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75
A TALE OF A TRUMPETER.
'Twas as wild a flight in as wild a night
As ever you read or heard of:
Though I know well enough that the story's stuff
You won't believe a word of.
As ever you read or heard of:
Though I know well enough that the story's stuff
You won't believe a word of.
“To the Bridge!” cried the Chief; “was never such need!
Yon Star is the Star of Warning!
To the Bridge! We are lost if we make not speed
To cross the River ere morning!”
Yon Star is the Star of Warning!
To the Bridge! We are lost if we make not speed
To cross the River ere morning!”
And we rose in the night, and raced and ran
Through the darkness under and o'er us:
Breathlessly following, every man,
As the Star streamed on before us.
Through the darkness under and o'er us:
Breathlessly following, every man,
As the Star streamed on before us.
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And we came to the Bridge: “What haste? what haste?”
Quoth the Priest who stood as Warder:
“Let us pass,” said the Chief—“ere the night shall waste
We must cross to the further border!
Quoth the Priest who stood as Warder:
“Let us pass,” said the Chief—“ere the night shall waste
We must cross to the further border!
“Have ye seen not the Star? Look yon, far away,
How the five rays glisten and glimmer!
Let us pass! We shall lose our guide if we stay;
Even now the light grows dimmer!”
How the five rays glisten and glimmer!
Let us pass! We shall lose our guide if we stay;
Even now the light grows dimmer!”
“Star, fellow?—A Will-o'-the-Wisp!” quoth he,
“'Tis a fen-born fiendish comet!
Fast, fast have ye come, but faster should flee!
Flee, flee for the dear life from it!”
“'Tis a fen-born fiendish comet!
Fast, fast have ye come, but faster should flee!
Flee, flee for the dear life from it!”
“Stand by!” said the Chief, “thou hast read not the signs!
Who is he that made thee Warder?
Wilt thou or nilt thou ere morning shines
We must pass to the further border!”
Who is he that made thee Warder?
Wilt thou or nilt thou ere morning shines
We must pass to the further border!”
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And we pressed to the front, for the crowd was strong,
And passed by the Priest together;
When, lo, the three first, as we marched along,
Dropped suddenly—none knew whither!
And passed by the Priest together;
When, lo, the three first, as we marched along,
Dropped suddenly—none knew whither!
“Halt!” cried the Chief, and we heard a groan
And a plash that made us shiver;
And we felt with our staves that the Bridge was gone
Which had spanned the Dismal River.
And a plash that made us shiver;
And we felt with our staves that the Bridge was gone
Which had spanned the Dismal River.
“Back, back!” we cried, “for the shattered arch
Is only a trap to snare us!”
“To the bank!” said the Chief; “we must on with the march,
Though we find no Bridge to bear us!”
Is only a trap to snare us!”
“To the bank!” said the Chief; “we must on with the march,
Though we find no Bridge to bear us!”
And the Dismal River flowed broad and deep;
No bridge—not a boat nor ferry!
There was only one of us did not weep,
And he was none too merry.
No bridge—not a boat nor ferry!
There was only one of us did not weep,
And he was none too merry.
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But he doffed his tabard and coat of mail,
Slung his horn to his shoulder duly;
“Ye will hear me no more if I chance to fail,”
He said, as he dived in coolly.
Slung his horn to his shoulder duly;
“Ye will hear me no more if I chance to fail,”
He said, as he dived in coolly.
And there we kept pacing to and fro
On the banks of the Dismal River,
And nought could we see, but we heard its flow,
And the rustling sedges shiver.
On the banks of the Dismal River,
And nought could we see, but we heard its flow,
And the rustling sedges shiver.
The Knight's long lance, but a pace from the side,
Found no bottom of ooze nor gravel,
And we heard by the drop that the stream was as wide
As the Slinger's stone could travel.
Found no bottom of ooze nor gravel,
And we heard by the drop that the stream was as wide
As the Slinger's stone could travel.
Our Elder stood staring into the black:
“He is drowned by this time, surely!”
“'Tis a Trumpeter less, if he comes not back,”
Answered the Priest demurely.
“He is drowned by this time, surely!”
“'Tis a Trumpeter less, if he comes not back,”
Answered the Priest demurely.
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And there we kept pacing to and fro,
In a frenzy of mute surmising:
Quoth the Engineer in a whisper low:
“Is the tide in the river rising?”
In a frenzy of mute surmising:
Quoth the Engineer in a whisper low:
“Is the tide in the river rising?”
“I would drown without fear, might I drown with him,”
Murmured the little Maiden:
Quoth the Priest, “unburdened he scarce can swim;
'Tis kind to wish him laden!”
Murmured the little Maiden:
Quoth the Priest, “unburdened he scarce can swim;
'Tis kind to wish him laden!”
And the Knight leant mute on his lance, nor stirred,
And the Slinger ceased from slinging;
When, lo, far away down stream we heard
A faint tantivy ringing!
And the Slinger ceased from slinging;
When, lo, far away down stream we heard
A faint tantivy ringing!
“Thank God!” we echoed, and each man's blood
Was aglow with a joyous tingle:
“Thank God,” said the Chief, “he hath crossed the flood!
