the complete poetical works-第31部分

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Hearty　his　welcome　was；　as　he　led　his　guests　to　the　garden。

There　in　an　arbor　of　roses　with　endless　question　and　answer

Gave　they　vent　to　their　hearts；　and　renewed　their　friendly

embraces；

Laughing　and　weeping　by　turns；　or　sitting　silent　and　thoughtful。

Thoughtful；　for　Gabriel　came　not；　and　now　dark　doubts　and

misgivings

Stole　o'er　the　maiden's　heart；　and　Basil；　somewhat　embarrassed；

Broke　the　silence　and　said；　〃If　you　came　by　the　Atchafalaya；

How　have　you　nowhere　encountered　my　Gabriel's　boat　on　the

bayous？〃

Over　Evangeline's　face　at　the　words　of　Basil　a　shade　passed。

Tears　came　into　her　eyes；　and　she　said；　with　a　tremulous　accent；

〃Gone？　is　Gabriel　gone？〃　and；　concealing　her　face　on　his

shoulder；

All　her　o'erburdened　heart　gave　way；　and　she　wept　and　lamented。

Then　the　good　Basil　said；and　his　voice　grew　blithe　as　he　said

it；

〃Be　of　good　cheer；　my　child；　it　is　only　to…day　he　departed。

Foolish　boy！　he　has　left　me　alone　with　my　herds　and　my　horses。

Moody　and　restless　grown；　and　tried　and　troubled；　his　spirit

Could　no　longer　endure　the　calm　of　this　quiet　existence。

Thinking　ever　of　thee；　uncertain　and　sorrowful　ever；

Ever　silent；　or　speaking　only　of　thee　and　his　troubles；

He　at　length　had　become　so　tedious　to　men　and　to　maidens；

Tedious　even　to　me；　that　at　length　I　bethought　me；　and　sent　him

Unto　the　town　of　Adayes　to　trade　for　mules　with　the　Spaniards。

Thence　he　will　follow　the　Indian　trails　to　the　Ozark　Mountains；

Hunting　for　furs　in　the　forests；　on　rivers　trapping　the　beaver。

Therefore　be　of　good　cheer；　we　will　follow　the　fugitive　lover；

He　is　not　far　on　his　way；　and　the　Fates　and　the　streams　are

against　him。

Up　and　away　to…morrow；　and　through　the　red　dew　of　the　morning

We　will　follow　him　fast；　and　bring　him　back　to　his　prison。〃



　　Then　glad　voices　were　heard；　and　up　from　the　banks　of　the

river；

Borne　aloft　on　his　comrades'　arms；　came　Michael　the　fiddler。

Long　under　Basil's　roof　had　he　lived　like　a　god　on　Olympus；

Having　no　other　care　than　dispensing　music　to　mortals。

Far　renowned　was　he　for　his　silver　locks　and　his　fiddle。

〃Long　live　Michael；〃　they　cried；　〃our　brave　Acadian　minstrel！〃

As　they　bore　him　aloft　in　triumphal　procession；　and　straightway

Father　Felician　advanced　with　Evangeline；　greeting　the　old　man

Kindly　and　oft；　and　recalling　the　past；　while　Basil；　enraptured；

Hailed　with　hilarious　joy　his　old　companions　and　gossips；

Laughing　loud　and　long；　and　embracing　mothers　and　daughters。

Much　they　marvelled　to　see　the　wealth　of　the　cidevant　blacksmith；

All　his　domains　and　his　herds；　and　his　patriarchal　demeanor；

Much　they　marvelled　to　hear　his　tales　of　the　soil　and　the

climate；

And　of　the　prairie；　whose　numberless　herds　were　his　who　would

take　them；

Each　one　thought　in　his　heart；　that　he；　too；　would　go　and　do

likewise。

Thus　they　ascended　the　steps；　and；　crossing　the　breezy　veranda；

Entered　the　hall　of　the　house；　where　already　the　supper　of　Basil

Waited　his　late　return；　and　they　rested　and　feasted　together。



　　Over　the　joyous　feast　the　sudden　darkness　descended。

All　was　silent　without；　and；　illuming　the　landscape　with　silver；

Fair　rose　the　dewy　moon　and　the　myriad　stars；　but　within　doors；

Brighter　than　these；　shone　the　faces　of　friends　in　the　glimmering

