Four for the quarters, and twelve for the hour; Is the night chilly and dark? And the Spring comes slowly up this way. The spell is laid by an evil being, not of this world, with whom Christabel, the heroine, is about to become connected; and who in the darkness of the forest is meditating the wreck of all her hopes: The lovely lady, Christabel, What makes her in the wood so late, A furlong from the castle gate? Of her own betrothed knight; And she in the midnight wood will pray She stole along, she nothing spoke, There are persons who have considered the description of Christabel in the act of praying, so far from the baron's castle, too great a poetical license. He was fully aware that all baronial castles had their chapels and oratories attached to them, and that in these lawless times, for such were the middle ages, the young lady who ventured unattended beyond the precincts of the castle, would have endangered her reputation. But to such an imaginative mind, it would have been scarcely possible to pass by the interesting image of Christabel, presenting itself before him, praying by moonlight at the old oak tree. But to proceed: The lady sprang up suddenly, It moaned as near, as near can be, Hanging so light, and hanging so high, Jesu, Maria, shield her well! She folded her arms beneath her cloak, And stole to the other side of the oak. What sees she there? This description is exquisite. Now for the mystic demon's tale of art: Mary mother, save me now! (Said Christabel,) And who art thou? I scarce can speak for weariness: Stretch forth thy hand, and have no fear! And the lady, whose voice was faint and sweet, My sire is of a noble line, And my name is Geraldine: Five warriors seized me yestermorn, Me, even me, a maid forlorn: They chok'd my cries with force and fright, And tied me on a palfrey white. The palfrey was as fleet as wind, And they rode furiously behind. They spurred amain, their steeds were white: As sure as Heaven shall rescue me, Nor do I know how long it is Some muttered words his comrades spoke: He swore they would return with haste; I thought I heard, some minutes past, Stretch forth thy hand (thus ended she) Then Christabel stretched forth her hand And comforted fair Geraldine: O well, bright dame! may you command The service of Sir Leoline; And gladly our stout chivalry Will he send forth and friends withal, She rose and forth with steps they passed Her gracious stars the lady blest . And thus spake on sweet Christabel: All our household are at rest, The hall as silent as the cell; Sir Leoline is weak in health, And may not well awakened be, But we will move as if in stealth, And I beseech your courtesy, This night, to share your couch with me. They crossed the moat, and Christabel Took the key that fitted well; The gate that was ironed within and without, 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, They crossed the court: right glad they were. Following the popular superstition that dogs are supposed to see ghosts, and therefore see the supernatural, the mastiff yells, when Geraldine appears.— Outside her kennell, the mastiff old Yet she an angry moan did make ! Geraldine had already worked upon the kindness of Christabel, so that she had lifted her over the threshold of the gate, which Geraldine's fallen power had prevented her passing of herself, the place being holy and under the influence of the Virgin. "Praise we the Virgin all divine, Who hath rescued thee from thy distress. I cannot speak for weariness. |