Betwixt Two Seas Poems and Ballads (Written at Constantinople and Therapia). By Violet Fane [i.e. M. M. Lamb] |
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TOLD BY A GIPSY
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 | Betwixt Two Seas |  |
53
TOLD BY A GIPSY
“I come of the black-brow'd people
That never could bide the town,
That hawk their wares
At the country fairs
And nestle by dale and down,
That never could bide the town,
That hawk their wares
At the country fairs
And nestle by dale and down,
“And looking one ev'ning for cresses
Half hidden in willow and weed,
In the river bed
By the old bridge-head
Where the kingfisher flies to feed,
Half hidden in willow and weed,
In the river bed
By the old bridge-head
Where the kingfisher flies to feed,
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“Just below where the green park ridges
Go stretching for many a mile,
I listen'd and heard
An angry word
From somewhere near to the stile,
Go stretching for many a mile,
I listen'd and heard
An angry word
From somewhere near to the stile,
“And I saw the Squire and his lady
That had scarce been wedded a year,
And I heard the strife
Betwixt man and wife
That I never was meant to hear;
That had scarce been wedded a year,
And I heard the strife
Betwixt man and wife
That I never was meant to hear;
“Tho' I knew not what roused his anger,
And turn'd his cheek so pale,
Or what made her rise
With affrighted eyes
And cling to the old bridge rail,
And turn'd his cheek so pale,
Or what made her rise
With affrighted eyes
And cling to the old bridge rail,
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“For I never heard why they were wrangling,—
(They, sober, and rich, and young!)
But I thought, ‘Who knows,
They may come to blows?’
And out of the weeds I flung.
(They, sober, and rich, and young!)
But I thought, ‘Who knows,
They may come to blows?’
And out of the weeds I flung.
“With my flattering gipsy phrases
I sidled between the pair,
‘You've the comely face
Of a lucky race!’
I said to the lady fair.
I sidled between the pair,
‘You've the comely face
Of a lucky race!’
I said to the lady fair.
“As I clutch'd at her slim white fingers
She utter'd a startled cry,
When, only to hide
That I knew her for bride
And for wife of the man hard by,
She utter'd a startled cry,
When, only to hide
That I knew her for bride
And for wife of the man hard by,
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“I said, ‘You are sad, young lady,
Your sweetheart is far away;
But dry your eyes,
Ere the swallow flies
He will stand where you stand to-day!’
Your sweetheart is far away;
But dry your eyes,
Ere the swallow flies
He will stand where you stand to-day!’
“She yielded her white hand gladly,
I held it within mine own;
‘Ere the rose is dead,’
I softly said,
‘And ere ever the hay is mown.’
I held it within mine own;
‘Ere the rose is dead,’
I softly said,
‘And ere ever the hay is mown.’
“But before I could tell her further,
The Squire, with a moody frown
And an angry stride,
Had left her side
And breasted the Western down;
The Squire, with a moody frown
And an angry stride,
Had left her side
And breasted the Western down;
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“Then she cross'd my palm with silver:—
‘Oh, gipsy! say no more!
In my husband's face
I can read the trace
Of a terrible time in store!’
‘Oh, gipsy! say no more!
In my husband's face
I can read the trace
Of a terrible time in store!’
“I made for the upland ridges,
I stood by her husband's side;—
‘I will turn it to naught,’
To myself I thought,
As he look'd at me wonder-eyed.
I stood by her husband's side;—
‘I will turn it to naught,’
To myself I thought,
As he look'd at me wonder-eyed.
“Then I said (but to make him kinder,
The words seeming easy to say),
‘Young sir, ere a year
Your lady dear
Will lie cold in the Church-yard clay;
The words seeming easy to say),
‘Young sir, ere a year
Your lady dear
Will lie cold in the Church-yard clay;
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“‘I told her another story,
But this is the o'er true tale!’
Then I left him there
With a frighten'd stare,
And stood by the grey bridge rail.
But this is the o'er true tale!’
Then I left him there
With a frighten'd stare,
And stood by the grey bridge rail.
“And I watch'd him await her coming,
Methought, in a kinder mood,
For I saw them stand
Holding hand in hand
Ere they enter'd the oak tree wood:
Methought, in a kinder mood,
For I saw them stand
Holding hand in hand
Ere they enter'd the oak tree wood:
“And I thought, ‘I have soothed his anger
By telling him she will die,
And once they're agreed
Will he ever take heed
If the gipsy told him a lie?’
By telling him she will die,
And once they're agreed
Will he ever take heed
If the gipsy told him a lie?’
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“But I come of the black-brow'd people
That never could bide the town,
In whose rough veins flows
The rare blood of those
That were Seers of old renown;
That never could bide the town,
In whose rough veins flows
The rare blood of those
That were Seers of old renown;
“And the words went forth as a bidding
That I found so easy to say,
And in less than a year
That lady dear
Lay cold in the Church-yard clay;
That I found so easy to say,
And in less than a year
That lady dear
Lay cold in the Church-yard clay;
“And ere ever the rose was faded,
Or ever the swallow flown,
I saw one stand
From a foreign land,
By the old grey stile alone;
Or ever the swallow flown,
I saw one stand
From a foreign land,
By the old grey stile alone;
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“And I felt the reproach of murder
As I look'd at his wan white cheek,
But the spirit had moved,
And no voice reproved,
And what could I do but speak?”
As I look'd at his wan white cheek,
But the spirit had moved,
And no voice reproved,
And what could I do but speak?”
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