To what my father bids ; but I "Yea, yea, for such as thou hast seen, That may be well,” the other said. “But come now, come ; for by my head This one must be from Paradise ; Come swiftly then, if thou art wise, Ere aught can snatch him back again." She caught her hand, and not in vain She prayed; for now some kindly thought To Cecily's brow fair color brought, And quickly 'gan her heart to beat As Love drew near those eyes to greet, Who knew him not till that sweet hour. So over the fair, pink-edged flower, Softly she stepped; but when she came Anigh the sleeper, lovely shame Cast a soft mist before her eyes Full filled of many fantasies. But when she saw him lying there She smiled to see her mate so fair; And in her heart did Love begin To tell his tale, nor thought she sin To gaze on him that was her own, Not doubting he was come alone To woo her, whom 'midst arms and gold She deemed she should at first behold; And with that thought love grew again Until departing was a pain, Though fear grew with that growing love, And with her lingering footsteps strove As from the place she turned to go, Sighing and murmuring words full low. But as her raiment's hem she raised, And for her merry fellow gazed Shamefaced and changed, she met her eyes Turned grave and sad with ill surprise : Who while the Princess mazed did stand Had drawn from Michael's loosened band The King's scrol, which she he'd out now To Cecily, and whispered low, "Read, and do quickly what thou wilt, Sad, sad ! such fair life to be spilt: Come further first." With that they stepped “Lord Seneschal, Set thou his head upon a spear She read, and scarcely had her eyes Withal she turned about her eyes Once more, and swiftly as a man Betwixt the garden trees she ran, Until, her own bower reached at last, She made good haste, and quickly passed Unto her secret treasury. There, hurrying since the time was nigh For folk to come from meat, she took From 'twixt the leaves of a great book A royal scroll, signed, sealed, but blank, Then, with a hand that never shrank Or trembled, she the scroll did fill With these words, writ with clerkly skill – “Unto the Seneschal, Sir Rafe, Who holdeth our fair castle safe, Greeting and health! O well beloved, Know that at this time we are moved To wed our daughter, so we send Him who bears this, our perfect friend, To be her bridegroom; so do thou Ask nought of him, since well we know His race and great nobility, And how he is most fit to be Our son; therefore make no delay, But wed the twain upon the day Thou readest this; and see that all Take oath to him, whate'er shall fall To do his bidding as our heir ; So doing still be lief and dear As I have held thee yet to be." She cast the pen down hastily At that last letter, for she heard And from the house made haste to get How even now the people stirred A gilded maund wherein she set Within the hall: nor dared she think A flask of ancient island wine, What bitter potion she must drink Ripe fruits and wheaten manchets fine, If now she failed, so falsely bold And many such a delicate That life or death did she infold As goddesses in old time ate, Within its cover, making shift Ere Helen was a Trojan queen; To seal it with her father's gift, So passing through the garden green A signet of carnelian. She cast her eager eyes again Upon the spot where he had lain, Then swiftly down the stairs she ran But found it empty, so sped on And reached the garden ; but her fears Till she at last the place had won Brought shouts and thunder to her ears, Where Cecily lay weak and white That were but lazy words of men Within that fair bower of delight. Full fed, far off; nay, even when Her straight she made to eat and drink, Her limbs caught up her flying gown And said, “See now thou dost not shrink The noise seemed loud enough to drown From this thy deed ; let love slay fear The twitter of the autumn birds, Now, when thy life shall grow so dear, And her own muttered breathless words Each minute should seem lost to thee That to her heart seemed loud indeed. If thou for thy felicity Yet therewithal she made good speed Couldst stay to count them; for I say, And reached the fountain seen of none, This day shall be thy happy day." Where yet abode her friend alone, Therewith she smiled to see the wine Watching the sleeper, who just now Embraced by her fingers fine; Turned in his sleep and muttered low. And her sweet face grow bright again Therewith fair Agnes saying nought With sudden pleasure after pain. From out her hand the letter caught; Again she spoke, “What is this word And while she leaned against the stone That, dreaming, I perchance have heard, Stole up to Michael's side alone, But certainly remember well; And with a cool, unshrinking hand That some old soothsayer did tell Thrust the new scroll deep in his band, Strange things unto my lord, the King, And turned about unto her friend: That on thy hand the spousal ring Who, having come unto the end No Kaiser's son, no King should set, Of all her courage, trembled there But one a peasant did beget, With face upturned for fresher air, What say'st thou?" And parted lips grown gray and pale, But the Queen Aushed red; And limbs that now began to fail, “Such fables I have heard," she said; And hands wherefrom all strength had gone, "And thou - is it such scath to me, Scarce fresher than the blue-veined stone The bride of such a man to be?" That quivering still she strove to clutch. “Nay," said she, “God will have him But when she felt her lady's touch, King: Feebly she said, “Go ! let me die How shall we do a better thing And end this sudden misery With this or that one than He can? That in such wise has wrapped my life, God's friend must be a goodly man." I am too weak for such a strife, But with that word she heard the sound So sick I am with shame and fear: Of folk who through the mazes wound Would thou hadst never brought me here I " Bearing the message; then she said, But Agnes took her hand and said, "Be strong, pluck up thine hardihead, Nay, Queen, and must we three be dead Speak little, so sha'l all be well, Because thou fearest? All is safe For now our own tale will they tell.” And even as she spoke they came, Past tree, and bower, and high-pleached And all the green place was aflame fence With golden raiment of the lords ; Unto the garden's further end, While Cecily, noting not their words, And left her there, and back did wend, Rose up to go; and for her part By this had fate so steeled her heart, I know not; some faint quivering That checked the cold words' even for. At tourney or high festival. But yet