 | Poems and Romances |  |
221
“SI DESCENDERO IN INFERNUM ADES.”
I.
In the church beside the sea
Lay the Lady Rosalie,
And she had beneath her head
Roses for her bridal bed,
And she had beneath her feet
Roses for her winding-sheet.
She had priests to pray for her,
But there were no lilies there,
So she kept her state in white,
Like a daughter of the light.
And there waited through the night,
Housed with silk, a steed of might,
Half of gold and half of fire,
Shod and bridled with desire,
Till a knight strode past the priest,
Seemed as he had left a feast,
Staggering with shut, swollen eyes,
Singing glees that sank to sighs,
To the bier of Rosalie,
In the church beside the sea.
And he kissed the lily cheek,
And he found a voice to speak:
“Now the black cross shineth steady,
Now the golden horse is ready;
Rise, my love, with me and ride,
I am bridegroom, thou art bride;
For the shadows flee away
Into everlasting day.”
Neither bier nor flower stirred;
Floating over them you heard
A low lamentable word:
“What is Victor come to win?
Who is he that let him in?
I have fasted, I have wept,
Watched and prayed and never slept,
Given gold and bent the knee
In the shrines of over sea,
That I should not ride with thee.”
Lay the Lady Rosalie,
And she had beneath her head
Roses for her bridal bed,
And she had beneath her feet
Roses for her winding-sheet.
She had priests to pray for her,
But there were no lilies there,
So she kept her state in white,
Like a daughter of the light.
And there waited through the night,
Housed with silk, a steed of might,
Half of gold and half of fire,
Shod and bridled with desire,
222
Seemed as he had left a feast,
Staggering with shut, swollen eyes,
Singing glees that sank to sighs,
To the bier of Rosalie,
In the church beside the sea.
And he kissed the lily cheek,
And he found a voice to speak:
“Now the black cross shineth steady,
Now the golden horse is ready;
Rise, my love, with me and ride,
I am bridegroom, thou art bride;
For the shadows flee away
Into everlasting day.”
Neither bier nor flower stirred;
Floating over them you heard
A low lamentable word:
“What is Victor come to win?
Who is he that let him in?
I have fasted, I have wept,
Watched and prayed and never slept,
Given gold and bent the knee
In the shrines of over sea,
That I should not ride with thee.”
223
Then the knight stood still and said,
“I am damned, and thou art dead,
Therefore thou shalt lay thy head
Where my heart burns still for thee;
Thou shalt sit upon my knee,
Strain thy arms to cling to me.
Wherefore lavish gold and fee
On the saints thou shalt not see,
On the shrines thou hast forsworn?
Thou wilt be more wise at morn;
For the lamps of hell burn steady,
And the horse of hell is ready.”
“I am damned, and thou art dead,
Therefore thou shalt lay thy head
Where my heart burns still for thee;
Thou shalt sit upon my knee,
Strain thy arms to cling to me.
Wherefore lavish gold and fee
On the saints thou shalt not see,
On the shrines thou hast forsworn?
Thou wilt be more wise at morn;
For the lamps of hell burn steady,
And the horse of hell is ready.”
“Am I damned, and art thou dead?
God and Heaven are overhead.
They are not forsworn,” she said.
Then the bier and flowers were stirred
Faintly at the faithful word;
Then the knight drew very near,
And the church was full of fear;
Wings of the black cherubim
Made the altar lights burn dim.
Then he rent the shroud in twain,
Then he cried as one in pain,
“By the deed that we have done,
By the weird that we have won,
Yea, by Mary, most of might,
Yea, by Jesu, Light of Light,
Thou shalt ride with me to-night.”
Then the lady sat upright,
All the other terrors fled,
For she did as he had said.
God and Heaven are overhead.
They are not forsworn,” she said.
Then the bier and flowers were stirred
Faintly at the faithful word;
Then the knight drew very near,
And the church was full of fear;
Wings of the black cherubim
Made the altar lights burn dim.
Then he rent the shroud in twain,
Then he cried as one in pain,
“By the deed that we have done,
By the weird that we have won,
224
Yea, by Jesu, Light of Light,
Thou shalt ride with me to-night.”
