"His sorest parting, Gertrude, was from thee: XIX. His face the wand'rer hid,-but could not hide "'Tis Waldegrave's self, of Waldegrave come to tell!" But Gertrude speechless on his bosom fell : At once his open arms embrac'd the pair, Was never group more blest, in this wide world of care. XX. "And will ye pardon then (replied the youth) XXI. "But here ye live,-ye bloom,-in each dear face "And have ye heard of my poor guide, I pray? " [265] Nay wherefore weep we, friends, on such a joyous day? XXII. "And art thou here? or is it but a dream? "And wilt thou, Waldegrave, wilt thou leave us more? "Than aught on earth-than ev'n thyself of yore- "While thou shalt be my own with all thy truth and charms." XXIII. At morn, as if beneath a Galaxy Of over-arching groves in blossoms white, XXIV. "Flow'r of my life, so lovely, and so lone! "Whom I would rather in this desart meet, 66 Scorning, and scorn'd by fortune's pow'r, than own "Her pomp and splendor lavish'd at my feet! "Turn not from me thy breath, more exquisite "Than odours cast on heav'n's own shrine-to please— "Give me thy love, than luxury more sweet, "And more than all the wealth that loads the breeze, "When Coromandel's ships return from Indian seas.” XXV. Then would that home admit them-happier far While, here and there, a solitary star Flush'd in the dark'ning firmament of June; And silence brought the soul-felt hour, full soon, For never did the Hymenean moon A paradise of hearts more sacred sway, In all that slept beneath her soft voluptuous ray." DEATH OF ALBERT AND GERTRUDE. [From the same.] XXVII. "BUT short that contemplation-sad and short The pause to bid each much-lov'd scene adieu ! Beneath the very shadow of the fort, Where friendly swords were drawn, and banners flew ; Was near?-yet there, with lust of murd'rous deeds, And Albert-Albert-falls! the dear old father bleeds! XXVIII, XXVIII. And tranc'd in giddy horror Gertrude swoon'd; "Heaven's peace commiserate; for scarce I heed "These wounds;-yet thee to leave is death, is death indeed. XXIX. "Clasp me a little longer, on the brink "Of fate; while I can feel thy drear caress; "And when this heart hath ceas'd to beat-oh! think, "And let it mitigate thy woe's excess, "That thou hast been to me all tenderness, "And friend to more than human friendship just. "Oh! by that retrospect of happiness, "And by the hopes of an immortal trust, "God shall assuage thy pangs-when I am laid in dust! XXX: "Go, Henry, go not back, when I depart, "The scene thy bursting tears too deep will move, "With thee, as with an angel, through the grove "In heav'n; for ours was not like earthly love. "And must this parting be our very last ? "No! I shall love thee still, when death itself is past. XXXI. "Half could I bear, methinks, to leave this earth,"And thee, more lov'd, than aught beneath the sun, "If I had liv'd to smile but on the birth "Of one dear pledge ;-but shall there then be none, "In future time-no gentle little one, "To clasp thy neck, and look, resembling me; "Yet seems it, ev'n while life's last pulses run, "A sweetness in the cup of death to be, "Lord of my bosom's love! to die beholding thee!" XXXII. Hush'd were his Gertrude's lips! but still their bland And beautiful expression seem'd to melt With love that could not die! and still his hand She presses to the heart no more that felt. Ah Ah heart! where once each fond affection dwelt, Of them that stood encircling his despair, He heard some friendly words;-but knew not what they were. For now, to mourn their judge and child, arrives XXXIV. Then mournfully the parting bugle bid Its farewell o'er the grave of worth and truth; He watch'd, beneath its folds, each burst that came XXXV. "And I could weep ;"-th' Oneyda chief His descant wildly thus begun : "But that I may not stain with grief "The death-song of my father's son ! "Or bow this head in woe ; "For by my wrongs, and by my wrath! "To-morrow Aerouski's breath, "(That fires yon heav'n with storms of death), "Shall light us to the foe: "And we shall share, my Christian boy! "The foeman's blood, the avenger's joy! |