Obrázky stránek
PDF
ePub
[blocks in formation]

PEAK! speak! thou fearful "Far in the Northern Land,

"SPEAK

guest!

Who, with thy hollow breast
Still in rude armor drest,

Comèst to daunt me!

Wrapt not in Eastern balms,
But with thy fleshless palms
Stretched, as if asking alms,

Why dost thou haunt me?"

2.

Then, from those cavernous eyes
Pale flashes seemed to rise,
As when the Northern skies

Gleam in December;
And, like the water's flow
Under December's snow,
Came a dull voice of wõe
From the heart's chamber.

3.

"I was a Viking old! My deeds, though manifold, No Skåld2 in song has told,

3

No Saga3 taught thee! Take heed, that in thy verse Thou dost the tale rehearse, Else dread a dead man's curse;

For this I sought thee.

1 The author says: 66 The following ballad was suggested to me while riding on the sea-shore at Newport. A year or two previous a skeleton had been dug up at Fall River, clad in broken and corroded armor; and the idea occurred to me of connecting it with the Round Tower at Newport, generally known hitherto as the Old Wind Mill, though now claimed by the Danes

[blocks in formation]

7.

"Many a wassail-bout1 Wōre the long Winter out; Often our midnight shout

Set the cocks crowing, As we the Berserk's tale Measured in cups of ale, Draining the oaken pail, Filled to ō'erflowing. 8.

"Once as I told in glee Tales of the stormy sea, Soft eyes did gaze on me,

Burning yet tender; And as the white stars shine On the dark Norway pine, On that dark heart of mine Fell their soft splendor.

9.

"I wooed the blue-eyed maid, Yielding, yet half afraid, And in the forest's shade

Our vows were plighted.

Under its loosened vest
Fluttered her little breast,
Like birds within their nest
By the hawk frighted.
10.

"Bright in her father's hall
Shields gleamed upon the wall,
Loud sang the minstrels all,
Chaunting his glory;

When of old Hildebrand
I asked his daughter's hand,
Mute did the minstrels stand

To hear my stōry.

11.

"While the brown ale he quaffed, Loud then the champion laughed, And as the wind-gusts waft

The sea-foam brightly,

So the loud laugh of scorn, Out of those lips unshörn, From the deep drinking-horn Blew the foam lightly.

12.

"She was a Prince's child, I but a Viking wild,

And though she blushed and smiled
I was discarded!

Should not the dove so white
Follow the sea-mew's flight,
Why did they leave that night
Her nest unguarded?

13.

"Scarce had I put to sea, Bearing the maid with me,Fairest of all was she

Among the Norsemen !When on the white sea-strand, Waving his armed hand, Saw we old Hildebrand,

With twenty horsemen.

14.

"Then launched they to the blast,
Bent like a reed each mast,
Yet we were gaining fast,

When the wind failed us;
And with a sudden flaw
Came round the gusty Skaw,
So that our foe we saw

Laugh as he hailed us.
15.

"And as to catch the gale
Round veered the flapping sail,
Death! was the helmsman's hail
Death without quarter!
Mid-ships with iron keel
Struck we her ribs of steel;
Down her black hulk did reel
Through the black water!

1 Wassail-bout, (wỏs' sil-bout), a drinking-bout; a contest or set-to at wassail, a kind of liquor used on festive occasions.

[merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small]

Death closed her mild blue eyes,
Under that tower she lies;
Ne'er shall the sun arise
On such another!

19.

"Still grew my bosom then,
Still as a stagnant fen!
Hateful to me were men,

The sun-light hateful!
In the vast forest here,
Clad in my warlike gear,
Fell I upon my spear,

O, death was grateful!
20.

"Thus, seamed with many scars
Bursting these prison bars,
Up to its native stars

My soul ascended!

There from the flowing bowl
Deep drinks the warrior's soul,
Skoal! to the Northland! skōal!"
-Thus the tale ended.

H. W. LONGFELLOW.

MR.

SECTION XXVI.

I.

140. SCENES FROM PICKWICK.

THE DILEMMA.

R. Pickwick's apartments in Goswell street, although on limited scale, were not only of a very neat and comfortable description, but peculiarly adapted for the residence of a man of his genius and observation. His sitting-room was the first floor front, his bed-room was the second floor front; and thus, whether he was sitting at his desk in the parlor, or standing before the dressing-glass in his dormitory, he had an equal

1 Skōal, in Scandanavia this is the customary salutation when drinking a health. The orthography of

the word is slightly changed, in order to preserve the correct pronunciation.

opportunity of contemplating human nature in all the numerous phases it exhibits, in that not more populous than popular thoroughfare.

