FRAGMENT FROM “ILDEGONDA.”
Serene the heavens—while in the deep blue sky
The moon rode forth, and poured her silvery light,
Within the turret’s shadow wandering nigh,
An armed warrior met the maiden’s sight.
No voice was heard; nor breeze’s whispered sigh,
To break the brooding quiet of the night,
Save, ever and anon, the warning sound
Of sentry pacing on his guarded round.
Then rose the song.—“Of pilgrimage the sign,
The red cross, bound upon her snowy breast,
Her regal halls Fiorina did resign
To follow him her maiden love had blest;
And side by side in holy Palestine,
Their arms oft bowed the Moslem’s haughty crest.
They fell together—bravest of the brave,
And found in that bright land a common grave.
“’Twas Autumn—and the morning like a bride—
The last for her!—came forth in fair array;
‘My plighted love!’ her faithful Sveno cried—
‘Seek not with me—seek not the fight to-day!
Fierce slaughter waits to roll his crimson tide—
Oh, save thyself! nor tempt the dangerous fray!’
She listened not;—they fell among the brave,
And found in that bright land a common grave.
“Their corpses pale were found upon the plain
Where the stern conflict deadliest had been:
In mute embrace the undivided twain
With love on each dead feature stamped, were seen.
Their spirits blest repose from earthly pain
In God’s own peace, ineffable, serene.
Their bodies—where they fell among the brave,
Have found in that bright land a common grave.”
He ceased; but ceased not yet his voice’s tone
That broke so late the silence deep and dread:
From those high walls, so frowning, vast, and lone,
Back the sad notes in echoed murmurs sped.
The far-off fields heard too the solemn moan,
Where o’er the herbage night her dews had shed,
More faint and faint—till blending with the roar
Of distant flood—or winds—’tis heard no more.