 | The Emperor's Vigil, and The Waves And The War |  |
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V. The Emperor's Vigil.
At Cronstadt in his granite palace
Walked the despot to and fro;
Gazing through the seaward windows,
Asking tidings of the foe.
Walked the despot to and fro;
Gazing through the seaward windows,
Asking tidings of the foe.
Redly had the sun descended
On the sea-line cold and clear;
Barren wastes of tumbling waters
Spread before him far and near.
On the sea-line cold and clear;
Barren wastes of tumbling waters
Spread before him far and near.
Trembling commerce fled their surface;
Not a war-ship rode the sea;
And the despot prayed in secret,
“May it long as desert be!”
Not a war-ship rode the sea;
And the despot prayed in secret,
“May it long as desert be!”
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Little clouds, a hand in bigness,
Mount the limit of the sight:
“See ye not yon specks in distance
“Fleck the evening's line of light?”
Mount the limit of the sight:
“See ye not yon specks in distance
“Fleck the evening's line of light?”
“Sire! 'tis but the sea-mist driving—
“'Tis the grey gulls' airy train—”
“Signs like those, in stormy climates,
“March before the hurricane!”
“'Tis the grey gulls' airy train—”
“Signs like those, in stormy climates,
“March before the hurricane!”
But the twilight swiftly thickens,
Sweeps the horizon from the view,
And, with deep foreboding voices,
Boom the tides the darkness through.
Sweeps the horizon from the view,
And, with deep foreboding voices,
Boom the tides the darkness through.
“Blot the sea-marks from our harbours!
“Quench the beacon's guiding light!
“Pile the granite mountains round us!
“Shroud us—cover us with night!”
“Quench the beacon's guiding light!
“Pile the granite mountains round us!
“Shroud us—cover us with night!”
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Glowing stars, with sudden lustre,
Leap from out the black expanse:
Thick the ships of England muster!
Fast the signal-rockets glance!
Leap from out the black expanse:
Thick the ships of England muster!
Fast the signal-rockets glance!
Start from unexpected places
Through the darkness still and cold;
And, with large bright sunny faces,
Look into the despot's hold.
Through the darkness still and cold;
And, with large bright sunny faces,
Look into the despot's hold.
Backward, to his inmost chamber,
Turns the monarch from the sight;
Conjures dreams of pomp and greatness,
Visions of imperial might.
Turns the monarch from the sight;
Conjures dreams of pomp and greatness,
Visions of imperial might.
But the heavy guns come rocking—
Rocking roof, and wall, and floor,
Like hands of retribution knocking—
Knocking at his empire's door.
Rocking roof, and wall, and floor,
Like hands of retribution knocking—
Knocking at his empire's door.
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And the despot, fever-driven,
Climbs the watch-tower's topmost height,
Gazes o'er his darkened heaven,
Seeks a solace from the night.
Climbs the watch-tower's topmost height,
Gazes o'er his darkened heaven,
Seeks a solace from the night.
Silent, Cronstadt lay below him,
With its arsenals of death;
Silent, crouched his boasted navy,
Stifling hard its steamy breath.
With its arsenals of death;
Silent, crouched his boasted navy,
Stifling hard its steamy breath.
E'en the foe's proud war-ships slumbered
Night's funereal watches through;
Things of dread, whose unseen presence
Magnifying terror knew.
Night's funereal watches through;
Things of dread, whose unseen presence
Magnifying terror knew.
Here and there alone, the lantern
Landward gleamed with swerveless ray,
Like the eye of some huge monster
Watching steadily its prey.
Landward gleamed with swerveless ray,
Like the eye of some huge monster
Watching steadily its prey.
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But the monarch turneth eastward,
And in sullen triumph smiles:
There his empire stretches boundless,
Boundless through unnumbered miles.
And in sullen triumph smiles:
There his empire stretches boundless,
Boundless through unnumbered miles.
There they lie, the fettered millions!