Then the lady sat upright,
All the other terrors fled,
For she did as he had said.
II.
So the bridegroom and the bride
Rode in peace and love and pride,
Softly through the gracious night;
For the horse of hell trod light,
Bearing ever to the right;
And they kept the church in sight
As they rode along the sea,
Till they came to Elverlea.
Then no elves were dancing there,
But a lady, wan and fair,
Clad in raiment of despair,
Watered violet and rose,
Weeping, if she might unclose
All the sweetness of the May,
As the weird upon her lay
Over Elverlea to stray,
Till the night should be as day,
And the rose and violet
Blossom, when the sun was set,
Undescried of living men;
And the flowers were open then.
Rode in peace and love and pride,
Softly through the gracious night;
For the horse of hell trod light,
Bearing ever to the right;
And they kept the church in sight
As they rode along the sea,
Till they came to Elverlea.
Then no elves were dancing there,
But a lady, wan and fair,
Clad in raiment of despair,
Watered violet and rose,
Weeping, if she might unclose
All the sweetness of the May,
As the weird upon her lay
225
Till the night should be as day,
And the rose and violet
Blossom, when the sun was set,
Undescried of living men;
And the flowers were open then.
Spake Sir Victor, “Lady, ride
With the bridegroom and the bride;
There is room upon the selle,
And we ride in state to hell.”
“Mary mother shield you well,”
Sobbed the Lady Rosalie;
“Two are lost, but wherefore three?”
Seven steps the lady fled,
Then she rested, being dead.
With the bridegroom and the bride;
There is room upon the selle,
And we ride in state to hell.”
“Mary mother shield you well,”
Sobbed the Lady Rosalie;
“Two are lost, but wherefore three?”
Seven steps the lady fled,
Then she rested, being dead.
Victor said to Rosalie,
“Do you fear to ride with me?
It is merry where we go,
And the end is hard to know.”
“We are one, and she apart;
I am jealous of your heart.
By ourselves we loved and fell,
Let me be your all in hell,”
Rosalie to Victor said:
And she put her marble head
Closer to the burning breast
Where she seemed to take her rest.
“Do you fear to ride with me?
It is merry where we go,
And the end is hard to know.”
“We are one, and she apart;
I am jealous of your heart.
By ourselves we loved and fell,
Let me be your all in hell,”
Rosalie to Victor said:
And she put her marble head
226
Where she seemed to take her rest.
So they rode to Engelbourne,
And the cross beside the thorn,
Where the heath is most forlorn,
Where the twain were knit in one,
Where the dark, sweet deed was done.
And the courser almost fell
By the broken holy well.
Lady Rosalie lit down,
Hung the tatters of her crown
On the cross, and bending low,
Till it ached, her neck of snow,
With her lips, so cool and sweet,
Kissed the lichens from the feet.
Then she spake unto her lord,
As she sank upon the sward,
“Let us rest awhile and weep
While we may, for hell is deep;
Down in hell we may not see.”
“What is that to thee and me?”
And his fiery face turned pale,
And he drew her by the veil,
Set her on the silken selle
Of the fiery horse of hell.
And the cross beside the thorn,
Where the heath is most forlorn,
Where the twain were knit in one,
Where the dark, sweet deed was done.
And the courser almost fell
By the broken holy well.
Lady Rosalie lit down,
Hung the tatters of her crown
On the cross, and bending low,
Till it ached, her neck of snow,
With her lips, so cool and sweet,
Kissed the lichens from the feet.
Then she spake unto her lord,
As she sank upon the sward,
“Let us rest awhile and weep
While we may, for hell is deep;
Down in hell we may not see.”
“What is that to thee and me?”
And his fiery face turned pale,
And he drew her by the veil,
Set her on the silken selle
227
Then a star fell in the east,
Then the bitter wind increased,
Then the horse neighed mightily,
And he stood upon the sea;
And the waves beneath his feet
Foamed again for very heat;
Yet he did not sink therein,
For his heart was great with sin.
Then the bitter wind increased,
Then the horse neighed mightily,
And he stood upon the sea;
And the waves beneath his feet
Foamed again for very heat;
Yet he did not sink therein,
For his heart was great with sin.
