LOVE TRIUMPHANT.
399
No wonder that her heart should fail!
No wonder that her step should falter!
And must she vow to Him above,
Her bosom owns no earthly love?
No wonder that her step should falter!
And must she vow to Him above,
Her bosom owns no earthly love?
“Alas!” she shrieked with frantic air,
“Heaven’s curse is on me, if I swear.”
She fainted with a murmuring sound;
The mother rushed to raise her child
Where she had sunk upon the ground;
The cowled brow itself grew mild,
Although the baron sternly frowned,
And the nuns coldly bitterly smiled,
At her, whose heart could not despise,
Like their’s, its young love’s sacrifice.
“Heaven’s curse is on me, if I swear.”
She fainted with a murmuring sound;
The mother rushed to raise her child
Where she had sunk upon the ground;
The cowled brow itself grew mild,
Although the baron sternly frowned,
And the nuns coldly bitterly smiled,
At her, whose heart could not despise,
Like their’s, its young love’s sacrifice.
Forth darted Gualter from among
The novices’ astonished throng.
“Her plighted faith was mine,” he cried,
“Before a cruel father’s doom
Condemn’d his child, my love, my bride,
Even in her youth and beauty’s bloom,
Her love, her loveliness to hide
In the lone convent’s silent gloom!
I curs’d him; and from thence her ear
No other word of mine would hear.
The novices’ astonished throng.
“Her plighted faith was mine,” he cried,
“Before a cruel father’s doom
Condemn’d his child, my love, my bride,
Even in her youth and beauty’s bloom,
Her love, her loveliness to hide
In the lone convent’s silent gloom!
I curs’d him; and from thence her ear
No other word of mine would hear.
“Ah! then my life was turned to pain,
Hope fled, and then—what could remain?
To-day I saw her changeless brow,
Though pale, and my despair was sealed.
Then burned my brain—but now, but now,
I feel bosom’s curse repealed!
Full soothly kept her earliest vow!
Her changeless love full well revealed!
Hope fled, and then—what could remain?
To-day I saw her changeless brow,
Though pale, and my despair was sealed.
Then burned my brain—but now, but now,
I feel bosom’s curse repealed!
Full soothly kept her earliest vow!
Her changeless love full well revealed!
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