He is safe, but he stands there single!”
Was aglow with a joyous tingle:
“Thank God,” said the Chief, “he hath crossed the flood!
He is safe, but he stands there single!”
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“Let us march!” said one, “down stream was the blast,
Down stream he will surely bide us.”
“List again,” said the Chief, “nor follow too fast,
We have none but him to guide us!”
Down stream he will surely bide us.”
“List again,” said the Chief, “nor follow too fast,
We have none but him to guide us!”
And again we heard. 'Twas a louder strain,
Sounding higher up stream and higher:
“Tararà, tararà!” again and again,
Each blast ringing nigher and nigher.
Sounding higher up stream and higher:
“Tararà, tararà!” again and again,
Each blast ringing nigher and nigher.
And lo, as we watched by the darkling tide,
We were ware of a far-off gleaming,
A flare in the mirk on the farther side,
Like the torch of a runner streaming.
We were ware of a far-off gleaming,
A flare in the mirk on the farther side,
Like the torch of a runner streaming.
One light—three—four, with a glimmering red
Right over against us glancing:
And like dropping fire we saw as they sped,
Their flash in the dark wave dancing.
Right over against us glancing:
And like dropping fire we saw as they sped,
Their flash in the dark wave dancing.
81
“Tararà, tararà! See there, see there!”
Quoth the Knight, “how the torches quiver!
Have they found us a Bridge, or walk they on air?
They are halfway over the River!”
Quoth the Knight, “how the torches quiver!
Have they found us a Bridge, or walk they on air?
They are halfway over the River!”
“Tararà, tararà!” So nigh, so nigh?
And nigher still to meet us?
Dear God! Was that our Trumpeter's cry,
“Back, back to the Bridge to meet us?”
And nigher still to meet us?
Dear God! Was that our Trumpeter's cry,
“Back, back to the Bridge to meet us?”
“To the Bridge!” cried the Chief. “Poor fool,” groaned the Priest,
“Will ye flee not yet from evil?
Do ye know not the torches of Antichrist,
And the voice of the New Light Devil?”
“Will ye flee not yet from evil?
Do ye know not the torches of Antichrist,
And the voice of the New Light Devil?”
But we thronged to the Bridge like men distraught,
Not a word in answer spoken;
And we saw by the light which the torch-men brought,
Where the arch of the Bridge was broken.
Not a word in answer spoken;
And we saw by the light which the torch-men brought,
Where the arch of the Bridge was broken.
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O never did torch shed a welcomer sheen
On the eyes of a panting lover,
Than that which showed us the gulf between,
But a scant three paces over.
On the eyes of a panting lover,
Than that which showed us the gulf between,
But a scant three paces over.
“'Tis a single arch,” the Trumpeter cried:
“One shattered arch betrayed us!
We had crossed at first, had we had but a guide,
And a few stout planks to aid us!
“One shattered arch betrayed us!
We had crossed at first, had we had but a guide,
And a few stout planks to aid us!
“Parapet, buttress, and arch and pier
Beyond are as sound as ever!
Now show us thy skill, Sir Engineer,
For a roadway over the River!”
Beyond are as sound as ever!
Now show us thy skill, Sir Engineer,
For a roadway over the River!”
“To the Priest's wooden house!” said the Chieftain. “Speed!
And fetch us the walls for planking!”
“'Tis well,” quoth the Slinger, “a friend in need
'Twere a sin to pass unthanking!”
And fetch us the walls for planking!”
“'Tis well,” quoth the Slinger, “a friend in need
'Twere a sin to pass unthanking!”
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And we tugged and pushed at the pinewood wall,
For we knew 'twas death to tarry,
Till the roof crashed in with a shattering fall,
And we set to work to carry.
For we knew 'twas death to tarry,
Till the roof crashed in with a shattering fall,
And we set to work to carry.
Oh, dim was the light of the Star that led,
Ere the weary work was ended;
And over the planks in haste and dread
To the further shore we wended.
Ere the weary work was ended;
And over the planks in haste and dread
To the further shore we wended.
Swift, swift we sped o'er the echoing Bridge,
God wot, our need was sorest!
Swift, swift by moorland and mountain ridge,
Swift, swift by marsh and forest.
God wot, our need was sorest!
Swift, swift by moorland and mountain ridge,
Swift, swift by marsh and forest.
On, on, and on, full many a mile,
In the darkness under and o'er us,
And brighter and brighter the Star the while
Streamed ever amain before us.
In the darkness under and o'er us,
And brighter and brighter the Star the while
Streamed ever amain before us.
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On, on, till the dawn had rent with light
The night's broad folds of sable,
And we saw our guiding Star stand bright
O'er a lowly hostel-stable.
The night's broad folds of sable,
And we saw our guiding Star stand bright
O'er a lowly hostel-stable.
“He is there,” said the Chief; “the King of kings,
The child of the low-born stranger—
He is there, the Lord of all earthly things,
Lying swaddled within the manger.”
The child of the low-born stranger—
He is there, the Lord of all earthly things,
Lying swaddled within the manger.”
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