So they rode upon the water,
Where they left a trail of slaughter,
Filmy pools of gleaming red;
Was it Rosalie that bled?
Was it One with drooping head,
Following ever as they fled?
Bleeding as He too were slain,
With one hand upon the rein,
And with one on Rosalie,
Whom Sir Victor did not see.
But he heard the water-maids
Plashing out of seaweed shades,
Out of thorny coral glades,
Out of shallows of salt fens;
For the lovelorn mermaidens,
In a silver-breasted throng,
Followed where the waves were strong.
And the lovers rode along,
Keeping measure to a song,
Called the Song of Jealousy,
Which he made for Rosalie.
Where they left a trail of slaughter,
Filmy pools of gleaming red;
Was it Rosalie that bled?
Was it One with drooping head,
Following ever as they fled?
Bleeding as He too were slain,
With one hand upon the rein,
And with one on Rosalie,
Whom Sir Victor did not see.
But he heard the water-maids
Plashing out of seaweed shades,
Out of thorny coral glades,
Out of shallows of salt fens;
For the lovelorn mermaidens,
228
Followed where the waves were strong.
And the lovers rode along,
Keeping measure to a song,
Called the Song of Jealousy,
Which he made for Rosalie.
So they went upon the waves,
To the isle of evil graves,
Where the goodly ship went down
With the baron of renown,
Where pale Rosalie's good sire
Saw the false bright beacon fire,
Lit by Victor in the night,
Lit to slay him in her sight;
And he also, being slain,
Put a hand upon the rein,
And a hand on Rosalie,
So that Victor should not see;
And she also saw him not
While she wept for Victor's lot,
With her head upon his breast,
That she strove to cool to rest.
So they went about the isle
Thrice, and thrice she tried to smile,
When her bridegroom sought to say,
“Shall we be at home by day?”
Then, between the living dead,
The great horse sank down like lead,
Through a never-lighted cave,
Where the black and oily wave
Seemed as clammy as the grave,
Into the unfathomed deep,
Where the sleek sea-serpents sleep,
Each within his slimy lair,
Fed upon foul things made fair;
And the mermaids tore their hair
When they saw them sinking there,
From the pleasant moonlight air
Into the bleak gulf of death.
And they sang with wailing breath,
“For awhile they loved too well,
Therefore they go down to Hell.
One Who lies in wait to slay
Planted thorns on life's highway.
Who were they to hinder this?
Therefore they have lost their bliss,
For they did not make the road,
And they did not make the goad
Wherewithal He made them go
By the way they do not know.”
To the isle of evil graves,
Where the goodly ship went down
With the baron of renown,
Where pale Rosalie's good sire
Saw the false bright beacon fire,
Lit by Victor in the night,
Lit to slay him in her sight;
And he also, being slain,
Put a hand upon the rein,
And a hand on Rosalie,
So that Victor should not see;
And she also saw him not
While she wept for Victor's lot,
With her head upon his breast,
That she strove to cool to rest.
So they went about the isle
Thrice, and thrice she tried to smile,
229
“Shall we be at home by day?”
Then, between the living dead,
The great horse sank down like lead,
Through a never-lighted cave,
Where the black and oily wave
Seemed as clammy as the grave,
Into the unfathomed deep,
Where the sleek sea-serpents sleep,
Each within his slimy lair,
Fed upon foul things made fair;
And the mermaids tore their hair
When they saw them sinking there,
From the pleasant moonlight air
Into the bleak gulf of death.
And they sang with wailing breath,
“For awhile they loved too well,
Therefore they go down to Hell.
One Who lies in wait to slay
Planted thorns on life's highway.
Who were they to hinder this?
Therefore they have lost their bliss,
For they did not make the road,
And they did not make the goad
230
By the way they do not know.”
III.
So they came unto the city
Of the king who hath no pity;
And that city needs for light
Sun by day nor moon by night;
It is lighted in such wise
By the king's devouring eyes,
Flashing through the dusky air,
For the eyes are everywhere.
And we call the city Hell,
But the people there who dwell
Name it by another name,
And no man may speak the same.