Wrapt in feverish slumber dim,
Dreaming, 'neath night's dark pavilions,
Of a darker morn for him!
Wrapt in feverish slumber dim,
Dreaming, 'neath night's dark pavilions,
Of a darker morn for him!
Boding sounds of sorrowing nations
Seem around that tower to meet,
And with sighs and lamentations
Break like surges at his feet.
Seem around that tower to meet,
And with sighs and lamentations
Break like surges at his feet.
Ghostly voices moan around him;
Strength for flight he may not find:
Half a century's years have bound him
As the chains a culprit bind.
Strength for flight he may not find:
Half a century's years have bound him
As the chains a culprit bind.
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From that watchtower's lonely summit
Dives his thought on every side:
Never heart of king shall fathom
Secrets of that human tide!
Dives his thought on every side:
Never heart of king shall fathom
Secrets of that human tide!
“Foes may fret my western borders,
“Foes may chafe my southern length:
“Past their utmost efforts, eastward—
“Eastward lies my hope and strength.
“Foes may chafe my southern length:
“Past their utmost efforts, eastward—
“Eastward lies my hope and strength.
“What shall shake the lord of Nations,
“Whom unnumbered slaves obey;
“Countless myriads blindly hast'ning
“To uphold my boundless sway?”
“Whom unnumbered slaves obey;
“Countless myriads blindly hast'ning
“To uphold my boundless sway?”
Straight—the wide horizon's lifted
Past the ken of mortal sight:
Pale Siberia, Freedom's graveyard,
Lies distinct in livid light.
Past the ken of mortal sight:
Pale Siberia, Freedom's graveyard,
Lies distinct in livid light.
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Are its stony mountains crumbling?
Do its solid plains arise?
What vast rack of pallid vapour
Comes up-steaming on the skies?
Do its solid plains arise?
What vast rack of pallid vapour
Comes up-steaming on the skies?
Ha! they mount from mine and dungeon!
Ha! they break from shroud and chain!
All the heroes he has murdered
All the martyrs he has slain.
Ha! they break from shroud and chain!
All the heroes he has murdered
All the martyrs he has slain.
Trampling up the murky zenith,
Still they climb the horizon's rim,
All their shadowy footsteps speeding
Over half the world to him.
Still they climb the horizon's rim,
All their shadowy footsteps speeding
Over half the world to him.
And a voice before them goeth,
Wailing like a freezing wind:
“Every one of us, the martyred,
“Left a bleeding heart behind.
Wailing like a freezing wind:
“Every one of us, the martyred,
“Left a bleeding heart behind.
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“Every home of dear ones rifled,
“Is an arsenal of hate;
“Every pulse thy hand has stifled,
“Shall come knocking at thy gate.
“Is an arsenal of hate;
“Every pulse thy hand has stifled,
“Shall come knocking at thy gate.
“Send the henchmen through thy confines
“On sedition's dim-seen track:
“Ours the shadowy steps they follow—
“Baffled they shall wander back!
“On sedition's dim-seen track:
“Ours the shadowy steps they follow—
“Baffled they shall wander back!
“While behind them, ever higher,
“Rises Revolution's tide:
“Even now the steps it touches
“Of thy throne's imperial pride.
“Rises Revolution's tide:
“Even now the steps it touches
“Of thy throne's imperial pride.
“Blood can never purchase safety;
“Tyrant's work is vainly done:
‘He, who slays a single foeman,
“Makes a hundred for the one.
“Tyrant's work is vainly done:
‘He, who slays a single foeman,
“Makes a hundred for the one.
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“In Siberia far we perished,
“But in Russia still we live!
“This the hope thine East has cherished,
“This the solace that we give.”
“But in Russia still we live!
“This the hope thine East has cherished,
“This the solace that we give.”
Hush! he hears their thrilling whisper!
See! he knows their icy breath!
Impalpable as air they gather,
But immense and real as Death.
See! he knows their icy breath!
Impalpable as air they gather,
But immense and real as Death.