lamplight。

Then　from　his　station　aloft；　at　the　head　of　the　table；　the

herdsman

Poured　forth　his　heart　and　his　wine　together　in　endless

profusion。

Lighting　his　pipe；　that　was　filled　with　sweet　Natchitoches

tobacco；

Thus　he　spake　to　his　guests；　who　listened；　and　smiled　as　they

listened：

〃Welcome　once　more；　my　friends；　who　long　have　been　friendless　and

homeless；

Welcome　once　more　to　a　home；　that　is　better　perchance　than　the

old　one！

Here　no　hungry　winter　congeals　our　blood　like　the　rivers；

Here　no　stony　ground　provokes　the　wrath　of　the　farmer。

Smoothly　the　ploughshare　runs　through　the　soil；　as　a　keel　through

the　water。

All　the　year　round　the　orange…groves　are　in　blossom；　and　grass

grows

More　in　a　single　night　than　a　whole　Canadian　summer。

Here；　too；　numberless　herds　run　wild　and　unclaimed　in　the

prairies；

Here；　too；　lands　may　be　had　for　the　asking；　and　forests　of　timber

With　a　few　blows　of　the　axe　are　hewn　and　framed　into　houses。

After　your　houses　are　built；　and　your　fields　are　yellow　with

harvests；

No　King　George　of　England　shall　drive　you　away　from　your

homesteads；

Burning　your　dwellings　and　barns；　and　stealing　your　farms　and

your　cattle。〃

Speaking　these　words；　he　blew　a　wrathful　cloud　from　his　nostrils；

While　his　huge；　brown　hand　came　thundering　down　on　the　table；

So　that　the　guests　all　started；　and　Father　Felician；　astounded；

Suddenly　paused；　with　a　pinch　of　snuff　half…way　to　his　nostrils。

But　the　brave　Basil　resumed；　and　his　words　were　milder　and

gayer：

〃Only　beware　of　the　fever；　my　friends；　beware　of　the　fever！

For　it　is　not　like　that　of　our　cold　Acadian　climate；

Cured　by　wearing　a　spider　hung　round　one's　neck　in　a　nutshell！〃

Then　there　were　voices　heard　at　the　door；　and　footsteps

approaching

Sounded　upon　the　stairs　and　the　floor　of　the　breezy　veranda。

It　was　the　neighboring　Creoles　and　small　Acadian　planters；

Who　had　been　summoned　all　to　the　house　of　Basil　the　Herdsman。

Merry　the　meeting　was　of　ancient　comrades　and　neighbors：

Friend　clasped　friend　in　his　arms；　and　they　who　before　were　as

strangers；

Meeting　in　exile；　became　straightway　as　friends　to　each　other；

Drawn　by　the　gentle　bond　of　a　common　country　together。

But　in　the　neighboring　hall　a　strain　of　music；　proceeding

From　the　accordant　strings　of　Michael's　melodious　fiddle；

Broke　up　all　further　speech。　　Away；　like　children　delighted；

All　things　forgotten　beside；　they　gave　themselves　to　the

maddening

Whirl　of　the　dizzy　dance；　as　it　swept　and　swayed　to　the　music；

Dreamlike；　with　beaming　eyes　and　the　rush　of　fluttering　garments。



　　Meanwhile；　apart；　at　the　head　of　the　hall；　the　priest　and　the

herdsman

Sat；　conversing　together　of　past　and　present　and　future；

While　Evangeline　stood　like　one　entranced；　for　within　her

Olden　memories　rose；　and　loud　in　the　midst　of　the　music

Heard　she　the　sound　of　the　sea；　and　an　irrepressible　sadness

Came　o'er　her　heart；　and　unseen　she　stole　forth　into　the　garden。

Beautiful　was　the　night。　　Behind　the　black　wall　of　the　forest；

Tipping　its　summit　with　silver；　arose　the　moon。　　On　the　river

Fell　here　and　there　through　the　branches　a　tremulous　gleam　of　the

moonlight；

Like　the　sweet　thoughts　of　love　on　a　darkened　and　devious　spirit。

Nearer　and　round　about　her；　the　manifold　flowers　of　the　garden

