales the light vane veering, The dark seas traverse) should its light Eyes each passing stranger watching, descry Should this be so-it may-perhaps it will. O, that it might! We'll have a rousing blaze. Give me your hands." Terentia, as well she might, mildly rebukes such wild fancies-and warns her against the aggravated sharpness of disappointment. Ears each feeble rumour catching, "In the tower the ward-bell ringing, The gladsome bounding of his aged hound, Say he in truth is here-our long, long lost is found. "Hymned thanks and bedesmen praying, With sheathed sword the urchin playing; Blazon'd hall with torches burning, Cheerful morn in peace returning; Converse sweet that strangely borrows Present bliss from former sorrows, O who can tell each blessed sight and sound, That says, he with us bides, our long, long lost is found." Meanwhile, the Holy Legate, on his way to Rome, has been driven on the Isle, and a noble stranger in his train solicits an interview with Aurora-as the friend of Ermingard. Their meeting is such as Joanna alone could have conceived-and after a while Aurora says: "Aur. Bade thee! is he then at hand? Gar. Ah, would he were! 'Twas in a hostile and a distant land, He did commit to me these precious tokens, Desiring me to give them to Aurora, And with them too, his sad and last farewell. Aur. And he is dead! Gar. Nay, wring not thus your hands: He was alive and well when he intrusted me With what I now return. [Offering her a small casket. Aur. Alive and well, and sends me back my tokens! Gar. He sent them back to thee as UIrick's wife; For such, forced by intelligence from hence Of strong authority, he did believe thee: And in that fatal fight, which shortly follow'd, He fought for death as shrewdly as for fame. Fame he indeed hath earn'd. Aur. But not the other? Ah do not say he has! Amongst the slain His body was not found. Gar. As we have learnt, the Knights of blest St John Did from the field of dying and of wounded Many convey, who in their house of charity All care and solace had; but with the names, Recorded as within their walls received, His is not found; therefore we must ac count him With those, who, shrouded in an unknown fate, Are as the dead lamented, as the dead, For ever from our worldly care dismiss'd. I will in humble faith my watch still keep; Force only shall restrain me. Gar. Force never shall, thou noble, ardent spirit! Thy gen'rous confidence would almost tempt me To think it will be justified. Aur. Ha! say'st thou so? A blessing rest upon thee For these most cheering words! Some guardian power Whispers within thee.No; we'll not despair." Night descends, and the Beacon blazes-and Bastiani, a friend of Ulrick's, and of Aurora's too, enters, saying to the fishermen "A boat near to the shore, In a most perilous state, calls for assist ance: Who is like thee, good Stephen, bold and skilful? Haste to its aid if there be pity in thee, Or any Christian grace. I will, meantime, Thy Beacon watch, and, should the lady come, Excuse thy absence. Here is, indeed, a splendid, noble fire, Left me in ward. It makes the darkness round, To its fierce light opposed, seem thick and palpable, And closed o'er head, like to the pitchy cope Of some vast cavern. Enter AURORA, TERENTIA, and VIOLA. Viol. A rousing light! Good Stephen hath full well Obey'd your earnest bidding.-Fays and witches O call to it! [BAST. comes forward. Ter. 'Tis Bastiani. Aur. Aye, 'tis Bastiani : Bast. If I offend you, madam, 'tis Stephen has for a while gone to the To help some fishermen, who, as I guess, Against the tide would force their boat to land. He'll soon return; meantime, I did en- To let me watch his Beacon. Pardon me; this hour, To see the ocean from its sabled breast The flickering gleam of these bright flames return. Aur. Make no excuse, I pray thee. I am told By good Terentia thou dost wish me Though Ulrick long has been thy friend. A wanderer on the seas in early youth On that rude element. Bast. 'Tis true, fair Lady: I have been, ere now, Where such a warning light, sent from the shore, Had saved some precious lives; which makes the task I now fulfil more grateful. Aur. How many leagues from shore it faintly, Like a small star, or hermit's taper, peering From some caved rock that brows the dreary waste; Or like the lamp of some lone lazar- Which through the silent night the [As they begin to occupy themselves Aur. What may it be? The songs of paradise, night So ill agree with peaceful soothing bliss. Ter. No blessed spirits in these evil days Hymn, through the stilly darkness, Aur. Nay, list; it comes again. Voices of mortal men. Viol. In such sweet harmony! I never heard the like. Aur. They must be good and holy who can utter Such heavenly sounds. Bast. I've surely heard before This solemn chorus chanted by the knights, The holy brothers of Jerusalem. Aur. The Knights of blest St John They cannot bring the tidings I would [Chorus rises again very near. tinct; Yea, even the words they sing. [A solemn Song or Hymn, sung in Men preserved from storm and tide And whereso'er, in earth or sea, [Enter six Knights of St John of Jerusalem in procession, with their followers behind them, who don't advance upon the stage, but remain partly concealed behind the rocks. Aur. Speak to them, Bastiani; thou'rt a soldier; Thy mind is more composed. I pray thee do. [Motioning BAST. to accost them. Bast. This Lady, noble warriors, greets you all, And offers you such hospitality As this late hour and scanty means afford. Wilt please ye round this blazing fire to rest? After such perilous tossing on the waves, You needs must be forspent. 