2. His landlady, Mrs. Bardell-the relict and sole executrix of a deceased custom-house officer-was a comely (kum'ly) woman of bustling manners and agreeable appearance, with a natural genius for cooking, improved by study and long practice into an ex'quisite talent. There were no children, no servants, no fowls. The only other inmates of the house were a large man and a small boy; the first a lodger, the second a production of Mrs. Bardell's. The large man was always at home precisely at ten o'clock at night, at which hour he regularly condensed himself into the limits of a dwarfish French bedstead in the back parlor; and the infantine sports and gymnastic exercises of Master Bardell were exclusively confined to the neighboring pavements and gutters. Cleanliness and quiet reigned throughout the house; and in it Mr. Pickwick's will was law.

3. To any one acquainted with these points of the domestic economy of the establishment, and con'versant with the admirable regulation of Mr. Pickwick's mind, his appearance and behavior, on the morning previous to that which had been fixed upon for the journey to Eatansvill, would have been most mysterious and unaccountable. He paced the room to and fro with hurried steps, popped his head out of the window at intervals of about three minutes each, constantly referred to his watch, and exhibited many other manifestations of impatience, věry unusual with him. It was evident that something of great importance was in contemplation; but what that something was, not even Mrs. Bardell herself had been enabled to discover.

[ocr errors]

4. "Mrs. Bardell," said Mr. Pickwick, at last, as that amiable female approached the termination of a prolonged dusting of the apartment. "Sir," said Mrs. Bardell. "Your little boy is a very long time gone." 'Why, it's a good long way to the Borough, sir," remonstrated Mrs. Bardell. "Ah," said Mr. Pickwick, "věry true; so it is." Mr. Pickwick relapsed into silence, and Mrs. Bardell resumed her dusting.

5. Mrs. Bardell," said Mr. Pickwick, at the expiration of a few minutes. "Sir," said Mrs. Bardell again. "Do you think it's a much greater expense to keep two people, than to keep

one ?" "La, Mr. Pickwick," said Mrs. Bardell, coloring up to the very border of her cap, as she fancied she observed a species of matrimonial twinkle in the eyes of her lodger; "La, Mr. Pickwick, what a question!" "Well, but do you?" inquired Mr. Pickwick. "That depends," said Mrs. Bardell, approaching the duster very near to Mr. Pickwick's elbow, which was planted on the table; "that depends a good deal upon the person, you know, Mr. Pickwick; and whether it's a saving and careful per· son, sir.' "That's very true," said Mr. Pickwick; "but the person I have in my eye (here he looked very hard at Mrs. Bardell) I think possesses these qualities; and has, moreover, a considerable knowledge of the world, and a great deal of sharpness, Mrs. Bardell; which may be of material use to me."

دو

6. "La, Mr. Pickwick," said Mrs. Bardell; the crimson rising to her cap-border again. "I do," said Mr. Pickwick, growing energetic, as was his wont (wunt) in speaking of a subject which interested him. "I do, indeed; and to tell you the truth, Mrs. Bardell, I have made up my mind." "Dear me, sir," exclaimed Mrs. Bardell. "You'll think it not very strange now," said the amiable Mr. Pickwick, with a good-humored glance at his companion, "that I never consulted you about this matter, and never mentioned it, till I sent your little boy out this morning—eh ?”

7. Mrs. Bardell could only reply by a look. She had long worshipped Mr. Pickwick at a distance, but here she was, all at once, raised to a pinnacle to which her wildest and most extravagant hopes had never dared to aspire. Mr. Pickwick was going to propose a deliberate plan, too-sent her little boy to the Borough, to get him out of the way-how thoughtful-how considerate !" Well," said Mr. Pickwick, "what do you think?” "Oh, Mr. Pickwick," said Mrs. Bardell, trembling with agitation, "you're věry kind, sir." "It will save you a great deal of trouble, won't it?" said Mr. Pickwick. "Oh, I never thought anything of the trouble, sir," replied Mrs. Bardell; "and of course, I should take more trouble to please you then than ever ; but it is so kind of you, Mr. Pickwick, to have so much consideration for my loneliness."

8. "Ah to be sure," said Mr. Pickwick; "I never thought of that. When I am in town, you'll always have somebody to sit with you. To be sure, so you will." "I'm sure I ought to be a very happy woman," said Mrs. Bardell.

"And your little boy-”

« PředchozíPokračovat »