420 Thou too, hoar Mount! with thy sky-pointing peaks, Shoots downward, glittering through the pure serene Slow travelling with dim eyes suffused with tears, To rise before me-Rise, O ever rise, Rise like a cloud of incense from the Earth! CHRISTABEL PART THE FIRST 'Tis the middle of night by the castle clock, And hark, again! the crowing cock, How drowsily it crew! Sir Leoline, the Baron rich, Hath a toothless mastiff bitch; From her kennel beneath the rock Maketh answer to the clock, Four for the quarters, and twelve for the hour; Ever and aye, by shine and shower, Sixteen short howls, not over loud; Some say, she sees my lady's shroud. Is the night chilly and dark? The night is chilly, but not dark. The moon is behind, and at the full; The lovely lady, Christabel, Whom her father loves so well, What makes her in the wood so late, A furlong from the castle gate? Of her own betrothed knight; And she in the midnight wood will pray For the weal of her lover that's far away. She stole along, she nothing spoke, The sighs she heaved were soft and low, She kneels beneath the huge oak-tree, The lady sprang up suddenly, The night is chill; the forest bare; Hush, beating heart of Christabel ! She folded her arms beneath her cloak, There she sees a damsel bright That shadowy in the moonlight shone: Mary mother, save me now! (Said Christabel,) And who art thou? The lady strange made answer meet, I scarce can speak for weariness: Stretch forth thy hand, and have no fear! Said Christabel, How camest thou here? And the lady, whose voice was faint and sweet, Did thus pursue her answer meet: My sire is of a noble line, And my name is Geraldine: Five warriors seized me yestermorn, Me, even me, a maid forlorn: They choked my cries with force and fright, And tied me on a palfrey white. The palfrey was as fleet as wind, And they rode furiously behind. They spurred amain, their steeds were white: And once we crossed the shade of night. As sure as Heaven shall rescue me, (For I have lain entranced I wis) Some muttered words his comrades spoke: I thought I heard, some minutes past, Stretch forth thy hand (thus ended she), Then Christabel stretched forth her hand, O well, bright dame! may you command And gladly our stout chivalry Will he send forth and friends withal She rose and forth with steps they passed And may not well awakened be, And I beseech your courtesy, This night, to share your couch with me. They crossed the moat, and Christabel Took the key that fitted well; A little door she opened straight, All in the middle of the gate, The gate that was ironed within and without, And Christabel with might and main Over the threshold of the gate: Then the lady rose again, And moved, as she were not in pain. So free from danger, free from fear, They crossed the court: right glad they were. To the lady by her side, Praise we the Virgin all divine Who hath rescued thee from thy distress! I cannot speak for weariness. So free from danger, free from fear, They crossed the court: right glad they were. Outside her kennel, the mastiff old For what can ail the mastiff bitch? They passed the hall, that echoes still, Pass as lightly as you will! The brands were flat, the brands were dying, Amid their own white ashes lying; But when the lady passed, there came A tongue of light, a fit of flame; And Christabel saw the lady's eye, And nothing else saw she thereby, Save the boss of the shield of Sir Leoline tall, |