“Save me! blot those horrid phantoms!
“Craven thought's fantastic lies—
“Oh! thou longed-for South! Support me
“With one glory from thy skies!
“Craven thought's fantastic lies—
“Oh! thou longed-for South! Support me
“With one glory from thy skies!
“Thou, Stamboul! the radiant daughter
“Of the Loves of East and West,
“Let me grasp thee but in vision,
“Soon to clasp thee to my breast!”
“Of the Loves of East and West,
“Let me grasp thee but in vision,
“Soon to clasp thee to my breast!”
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Straight—the wide horizon's lifted
Past the ken of mortal sight:
But 'tis not Stamboul he seeth
Slumbering fair in living light.
Past the ken of mortal sight:
But 'tis not Stamboul he seeth
Slumbering fair in living light.
Dark before him towers the Balkan,
Tier on tier in solemn ranks;
Angry flashes, red and sullen,
Breaking off its gloomy flanks.
Tier on tier in solemn ranks;
Angry flashes, red and sullen,
Breaking off its gloomy flanks.
Far away, in icy armour,
Caucasus gigantic stands,
With the deluge at his footsteps,
And the lightning in his hands.
Caucasus gigantic stands,
With the deluge at his footsteps,
And the lightning in his hands.
And between them, and before them,
Comes a world in arms arrayed,
Striding through that vast arena
O'er a grave a tyrant made.
Comes a world in arms arrayed,
Striding through that vast arena
O'er a grave a tyrant made.
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Hark! from nation on to nation,
Loud the calls to battle run:
“Peoples were not formed for tyrants!
“Millions were not made for one!
Loud the calls to battle run:
“Peoples were not formed for tyrants!
“Millions were not made for one!
“Arm ye! arm ye! Slave and Bondsman!
“Thrall and Exile! homeward turn!
“See! the flag of Freedom's lifted,
“Lo! the flames of vengeance burn!
“Thrall and Exile! homeward turn!
“See! the flag of Freedom's lifted,
“Lo! the flames of vengeance burn!
“What if monarchs will not help us?
“Self-reliance arms the least!
“Kings! the battle now beginning
“Stays not, ends not in the East.”
“Self-reliance arms the least!
“Kings! the battle now beginning
“Stays not, ends not in the East.”
And from Europe's farthest corners,
Diving up the spectral sky,
Pale, reproachful, sorrowing faces
Rise, and gaze at him, and sigh!
Diving up the spectral sky,
Pale, reproachful, sorrowing faces
Rise, and gaze at him, and sigh!
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“Us a sceptred bravo murdered:
“Us a tyrant mean laid low:
“But from thee he gained the courage—
“His the dagger, thine the blow.
“Us a tyrant mean laid low:
“But from thee he gained the courage—
“His the dagger, thine the blow.
“Where'er heroes' ashes smouldered,
“Where'er honour's hope grew bright,
“There thine icy hand destroying
“Might be felt amid the night.
“Where'er honour's hope grew bright,
“There thine icy hand destroying
“Might be felt amid the night.
“King! thy glory hath departed,
“Dark we close thy dying day.”
Thus the sorrowful dim visions
Gaze, and sigh, and sink away.
“Dark we close thy dying day.”
Thus the sorrowful dim visions
Gaze, and sigh, and sink away.
Wondering stands the hope of monarchs,
Stands the God of knouts and chains;
He who made the world a graveyard,
And then boasted: “Order reigns!”
Stands the God of knouts and chains;
He who made the world a graveyard,
And then boasted: “Order reigns!”
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On, thro' every trampled nation,
Wide the cry of vengeance ran,
Where his step of desolation
Had defiled the homes of man.
Wide the cry of vengeance ran,
Where his step of desolation
Had defiled the homes of man.
From Silistria's gory passes
First the dreadful accents fell,
And Dobrudscha's death-morasses
Wailing caught the passing knell.
First the dreadful accents fell,
And Dobrudscha's death-morasses
Wailing caught the passing knell.
