 | Malvern Hills |  |
THE SPIRIT.
FOUNDED ON FACT.
“NOW which is the road across the common,
“Good woman! in pity declare;
“No path can I trace, for the evening is dark,
“And I fear me, before the far turnpike I mark,
“Some grim-visaged Ghost will appear.”
“Good woman! in pity declare;
“No path can I trace, for the evening is dark,
“And I fear me, before the far turnpike I mark,
“Some grim-visaged Ghost will appear.”
“The Ghost never walks till the clock strikes twelve,
“And this is the first of the night,”
Cried the woman, “Now why dost thou look at me so?
“And why do thine eye-balls so fearfully glow?
“Good stranger, forbear thy affright.
“And this is the first of the night,”
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“And why do thine eye-balls so fearfully glow?
“Good stranger, forbear thy affright.
“I tell thee that hence across the common,
“This cart-track thy horse must pursue;
“Till, close by thy feet, two gibbets thou meet,
“Where the rains and the tempests the highwaymen beat,
“That a traveller once murder'd like you.”
“This cart-track thy horse must pursue;
“Till, close by thy feet, two gibbets thou meet,
“Where the rains and the tempests the highwaymen beat,
“That a traveller once murder'd like you.”
The horseman thus answered. “I have no terror
“Of men who in midnight plan;
“But a Ghost that pops on one before or behind,
“And around him sees clearly while mortals are blind,—
“Aye, that tries the heart of the man.
“Of men who in midnight plan;
“But a Ghost that pops on one before or behind,
“And around him sees clearly while mortals are blind,—
“Aye, that tries the heart of the man.
“Must I go close to those dancing gibbets?”
“Quite close, Sir,” the woman replied.
“But though with the wind each murderer swings,
“They both of them are harmless things,
“And so are the ravens beside.”
“Quite close, Sir,” the woman replied.
“But though with the wind each murderer swings,
“They both of them are harmless things,
“And so are the ravens beside.”
“What! are there ravens there?—those creatures
“With feathers so glossy blue!
“But are they ravens? I enquire,
“For I have heard by the winter's fire,
“That phantoms the dead pursue.”
“With feathers so glossy blue!
“But are they ravens? I enquire,
“For I have heard by the winter's fire,
“That phantoms the dead pursue.”
The woman replied, “They are night-ravens
“That pick the dead men's eyes;
“And they cry, qua, with their hollow jaw;
“Methinks I one this moment saw!
“To the banquet at hand he flies.
“That pick the dead men's eyes;
“And they cry, qua, with their hollow jaw;
“Methinks I one this moment saw!
“To the banquet at hand he flies.
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“Now fare thee well!” The traveller silent,
Whilst terror consumed his soul,
Went musing on. The night was still,
And every star had drunk his fill,
At the brim of oblivion's bowl.
Whilst terror consumed his soul,
Went musing on. The night was still,
And every star had drunk his fill,
At the brim of oblivion's bowl.
And now he near to the gibbets approach'd!
The murderers waved in the air;
Though at their black visage he darted a glance,
He heeded them not, though they both seem'd to dance,
For he knew that such figures were there.
The murderers waved in the air;
Though at their black visage he darted a glance,
He heeded them not, though they both seem'd to dance,
For he knew that such figures were there.
“Ah wherefore,” he cried, “should mortals incline
“To fear, where no danger is found!”
He scarce had thus spoken, when in the dark night,
Beside him appear'd, a Spirit in white!
He trembled, but could not look round.
“To fear, where no danger is found!”
He scarce had thus spoken, when in the dark night,
Beside him appear'd, a Spirit in white!
He trembled, but could not look round.
He gallop'd away! the Spirit pursued!
And the irons of the murderers screak!
The gibbets are pass'd, and now fast and more fast,
The horseman and Spirit outstrip the loud blast,
Though neither has courage to speak.
And the irons of the murderers screak!
The gibbets are pass'd, and now fast and more fast,
The horseman and Spirit outstrip the loud blast,
Though neither has courage to speak.
Now both on the verge of the common arrive,
Where a gate the free passage denied.
The horseman his arm outstretch'd to expand
The gate to admit him, when, cold o'er his hand,
The mouth of the Spirit did glide.
Where a gate the free passage denied.
The horseman his arm outstretch'd to expand
The gate to admit him, when, cold o'er his hand,
The mouth of the Spirit did glide.
He started! and swift through the still-darker lane
Gallop'd fast from the being he fear'd;
But yet, as the shadow the substance pursues,
The Spirit, behind, by a side-glance he views,
And more luminous now it appear'd!
Gallop'd fast from the being he fear'd;
But yet, as the shadow the substance pursues,
The Spirit, behind, by a side-glance he views,
And more luminous now it appear'd!
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The turnpike he reach'd; “Oh tell me,”—he cried,
“I can neither look round, nor go on;
“What spirit is this which has follow'd me here
“From the common? Good master, I dreadfully fear,
“Speak! speak, or my sense will be gone!”
“I can neither look round, nor go on;
“What spirit is this which has follow'd me here
“From the common? Good master, I dreadfully fear,
“Speak! speak, or my sense will be gone!”
“Ah Jenny,” he cried, “thou crafty old jade!
“Is it thou? I'll beat thy bones bare.
“Good gentleman, fear not, no spirit is nigh,
“Which has follow'd you here from the common hard-by,
“'Tis only old Gaffer's Grey Mare!”
“Is it thou? I'll beat thy bones bare.
“Good gentleman, fear not, no spirit is nigh,
“Which has follow'd you here from the common hard-by,
“'Tis only old Gaffer's Grey Mare!”
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