In a drear-nighted December, But with a sweet forgetting, About the frozen time. Ah, would 'twere so with many J. KEATS. CHRISTABEL 'Tis the middle of night by the castle clock, And the owls have awakened the crowing cock! And hark, again! the crowing cock, How drowsily it crew. Sir Leoline, the Baron rich, Hath a toothless mastiff bitch From her kennel beneath the rock Maketh answer to the clock, Four for the quarters, and twelve for the hour; Ever and aye, by shine and shower, Is the night chilly and dark? The thin gray cloud is spread on high, The moon is behind, and at the full; The lovely lady, Christabel, Whom her father loves so well, What makes her in the wood so late, A furlong from the castle gate ? And she in the midnight wood will pray She stole along, she nothing spoke, The lady sprang up suddenly, It moaned as near, as near can be, The night is chill; the forest bare; Hush, beating heart of Christabel ! She folded her arms beneath her cloak, There she sees a damsel bright, That shadowy in the moonlight shone: Mary mother, save me now! The lady strange made answer meet, I scarce can speak for weariness. Stretch forth thy hand, and have no fear, Said Christabel, How camest thou here? And the lady, whose voice was faint and sweet Did thus pursue her answer meet: My sire is of a noble line, And my name is Geraldine: Five warriors seized me yestermorn, Me, even me, a maid forlorn : They choked my cries with force and fright, And tied me on a palfrey white. The palfrey was as fleet as wind, And they rode furiously behind. They spurred amain, their steeds were white; And once we crossed the shade of night. As sure as Heaven shall rescue me, I have no thought what men they be; (For I have lain entranced I wis) Since one, the tallest of the five, Some muttered words his comrades spoke : He swore they would return with haste I thought I heard, some minutes past, Stretch forth thy hand (thus ended she), Then Christabel stretched forth her hand O well bright dame may you command And gladly our stout chivalry Will he send forth and friends withal She rose and forth with steps they passed Sir Leoline is weak in health But we will move as if in stealth; And I beseech your courtesy This night, to share your couch with me. They crossed the moat, and Christabel A little door she opened straight, All in the middle of the gate; The gate that was ironed within and without, Where an army in battle-array had marched out. The lady sank, belike through pain, And Christabel with might and main Lifted her up, a weary weight, Over the threshold of the gate: And moved, as she were not in pain. |