And the golden gates of it,
Where the purple shadows flit,
Where the mighty warders sit,
Are not shut by night or day;
For the city people say,
“Wherefore keep the souls away,
Souls that long to enter in
To the harvest of their sin?
Though the taste be harsh thereof,
Yet it is the food we love;
They will be content to stay,
Stay with us, who are as they.”
Of the king who hath no pity;
And that city needs for light
Sun by day nor moon by night;
It is lighted in such wise
By the king's devouring eyes,
Flashing through the dusky air,
For the eyes are everywhere.
And we call the city Hell,
But the people there who dwell
Name it by another name,
And no man may speak the same.
And the golden gates of it,
Where the purple shadows flit,
Where the mighty warders sit,
Are not shut by night or day;
For the city people say,
“Wherefore keep the souls away,
Souls that long to enter in
To the harvest of their sin?
231
Yet it is the food we love;
They will be content to stay,
Stay with us, who are as they.”
As the city's dreadful light
Flashed into the watery night,
All the white mermaidens fled
From the damned and from the dead.
Then the Lady Rosalie,
Pushing back the blinding sea,
Lifting up a drooping head,
Heaved a little sigh, and said,
“Now my judgment is begun,
Now my rest will soon be won.”
And Sir Victor's reins grew slack,
And he staggered and fell back;
But she held him safe in selle,
And she kissed him close and well,
And they entered into hell,
Where the angel Azazel,
Brother unto Gabriel,
Who shall be Evangelist
Of the birth of Antichrist,
Veiled his jewelled wings, and cried
To the bridegroom and the bride,
“Highly favoured of my lord,
Enter into your reward!”
Flashed into the watery night,
All the white mermaidens fled
From the damned and from the dead.
Then the Lady Rosalie,
Pushing back the blinding sea,
Lifting up a drooping head,
Heaved a little sigh, and said,
“Now my judgment is begun,
Now my rest will soon be won.”
And Sir Victor's reins grew slack,
And he staggered and fell back;
But she held him safe in selle,
And she kissed him close and well,
And they entered into hell,
Where the angel Azazel,
Brother unto Gabriel,
Who shall be Evangelist
Of the birth of Antichrist,
Veiled his jewelled wings, and cried
To the bridegroom and the bride,
232
Enter into your reward!”
By the light of that dread place
Rosalie beheld a face
As of One Who went in pain,
With one hand upon her rein,
And with one on Rosalie,
And she turned lest she should see.
Rosalie beheld a face
As of One Who went in pain,
With one hand upon her rein,
And with one on Rosalie,
And she turned lest she should see.
But upon her other hand
She beheld another stand,
With a visage pale and grim;
And she spake in fear to him,
“Who art thou to hold my rein?”
“I am he whom thou hast slain.
Woe is me to meet thee here!
For indeed I loved thee dear.”
“Who is this that walks beside?”
“He whom thou hast crucified.”
Victor lifted up his head,
With a dreadful voice he said,
“Take good heed, my Rosalie,
These be they that blinded me.”
“Yea, because he would not see.”
For the pain and for the light
That had chased the balmy night
Her sick eyes began to swim,
But she held her peace at him.
So they came before his throne
She beheld another stand,
With a visage pale and grim;
And she spake in fear to him,
“Who art thou to hold my rein?”
“I am he whom thou hast slain.
Woe is me to meet thee here!
For indeed I loved thee dear.”
“Who is this that walks beside?”
“He whom thou hast crucified.”
Victor lifted up his head,
With a dreadful voice he said,
“Take good heed, my Rosalie,
These be they that blinded me.”
“Yea, because he would not see.”
For the pain and for the light
That had chased the balmy night
233
But she held her peace at him.
Who shall reap where sin hath sown;
But she could not see the king,
Though she felt the dragon wing
Sharply overshadowing her,
And she saw not any there,
Neither Victor nor her sire,
Nor the horse of gold and fire,
Nor the angry light of Hell,
Nor the angel Azazel;
Only One who walked the night
Clad upon with tender light,
With a visage pale and sweet,
And with piercèd hands and feet,
Saying, “Staunch My wounded side
With more kisses, O My bride!
For the shadows flee away
Into everlasting day.”
| Poems and Romances | |