登陆注册
4616600000010

第10章 THE SOULS OF THE SLAIN

IThe thick lids of Night closed upon me Alone at the Bill Of the Isle by the Race -Many-caverned, bald, wrinkled of face -And with darkness and silence the spirit was on me To brood and be still.

II

No wind fanned the flats of the ocean, Or promontory sides, Or the ooze by the strand, Or the bent-bearded slope of the land, Whose base took its rest amid everlong motion Of criss-crossing tides.

III

Soon from out of the Southward seemed nearing A whirr, as of wings Waved by mighty-vanned flies, Or by night-moths of measureless size, And in softness and smoothness well-nigh beyond hearing Of corporal things.

IV

And they bore to the bluff, and alighted -A dim-discerned train Of sprites without mould, Frameless souls none might touch or might hold -On the ledge by the turreted lantern, farsighted By men of the main.

VAnd I heard them say "Home!" and I knew them For souls of the felled On the earth's nether bord Under Capricorn, whither they'd warred, And I neared in my awe, and gave heedfulness to them With breathings inheld.

VI

Then, it seemed, there approached from the northward A senior soul-flame Of the like filmy hue:

And he met them and spake: "Is it you, O my men?" Said they, "Aye! We bear homeward and hearthward To list to our fame!"VII"I've flown there before you," he said then:

"Your households are well;

But--your kin linger less On your glory arid war-mightiness Than on dearer things."--"Dearer?" cried these from the dead then, "Of what do they tell?"VIII"Some mothers muse sadly, and murmur Your doings as boys -Recall the quaint ways Of your babyhood's innocent days.

Some pray that, ere dying, your faith had grown firmer, And higher your joys.

IX

"A father broods: 'Would I had set him To some humble trade, And so slacked his high fire, And his passionate martial desire;Had told him no stories to woo him and whet him To this due crusade!"X"And, General, how hold out our sweethearts, Sworn loyal as doves?"--"Many mourn; many think It is not unattractive to prink Them in sables for heroes. Some fickle and fleet hearts Have found them new loves."XI"And our wives?" quoth another resignedly, "Dwell they on our deeds?"--"Deeds of home; that live yet Fresh as new--deeds of fondness or fret;Ancient words that were kindly expressed or unkindly, These, these have their heeds."XII--"Alas! then it seems that our glory Weighs less in their thought Than our old homely acts, And the long-ago commonplace facts Of our lives--held by us as scarce part of our story, And rated as nought!"XIIIThen bitterly some: "Was it wise now To raise the tomb-door For such knowledge? Away!"But the rest: "Fame we prized till to-day;Yet that hearts keep us green for old kindness we prize now A thousand times more!"XIVThus speaking, the trooped apparitions Began to disband And resolve them in two:

Those whose record was lovely and true Bore to northward for home: those of bitter traditions Again left the land, XVAnd, towering to seaward in legions, They paused at a spot Overbending the Race -That engulphing, ghast, sinister place -Whither headlong they plunged, to the fathomless regions Of myriads forgot.

XVI

And the spirits of those who were homing Passed on, rushingly, Like the Pentecost Wind;And the whirr of their wayfaring thinned And surceased on the sky, and but left in the gloaming Sea-mutterings and me.

December 1899.

同类推荐
  • 鹅湖集

    鹅湖集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 三种悉地破地狱转业障出三界秘密陀罗尼法

    三种悉地破地狱转业障出三界秘密陀罗尼法

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 咏怀

    咏怀

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 阳春集

    阳春集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 运气门

    运气门

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 卯上冰山校草

    卯上冰山校草

    不知是幸运还是倒霉,样貌平平的麦筱爱惹上了帅气冷酷的冰山校草祈泽冰;哎?不是说祈泽冰很拽很酷的么?为什么对她格外眷顾?而这份特殊待遇,竟然让她险些成了女生公敌!校草同学,你放手啊,我对你真!的!没!兴!趣!“可我对你有兴趣,小麦,惹了我,就别想再逃!”
  • 快穿之精分女配要上位

    快穿之精分女配要上位

    没有浪漫的爱情,只有青春的疼痛,她不恨他,也也爱到最后只剩下的平静
  • Openings in the Old Trail

    Openings in the Old Trail

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 灵魂当铺

    灵魂当铺

    死亡之际,她重生了一回,却成了灵魂当铺的第一任女管事。有一个神秘的幕后大BOSS和一个不那么可爱的跟班,还有一堆等着交换感情和灵魂的客人以及……处处跟他们作对的正义力量,赵卿醉一瞬间觉得鸭梨山大!
  • 超凡贵族

    超凡贵族

    一个小人物穿越到强者为尊的世界。什么才是决定命运的力量?超凡?还是平凡?
  • 唐诗鉴赏(传世经典鉴赏丛书)

