首页 >出版文学> M119>第66章

第66章

  Yonder’sthemanwithhislifeinhishand,Legsonthemarchforwhatevertheland,Ortotheslaughter,ortothemaiming,Gettingthedoleofadogforpay。
  Laurelsheclaspsinthewords’dutydone,’
  Englandhisheartundereverysun:-
  Exquisitehumour!thatgeshimanamingBasetotheearasanass’sbray。
  THEVOYAGEOFTHE’OPHIR’
  Menofourrace,wesendyouoneRoundwhomctoria’sholynameIshalofromthesunkensunOfhergrandSummer’sdayaflame。
  TheheartofyourlovedMotherland,Tothemshelovesasherownblood,ThisFlowerofOceanbearsinhand,Assuredofgiftasgood。
  ForthforourSouthernshoresthefleetWhichcrownsanation’swisdomsteams,ThattheremayBritonBritongreet,AndstampasfactImperialdreams。
  Acrosstheglobe,fromseatosea,Thelongsmoke-pennontrailsabove,WritesoverskyhowwisewillbeThePowerthattruststolove。
  AlovethatspringsfromheartandbrainInuniongesforripestfruitTheconcordKingsandStatesinvainHavesought,whoplayedtheloftybrute,Andfondlydeemingtheypossessed,Onforcerelied,andfounditbreak:
  ThattruthoncescoredonBritain’sbreastNowkeepshermindawake。
  Australian,Canadian,Totoneoldveinswithstreamsofyouth,OurtrustbeonthebestinmanHenceforth,andweshallprovethattruth。
  Provetoaworldofbrowsdown-bentThatintheBritainthusendowed,Imperialmeansbeneficent,Andstrengthtosercevowed。
  SpiritofRussia,nowhascomeThedaywhenthoucanstnotbedumb。
  Aroundtheefoamsthetorrenttide,Abovetheeitsfellfountain,Pride。
  ThesenselessrockawaitsthywordTocrumble;shallitbeunheard?
  Already,likeatempest-sun,Thatshootstheflareandshutstodun,Thyland’twtflameanddarknessheaves,ShowingthebladewherewithFatecleaves,IfmortalsinhighcouragefailAttheonebreathbeforethegale。
  Thoserulersinallformsoflust,WhotrodthychildrendowntodustOntheredSunday,knowrightwellWhatwordforthemthyvoicewouldspell,Whatquickperditionforthemweave,Didtheyinsuchavoicebelieve。
  Notthinetoraisetheavenger’sshriek,NorturntothemaTolstoicheek;
  Normenacehim,thewavererstill,Manofmuchheartandlittlewill,Thecriminalofhishighseat,WhosepleaofGuiltlessjudgesit。
  ForhimthyvoiceshallbringtohandSalvation,andtothytornland,Seenonthebreakers。NowhascomeThedaywhenthoucanstnotbedumb,SpiritofRussia:-thosewhobindThylimbsandiron-capthymind,Taketheeforquakingflesh,misdoubtThatthouartoftherabbleroutWhichcriesandflees,withwhimperinglip,Fromrecklessgunandbrutalwhip;
  ButhewhohasatheartthedeedsOfthyheroicoffspringreadsInthemasoul;notgentoshrinkFromperilontheabyss’sbrink;
  Withneverdreadofmurderouspower;
  Withewbeyondthecrimsonhour;
  Neitheraninstinct-drenmight,Norsionaryerudite;
  Asoul;thatartthou。ItremainsFortheetostaythychildren’sveins,Thecountertidesofhatearrest,Getothysonsabreathingbreast,AndHimresembling,inHissight,Saytothyland,LettherebeLight。
  OCTOBER21,1905
  Thehundredyearshavepassed,andheWhosenameappeasedanation’sfears,Aswithahandlaidoversea;
  Tothunderthroughthefoeman’searsDefeatbeforehisblastoffire;
  LesintheimmortalityThatpoetsdreamandnoblestsoulsdesire。
  Neverdidnation’sneedevokeHerolikehimforaid,thewhileAContinentwascannon-smokeOrpeaceinslavery:thisoneIsleReflectingNature:thisonemanHersea-houndandhermortalstroke,Withwar-wornbodyayeinbattle’svan。
  Anddowelovehimwell,aswellAshehiscountry,wemaygreet,Withhandonsteel,ourpassingbellNighontheswing,forpreludesweetTothemusicheardwhenhislastbreathHungonitsebbbesidetheknell,AndCTORYinhisearsanggraciousDeath。
  Ah,dayofglory!dayoftears!
