VI. Full many a maid her true love met, And sobb'd in his embrace, And flutt'ring joy in tears and smiles, Array'd full many a face. VII. Nor joy nor smile for Helen sad; She sought the host in vain; For none could tell her William's fate, If faithless, or if slain. VIII. The martial band is past and gone ; She rends her raven hair, And in distraction's bitter mood She weeps with wild despair. IX. “O rise, my child," her mother said, "Nor sorrow thus in vain ; A perjured lover's fleeting heart X. "O mother, what is gone, is gone, What's lost for ever lorn: Death, death alone can comfort me ; O had I ne'er been born! XI. O break, my heart, O break at once ' Drink my life-blood, Despair! No joy remains on earth for me, For me in heaven no share." XII. "O enter not in judgment, Lord!" The pious mother prays; "Impute not guilt to thy frail child! She knows not what she says. XIII. "O say thy pater noster, child! O turn to God and grace! His will, that turn'd thy bliss to bale, Can change thy bale to bliss." XIV. O mother, mother, what is bliss ? O mother, what is bale? My William's love was heaven on earth, Without it earth is hell. XV. "Why should I pray to ruthless Heaven, Since my loved William's slain? I only pray'd for William's sake, And all my prayers were vain.". XVI. "O take the sacrament, my child, XVII. "No sacrament can quench this fire, Or slake this scorching pain; No sacrament can bid the dead Arise and live again. XVIII. “O break, my heart, O break at once! Be thou my god, Despair! Heaven's heaviest blow has fall'n on me, And vain each fruitless pray'r."— XIX. "O enter not in judgment, Lord, With thy frail child of clay! She knows not what her tongue has spoke; Impute it not, I pray! XX. "Forbear, my child, this desp'rate woe, And turn to God and grace; Well can devotion's heavenly glow Convert thy bale to bliss." |