 | Fleet Street Eclogues |  |
91
CHRISTMAS EVE
BASIL SANDY BRIAN MENZIESSandy
In holly hedges starving birds
Silently mourn the setting year.
Silently mourn the setting year.
Basil
Upright like silver-plated swords
The flags stand in the frozen mere.
The flags stand in the frozen mere.
Brian
The mistletoe we still adore
Upon the twisted hawthorn grows.
Upon the twisted hawthorn grows.
92
Menzies
In antique gardens hellebore
Puts forth its blushing Christmas rose.
Sandy
Shrivelled and purple, cheek by jowl,
The hips and haws hang drearily.
The hips and haws hang drearily.
Basil
Rolled in a ball the sulky owl
Creeps far into his hollow tree.
Creeps far into his hollow tree.
Brian
In abbeys and cathedrals dim
The birth of Christ is acted o'er;
The kings of Cologne worship Him,
Balthazar, Jasper, Melchior.
The birth of Christ is acted o'er;
The kings of Cologne worship Him,
Balthazar, Jasper, Melchior.
Menzies
And while our midnight talk is made
Of this and that and now and then,
The old earth-stopper with his spade
And lantern seeks the fox's den.
Of this and that and now and then,
93
And lantern seeks the fox's den.
Sandy
Oh, for a northern blast to blow
These depths of air that cream and curdle!
These depths of air that cream and curdle!
Basil
Now are the halcyon days, you know;
Old Time has leapt another hurdle;
Old Time has leapt another hurdle;
And pauses as he only may
Who knows he never can be caught.
Who knows he never can be caught.
Brian
The winter solstice, shortest day
And longest night, was past I thought.
And longest night, was past I thought.
Basil
Oh yes! but fore-and-aft a week
Silent the winds must ever be,
Because the happy halcyons seek
Their nests upon the sea.
Silent the winds must ever be,
94
Their nests upon the sea.
Brian
The Christmas-time! the lovely things
That last of it! Sweet thoughts and deeds!
That last of it! Sweet thoughts and deeds!
Sandy
How strong and green old legend clings
Like ivy round the ruined creeds!
Like ivy round the ruined creeds!
Menzies
A fearless, ruthless, wanton band,
Deep in our hearts we guard from scathe,
Of last year's log, a smouldering brand
To light at Yule the fire of faith.
Deep in our hearts we guard from scathe,
Of last year's log, a smouldering brand
To light at Yule the fire of faith.
Brian
The shepherds in the field at night
Beheld an angel glory-clad,
And shrank away with sore affright.
‘Be not afraid,’ the angel bade.
Beheld an angel glory-clad,
And shrank away with sore affright.
‘Be not afraid,’ the angel bade.
95
‘I bring good news to king and clown,
To you here crouching on the sward;
For there is born in David's town
A Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
To you here crouching on the sward;
For there is born in David's town
A Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
‘Behold the babe is swathed, and laid
Within a manger.’ Straight there stood
Beside the angel all arrayed
A heavenly multitude.
Within a manger.’ Straight there stood
Beside the angel all arrayed
A heavenly multitude.
‘Glory to God,’ they sang; ‘and peace,
Good pleasure among men.’
Good pleasure among men.’
Sandy
The wondrous message of release!
Menzies
Glory to God again!
Brian
Again! God help us to be good!
96
Basil
Hush! hark! Without; the waits, the waits!
With brass, and strings, and mellow wood.
Menzies
A simple tune can ope heaven's gates!
Sandy
Slowly they play, poor careful souls,
With wistful thoughts of Christmas cheer,
Unwitting how their music rolls
Away the burden of the year.
With wistful thoughts of Christmas cheer,
Unwitting how their music rolls
Away the burden of the year.
Basil
And with the charm, the homely rune,
Our thoughts like childhood's thoughts are given,
When all our pulses beat in tune
With all the stars of heaven.
Our thoughts like childhood's thoughts are given,
When all our pulses beat in tune
With all the stars of heaven.
Menzies
Oh cease! Oh cease!
97
Sandy
Ay; cease, and bring
The wassail-bowl, the cup of grace.
Brian
Pour wine, and heat it till it sing,
With cloves and cardamums and mace.
Basil
And frothed and sweetened round it goes
While some one tells a winter's tale.
While some one tells a winter's tale.
Menzies
I have one—not of winter's snows;
Of flames it is.
Sandy
Tell it.
Basil
All hail!
98
Menzies
‘A letter from my love to-day!
Oh, unexpected, dear appeal!’
She struck a happy tear away
And broke the crimson seal.
Oh, unexpected, dear appeal!’
She struck a happy tear away
And broke the crimson seal.
‘My love, there is no help on earth,
No help in heaven; the dead-man's bell
Must toll our wedding; our first hearth
Must be the well-paved floor of hell.’
No help in heaven; the dead-man's bell
Must toll our wedding; our first hearth
Must be the well-paved floor of hell.’
The colour died from out her face,
Her eyes like ghostly candles shone;
She cast dread looks about the place,
Then clenched her teeth, and read right on.
Her eyes like ghostly candles shone;
She cast dread looks about the place,
Then clenched her teeth, and read right on.
‘I may not pass the prison door;
Here must I rot from day to day,
Unless I wed whom I abhor,
My cousin, Blanche of Valencay.