  Dayofapeoplebowedasone!
  BeholdacrossthosehundredyearsThelionflashofgunatgun:
  Ourbitterpride;ourlovebereaved;
  Whatpallofcloudo’ercameoursunThatday,tobearhiswreath,theendachieved。
  Joythatnomorewithmurder’sfrownTheancientralsbarkapart。
  NowNelsontobraveFranceisshownAheroafterherownheart:
  Andhenowscanningthatquickrace,Towhomthroughlifehisglovewasthrown,Wouldknowasisterspirittoembrace。
  THECENTENARYOFGARIBALDI
  WewhohaveseenItaliainthethroes,Halfrisenbuttobehurledtoground,andnowLikearipefieldofwheatwhereoncedroveploughAllbounteousassheisfair,wethinkofthoseWhoblewthebreathoflifeintoherframe:
  Cavour,Mazzini,Garibaldi:Three:
  HerBrain,herSoul,herSword;andsetherfreeFromruinousdiscords,withonelustrousaim。
  Thataim,albeittheywereofmindsderse,Conjoinedthem,nottostrewithoutsurcease;
  ForthemcouldbenobabblementofpeaceWhilelaytheircountryunderSlavery’scurse。
  ThesetoftornItalia’sgloriousdayWaseversunriseineachfilialbreast。
  OfeaglebeaksbyrighteousnessunblestTheyfeltherpulsingbodymadetheprey。
  Whereforetheystruck,andhadtocounttheirdead。
  WithbittersmileofresolutionnervedTotrynewissues,holdingfaithunswerved,Promisetheygatheredfromtherichbloodshed。
  InthemItalia,sibletousthenAsling,rose;forproofthathugebruteForceHasneverbeingfromcelestialsource,Andisthelordofcravens,notofmen。
  Nowbreakingupthecrustoftemporalstrife,WhoreadstheiractsenshrinedinHistory,seesThatTyrantsweretheRevolutionaries,TheRebelsmenheart-vowedtohallowedlife。
  PureastheArchangel’scleangDarknessthro’,TheSwordhesees,thekeenunweariedSword,Asinglebladeagainstacirclinghorde,AndayeforFreedomandthetrampledfew。
  ThecryofLibertyfromdungeoncell,Fromele,washisGod’scommandtosmite,Asforaswiminseahejoinedthefight,Withradiantface,fullsurethathedidwell。
  Beholdawarriordealingmortalstrokes,Whosenaturewasachild’s:amidhisfoesAwarytrickster:atthebattle’sclose,Nogentlerfriendthisleoparddashedwithfox。
  DownthelongrollofHistorywillrunThestoryofthesedeeds,andspeedhisraceBeneathdefeatmorehotlytoembraceThenoblecauseandtrusttoanothersun。
  Andlo,thatsunisinItalia’sskiesThisday,bygraceofhisgoodswordinpart。
  ItbeckonshertokeepawarriorheartForguardofbeauty,alltoosweetaprize。
  Earthgavehim:blessedbetheEarththatgave。
  Earth’sMastercrownedhishonestworkonearth:
  ProudlyItalianameshisplaceofbirth:
  ThebosomofHumanityhisgrave。
  THEWILDROSE
  HighclimbsJune’swildrose,Herbushallbloomsinaswarm;
  Andswiftfromthebudsheblows,Inadaywhenthewooeriswarm;
  Franktoreceeandge,Herbosomisopentobeeandsun:
  Prideshehasnone,Norshamesheknows;
  Happytole。
  Unlikethoseofthegardennigh,Herqueenlysistersenthronedbyart;
  LooseningpetalsonebyoneTothefieryPassion’sdartSuperblyshy。
  Fortheminsomegloryofhair,Ornestoftheheangmoundstolie,Orpathofthebridebestrew。
  Everaretheythethemeforsong。
  Butnoughtofthatishershare。
  Hardlyfromwayfarerstrampingalong,Aglancetheycarenottorenew。
  AndsheatawordoftheclaimsofkinShrinkstothelevelofroadsandmeads:
  Sheisonlyaplainprincessoftheweeds,Asanoutcastwitlessofsin:
  Muchdisregarded,savebythefewWholoveher,thathasnotaspotofdeceit,Nopromiseofsweetbeyondsweet,Oftendescendingtosour。
  Onanyfairbreastshewoulddieinanhour。
  Praisesshescarcecouldbear,Wereanywildpoettopraise。
  Heraimistoriseintolightandair。
  OneofthedarlingsofEarth,nomore,Andlittleitseemsinthedustyways,Unlesstothegrassesnoddingbeneath;
  Thebirdclappingwingstosoar,Thecloudsofanevetide’swreath。
  THECALL
  UnderwhatspellarewedebasedByfearsforourinolateIsle,WhoserecordisofdangersfacedAndflungtoheelwithevensmile?
