 | The complete poetical writings of J. G. Holland |  |
123
THE PURITAN'S GUEST.
125
I.
The house stood back from the old Bay Road
That wound through Sudbury town;
Before it a brawling streamlet flowed;
Behind it the woods shut down.
That wound through Sudbury town;
Before it a brawling streamlet flowed;
Behind it the woods shut down.
Dwelt there the Puritan, good John Guye,
With the daughters God had given,—
Three beautiful maidens fair and shy,
Whose mother was in heaven.
With the daughters God had given,—
Three beautiful maidens fair and shy,
Whose mother was in heaven.
And one was Patience, so tall and fair;
And one was queenly Prue;
And one was Hope with the golden hair;
And the eyes of all were blue.
And one was queenly Prue;
And one was Hope with the golden hair;
And the eyes of all were blue.
And horsemen, riding along that way,
Drank at the household spring,
And asked of the maids the time o' day,
Or brought them news of the King.
Drank at the household spring,
And asked of the maids the time o' day,
Or brought them news of the King.
It seemed like a glimpse of heaven to see,
In sun and storm the same,
These three fair maidens at windows three
To the riders who went and came.
In sun and storm the same,
These three fair maidens at windows three
To the riders who went and came.
126
It seemed like an hour in heaven to sit,
When the winter wind blew hoarse,
And watch these diligent maidens knit,
And hear John Guye's discourse.
When the winter wind blew hoarse,
And watch these diligent maidens knit,
And hear John Guye's discourse.
If love was lighted, ah, who may say!
It was centuries ago;
And maids were the same in the olden day
That they are now, I trow.
It was centuries ago;
And maids were the same in the olden day
That they are now, I trow.
And who shall wonder, or who condemn—
For their life had scanty zest—
If dangerous fancies came to them,
As the men rode east and west?
For their life had scanty zest—
If dangerous fancies came to them,
As the men rode east and west?
Guye ruled his house by the olden law,
And he knew the heart of a maid;
And, watching with godly care, he saw
What made his soul afraid!
And he knew the heart of a maid;
And, watching with godly care, he saw
What made his soul afraid!
For smiles shone up from the saucy lips
That drank at the household spring,
And kisses were tossed from finger-tips
With the tidings of the King.
That drank at the household spring,
And kisses were tossed from finger-tips
With the tidings of the King.
And the eyes that should have flamed with fire,
And spurned these gallant arts,
Grew soft and sad with a strange desire,
Over tender and troubled hearts.
And spurned these gallant arts,
Grew soft and sad with a strange desire,
Over tender and troubled hearts.
“Ah God!” groaned the Puritan, good John Guye,
“That such a woe can be!—
That their mother should be in heaven, and I
Should be left with daughters three!”
“That such a woe can be!—
That their mother should be in heaven, and I
Should be left with daughters three!”
127
(And one was Patience, so tall and fair;
And one was queenly Prue;
And one was Hope with the golden hair;
And the eyes of all were blue.)
And one was queenly Prue;
And one was Hope with the golden hair;
And the eyes of all were blue.)
II.
From the bitter sea it had blown all day,
And the night came hurrying down;
And snow from a sky all cold and gray
Was whitening Sudbury town.
And the night came hurrying down;
And snow from a sky all cold and gray
Was whitening Sudbury town.
The chimney roared like an angry beast,
With eyes and tongues of fire,
And the crazy windows facing east
Shook in the tempest's ire.
With eyes and tongues of fire,
And the crazy windows facing east
Shook in the tempest's ire.
The sleety snow fell heavy and fast;
It beat on the roof like rain;
And the forest hurtled beneath the blast
Of the dreadful hurricane!
It beat on the roof like rain;
And the forest hurtled beneath the blast
Of the dreadful hurricane!
The autumn leaves that had flown all day,
In wild and scurrying flocks,
Were pelted down by the hail, and lay
Huddled among the rocks.
In wild and scurrying flocks,
Were pelted down by the hail, and lay
Huddled among the rocks.
“'Tis a fearful storm!” said good John Guye,
As he looked at his daughters three;
“And the riders abroad to-night must die;
And many such there be!”
As he looked at his daughters three;
“And the riders abroad to-night must die;
And many such there be!”
Their cheeks grew pale in the ruddy blaze
With what their ears had heard,
And they looked in the fire with grieved amaze;
But they could not speak a word.
With what their ears had heard,
And they looked in the fire with grieved amaze;
But they could not speak a word.
128
(And one was Patience, so tall and fair;
And one was queenly Prue;
And one was Hope with the golden hair;
And the eyes of all were blue.)
And one was queenly Prue;
And one was Hope with the golden hair;
And the eyes of all were blue.)
