Denzil place a story in verse. By Violet Fane [i.e. M. M. Lamb] |
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| I. |
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| II. |
| III. |
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| V. |
| VI. |
| II. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
| X. |
| XI. |
| XII. |
| CONCLUSION. |
 | Denzil place |  |
245
CONCLUSION.
“And soon again shall music swell the breeze;
Soon, issuing forth, shall glitter thro' the trees
Vestures of nuptial white; and hymns be sung,
And violets scatter'd round; and old and young
In every cottage-porch with garlands green
Stand still to gaze, and gazing, bless the scene;
While her dark eyes declining, by his side
Moves in her virgin-veil the gentle bride.”
Rogers.
Soon, issuing forth, shall glitter thro' the trees
Vestures of nuptial white; and hymns be sung,
And violets scatter'd round; and old and young
In every cottage-porch with garlands green
Stand still to gaze, and gazing, bless the scene;
While her dark eyes declining, by his side
Moves in her virgin-veil the gentle bride.”
Rogers.
The other day, in somewhat pensive mood,
I saunter'd down a dusty Sussex lane
Late in the afternoon; the sun was hot,
And tho' the road was shaded by the oaks
In the off-lying hedgerows near the park,
Yet still I long'd for those intenser shades
I saw afar, between the iron gates
Of Denzil Place, (for I had sought the scene
Of this sad simple story, and could see
The woods of Denzil Place and Farleigh Court,)
But ere I reach'd the tempting tangled shade
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And round the tufted angle of the lane
A youth and maiden suddenly appear'd
Beaming with life and laughter. As they pass'd
I watch'd them curiously, for both of them
Were beautiful, and something made me feel
A deeper interest than e'er inspired
The sight of any other youth or maid.
The girl was fair, with wealth of golden locks,
And something in the colour of her eyes
Reminded me of eyes I used to know
In years gone by. I turn'd aside to ask
An agèd woman, who, on seeing them,
Had risen from her seat beside her hives
And dropp'd a curtsey; who and what they were
This comely pair?
And something in the colour of her eyes
Reminded me of eyes I used to know
In years gone by. I turn'd aside to ask
An agèd woman, who, on seeing them,
Had risen from her seat beside her hives
And dropp'd a curtsey; who and what they were
This comely pair?
“She, with the yellow locks,”
Answer'd the dame, endeav'ring while she spoke
To catch a glimpse of their retreating forms,
“Is Violet Denzil, and the gentleman
“Who rode with her, and follows her as shade
“Follows on sunshine, is our master here
“The young Sir Roland; old Sir John L'Estrange
“Married the mother of Miss Violet
“Before she married Mr. Denzil there
“Over at Denzil Place, (you see the gates,)
“So they are kind of kin-like, and yet still
“Our parson says they are not kin at all,
“Since young Sir Roland is not child of her
“But of Sir John's first lady, and he says
“He hopes that he shall live to join their hands
“As man and wife, and parson also says
“Their marriage-ring will join the properties,
“And put to shame some scandal-mong'ring tales
“Folks whisper'd here.”
Answer'd the dame, endeav'ring while she spoke
To catch a glimpse of their retreating forms,
“Is Violet Denzil, and the gentleman
“Who rode with her, and follows her as shade
“Follows on sunshine, is our master here
“The young Sir Roland; old Sir John L'Estrange
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“Before she married Mr. Denzil there
“Over at Denzil Place, (you see the gates,)
“So they are kind of kin-like, and yet still
“Our parson says they are not kin at all,
“Since young Sir Roland is not child of her
“But of Sir John's first lady, and he says
“He hopes that he shall live to join their hands
“As man and wife, and parson also says
“Their marriage-ring will join the properties,
“And put to shame some scandal-mong'ring tales
“Folks whisper'd here.”
With this she turn'd away
And fearless of the buzzing colony
That swarm'd about the ruffles of her cap,
Began to celebrate some mystic rite
Connected with her bees, whilst on I stroll'd,
Following the prints which those two horses' hoofs
Left in the dusty road, and lost in thought.
So this fair being with the golden hair
And fearless of the buzzing colony
That swarm'd about the ruffles of her cap,
Began to celebrate some mystic rite
Connected with her bees, whilst on I stroll'd,
Following the prints which those two horses' hoofs
Left in the dusty road, and lost in thought.
Was Violet Denzil, born in Italy,
The child of Love and Beauty! and the youth
Was that brave handsome boy who used to romp
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Thro' fields and woodlands in the years gone by;
And they would marry, (so the parson thought,
And who should be so good a judge as he,
Who doubtless had wise reasons for such thought?)
Ah, here, if marriage of the young and fair,—
If blooming cheeks and lovely sunny head,
Wedding with brave brown eyes and stalwart frame
And manly heart, e'er promised happiness,
Then should these two, who like some glowing dream
Of Prince and Princess in a fairy-tale,
So gaily gallopp'd past me, on the road
To Life and Love; then should these two be bless'd
With ev'ry earthly good;—around their knees
May happy children laugh and sport in glee,
And children's children, in the after years—
Good little Geoffreys and fair Constances,
Who must not sin like naughty grandpapa,
Or pretty grandmama, who died so young,
And whose sweet picture, in a muslin dress
“With coral-color'd sash and shady hat,
And looking like an angel,” they will see
Hanging within the walls of Denzil Place.
| Denzil place | |