Here must I rot from day to day,
Unless I wed whom I abhor,
My cousin, Blanche of Valencay.
99
‘At midnight with my dagger keen
I'll take my life; it must be so.
Meet me in hell to-night, my queen,
For weal and woe.’
I'll take my life; it must be so.
Meet me in hell to-night, my queen,
For weal and woe.’
She laughed although her face was wan,
She girded on her golden belt,
She took her jewelled ivory fan,
And at her glowing missal knelt.
She girded on her golden belt,
She took her jewelled ivory fan,
And at her glowing missal knelt.
Then rose, ‘And am I mad?’ she said.
She broke her fan, her belt untied;
With leather girt herself instead,
And stuck a dagger at her side.
She broke her fan, her belt untied;
With leather girt herself instead,
And stuck a dagger at her side.
She waited, shouddering in her room
Till sleep had fallen on all the house.
She never flinched; she faced her doom:
They two must sin to keep their vows.
Till sleep had fallen on all the house.
She never flinched; she faced her doom:
They two must sin to keep their vows.
100
Then out into the night she went;
And stooping, crept by hedge and tree;
Her rose-bush flung a snare of scent,
And caught a happy memory.
And stooping, crept by hedge and tree;
Her rose-bush flung a snare of scent,
And caught a happy memory.
She fell, and lay a minute's space;
She tore the sward in her distress;
The dewy grass refreshed her face;
She rose and ran with lifted dress.
She tore the sward in her distress;
The dewy grass refreshed her face;
She rose and ran with lifted dress.
She started like a morn-caught ghost
Once when the moon came out and stood
To watch; the naked road she crossed,
And dived into the murmuring wood.
Once when the moon came out and stood
To watch; the naked road she crossed,
And dived into the murmuring wood.
The branches snatched her streaming cloak;
A live thing shrieked; she made no stay!
She hurried to the trysting-oak—
Right well she knew the way.
A live thing shrieked; she made no stay!
She hurried to the trysting-oak—
Right well she knew the way.
101
Without a pause she bared her breast
And drove her dagger home and fell,
And lay like one that takes her rest,
And died and wakened up in hell.
And drove her dagger home and fell,
And lay like one that takes her rest,
And died and wakened up in hell.
She bathed her spirit in the flame,
And near the centre took her post;
From all sides to her ears there came
The dreary anguish of the lost.
And near the centre took her post;
From all sides to her ears there came
The dreary anguish of the lost.
The devil started at her side
Comely, and tall, and black as jet.
‘I am young Malespina's bride;
Has he come hither yet?’
Comely, and tall, and black as jet.
‘I am young Malespina's bride;
Has he come hither yet?’
‘My poppet, welcome to your bed.’
‘Is Malespina here?’
‘Not he! To-morrow he must wed
His cousin Blanche, my dear!’
‘Is Malespina here?’
‘Not he! To-morrow he must wed
His cousin Blanche, my dear!’
102
‘You lie; he died with me to-night.’
‘Not he! It was a plot.’ ‘You lie.’
‘My dear, I never lie outright.’
‘We died at midnight, he and I.’
‘Not he! It was a plot.’ ‘You lie.’
‘My dear, I never lie outright.’
‘We died at midnight, he and I.’
The devil went. Without a groan
She, gathered up in one fierce prayer,
Took root in hell's midst all alone,
And waited for him there.
She, gathered up in one fierce prayer,
Took root in hell's midst all alone,
And waited for him there.
She dared to make herself at home,
Amidst the wail, the uneasy stir.
The blood-stained flame that filled the dome,
Scentless and silent, shrouded her.
Amidst the wail, the uneasy stir.
The blood-stained flame that filled the dome,
Scentless and silent, shrouded her.
How long she stayed I cannot tell;
But when she felt his perfidy,
She marched across the floor of hell;
And all the damned stood up to see.
But when she felt his perfidy,
She marched across the floor of hell;
And all the damned stood up to see.
103
The devil stopped her at the brink:
She shook him off; she cried, ‘Away!’
‘My dear, you have gone mad, I think.’
‘I was betrayed: I will not stay.’
She shook him off; she cried, ‘Away!’
‘My dear, you have gone mad, I think.’
‘I was betrayed: I will not stay.’
Across the weltering deep she ran—
A stranger thing was never seen:
The damned stood silent to a man;
They saw the great gulf set between.
A stranger thing was never seen:
The damned stood silent to a man;
They saw the great gulf set between.
To her it seemed a meadow fair;
And flowers sprang up about her feet;
She entered heaven; she climbed the stair;
And knelt down at the mercy-seat.
And flowers sprang up about her feet;
She entered heaven; she climbed the stair;
And knelt down at the mercy-seat.
Seraphs and saints with one great voice
Welcomed that soul that knew not fear;
Amazed to find it could rejoice
Hell raised a hoarse half-human cheer.
Welcomed that soul that knew not fear;
Amazed to find it could rejoice
Hell raised a hoarse half-human cheer.
104
Brian
Hush! hark! the waits, far up the street!
Basil
A distant, ghostly charm unfolds,
Of magic music wild and sweet,
Anomes and clarigolds.
Of magic music wild and sweet,
Anomes and clarigolds.
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