* Here followed the stanzas, afterwards published separately under the title "Love," (see this vol. p. 126,) and after them came the other three stanzas printed above; the whole forming the introduction to the intended Dark Ladie, of which all that exists is to be found on next page. Late Ed. F* And now once more, a tale of woe, When last I sang the cruel scorn, I promised thee a sister tale, Of man's perfidious cruelty; Come, then, and hear what cruel wrong Befell the Dark Ladie. THE BALLAD OF THE DARK LADIE A FRAGMENT. BENEATH yon birch with silver bark And there upon the moss she sits, The Dark Ladie in silent pain; And drops and swells again. Three times she sends her little page The sun was sloping down the sky, She hears a rustling o'er the brook, "'Tis He! 'Tis my betrothed Knight! Lord Falkland, it is Thou !" She springs, she clasps him round the neck, She sobs a thousand hopes and fears, Her kisses glowing on his cheeks 'My friends with rude ungentle words "My Henry, I have given thee much, The Knight made answer to the Maid, "The fairest one shall be my love's, "Wait only till the hand of eve Hath wholly closed yon western bars, "The dark? the dark? No! not the dark? The twinkling stars? How, Henry? How? O God! 'twas in the eye of noon He pledged his sacred vow! "And in the eye of noon, my love, Shall lead me from my mother's door "But first the nodding minstrels go "And then my love and I shall pace, * LEWTI, OR THE CIRCASSIAN LOVE-CHANT. AT midnight by the stream I roved, Image of Lewti! from my mind The Moon was high, the moonlight gleam And the shadow of a star Heaved upon Tamaha's stream; But the rock shone brighter far, Onward to the moon it passed; Till it reached the moon at last : And with such joy I find my Lewti; And even so my pale wan cheek Drinks in as deep a flush of beauty! Nay, treacherous image! leave my mind, If Lewti never will be kind. The little cloud-it floats away, And now 'tis whiter than before! A dying man for love of thee. Nay, treacherous image! leave my mind— And yet, thou did'st not look unkind. I saw a vapor in the sky, Thin, and white, and very high; I ne'er beheld so thin a cloud : Perhaps the breezes that can fly For maids, as well as youths, have perished Hush my heedless feet from under Like echoes to a distant thunder, They plunge into the gentle river. O beauteous birds! methinks ye measure |