I have only to add, that the metre of the Christabel is not, properly speaking, irregular, though it may seem so from its being founded on a new principle: namely, that of counting in each line the accents, not the syllables. Though the latter may vary from seven to twelve, yet in each line the accents will be found to be only four. Nevertheless this occasional variation in number of syllables is not introduced wantonly, or for the mere ends of convenience, but in correspondence with some transition, in the nature of the imagery or passion. PART I. IS the middle of night by the castle clock, And the owls have awakened the crowing cock; Tu-whit! -Tu-whoo! 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 She maketh answer to the clock, Four for the quarters, and twelve for the hour; Is the night chilly and dark? 'Tis a month before the month of May, And the Spring comes slowly up this way. The lovely lady, Christabel, Whom her father loves so well, What makes her in the wood so late, And she in the midnight wood will pray She stole along, she nothing spoke, The lady sprang up suddenly, The night is chill; the forest bare; Hanging so light, and hanging so high, Hush, beating heart of Christabel ! She folded her arms beneath her cloak, There she sees a damsel bright, That shadowy in the moonlight shone : I guess, 'twas frightful there to see A lady so richly clad as she Beautiful exceedingly! 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! My sire is of a noble line, And my name is Geraldine: Five warriors seized me yestermorn, They choked my cries with force and fright, The palfrey was as fleet as wind, They spurred amain, their steeds were white: Some muttered words his comrades spoke : 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 That strove to be, and were not, fast. This night, to share your couch with me. They crossed the moat, and Christabel A little door she opened straight, The gate that was ironed within and without, 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. So free from danger, free from fear, And Christabel devoutly cried To the Lady by her side; Praise we the Virgin all divine Who hath rescued thee from thy distress! Alas, alas! said Geraldine, I cannot speak for weariness. So free from danger, free from fear, They crossed the court: right glad they were. |