 | The select poems of Dr. Thomas Dunn English (exclusive of the "Battle lyrics") |  |
III.
Deep in the forest, in a mossy hut,
By boughs o'ershaded, where a bubbling spring
Rose eager from between the ferns and mosses,
And filled its basin with a crystal flood
Wherein the watercresses loved to grow,
There dwelt the anchorite Heremiton.
A saint was he who had a scholar been—
And hence a sinner, for who knows all things
Will do all things, and most of deeds are sin—
Master of every tongue, and every science
Permitted and forbidden, but of those
Forbidden he forebore. The mate of lords,
The favorite of kings, he left them all,
Flung riches, pomp and honors far away,
And came to end his days in solitude
Where man but rarely was, God evermore.
And there he lived a lonely, quiet life,
Save when some hind, sore smitten by disease,
Called forth his skill in leechcraft to his aid—
His food fresh herbs; his drink the limpid flow;
Rushes his bed; his thoughts upon the grave.
Sir Huon sought him out, and told him all.
By boughs o'ershaded, where a bubbling spring
Rose eager from between the ferns and mosses,
And filled its basin with a crystal flood
Wherein the watercresses loved to grow,
There dwelt the anchorite Heremiton.
A saint was he who had a scholar been—
And hence a sinner, for who knows all things
Will do all things, and most of deeds are sin—
Master of every tongue, and every science
14
Forbidden he forebore. The mate of lords,
The favorite of kings, he left them all,
Flung riches, pomp and honors far away,
And came to end his days in solitude
Where man but rarely was, God evermore.
And there he lived a lonely, quiet life,
Save when some hind, sore smitten by disease,
Called forth his skill in leechcraft to his aid—
His food fresh herbs; his drink the limpid flow;
Rushes his bed; his thoughts upon the grave.
Sir Huon sought him out, and told him all.
The anchorite a moment mused, then said—
“A capering mouse, the other seems to fear it?
Saw you no human being in the place?”
“Why, no,” replied the knight; “naught save these two—
And one is human surely though deformed,
The tigress body with my lady's head,
But saving this no trace of man or woman.
The mouse, the altar, and the crucifix,
The vase of holy water and the stool—
The room held nothing more—of that be sure.”
“A capering mouse, the other seems to fear it?
Saw you no human being in the place?”
“Why, no,” replied the knight; “naught save these two—
And one is human surely though deformed,
The tigress body with my lady's head,
But saving this no trace of man or woman.
The mouse, the altar, and the crucifix,
The vase of holy water and the stool—
The room held nothing more—of that be sure.”
“And so this form—your wife, or whatsoe'er
The creature be, if not illusion, knelt
Before the altar and the crucifix,
And not it seems in mockery. That proves
The shape and change is not the fault or will
Of Lady Kallimais. She has a foe
So potent as to scoff at holy symbols,
So strong it bids defiance to the church.
Book, bell and candle will not chase the fiend,
For here no fiend, but something even worse,
A raging woman. Has there ever been
A rival for your love who seeks revenge
On her who won your love? You shake your head.
Had then the gentle Lady Kallimais
No bitter foe who strikes for fancied wrongs?
No rival beauty whom in maiden frolic,
By some light word she wounded in her pride?”
The creature be, if not illusion, knelt
Before the altar and the crucifix,
And not it seems in mockery. That proves
The shape and change is not the fault or will
Of Lady Kallimais. She has a foe
So potent as to scoff at holy symbols,
So strong it bids defiance to the church.
Book, bell and candle will not chase the fiend,
For here no fiend, but something even worse,
15
A rival for your love who seeks revenge
On her who won your love? You shake your head.
Had then the gentle Lady Kallimais
No bitter foe who strikes for fancied wrongs?
No rival beauty whom in maiden frolic,
By some light word she wounded in her pride?”
The knight replied—“My lady has no foes,
That I have ever heard of—could not have;
For she is gentle as the morning dew,
And kindly is to every living thing,
And ever was. The only one who hated—
And she because my lady being heir
Barred her from all our lands—is leagues away,
The Princess Pharmakis. She is not here,
But far from hence in Paynim lands, where dwells
Her father, of a province there pashaw.”
That I have ever heard of—could not have;
For she is gentle as the morning dew,
And kindly is to every living thing,
And ever was. The only one who hated—
And she because my lady being heir
Barred her from all our lands—is leagues away,
The Princess Pharmakis. She is not here,
But far from hence in Paynim lands, where dwells
Her father, of a province there pashaw.”