'Twas an owl flew hooting out of the trees,
In a lull of the tempest's wrath;
And caught mid-air by the crafty breeze,
H wrestled for his path.
In a lull of the tempest's wrath;
And caught mid-air by the crafty breeze,
H wrestled for his path.
He wrestled long, but he strove in vain
With the fierce and blinding gloom;
He was shot like a bolt through the window-pane,
And a great gust filled the room.
With the fierce and blinding gloom;
He was shot like a bolt through the window-pane,
And a great gust filled the room.
They sprang to their feet in sharp affright,
But still no word they said,
As they stopped the window from the night;
And the great white bird lay dead!
But still no word they said,
As they stopped the window from the night;
And the great white bird lay dead!
“'Tis a fearful storm!” said good John Guye;
“Heaven help all those abroad!
For the men who ride, and the birds that fly,
Let us kneel and pray to God!”
“Heaven help all those abroad!
For the men who ride, and the birds that fly,
Let us kneel and pray to God!”
But while they knelt, and the hoary saint
Groaned with the stress of prayer,
They heard from a wanderer, far and faint,
A shriek of wild despair.
Groaned with the stress of prayer,
They heard from a wanderer, far and faint,
A shriek of wild despair.
“Thank God!” said the Puritan, rising straight;
“Thank God, my daughters three,
That the answer of heaven does not wait,
And my guest has come to me!”
“Thank God, my daughters three,
That the answer of heaven does not wait,
And my guest has come to me!”
129
He flung to the wall the oaken door;
He passed it with a bound;
And plunging into the darkness frore,
He listened along the ground.
He passed it with a bound;
And plunging into the darkness frore,
He listened along the ground.
Prone on the path he found his guest;
His hair was streaming wild;
Guye lifted him to his mighty breast
As he had been a child.
His hair was streaming wild;
Guye lifted him to his mighty breast
As he had been a child.
The maidens three peered into the storm;
It smote their brows like death;
They saw their father's stalwart form;
They heard his struggling breath.
It smote their brows like death;
They saw their father's stalwart form;
They heard his struggling breath.
(And one was Patience, so tall and fair;
And one was queenly Prue;
And one was Hope with the golden hair;
And the eyes of all were blue.)
And one was queenly Prue;
And one was Hope with the golden hair;
And the eyes of all were blue.)
They laid the stranger before the flame.
They nursed him till he stirred,—
Till he opened his eyes, and spoke a name!—
'Twas a woman's name they heard!
They nursed him till he stirred,—
Till he opened his eyes, and spoke a name!—
'Twas a woman's name they heard!
They nursed him long with tender care,
The while he moaned and wept;
He wakened anon to breathe a prayer
And anon he sank and slept.
The while he moaned and wept;
He wakened anon to breathe a prayer
And anon he sank and slept.
The ghostly shade of a man he seemed;
His teeth were white as milk;
And the long white curls on his forehead gleamed
Like skeins of tangled silk.
His teeth were white as milk;
And the long white curls on his forehead gleamed
Like skeins of tangled silk.
130
His eyes peered out with an eerie stare,—
They were wondrous deep and large,—
And they looked like mountains tarns aglare
Beneath their beetling marge!
They were wondrous deep and large,—
And they looked like mountains tarns aglare
Beneath their beetling marge!
He rose straight up from his lowly bed;
He looked at the maidens three;
“I have lost my wits, you see,” he said;
“I have lost my wits,” said he.
He looked at the maidens three;
“I have lost my wits, you see,” he said;
“I have lost my wits,” said he.
Each maid bowed low as he gazed at her,
In the sweet, old-fashioned way;
For they guessed that he was a minister
From the Massachusetts Bay.
In the sweet, old-fashioned way;
For they guessed that he was a minister
From the Massachusetts Bay.
(And one was Patience, so tall and fair;
And one was queenly Prue;
And one was Hope with the golden hair;
And the eyes of all were blue.)
And one was queenly Prue;
And one was Hope with the golden hair;
And the eyes of all were blue.)
He looked above and he looked around;
With fear their bosoms beat;
He looked till the lifeless bird he found,
And he lifted it by its feet.
With fear their bosoms beat;
He looked till the lifeless bird he found,
And he lifted it by its feet.
He lifted it in his tender hands;
He nursed it on his breast;
“Oh God!” he groaned, “in what strange lands
Does my own dear birdling rest!”
He nursed it on his breast;
“Oh God!” he groaned, “in what strange lands
Does my own dear birdling rest!”
He sang to the bird a thin, old tune;
It quavered like a rill
That, leaping the leafy steps of June,
Goes purling at its will.
It quavered like a rill
That, leaping the leafy steps of June,
Goes purling at its will.
