A voice without cried-" Shelter here In heavy drops descending. His stature was of graceful height, In robe of green was Blondel clad, "Joy," Blondel sigh'd, " is not for me, "My woes, I fear, are endless"Though few the years these eyes have seen, "Too long, believe me, have I been "A wanderer poor and friendless! "Methinks an happly lot is yours, "The last of days thus ending, "Ne'er fearing life's rough storms may rave, "But downward to the silent grave "With soft slow progress wending." "We envy not our castle's lord," Rejoin'd the aged peasant, "Far greater bliss 'tis our's to share, "Our waking thoughts all peaceful are, "Our dreams by night are pleasant. "Yet once a pang most keen we felt→→→ "One evening in December. "Excuse an old man's weakness, friend, "Soft is a parent's feeling!"— Whilst Hubert thus essay'd to speak, The youth adown his wrinkled cheek Mark'd the big tear-drops stealing. "You're tir'd, perchance," resum'd the host, His words with grief sore laden, "Else I a tale of woe could tell, "Would bid your heart with pity swell, "For Julia, hapless maiden!" The minstrel cried-" Oh, I could list, "Earl Alric, wretch of thoughts most dark, "The vast domain possesses, "In hawking all his days are spent, "At night loud bursts of merriment "Ring through his hall's recesses. "A soul more vile than Alric's sure "No mortal can inherit; "Henry, an orphan, with him dwelt, "Yet he no throb of pity felt "For one so rich in merit. "Poor Henry! of his parents, Heaven "His last injunction Alric heard "Ah! many a blow, and stern rebuke, My soul might then be cheerful!' "Oft would he sit and sigh alone, "Well could bear the summer noon, "And now of Alric's haughty taunts, "It chanc'd that once, at early morn, "He stray'd amid a thicket, And at the entrance of the wood "Our long-lost darling Julia stood, "Beside our lowly wicket. "His gaze fell on her-o'er his frame "Ah! daily by our cottage door "Have I beheld him wandering, "And oft would he, with sauntering pace, "The mazes of the pinewood trace, "In hopeless sorrow pondering. "Nor less, meanwhile, our dear girl's pain "Oft Henry's name she blesses, "Her lips on all his graces dwell, "And that she loves him, O how well "Her ev'ry act confesses! "One evening suddenly he came, "Her fav'rite goat slow leading, "Whilst butting with its little horns, "Its feet entangled in the thorns, "Were torn, and sadly bleeding. "He sate awhile where now you sit, "His arm on Julia leaning;"Beshrew me, minstrel, but methought "E'en then your looks quick darting caught "His eyes' expressive meaning! "Yet few poor Henry's visits were, "Tho' he lov'd Julia dearly, "For Alric, deeming him too blest, Sought how to wound his gentle breast,. "And spake him thus severely: Shame on thy coward spirit, boy! Go, Henry! rouse thy courage up, ⚫ E'en now our Richard Lion-heart "He ceas'd-the youth retorted brief, $ "Ah! fatal hour, that thus could doom "So fond a pair to sever! "Poor Julia grew a love-craz'd maid, "Her roseate tints began to fade, "Her peace was flown-for ever! "She heeded not the dews of night, "But wide her lattice flinging, "Now piteous moan'd, now vacant smil❜d, "Now started up aghastly wild, "Her broken vespers singing! "No tidings yet of Henry came, "Though long had he departed"Joyless to her pass'd many a day, "She pin'd and pin'd her soul away, "At length died broken hearted! "Yet ere she died, my hand she claps'd, "Her icy limbs all shivering, Father,' she cried, when Henry came-' "She could no more-the much lov'd name "On her last breath hung quivering! "Her grave clothes now are o'er her thrown, "The earth is now her pillow, "A croslet marks the little dome "Not long since, from the castle walls "That Henry was by Paynims slain, END OF PART 1. (To be continued.) |