Part 20

Of Europe seem'd the damsels all; The first a nymph of lively Gaul, Whose easy step and laughing eye Her borrow'd air of awe belie; The next a maid of Spain, Dark-eyed, dark-hair'd, sedate, yet bold; White ivory skin and tress of gold, Her shy and bashful comrade told For daughter of Almaine, These maidens bore a royal robe, With crown, with sceptre, and with globe, Emblems of empery; The fourth a space behind them stood, And leant upon a harp, in mood Of minstrel ecstacy. Of merry England she, in dress Like ancient British Druidess: Her hair an azure fillet bound, Her graceful vesture swept the ground, And, in her hand displayed, A crown did that fourth Maiden hold, But unadorned with gems and gold, Of glossy laurel made.

At once to brave De Vaux knelt down These foremost maidens three, And proffer'd sceptre, robe, and crown, Liegedom and seignorie, O'er many a region wide and fair, Destined, they said, for Arthur's heir; But homage would he none:-- "Rather," he said, "De Vaux would ride, A Warden of the Border-side, In plate and mail, than, robed in pride, A monarch's empire own; Rather, far rather, would he be, A free-born knight of England free, Than sit on Despot's throne." So pass'd he on, when that fourth Maid, As starting from a trance, Upon the harp her finger laid; Her magic touch the chords obey'd, Their soul awaked at once!

SONG OF THE FOURTH MAIDEN.

"Quake to your foundations deep, Stately towers and banner'd keep, Bid your vaulted echoes moan, As the dreaded step they own.

"Fiends, that wait on Merlin's spell, Hear the footfall! mark it well! Spread your dusky wings abroad, Bound ye for your homeward road!

"It is HIS, the first who e'er Dared the dismal Hall of Fear; His, who hath the snares defied Spread by Pleasure, Wealth, and Pride.

"Quake to your foundations deep, Bastion huge, and turret steep! Tremble, keep! and totter, tower! This is Gyneth's waking hour."

Thus while she sung, the venturous Knight Has reach'd a bower, where milder light Through crimson curtains fell; Such softened shade the hill receives, Her purple veil when twilight leaves Upon its western swell. That bower, the gazer to bewitch, Had wondrous store of rare and rich As e'er was seen with eye; For there, by magic skill, I wis, Form of each thing that living is Was limn'd in proper dye. All seemed to sleep--the timid hare On form, the stag upon his lair, The eagle in her eyrie fair Between the earth and sky. But what of pictured rich and rare Could win De Vaux's eye-glance, where, Deep slumbering in the fatal chair, He saw King Arthur's child! Doubt, and anger, and dismay From her brow had passed away, Forgot was that fell tourney-day, For, as she slept, she smiled: It seem'd that the repentant Seer Her sleep of many a hundred year With gentle dreams beguiled.

That form of maiden loveliness, 'Twixt childhood and 'twixt youth, That ivory chair, that sylvan dress, The arms and ankles bare, express Of Lyulph's tale the truth. Still upon her garment's hem Vanoc's blood made purple gem, And the warder of command Cumber'd still her sleeping hand; Still her dark locks dishevelled low From net of pearl o'er breast of snow; And so fair the slumberer seems, That De Vaux impeached his dreams, Vapid all and void of might, Hiding half her charms from sight. Motionless a while he stands, Folds his arm and clasps his hands, Trembling in his fitful joy, Doubtful how he should destroy The long-enduring spell; Doubtful, too, when slowly rise Dark-fringed lids of Gyneth's eyes, What these eyes shall tell,-- "St. George! St. Mary! can it be, That they will kindly look on me!"

