Making a cross upon the wall With the bars of my windows narrow and tall; I was lying again in my own room! And I thanked God, in my fever and pain, This happened many years ago. And when I heard the convent door But now a better life began. By slow degress, then wholly cease, To earth before, now turned to heaven Alas! the world is full of peril! The path that runs through the fairest meads, On the sunniest side of the valley, leads Alike in the high-born and the lowly, From winds that blow, and waves that beat, The moon is hidden behind a cloud; Shine like jewels in a shroud. On the leaves is a sound of falling rain; A bird, awakened in its nest, Gives a faint twitter of unrest, Then smoothes its plumes and sleeps again. No other sounds than these I hear; The hour of midnight must be near. So many ghosts, and forms of fright, V. A COVERED BRIDGE AT LUCERNE. PRINCE HENRY. GOD's blessing on the architects who build No less than on the builders of cathedrals, That leads from earth to heaven. ELSIE. How dark it grows! What are these paintings on the walls around us? PRINCE HENRY. The Dance Macaber! ELSIE. What? PRINCE HENRY. The Dance of Death! All that go to and fro must look upon it, ELSIE. O, yes! I see it now! PRINCE HENRY. The grim musician Leads all men through the mazes of that dance, ELSIE. What is this picture? PRINCE HENRY. It is a young man singing to a nun, Who kneels at her devotions, but in kneeling ELSIE. Ah, what a pity 't is that she should listen Unto such songs, when in her orisons She might have heard in heaven the angels singing! PRINCE HENRY. Here he has stolen a jester's cap and bells, And dances with the Queen. ELSIE. A foolish jest! PRINCE HENRY. And here the heart of the new-wedded wife, ELSIE. Ah, that is sad! And yet perhaps 't is best Before this affluence of golden light Shall fade into a cold and clouded gray, Then into darkness! PRINCE HENRY. Under it is written, "Nothing but death shall separate thee and me!" ELSIE. And what is this, that follows close upon it? PRINCE HENRY. Death, playing on a dulcimer. Behind him, Follows the sound, and seems to wish her feet The inscription reads, "Better is Death than Life." ELSIE. Better is Death than Life! Ah yes! to thousands Rings with it, and they cannot choose but follow PRINCE HENRY. Yes, in their sadder moments. "T is the sound Of their own hearts they hear, half full of tears, With music sweet and low and melancholy. Why is it hateful to you? ELSIE. PRINCE HENRY. For the reason That life, and all that speaks of life, is lovely, ELSIE. The grave itself is but a covered bridge, Leading from light to light, through a brief darkness! |