Ernest The Rule of Right. Second Edition [by Capel Lofft] |
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| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. |
| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
| X. |
| XI. |
| XII. |
 | Ernest |  |
81
“Lucy, the sun is golden bright,
The sky is azure clear,
And all is full of joy and light—
Oh, be of better cheer—
And tell me, whither hast thou been
To catch thy fit of care?
For in thee only is it seen,
And all is gay elsewhere.
Prithee, is aught upon thy heart?
For sure if crosses fall
A guileless maiden as thou art,
Should tell her mother all.”
The sky is azure clear,
And all is full of joy and light—
Oh, be of better cheer—
And tell me, whither hast thou been
To catch thy fit of care?
For in thee only is it seen,
And all is gay elsewhere.
Prithee, is aught upon thy heart?
For sure if crosses fall
A guileless maiden as thou art,
Should tell her mother all.”
“Mother, thou knowest all I know—
I've often heard thee say,
There's many a cloud that will not go
However bright the day.
And sometimes we are like to smile,
And then to weep again;
Unknowing wherefore all the while,
In pleasure as in pain:
And I felt something of distress;
Some dark and dismal fear;
And, for I knew it foolishness,
I came to hide it here.”
I've often heard thee say,
There's many a cloud that will not go
However bright the day.
And sometimes we are like to smile,
And then to weep again;
Unknowing wherefore all the while,
In pleasure as in pain:
And I felt something of distress;
Some dark and dismal fear;
And, for I knew it foolishness,
I came to hide it here.”
“Nay, Lucy, hide what else you will,
But hide not truth from me:
For truth beseems a maiden still,
Whate'er the trouble be.
For thou hast wept, and in thine eye
I see the glistening tear;
And when a girl weeps silently,
A mother must needs fear.
The clouds upon a virgin face
Full lightly come and go;
But tears, and thine have left their trace,
Spring deeper from below.”
But hide not truth from me:
For truth beseems a maiden still,
Whate'er the trouble be.
For thou hast wept, and in thine eye
I see the glistening tear;
And when a girl weeps silently,
A mother must needs fear.
The clouds upon a virgin face
Full lightly come and go;
But tears, and thine have left their trace,
Spring deeper from below.”
“Yes, Mother, I will tell thee true,
And I have wept full sore;
And let me weep, 'tis sorrow's due,
Or I must grieve the more.”
And I have wept full sore;
And let me weep, 'tis sorrow's due,
Or I must grieve the more.”
82
“Ah, then thou lovest—sure 'tis so—
For nought but love could bow
A pretty maiden's heart so low
As thine is bent e'en now;
But when did love become a crime?
A thing of shame and scorn?
'Twas not so rated in my time—
Or thou had'st ne'er been born.
And other youthful hearts are light,
And why should'st thou despair,
With brow so high and eye so bright
And golden flowing hair?
And soon will Linsingen be here—
And he hath much to say—
Will sound like music in thine ear,
And grief will then away.”
For nought but love could bow
A pretty maiden's heart so low
As thine is bent e'en now;
But when did love become a crime?
A thing of shame and scorn?
'Twas not so rated in my time—
Or thou had'st ne'er been born.
And other youthful hearts are light,
And why should'st thou despair,
With brow so high and eye so bright
And golden flowing hair?
And soon will Linsingen be here—
And he hath much to say—
Will sound like music in thine ear,
And grief will then away.”
“But he is come of lofty line:
And, courteous tho' he be,
Yet never can I call him mine:
He may not stoop to me.
No—never can he share our lot—
Then wherefore dream in vain?
Oh leave me to this lowly cot,
And name him not again.”
And, courteous tho' he be,
Yet never can I call him mine:
He may not stoop to me.
No—never can he share our lot—
Then wherefore dream in vain?
Oh leave me to this lowly cot,
And name him not again.”
| Ernest | |