1st Knight. Lady, take our thanks. And may the vessel of that friend beloved, For whom you watch, as we have now been told, Soon to your shore its welcome freight convey. Aur. Thanks for the wish; and may its prayers be heard. Renowned men ye are; holy and brave; In every field of honour and of arms Some of your noble brotherhood are found: Perhaps the valiant knights I now behold, Did on that luckless day against the Souldain With brave De Villeneuve for the cross contend. If this be so, you can, perhaps, inform me Of one who in the battle fought, whose fate is still unknown. 1st Knight. None of us all, fair Dame, so honour'd were As in that field to be, save this young knight. Sir Bertram, wherefore in thy mantle lapt, Stand'st thou so far behind? Speak to him, Lady: For in that battle he right nobly foughts And may, belike, wot of the friend you mention'd. Aur. (going up eagerly to the young Knight.) Did'st thou there fight?then surely thou didst know The noble Ermingard, who from this isle With valiant Conrad went: What fate had he upon that dismal day? Young Kt. Whate er his fate in that fell fight might be, He now is as the dead. Aur. Is as the dead! ha! then he is not dead : He's living still. O tell me tell me this! Say he is still alive; and though he breathe In the foul pest-house; though a wretched wand rer, Wounded and maim'd; yea, though his noble form With chains and stripes and slav'ry be disgraced, Say he is living still, and I will bless thee. Thou know'st-full well thou know'st, but wilt not speak. What means that heavy groan? For love of God, speak to me! [Tears the mantle from his face, with which he had concealed it. My Ermingard! My blessed Ermingard! Thy very living self restored again! Why turn from me? Er. Ah! call st thou this restored? Aur. Do I not grasp thy real living hand? Dear, dear!-so dear! most dear!-my lost, my found! Thou turn'st and weep'st; art thou not so to me? Er. Ah! would I were! alas, alas! Sever'd from thee for ever. Aur. How so? What means such words? Erm. (shaking his head, and pointing to the cross on his mantle.) Look on this emblem of a holy vow Which binds and weds me to a heavenly love: We are, my sweet Aurora, far divided; Our bliss is wreck'd for ever. Aur. No; thou art still alive, and that is bliss. Few moments since, what would I not have sacrificed, To know that, in the lapse of many years, I should again behold thee?—I had been How strongly art thou moved!-Thou heed'st me not. Ter. (to AUR.) Were it not better he should leave this spot? 168 Our Pocket Companions. Let me conduct him to my quiet bower. Aur. Aye, thou art right, Terentia. Ermingard alive-Aurora is happy as an angel in heaven; but Ermingard is distracted-and a little page who had overheard him-asks Garcia "Do folks groan heaviest when they are alone ?" Ermingard and Aurora meet againin the apartment of Terentia; and only a woman-and that woman Joanna Baillie-or might we say Caroline Bowles Southey-could have imagined in its perfect purity such a scene as this "Erm. O cease! Thy words, thy voice, thy hand on mine, That touch so dearly felt, do but enhance Aur. lost me. Say not, thou hast Heaven will subdue our minds, and we shall still, With what is spared us from our wreck of bliss, Be happy. Erm. Most unblest, untoward fate! When he received my vows, did pledge his Not to declare it. Thus I kept myself Aur. Nay, do not thus upbraid thyself: Be not so keenly moved: there still is left Erm. The chasten'd pilgrim o'er his lady's grave Sweet tears may shed, and may without reproach Thoughts of his past love blend with thoughts of heaven. He whom the treach'ry of some faithless maid Hath robb'd of bliss, may, in the sturdy pride Of a wrong'd man, the galling ill endure; But sever'd thus from thee, so true, so noble, By vows that all the soul's devotion claim, A very hatred of all saintly things. [Aug. Aur. Nay, say not so: thou still art mine. I would have given my whole of life besides, form Thy face-thine eyes turn'd on me for a moment; Or only to have heard through the still air Erm. (shaking his head) This state- Aur. O no that holy cross upon thy breast Throws such a charm of valorous sanctity O'er thy loved form: my thoughts do forward glance To deeds of such high fame by thee achieved, That even methinks the bliss of wedded love Less dear, less noble is than such strong bonds As may, without reproach, unite us still. Erm. O creature of a gen'rous constancy! Thou but the more distractest me!- Fool, fool! (Starting from his seat, and pacing to and fro distractedly.) Mean, misbelieving fool!-I thought her Cred'lous alone of evil:-I have lost, Aur. Oh! be not thus! Have I no See, good Terentia weeps, and fain would try To speak thee comfort. Ter. (coming forward.) Aye; bethink thee well, Most noble Ermingard, heaven grants thee All that is truly precious of her love,- Erm. Then heaven forgive my black For I am most unthankful, Her heart is thine: you are in mind united, I may in lonely solitude reflect, And thinks of me. Is this to be united? Aur. I cannot, in a page's surtout clad, Erm. Dear as thou art, weep o'er thee in thy grave |