Then said the anchorite—“Be 't whom it may
Be sure she comes, and in the mouse's shape;
And ere the charm be broken she must die,
Or when the charm is loosened she must die.
My magic staff, my books of magic art,
Are buried deep, and I had never thought
To bring them to the light. Nathless, I will.
And now observe me well. On Thursday night,
When twelve has told its number from the bell,
And loosed uneasy spirits from the graves,
I will be waiting at the postern gate;
Admit me then, and to that oratory
Where prays and suffers Lady Kallimais,
Conduct and leave me. Then at cockcrow go,
When once thy lady shall have left her couch,
And seek thy spot of vantage. Look within,
Note what shall meet thy gaze, then go thy way;
Come thou again at nightfall, and again
Note what thou seest, and there remain until
I call thee, and be glad of heart meanwhile;
For if I read this tale of thine aright,
And potence has not left me through disuse,
The sufferer shall from wrong delivered be,
The wronger perish at the place of wrong.
The saints protect and guard thee—go!”
Be sure she comes, and in the mouse's shape;
And ere the charm be broken she must die,
Or when the charm is loosened she must die.
My magic staff, my books of magic art,
Are buried deep, and I had never thought
To bring them to the light. Nathless, I will.
And now observe me well. On Thursday night,
When twelve has told its number from the bell,
And loosed uneasy spirits from the graves,
I will be waiting at the postern gate;
Admit me then, and to that oratory
Where prays and suffers Lady Kallimais,
Conduct and leave me. Then at cockcrow go,
When once thy lady shall have left her couch,
And seek thy spot of vantage. Look within,
16
Come thou again at nightfall, and again
Note what thou seest, and there remain until
I call thee, and be glad of heart meanwhile;
For if I read this tale of thine aright,
And potence has not left me through disuse,
The sufferer shall from wrong delivered be,
The wronger perish at the place of wrong.
The saints protect and guard thee—go!”
And so on Thursday at the midnight hour,
When the clock struck Sir Huon left his couch—
His wife still wrapt in slumber—oped the door,
And took Heremiton with book and staff
Straight to that inner chamber where he left him,
Then to his couch returned, but not to sleep.
When the clock struck Sir Huon left his couch—
His wife still wrapt in slumber—oped the door,
And took Heremiton with book and staff
Straight to that inner chamber where he left him,
Then to his couch returned, but not to sleep.
Ere the cock crowed the Lady Kallimais
Arose and touched her lord, who slumber feigned,
Then kissed him fondly as he lay and said—
“The Holy Mother be his shield!” and then
Hastily robing to her sorrow glided,
Whereat the knight with tenderness was filled.
Then crowed the cock within the palace yard,
And rising from his couch Sir Huon now
Followed, and sought his former hiding place
From whence he looked upon the scene within.
Arose and touched her lord, who slumber feigned,
Then kissed him fondly as he lay and said—
“The Holy Mother be his shield!” and then
Hastily robing to her sorrow glided,
Whereat the knight with tenderness was filled.
Then crowed the cock within the palace yard,
And rising from his couch Sir Huon now
Followed, and sought his former hiding place
From whence he looked upon the scene within.
His wife was kneeling at the altar's foot,
Her sweet head bowed the crucifix before,
When suddenly a dame, in velvet clad,
Her back toward him, in the room appeared.
The stranger spake not, stirred not, but a thrill
Went through her form, and then it shrunk and shrunk,
Smaller and smaller, shape and substance changing
Until it changed into a mouse which ran
And capered gaily in the chamber's space,
Then came and fixed its bright eyes on the dame.
Her sweet head bowed the crucifix before,
When suddenly a dame, in velvet clad,
Her back toward him, in the room appeared.
The stranger spake not, stirred not, but a thrill
Went through her form, and then it shrunk and shrunk,
Smaller and smaller, shape and substance changing
17
And capered gaily in the chamber's space,
Then came and fixed its bright eyes on the dame.
Then rose the lady from the altar, rose
As one enforced, and in the centre stood,
And trembled there; and then a change began.
Her robe spread to a tigress' hide, her limbs
Were clad with fur, her fingers armed with claws;
And bit by bit, all but her face and neck
Became a ravening, savage brute, while tears
Fell from her eyes, and o'er her tortured features
There spread a veil of woe. And then the mouse
Ran here and there, and leapt and frolicked fast,
Whereon Sir Huon softly went away.