    唐诗鉴赏(传世经典鉴赏丛书)

    人生不相见,动如参与商。人生代代无穷已,江月年年望相似。天生我材必有用,千金散尽还复来。东边日出西边雨,道是无晴还有晴。同是天涯沦落人,相逢何必曾相识。此情可待成追忆,只是当时已惘然。沉舟侧畔千帆过,病树前头万木春。身无彩风双飞翼,心有灵犀一点通。近乡情更怯,不敢问来人。念天地之悠悠,独怆然而涕。
  • 四川文学(2015年第8期)

    四川文学(2015年第8期)

    《四川文学》: 文学刊物。以发表短篇小说为主,同时容纳其它文学体裁、品类,注重思想性与文学性的统一,刊物融现实性、艺术性、可读性于一体,聚读者、作者、编者为一家,所发作品受到省内外广大读者和全国各家文学选刊的青睐。
  • 造车

    造车

    “我想造车!”韩皓一本正经说道。“就你——”周围的人都笑了,其中有人出言讽刺道。“别人造的汽车都是用钱买,而你韩皓造的汽车得用命买!”面对种种质疑,韩皓依旧不为所动回答。“既然如此,让我第一个试驾,就用我韩皓的命替中国民族汽车产业赌一个未来吧!”
  • 灭世妖颜

    灭世妖颜

    新文《极品女魔厨》嬉闹开坑,为了答谢各位读者,这几日将会大赠送,有二更哟!还望大家多多支持!文风以轻松为主,加大了爱情成分,打斗也会有,但是会变得更加精细,女主角是现代厨师,还请大家多多支持!一场妖风邪雨,一阵九天玄雷,谁会想到埋雪世家的“废柴九公子”埋雪云琰竟然引来了当世高手双面罗刹的争夺。原来“他”竟然是阴年阴月阴时出生的玄阴女,她的血是祭炼无上法宝的最佳利器!好在上天有眼,一位隐世不出的高手无意间救了她。回到家族中,谁曾想到终日用头发盖住“陋颜”,每日受人欺凌的废柴九公子躯体早已易主,现在的她是来自异世上海滩的一缕英魂!废柴九公子撩起了长发,露出了倾世妖颜,然而一出手便震惊了五大世家。那些欺凌她们“母子”的人,那些背叛她的人,统统要死!风云突变,消失万古的封神台突然出现。太虚万剑道、梵天寺、荼花宫、九幽魔教等正邪门派纷纷出击,还有苗疆巫门、暗河听雨楼敌友不明!更有玉真山人--梦渔樵、闲鹭散人--玉忘机、乱世孤灯--顾影怜、问情剑客--莫轻雷、无情刀王--朔暝愁等隐世高手各怀鬼胎!埋雪云琰从容地踏上江湖,然而身怀绝密的她却无意间卷入了更深的漩涡!“这次,看我埋雪云琰如何玩转江湖!”精彩花絮(一):“你想出来,就说啊!你不说,我又怎知你想不想出来?”云琰奸诈地笑道。“臭小子!快放我出来!休玩这等下流把戏,否则本将军将你碎尸万段!”鬼将军恨得牙痒痒地。“哟?你凶什么凶?你现在可是我的阶下囚,想清楚再说话!你越是这么凶,我越是铁了心把你锁住!”云琰笑着说。闻言,鬼将军鬼脸一红,被气地憋红了脸。“喂喂!你脸红什么啊?我还从没听说鬼都会脸红?”云琰讥讽地说。“你!”鬼将军本想破口大骂,但是又不得不生生忍了下去。“我什么我?快说!你都把你的宝贝藏在哪儿了?说出来,我还能留你一条活路!否则的话,就让地藏菩萨收了你!”云琰恶狠狠地说道,然后摇了摇自己手中的转经筒。“你敢打劫我?”鬼将军何曾收过这等侮辱?他生前可是战无不胜攻无不克的大将军,受万人敬仰!就是死了,也住在这等豪华的墓地里!此番被云琰侮辱,是决计不肯松口的!“就是打劫你,怎样?”精彩花絮(二):一时间漫天雷鸣,震得在场的群雄胆颤心惊。天空中一只彩凤浴火而来,一个绝世的佳人从凤凰背上踩莲而下,一张轻纱挡住了她那惑世的容颜,空留一丝笑意在风中。
  • 我就是那个女配

    我就是那个女配

    孟蝶在古城淘到一本旧书,穿越成了里面的一个女配。命运天定?我呸!!可她穿剥开重重烟幕,才发现原来一切都是一场利用。且看她遇神杀神,遇佛杀佛,连自己都杀!又名《仙杯记》