they set his heart aglow, But when they now had reached the hall, And he in turn said eagerly, — And up its very steps they went, "Surely I count it nought to die Her head a little down she bent; For him who brought me unto this; To look with kind eyes in my face, And send sweet music to my ears." But at the rustling, crowded dais But at his words she, mazed with tears, She gathered heart her eyes to raise, Seemed faint, and failing quickly, when And there beheid her love, indeed, Above the low hum of the men Clad in her father's serving weed, Uprose the sweet bells' suriden clang, But proud, and flushed, and calm withal, As men unto the chapel rang; Fearless of aught that might befall, While just outside the singing folk Nor too astonied, for he thought, Into most heavenly carols broke. “From point to point my life is brought And going softly up the hall Through wonders til it comes to this; Boys bore aloft the verges tall And trouble cometh after bliss, Before the bishop's gold-clad head. And I will bear a'l as I may, Then forth his bride young Michael led, And ever, as day passeth day, And nought to him seemed good or bad My life will hammer írom the twain, Except the lovely hand he had; Forging a long-enduring chain." But she the while was murmuring low, But 'midst these thoughts their young eyes “If he could know, if he could know, met, What love, what love, his love should be !" And every word did he forget Wherewith men name unhappiness, But while 'mid mirth and miastrelsy As read again those words did bless The ancient Castle of the Rose With double blessings his glad ears. Such pageant to the autumn shows And if she trembled with her fears, The King sits ill at ease at home, And if with doubt, and love, and shame, For in these days the news is come The rosy color went and came That he who in his line should wed In her sweet cheeks and smooth bright Lies in his own town stark and dead, brow, Slain in a tumult in the street. Little did folk think of it now, Brooding on this he decmed it meet, But as of maiden modesiy, Since nigh the day was come when she Shamefaced to see the bridegroom nigh. Her bridegroom's visage looked to see, And now when Rafe the Seneschal To hold the settled day with her, Had read the message down the Hall, And bid her at the least to wear And turned to her, quite calm again Dull mourning guise for gold and white. Her face had grown, and with no pain So on another morning bright, She raised her serious eyes to his, When the whole promised month was past, Grown soft and pensive with his bliss, He drew anigh the place at last And said, Where Michae''s dead hend, looking down “Prince, thou art welcome here, Upon the highway with a frown, Where all my father loves is dear, He doubted not at last to see. And full trust do I put in thee, So 'twixt the fruitful greenery For that so great nobi ity He rode, scarce touched by care the while He knoweth in thee; be as kind Humming a roundel with a smile. As I would be to thee, and find Withal, cre yet he drew anigh, A happy life from day to day, He heard their watch-horn sound from high, Till all our days are passed away." Nor wondered, for their wont was so, What more than found the bystanders And well his banner they might know He found within this speech of hers, Amidst the stubble-lands afar: Bat now a distant point of war But drawn still nigher to the gate For first on each side, maids did sing, Dressed in gold raiment; then there came The minstrels in their coats of flame; And then the many-colored lords, The knights' spears, and the swordmen's swords, So now, presaging many ills, But as he strengthened thus his heart But now the king had pondered sore, By when they reached him, though, indeed, The time was short unto his need, Betwixt his heart's first startled pang And those old banner-bearers' clang Anigh his saddle-bow; but he Across their heads scowled heavily, Not saying aught a while : at last, Ere any glance at them he cast, He said, "Whence come ye? what are ye? What play is this ye play to me?" None answered, - Cecily, faint and white, The ra:her Michael's hand clutched tight, And seemed to speak, bit not one word The nearest to her could have heard. Then the King spoke again, — "Sir Rafe, Meseems this youngling came here safe “Yea, sir," he said; “Sire, the eleventh day this is Since that they gained their earthly bliss," Quoth old Sir Rafe. The King said nought, But with his head bowed down in thought, Stood a long while ; but at the last Upward a smiling face he cast, And cried aloud above the folk: “Shout for the joining of the yoke Betwixt these twain ! and thou, fair lord, Who dost so well my every word, Nor makest doubt of anything, Wear thou the collar of thy King : And a duke's banner, cut foursquare, Henceforth shall men before thee bear In tourney and in stricken field. “But this mine heir shall bear my shield, Carry my banner, wear my crown, Ride equal with me through my town, Sit on the same step of the throne ; In nothing will reign alone; Nor be ye with him miscontent, For that with littie ornament Of gold and folk to you he came; For he is of an ancient name That needeth not the clink of gold The ancientest the world doth hold; For in the fertile Asian land, Where great Damascus now doth stand, Ages agone his line was born, Ere yet men knew the gift of corn: And there, anigh to Paradise, His ancestors grew stout and wise; And certes he from Asia bore No little of their piercing lore. “Look then to have great happiness, For every wrong shall he redress.” Then did the people's shouting drown His clatter as he leapt adown, And, taking in each hand a hand Of the two lovers, now did stand Betwixt them on the flower-strewn way, And to himself meanwhile 'gan say, “How many an hour might I have been Right merry in the gardens green; How many a glorious day had I Made happy with some victory; And straight the autumn air did burn What noble deeds I might have done, So mid sweet song and taboring, With that he made the sign to turn, ROBERT BUCHANAN. Robert Buchanan was born in 1847, and was educated at the High School and the University of Glasgow. His first work, Undertones, appeared in 1860, followed by Idyls and Legends of Inverburn in 1865, and London Poems in 1866. Mr. Buchanan edited Wayside Poems, and contributed to the Danish Ballads in 1866. American editions of his poems are published by Roberts Brothers. It is impossible as yet to assign him any definite rank among poets. His poems seem to give promise of something better than he has yet accomplished. FROM A SKETCH OF INVERBURN. |