Butwhohadsappeditatthesource,Withscarlettoherpride!
Hebroughtherwaningheartas’twereNewmessagefromtheskies。
Andhebetrayed,andleftonherTheburdenoftheirsighs。
Infloodshertendermemoriespoured;
Theyfoamedwithwavesofspite:
Shecrushedthem,highherheartoutsoared,Tokeephermindalight-
Thecrawlingcreature,calledinscornAwoman!——withthispenWesignapaperthatmaywarnHiscrowingfellowmen-
WereadthemlessonofapowerTheyslightwhodouswrong。
ThatbitterhourthisbitterhourProvokes;byturnsthestrong!-
Thatwewerewomanonceisknown:
ThatweareJusticenow,Aboveoursex,abovethethrone,Menquakingshallavow。
ArchduchessAnneascendingflew,Herheartoutsoared,butfeltThedemonofhersexpursue,Incensingortomelt。
ThosecounterfloodsbelowatleapStillinherbreastblewstorm,AndfartheruptheheavenlysteepWrestledinangels’form。
TodisentangleoneclearwishNotofhersex,shesought;
AndwomanishtowomanishDiscernedinlightedthought。
WithLouis’chanceitwentnotwellWhenatherselfsheraged;
Awoman,ofwhommenmighttellShedoted,crazedandaged。
OrelseenamouredofasweetWithdrawn,avengefulcrone!
Andsay,whatfigureatherfeetIsthisthatuttersmoan?
TheCountessLouisfromherheadDrewveil:’GreatLady,hear!
MyhusbanddeemsyouJusticedread,IknowyouMercydear。
’Hiserroruponhimmayfall;
Hewillnotbreatheanay。
Iamhishelplessmateinall,Exceptforgracetopray。
’Perchanceonmehischoiceinclined,TogehisHouseanheir:
Ihadnotmarriagewithhismind,Hiscounselcouldnotshare。
’IbroughtnoportionforhiswealButthisoneinstincttrue,Whichbidsmeinmyweaknesskneel,ArchduchessAnne,toyou。’
ThefrowningLadyuttered,’Forth!’
Herlookforbadedelay:
’Itisnotminetoweighyourworth;
Yourhusband’sothersweigh。
I
’Hencewiththewomaninyourspeech,’
FornothingitavailsInwoman’sfashiontobeseechWhereJusticeholdsthescales。’
Thenbentandwenttheladywan,WhosegirlishnessmadegreyThethoughtsthatthroughArchduchessAnneShatteredlikestormyspray。
Longsatshethere,asflamethatstresToholdonbeatingwind:-
Hiswifemustbethefoolofwes,Orcunninglydesigned!
Shesatuntilthetempest-pitchInhertornbosomfell;-
HiswifemustbeasubtlewitchOrelseGodlovesherwell!
OldKrakenreadamissepennedByhisgreatLady’shand。
Hercondescensioncalledhimfriend,Toraisethecrestshefanned。
SwiftlytowherehelayencampedItflew,yetbreathedaloofFromwoman’sfeeling,andhestampedAheelmorelikeahoof。
ShewroteofMercy:’ShewaslothToohardtogoadafoe。’
Hestamped,aswhenmendreanoathDelstranscribebelow。
Shewrote:’Wehavehimhalfbytheft。’
Hiswrinklesglistenedkeen:
AndseetheWinterstorm-cloudcleftToluridskiesbetween!
WhenreadoldKraken:’ChristourGuide,’
Hiseyeswerespikesofspar:
Andseethewhitesnow-stormdideAboutanicystar!
’Shetrustedhimtounderstand,’
Shewrote,andfurtherprayedThatpolicymightruletheland。
OldKraken’slaughterneighed。
Herwordshetook;hernodsandwinksTreatedaswoman’sfog。
Theman-dogforhismistressthinks,Notlessherfaithfuldog。
ShehuggedacloakoldKrakenripped;
Disguisetohimheloathed-
Yourmercy,madam,showsyoustripped,Whileminewillkeepyouclothed。
Aroughill-solderedscarinhasteHerubbedonhischeek-bone-
Ourpolicythemanshalltaste;
Ourmercyshallbeshown。
’CountLouis,honourtoyourraceDecreestheCouncil-hall:
You’scapetheropebyspecialgrace,Andlikeasoldierfall。’-
Iamamanofmanysins,Whoforonertuedie,CountLouissaid——Theyplayatshins,Whokick,wasthereply。
Uprosethedayofcrimsonsight,ThedaywithoutaGod。
AtmorntheherosaidGood-night:
Seetherethatstainonsod!