He dared not enter, for his oath forbade,
But all that day he neither ate nor drank,
And waited till the night was drawing nigh,
When he returned, and looked again, and saw.
As one enforced, and in the centre stood,
And trembled there; and then a change began.
Her robe spread to a tigress' hide, her limbs
Were clad with fur, her fingers armed with claws;
And bit by bit, all but her face and neck
Became a ravening, savage brute, while tears
Fell from her eyes, and o'er her tortured features
There spread a veil of woe. And then the mouse
Ran here and there, and leapt and frolicked fast,
Whereon Sir Huon softly went away.
He dared not enter, for his oath forbade,
But all that day he neither ate nor drank,
And waited till the night was drawing nigh,
When he returned, and looked again, and saw.
There was the Lady Kallimais yet pacing,
And there the mouse was capering as before.
And now the last rays of the setting sun
Streamed through the oriel level from the west,
Wrapping them both in radiance like a flame,
When sudden stopt the tigress, so the mouse,
And shook the tigress, an expectant gaze
Crossing the face. The body shook and shook,
And bit by bit, the furred hide passed away,
The silken robes succeeding, and the limbs
Grew human once again, and on the stool
Before the crucifix the lady knelt
And thanked the Blessed Lord. Stood still the mouse,
And shook and shook, but on the instant then
A grey cat from beneath the altar crept,
With ears bent back, and whiskers quivering,
And sprang upon the mouse, and struck its claws
Into the creature's skull, and slew it straight.
Astounded stood the Lady Kallimais,
Then in a moment more the cat was changed,
And, book and staff in hand, before her stood
The grave, grey anchorite Heremiton.
And there the mouse was capering as before.
And now the last rays of the setting sun
Streamed through the oriel level from the west,
Wrapping them both in radiance like a flame,
When sudden stopt the tigress, so the mouse,
And shook the tigress, an expectant gaze
Crossing the face. The body shook and shook,
And bit by bit, the furred hide passed away,
The silken robes succeeding, and the limbs
Grew human once again, and on the stool
Before the crucifix the lady knelt
And thanked the Blessed Lord. Stood still the mouse,
And shook and shook, but on the instant then
A grey cat from beneath the altar crept,
18
And sprang upon the mouse, and struck its claws
Into the creature's skull, and slew it straight.
Astounded stood the Lady Kallimais,
Then in a moment more the cat was changed,
And, book and staff in hand, before her stood
The grave, grey anchorite Heremiton.
The anchorite remained within; the knight
Came to the door and met his wife, who swooned
Into his arms; and then he kissed her lips,
Whereat once more she came to life, and o'er
Her cheeks and lips the blood took course again.
Called loudly by the anchorite, they entered;
And there upon the floor, a lifeless corse,
The velvet-covered Princess Pharmakis
Lay stretched before them. But Heremiton,
Shunning their thanks, bade them thank God alone,
And left the palace for his woodland cell.
Came to the door and met his wife, who swooned
Into his arms; and then he kissed her lips,
Whereat once more she came to life, and o'er
Her cheeks and lips the blood took course again.
Called loudly by the anchorite, they entered;
And there upon the floor, a lifeless corse,
The velvet-covered Princess Pharmakis
Lay stretched before them. But Heremiton,
Shunning their thanks, bade them thank God alone,
And left the palace for his woodland cell.
That night the lady told her lord, with tears,
How once a beggar to the palace came—
A loathsome leper asking care and food,
Whereat she shuddered and avoided him,
On which he cursed her for a wretch, and then,
Her anger being roused, she bade her serfs
To scourge him off, of which she sore repented.
Up to that time the spells of sorcery
Of Pharmakis had never power; from thence
They fell in force; and, for she had a heart
So like a tigress on that day, was punished
By being made a tigress in her form
When fell the day she drove the leper off.
How once a beggar to the palace came—
A loathsome leper asking care and food,
Whereat she shuddered and avoided him,
On which he cursed her for a wretch, and then,
Her anger being roused, she bade her serfs
To scourge him off, of which she sore repented.
Up to that time the spells of sorcery
Of Pharmakis had never power; from thence
They fell in force; and, for she had a heart
So like a tigress on that day, was punished
By being made a tigress in her form
When fell the day she drove the leper off.
| The select poems of Dr. Thomas Dunn English (exclusive of the "Battle lyrics") | |