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He smoothed the feathers upon its neck
With his fingers pale and fine:
“She was white as thee, thou snowy wreck,
But her fate is worse than thine!”
With his fingers pale and fine:
“She was white as thee, thou snowy wreck,
But her fate is worse than thine!”
And then he wept like a silly child,
And the maidens wept around;
For they doubted his wits had wandered wild
And his heart had a cruel wound.
And the maidens wept around;
For they doubted his wits had wandered wild
And his heart had a cruel wound.
“Prythee tell thy tale”—the voice was Guye's—
“If thou hast tale to tell;”
The Puritan brushed his blinded eyes,
And the maidens hearkened well.
“If thou hast tale to tell;”
The Puritan brushed his blinded eyes,
And the maidens hearkened well.
They leaned to list to the tale accursed;
He leaned to their eyes, and said:
“I think, 'twas a little hair at first,—
A hair from her lover's head!
He leaned to their eyes, and said:
“I think, 'twas a little hair at first,—
A hair from her lover's head!
“It came in a gift of mignonette,
And many a dainty bloom
Of briar and pink and violet,
Whose perfume filled her room.
And many a dainty bloom
Of briar and pink and violet,
Whose perfume filled her room.
“She nourished it under the nightly dew,
She fed it from her soul;
And it grew and grew, until she knew
That a viper was in the bowl!
She fed it from her soul;
And it grew and grew, until she knew
That a viper was in the bowl!
“She nourished it through the evening hours;
She watched it day by day;
She nourished it till the withered flowers
Were culled and thrown away.
She watched it day by day;
She nourished it till the withered flowers
Were culled and thrown away.
132
“She cherished it with a tender smile;
She touched it without fear;
And I marveled much that a thing so vile
Should be to her so dear.
She touched it without fear;
And I marveled much that a thing so vile
Should be to her so dear.
“‘Oh Hester, Hester! my daughter sweet!
The viper will work you harm!’
But she trod my warning beneath her feet,
And courted the awful charm.
The viper will work you harm!’
But she trod my warning beneath her feet,
And courted the awful charm.
“‘Oh father, father! I may not scorn
A creature that love hath made;
For never was life so sweetly born,
And I cannot be afraid.
A creature that love hath made;
For never was life so sweetly born,
And I cannot be afraid.
“‘Oh, look at its glittering eyes!” she said;
They shine on me like stars!
And look at its dapples, so green and red,
And the sidelong, golden bars!
They shine on me like stars!
And look at its dapples, so green and red,
And the sidelong, golden bars!
“‘Was ever a creature brave as this
By mortal maiden found?’
The serpent raised his head with a hiss,
And merrily swam around!
By mortal maiden found?’
The serpent raised his head with a hiss,
And merrily swam around!
“She laughed so loud, so long she laughed,
That I could nought but groan;
For I knew my child was going daft
With the charm about her thrown.
That I could nought but groan;
For I knew my child was going daft
With the charm about her thrown.
“The bowl was strait for the noisome thing,
And it lengthened more and more,
Till it leaped, and lay in a mottled ring
Upon her chamber floor!
And it lengthened more and more,
Till it leaped, and lay in a mottled ring
Upon her chamber floor!
133
“All wonderful hues the rainbow knows
Gleamed forth from its scaly skin,
And up from the center its crest arose,
And the tongue shot out and in!
Gleamed forth from its scaly skin,
And up from the center its crest arose,
And the tongue shot out and in!
“The moon was shining: I could not sleep:
I clomb the silent stairs:
I sought her door in the midnight deep,
And I caught her unawares!
I clomb the silent stairs:
I sought her door in the midnight deep,
And I caught her unawares!
“Fair as a lily she lay at rest
In a flood of the ghostly sheen;
Fair as twin lilies her virgin breast,
And the serpent lay between!”
In a flood of the ghostly sheen;
Fair as twin lilies her virgin breast,
And the serpent lay between!”
Each maid rose shivering like a reed;
They stopped their ears with dread:
“Oh sir, thou hast lost thy wits, indeed!—
Thou hast lost thy wits!” they said.
They stopped their ears with dread:
“Oh sir, thou hast lost thy wits, indeed!—
Thou hast lost thy wits!” they said.
(And one was Patience, so tall and fair;
And one was queenly Prue;
And one was Hope with the golden hair;
And the eyes of all were blue.)
And one was queenly Prue;
And one was Hope with the golden hair;
And the eyes of all were blue.)
He smote them down with a look of woe!
“I shouted and shrieked amain!
It startled back like a bended bow,
And slid from the counterpane!
“I shouted and shrieked amain!
It startled back like a bended bow,
And slid from the counterpane!
“‘Oh Hester, Hester! how dare you lie
With the thing upon your breast!’