Pale Stamboul exhausted answers
From each fading minaret,
Like the weak wind's low lamenting
When the suns of summer set.
From each fading minaret,
Like the weak wind's low lamenting
When the suns of summer set.
Slow, the sea-commanding Kingdom
Stirs its drowsy members vast;
But a voice from Seine's bright waters
Rings as clear as clarion blast:
Stirs its drowsy members vast;
But a voice from Seine's bright waters
Rings as clear as clarion blast:
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“Once we entered Moscow's ramparts,
“Twice in Paris' walls we met:
“One such visit still we owe thee,
“Cossack! take the bloody debt!”
“Twice in Paris' walls we met:
“One such visit still we owe thee,
“Cossack! take the bloody debt!”
Through Sardinia's mountain girdle
Echo stirs in every cave;
E'en the Arab leaves the desert,
And the Bedouin breasts the wave.
Echo stirs in every cave;
E'en the Arab leaves the desert,
And the Bedouin breasts the wave.
Egypt peals a shout of triumph
Into Afric's heart away;
Memnon sings a song of battle
To the dawn of freedom's day.
Into Afric's heart away;
Memnon sings a song of battle
To the dawn of freedom's day.
Sunny plains of Anatolia
Onward still the burthen bear,
Dense as leaves of autumn rustling
Through its chestnut-forests fair.
Onward still the burthen bear,
Dense as leaves of autumn rustling
Through its chestnut-forests fair.
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O'er the Persian's sultry borders
Low the cry portentous hies,
With the sound intense, when thunder
Faint upon the desert lies.
Low the cry portentous hies,
With the sound intense, when thunder
Faint upon the desert lies.
Over Asia's central ranges
Far the wandering echoes fall,
And Cathay, remotely listening,
Sighs behind its mouldering wall.
Far the wandering echoes fall,
And Cathay, remotely listening,
Sighs behind its mouldering wall.
Sad Sinope's silenced harbour
Hears beside its funeral mound,
And Circassia's granite temple
Backward flings the solemn sound;
Hears beside its funeral mound,
And Circassia's granite temple
Backward flings the solemn sound;
Till the fast returning echoes
All their gathering vengeance roll,
Bursting in one mighty thunder
At thy gate, Sebastopol!
All their gathering vengeance roll,
Bursting in one mighty thunder
At thy gate, Sebastopol!
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Ha! the despot's prophet-vision
Sees its ramparts crumbling fall,
And the rush of foemen storming
Up its earthquake-shattered wall;
Sees its ramparts crumbling fall,
And the rush of foemen storming
Up its earthquake-shattered wall;
Sees his ships, the cruel boasters,
Sink beneath the inglorious tide,
Sink—without defeat's last honour—
Russia's ocean-suicide:
Sink beneath the inglorious tide,
Sink—without defeat's last honour—
Russia's ocean-suicide:
Still he proudly stands defiant,
Back his haughty challenge flings:
“Once before ye sought to quell me—
“Tilt against mine armour, Kings!
Back his haughty challenge flings:
“Once before ye sought to quell me—
“Tilt against mine armour, Kings!
“Some there are who dare not strike me—
“Some who will but strike me half—
“Though my conquered hosts lie bleeding,
“Safe behind them still I laugh!”
“Some who will but strike me half—
“Though my conquered hosts lie bleeding,
“Safe behind them still I laugh!”
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What portentous change is passing
O'er the battle's order far?
“Who are these with brows of glory,
“Charging through the ranks of war?
O'er the battle's order far?
“Who are these with brows of glory,
“Charging through the ranks of war?
“What new host sublime advances,
“What old flags are waving wide?”
Hungary! Hungary lifts her lances—
Poland rushes to her side!
“What old flags are waving wide?”
Hungary! Hungary lifts her lances—
Poland rushes to her side!
“All too long, and now no longer,
“Wait we for a foreign might;
“Kings are strong, but Peoples stronger
“With the wisdom to unite.”