AtmorntheCountessLouisheardYounglightsinginthelark。
Ereeveitwasthatotherbird,Whichbringsthestarlessdark。
Toheavenshevowedherself,andyearnedBesideherlordtolie。
ArchduchessAnneonKrakenturned,Allwhiteasadeadeye。
IfIcouldkillthee!shriekedherlook:
IflightningsprangfromWill!
AnoakenheadoldKrakenshook,Andshemightthankorkill。
ThepridethatfencedherheartinmailBymortalpainwastorn。
Forthfromherbosomleapedawail,Asofababenew-born。
Shecladherselfincourtlyuse,AndonewhoheardthemprateHadsaidtheydiffereduponewsWherestatecraftraiseddebate。
Thewretchdetestedmustshetrust,Theservantmasterown:
Confidetogodlesscausesojust,AndforGod’sblessingmoan。
Austerelysheherheartkeptdown,Herwoman’stonguewasmuteWhenvoiceofPeople,voiceofCrown,Incannonhelddispute。
TheCrownonseasofblood,likeswine,Swamforefootatthethroat:
Itdrankofitsdearveinsforwine,Enoughifitmightfloat!
Itsankwithpiteousyelp,resurgedElectricalwithfear。
OhadsheonoldKrakenurgedHerwordofmercyclear!
OhadtheywithCountLouisbeenAccordantinhisplea!
CursedarethewomenvowedtoscreenAheartthatallcansee!
ThegodlessdroveuntoagoalWasworsethanledefeat。
DidvengeanceprickCountLouis’soulTheydressedhimlusciousmeat。
WormswillthefaithlessfindtheirliesIntheclosetreasure-chest。
WithoutaGodnodaycanrise,Thoughitshouldslayourbest。
TheCrownitfurledadraggledflag,Itsheathedabrokenblade。
BeholditstriumphinthehagThatleswithlooksdecayed!
Andlo,themanofoakenhead,Ofsoldier’shonourbare,Hefledhisland,butmosthefledHisLady’sfrigidstare。
JudgedbytheissuewediscernGod’sblessing,andthebane。
CountLouis’dustwouldfillanurn,Hisdeedsarewanggrain。
Andshethathelpedtoslay,yetbadeTosparethefatedman,Greatwerehererrors,butshehadGreatheart,ArchduchessAnne。
QueenTheodolindhasbuiltIntheearthafurnace-bed:
TheretheTraitorNailthatspiltBloodoftheanointedHead,Redofheat,resolvesinshame:
Whiteofheat,awakestoflame。
Beat,beat!whiteofheat,Redofheat,beat,beat!
MarktheskeletonoffireLighteningfromitsthunder-roof:
SocomesthisthatsawexpireHimwelove,forourbehoof!
Redofheat,Owhiteofheat,ThisfromofftheCrosswegreet。
Brown-cowledhammermenaroundNervetheirnakedarmstostrikeDeathwithResurrectioncrowned,Eachuponthatcruelspike。
Redofheatthefurnaceleaps,Whiteofheattransfiguredsleeps。
HardagainstthefurnacecoreHoldstheQueenherstreamingeyes:
Lo!thatthingofpiteousgoreInthelapofradiancelies,Redofheat,aswhenHetakes,Whiteofheat,whomearthforsakes。
Forthwithit,andcrushingringIronhymns,formentohearEchoesofthedeedsthatstingEarthintoitsgraves,andfear!
Redofheat,Hemakeththus,Whiteofheat,acrownofus。
ThisthatkilledThee,kissedThee,Lord!