And I waited to hear what mad reply
Should break from the serpent's nest!
With the thing upon your breast!’
And I waited to hear what mad reply
Should break from the serpent's nest!
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“‘Oh father dear! why come you here?’—
She did not start or scream;
‘The moon shines bright this time o' the year;
I was dreaming a pleasant dream.’
She did not start or scream;
‘The moon shines bright this time o' the year;
I was dreaming a pleasant dream.’
“I answered her not; I turned around;
I staggered to my bed;
And there I sank in a fearful swound,
And lay as I were dead.
I staggered to my bed;
And there I sank in a fearful swound,
And lay as I were dead.
“But daily ever the monster grew,
And lengthened hour by hour,
And lazily gloated as if it knew
It held her in its power!
And lengthened hour by hour,
And lazily gloated as if it knew
It held her in its power!
“It quivered in every golden flake,
And grew in such degree,
That it seemed the snake which the moonbeams make,
Crawling across the sea.
And grew in such degree,
That it seemed the snake which the moonbeams make,
Crawling across the sea.
“A silken fillet, a cord, a rope,
A Monster, a Thing of Doom,
It sucked the air of its life and hope,
And crowded the tainted room.
A Monster, a Thing of Doom,
It sucked the air of its life and hope,
And crowded the tainted room.
“The midnight hour came round again;
The clock ticked like a bell;
And I heard through all my burning brain
The sound of a deed of hell!
The clock ticked like a bell;
And I heard through all my burning brain
The sound of a deed of hell!
“It wreathed its coils around her frame;
It lifted her in the air;
And I heard the dragon as it came
Slow creeping down the stair!
It lifted her in the air;
And I heard the dragon as it came
Slow creeping down the stair!
135
“It touched the latch, the door swung back;
It leaped the creaking sill;
My head was split by a thunder-crack,
And then the world was still!
It leaped the creaking sill;
My head was split by a thunder-crack,
And then the world was still!
“I could not move, I could not cry,
But I knew my child was gone;
Like a stone in the ground I seemed to lie,
While the clock ticked on and on!
But I knew my child was gone;
Like a stone in the ground I seemed to lie,
While the clock ticked on and on!
Out into the night they fled away—
Out from the gaping door—
And the morning came with another day,
But she came nevermore!
Out from the gaping door—
And the morning came with another day,
But she came nevermore!
“But I saw it once! It reared its crest
Where the sunset clouds were piled;
And I swear to Christ I will travel west
Till I kiss once more my child!”
Where the sunset clouds were piled;
And I swear to Christ I will travel west
Till I kiss once more my child!”
III.
The owl dropped out of his fainting hold,
His head fell back aghast;
“Ah God!” shrieked the maidens, “thy tale is told,
And we fear thy soul hath passed.”
His head fell back aghast;
“Ah God!” shrieked the maidens, “thy tale is told,
And we fear thy soul hath passed.”
Guye lifted him in his arms amain;
He bore him to his bed;
And the dear Lord eased him of his pain;
In the midnight he was dead!
He bore him to his bed;
And the dear Lord eased him of his pain;
In the midnight he was dead!
The storm grew weary along its path,
The room was still and warm;
But a storm arose of fiercer wrath
Within each maiden's form.
The room was still and warm;
But a storm arose of fiercer wrath
Within each maiden's form.
136
It burst in bitterest tears and sighs;
It shook them with its grief;
They could not look in their father's eyes;
They could not find relief.
It shook them with its grief;
They could not look in their father's eyes;
They could not find relief.
They left the dead in the flickering gloom
They sought their chamber door;
And they fearfully scanned the wintry room
For the form their fancies bore.
They sought their chamber door;
And they fearfully scanned the wintry room
For the form their fancies bore.
They looked full long but did not find
That monstrous form of Sin;
(Yet a viper may lodge in a maiden's mind)
And then they looked within.
That monstrous form of Sin;
(Yet a viper may lodge in a maiden's mind)
And then they looked within.
All doubtful shapes in hiding there
They killed in God's pure sight,
And they swept their penitent souls with prayer
That wild December night.
They killed in God's pure sight,
And they swept their penitent souls with prayer
That wild December night.
And when they woke on the morrow morn,
They worshiped—kneeling low—
And their souls were sweet as the day new-born,
And white as the drifted snow!
They worshiped—kneeling low—
And their souls were sweet as the day new-born,
And white as the drifted snow!
And one was Patience, so tall and fair;
And one was queenly Prue;
And one was Hope with the golden hair;
And the eyes of all were blue.
And one was queenly Prue;
And one was Hope with the golden hair;
And the eyes of all were blue.
| The complete poetical writings of J. G. Holland | |