“Wait we for a foreign might;
“Kings are strong, but Peoples stronger
“With the wisdom to unite.”
“Have I not yet slain thee, Poland!
“Art thou rising from thy grave?”
Tyrant, nations are immortal—
Nothing dieth but a slave.
“Art thou rising from thy grave?”
Tyrant, nations are immortal—
Nothing dieth but a slave.
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Freedom's banner waving o'er them,
On their conquering legions pass:
Wide thine armies fly before them,
Down thy ramparts fall like glass.
On their conquering legions pass:
Wide thine armies fly before them,
Down thy ramparts fall like glass.
“Thou! whom once I saved in peril,
“Haste to help me! Austria! rise.”
Vain! the hoary-headed sinner
Gasps forth “Italy!”—and dies.
“Haste to help me! Austria! rise.”
Vain! the hoary-headed sinner
Gasps forth “Italy!”—and dies.
“Thou! once prostrate at my footstool,
“Prussia! arm thy filial band!”
Vain! the dastard knave unblushing
Spurns his fall'n protector's hand.
“Prussia! arm thy filial band!”
Vain! the dastard knave unblushing
Spurns his fall'n protector's hand.
Without honour to defend him,
Without courage to oppose,
Cringes, till he sees him conquered,
Then triumphant joins his foes.
Without courage to oppose,
Cringes, till he sees him conquered,
Then triumphant joins his foes.
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Eased in brain by wordy vapour,
Strikes his hollow heartless breast,
Claims his share for doing nothing,
Cries, “We did it!”—with the rest.
Strikes his hollow heartless breast,
Claims his share for doing nothing,
Cries, “We did it!”—with the rest.
Then the monarch's brow grew lofty
With a brave imperial pride:
Even Tyranny looks noble,
Seen by such poor Treason's side.
With a brave imperial pride:
Even Tyranny looks noble,
Seen by such poor Treason's side.
“Type of ancient rule, I battled—
“Modern thoughts and forms prevail;—
“Foiled alone by heroes banded,
“Cravens shall not see me quail.
“Modern thoughts and forms prevail;—
“Foiled alone by heroes banded,
“Cravens shall not see me quail.
“Down the old world sinks beneath me,
“And the new world shineth forth:
“Has the Russians' God forsaken?
“Hast thou not a word, O North!”
“And the new world shineth forth:
“Has the Russians' God forsaken?
“Hast thou not a word, O North!”
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Then the North Light flamed in heaven,
And the North Star paler grew;
And there passed an awful whisper
Snowy wastes and pine-woods through.
And the North Star paler grew;
And there passed an awful whisper
Snowy wastes and pine-woods through.
Fear o'ercame the mighty monarch,
For he felt that fatal breath,
E'en through India's torrid noontide
Chills the bounding blood with death.
For he felt that fatal breath,
E'en through India's torrid noontide
Chills the bounding blood with death.
'Twas the North God's dooming answer!
Trembling Love and Science brave,
Those who once have heard that summons,
Vainly—vainly strive to save!
Trembling Love and Science brave,
Those who once have heard that summons,
Vainly—vainly strive to save!
Passed the vigil of the midnight,
Rose the broad sun's busy hour;
Courtiers still cry—“Live for ever!
“Earth-God! who shall stay thy power?”
Rose the broad sun's busy hour;
Courtiers still cry—“Live for ever!
“Earth-God! who shall stay thy power?”
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Some few days he walked among them,
Hushed beneath unwonted awe:
Those around him wildering wondered
At the solemn change they saw.
Hushed beneath unwonted awe:
Those around him wildering wondered
At the solemn change they saw.
Then the Czar went forth at morning,
Mustered calm his legioned pride,
Heard Death whisper through his clarions,
Bowed his lofty head, and died.
Mustered calm his legioned pride,
Heard Death whisper through his clarions,
Bowed his lofty head, and died.
| The Emperor's Vigil, and The Waves And The War | |