Poured　out　their　souls　in　odors；　that　were　their　prayers　and

confessions

Unto　the　night；　as　it　went　its　way；　like　a　silent　Carthusian。

Fuller　of　fragrance　than　they；　and　as　heavy　with　shadows　and

night…dews；

Hung　the　heart　of　the　maiden。　　The　calm　and　the　magical　moonlight

Seemed　to　inundate　her　soul　with　indefinable　longing；

As；　through　the　garden　gate；　and　beneath　the　shade　of　the

oak…trees；

Passed　she　along　the　path　to　the　edge　of　the　measureless　prairie。

Silent　it　lay；　with　a　silvery　haze　upon　it；　and　fire…flies

Gleaming　and　floating　away　in　mingled　and　infinite　numbers。

Over　her　head　the　stars；　the　thoughts　of　God　in　the　heavens；

Shone　on　the　eyes　of　man　who　had　ceased　to　marvel　and　worship；

Save　when　a　blazing　comet　was　seen　on　the　walls　of　that　temple；

As　if　a　hand　had　appeared　and　written　upon　them；　〃Upharsin。〃

And　the　soul　of　the　maiden；　between　the　stars　and　the　fire…flies；

Wandered　alone；　and　she　cried；　〃O　Gabriel！　　O　my　beloved！

Art　thou　so　near　unto　me；　and　yet　I　cannot　behold　thee？

Art　thou　so　near　unto　me；　and　yet　thy　voice　does　not　reach　me？

Ah！　how　often　thy　feet　have　trod　this　path　to　the　prairie！

Ah！　how　often　thine　eyes　have　looked　on　the　woodlands　around　me！

Ah！　how　often　beneath　this　oak；　returning　from　labor；

Thou　hast　lain　down　to　rest　and　to　dream　of　me　in　thy　slumbers！

When　shall　these　eyes　behold；　these　arms　be　folded　about　thee？〃

Loud　and　sudden　and　near　the　note　of　a　whippoorwill　sounded

Like　a　flute　in　the　woods；　and　anon；　through　the　neighboring

thickets；

Farther　and　farther　away　it　floated　and　dropped　into　silence。

〃Patience！〃　whispered　the　oaks　from　oracular　caverns　of　darkness：

And；　from　the　moonlit　meadow；　a　sigh　responded；　〃To…morrow！〃



　　Bright　rose　the　sun　next　day；　and　all　the　flowers　of　the　garden

Bathed　his　shining　feet　with　their　tears；　and　anointed　his

tresses

With　the　delicious　balm　that　they　bore　in　their　vases　of　crystal。

〃Farewell！〃　said　the　priest；　as　he　stood　at　the　shadowy

threshold；

〃See　that　you　bring　us　the　Prodigal　Son　from　his　fasting　and

famine；

And；　too；　the　Foolish　Virgin；　who　slept　when　the　bridegroom　was

coming。〃

〃Farewell！〃　answered　the　maiden；　and；　smiling；　with　Basil

descended

Down　to　the　river's　brink；　where　the　boatmen　already　were

waiting。

Thus　beginning　their　journey　with　morning；　and　sunshine；　and

gladness；

Swiftly　they　followed　the　flight　of　him　who　was　speeding　before

them；

Blown　by　the　blast　of　fate　like　a　dead　leaf　over　the　desert。

Not　that　day；　nor　the　next；　nor　yet　the　day　that　succeeded；

Found　they　trace　of　his　course；　in　lake　or　forest　or　river；

Nor；　after　many　days；　had　they　found　him；　but　vague　and　uncertain

Rumors　alone　were　their　guides　through　a　wild　and　desolate

Country；

Till；　at　the　little　inn　of　the　Spanish　town　of　Adayes；

Weary　and　worn；　they　alighted；　and　learned　from　the　garrulous

landlord；

That　on　the　day　before；　with　horses　and　guides　and　companions；

Gabriel　left　the　village；　and　took　the　road　of　the　prairies。







IV



Far　in　the　West　there　lies　a　desert　land；　where　the　mountains

Lift；　through　perpetual　snows；　their　lofty　and　luminous　summits。

Down　from　their　jagged；　deep　ravines；　where　the　gorge；　like　a

gateway；

Opens　a　passage　rude　to　the　wheels　of　the　emigrant's　wagon；

Westward　the　Oregon　flows　and　the　Walleway　and　Owyhee。

Eastwar