TouchedThee,andwetouchit:dear,Darkitis;adored,abhorred:
lest,yetmostsaintedhere。
Redofheat,Owhiteofheat,Inithellandheavenmeet。
IbeholdourmorningdayWhentheychasedHimoutwithrodsUptowherethistraitorlayThirsting;andthebloodwasGod’s!
Redofheat,itshallbepressed,Whiteofheat,onceonmybreast!
Quick!thereptileinmeshrieks,Notthesoul。Again;theCrossBurnthere。Oh!thispainitwreaksRaptureis:painisnotloss。
Redofheat,thetoothofDeath,Whiteofheat,hascaughtmybreath。
Brandme,biteme,bitterthing!
ThusHefelt,andthusIamOnewithHiminsuffering,OnewithHiminbliss,theLamb。
Redofheat,Owhiteofheat,Thusisbitternessmadesweet。
NowamI,whobearthatstampScorchedinme,thelingsignSoleonearth——thelightedlampOfthedreadfulDaydine。
Whiteofheat,beatonitfast!
Redofheat,itsshapehaspassed。
Outinangrysparkstheyfly,TheythatsentencedHimtobleed:
Pontiusandhistroop:theydie,Damnedforeverforthedeed!
Whiteofheatinvaintheysoar:
Redofheattheystrewthefloor。
Furyonit!haveitsdebt!
ThunderontheHillaccurst,Golgotha,beye!andsweatBlood,andthirstthePassion’sthirst。
Redofheatandwhiteofheat,Champitlikefierceteeththateat。
StrikeitastheagescrushTowers!forwhileashapeisseenIamralled。Quenchitsblush,Del!ButitcrownsmeQueen,Redofheat,asnonebefore,Whiteofheat,thecircletwore。
LowlyIwillbe,andquail,Crawling,withabeggar’shand:
OnmybreastthebrandedNail,Onmyheadtheironband。
Redofheat,arenonesobase!
Whiteofheat,noneknowsuchgrace!
Intheirheaventhesaintedhosts,Robedinoletunflecked,Gazeonhumankindasghosts:
Idrawdownaraydirect。
Redofheat,acrossmybrow,Whiteofheat,ItouchHimnow。
Robedinolet,robedingold,Robedinpearl,theymakeourdawn。
WhatamItothem?BeholdWhatyearetome,andfawn。
Redofheat,behumble,ye!
Whiteofheat,Oteachitme!
Martyrs!hungrypeaksinair,Rentwithlightnings,cladwithsnow,Crownedwithstars!youstripmebare,Pierceme,shameme,stretchmelow,Redofheat,butitmaybe,Whiteofheat,someenvyme!
Opooreners!God’sowngiftsHaveadelfortheweak。
Yea,theveryforcethatliftsFindsthevessel’ssecretleak。
Redofheat,Iriseo’erall:
Whiteofheat,Ifaint,Ifall。
ThoseoldMartyrssloughedtheirpride,Takinghumblenesslikemirth。
IamtoHisGlorytied,IthatwitnessHimonearth!
Redofheat,myprideofdust,Whiteofheat,feedsfireintrust。
Kindlemetoconstantfire,Lestthenailbebutanail!
Gemewingsofgreatdesire,LestIlookwithin,andfail!
Redofheat,thefurnacelight,Whiteofheat,fonmysight。
NeverfortheChosenpeace!
Know,bymetormentedknow,NevershallthewrestlingceaseTillwithouroutlastingFoe,Redofheattowhiteofheat,RollwetotheGodhead’sfeet!
Beat,beat!whiteofheat,Redofheat,beat,beat!
LadieswhoinchainsofwedlockChafeatanunequalyoke,Nottonightingalesgehearing;
Betterthis,theraven’scroak。
DownthePradostrolledmyseigneur,Armatlordlybowonhip,Fingerstrimminghismoustachios,Eyesforpiratefellowship。
Homesatshethatownedhimmaster;
LiketheflowerbenttogroundRain-surchargedandsun-forsaken;
Heedlessofherhairunbound。
SuddenatherfeetaloverPalpitatingkneltandwooed;
SeemedaverygiftfromheavenTothestarvedofcommonfood。
第31章