  Isitavasterforce,asubtlerguile?
  TheysayExercitusdesignsTomatchthefamedSalsipotentWhereonhersceptreshereclines;
  Awake:butwereaslumbersentByguiltygods,morefellhisfoulintent。
  Thesubtlerweb,thevasterfoe,Wellmaywemeetwhendrilledfordeeds:
  Butinthesedaysofwealthatflow,AwordofbreezywarningbreedsThepainedresponsesseeninlakesidereeds。
  Wefainwouldstandcontemplate,Allinnocentasmeadowgrass;
  Inhumangoodnessfainbelieve,Believeacloudisformedtopass;
  Itsshadowschasewithdraughtsofhippocras。
  Othershavegone;thewaytheywentSweetsunnynow,andsafeournest。
  Humanity,enlightenment,Againstthewarninghumprotest:
  Lettheworldhearthatweknowwhatisbest。
  Sodothebeatificspeak;
  Yethavetheyears,andeyesaswell;
  Andifnotwithapalercheek,Theyfeeltheshersinthemdwell,Thatsomethingofadubiousfuturetell。
  ForhugepossessionsrenderslackThepowerweneedtoholdthemfast;
  SavewhenaquickenedheartshallmakeOurpeopleone,tomeetwhatblastMayblowfromtemporalheavensovercast。
  Ourpeopleone!NortheywithstrengthDependentonasinglearm:
  Alert,andbracedthewholeland’slength,Rejoicingintheirmanhood’scharmForfriendorfoe;tosuccour,nottoharm。
  Haseverweaknesswonesteem?
  Orcountsitasaprizedally?
  TheywhohavereadinHistorydeemItranksamongtheslashfry,WhoseclaimtolejusticiaryFatesdeny。
  ItcannotbedeclaredweareAnationtillfromendtoendThelandcanshowsuchfronttowarAsbidsacrouchingfoeexpendHisireinair,andpreferablybefriend。
  Wedreadinghim,wedohimwrong;
  Forfearsdiscolour,fearsinte。
  Likehim,ourtaskistobestrong;
  Unlikehim,claimingnotbymightTosnatchanenedtreasureasaright。
  SomayastouterbrotherhoodAthomebesignalledoverseaForrighteous,andbeunderstood,Nay,welcomed,when’tisshownthatweAlldutieshaveembracedinbeingfree。
  ThisBritainslumbering,sheisrich;
  Liesplacidasacradledchild;
  Attimeswithanuneasytwitch,Thattellsofdreamsundulywild。
  Shallshebewithaforeigndrugdefiled?
  Thegrandeurofherdeedsrecall;
  Lookonherfacesokindlyfair:
  ThisBritain!andwereshetofall,Mankindwouldbreatheaharsherair,Thenationsmissalightofleadingrare。
  Arainlessdarknessdrewo’erthelakeAswelayinourboatwithoarsunshipped。
  Itseemedneithercloudnorwaterawake,AndforthofthelowblackcurtainslippedThunderlesslightning。ScoffnomoreAtangelsimaginedindownwardflightForthedaughtersofearthasfabledofyore:
  HerewasbeautymightwellinteDarkheavenstogleamwiththefireofasunResurgent;heretheexchangedembraceWorthyofheavenandearthmadeone。
  Andwitnessit,yeoftheprilegedspace,Saidtheflash;andthemountains,asfromanabyssForqueringsecondsleapeduptoattestThatgen,receed,renewedwasthekiss;