Gently, lo! the Warrior kneels, Soft that lovely hand he steals, Soft to kiss, and soft to clasp-- But the warder leaves her grasp; Lightning flashes, rolls the thunder! Gyneth startles from her sleep, Totters tower, and trembles keep, Burst the castle-walls asunder! Fierce and frequent were the shocks,-- Melt the magic halls away; ----But beneath their mystic rocks, In the arms of bold De Vaux Safe the princess lay; Safe and free from magic power, Blushing like the rose's flower Opening to the day; And round the Champion's brows were bound The crown that Druidess had wound, Of the green laurel-bay. And this was what remain'd of all The wealth of each enchanted hall, Garland and the Dame: But where should Warrior seek the meed, Due to high worth for daring deed, Except from LOVE and FAME.

Our lovers, briefly be it said, Wedded as lovers wont to wed, When tale or play is o'er; Lived long and blest, loved fond and true, And saw a numerous race renew The honours that they bore. Know, too, that when a pilgrim strays, In morning mist or evening maze, Along the mountain lone, That fairy fortress often mocks His gaze upon the castled rocks Of the Valley of St. John: But never man since brave De Vaux The charmed portal won. 'Tis now a vain illusive show, That melts whene'er the sunbeams glow, Or the fresh breeze hath blown.

THE END.

[21] The small lake called Scales-tarn, which lies so deeply embosomed in the recesses of the huge mountain called Saddleback, more poetically Blencathara, is of such great depth, and so completely hidden from the sun, that it is said its beams never reach it, and that the reflection of the stars may be seen on its surface at mid-day.

[22] This was the name of King Arthur's well known sword, sometimes also called Excalibar.

[23] Tintadgel Castle, in Cornwall, is reported to have been the birthplace of King Arthur.

[24] The author has an indistinct recollection of an adventure somewhat similar to that which is here ascribed to King Arthur, having befallen one of the ancient Kings of Denmark. The horn in which the burning liquor was presented to that Monarch is said still to be preserved in the Royal Museum at Copenhagen.

[25] Zaharak, or Zaharah, is the Arab name of the Great Desert.

Transcriber's Note

Obvious typographical errors were repaired, as listed below. Other apparent archaic spellings, inconsistencies or errors have been retained. Missing, extraneous, or incorrect punctuation has been corrected and hyphenation has been made consistent.

Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_).

Text enclosed by equal signs is in bold (=bold=).

Page x, "HADRA" changed to "HARDRA" for consistency. (THE MAID OF HARDRA SCAR;)

Page 5, "fairlyland" changed to "fairyland". (... embosomed in the most delicious, fairyland valleys, diversified with beautiful mansions, and snow-white cottages...)

Page 48, "Uppn" changed to "Upon". (Vow'd to revenge the dead-drunk peer Upon renowned St. Kitt.)

Page 68, "EEMA" changed to "EMMA". (EMMA; OR, THE MURDERED MAID.)

Page 78, "roul" changed to "foul". (... for he will marry her, however foul and loathsome she may be.)

Page 91, "word" changed to "words". (The words seem to come out of the mouth of one of the very moss troopers who had acted a part in the achievement, and the whole composition is rough but finely flavoured;)

Page 141, "glow" changed to "grow". (Her plastic needle bade fresh flow'rets grow;)

Page 147, "bare" changed to "bore". (It bore the living moisture to her lips,...)

Page 149, "tbe" changed to "the". (And forc'd--too late! the unglutted beast to fly.)

Page 163, "fabelloe" changed to "fabellæ". (... abounds in all the _aniles fabellæ_ of fairies, ghosts, and apparitions,...)

Page 166, no closing double quotation mark has been added to "Saw ever man such gallant sight?" This appears as in the original, as the closing of the quotation could occur in numerous places.

Page 171, "phenomonen" changed to "phenomenon" for consistency. (The same phenomenon has been observed amongst the Scotch mountains.)

Page 185, "lift" changed to "left". (It was midsummer: the fashionable part of the community had left London for their seats in the country,...)

Page 188, "unaccounably" changed to "unaccountably". (... by which we are instantly and unaccountably attracted to one whom we have never seen before,...)

Page 217, "waiscoat" changed to "waistcoat" for consistency. (He was dressed in a black jacket, black silk waistcoat, fustian pantaloons, shoes, and white cotton stockings.)

Page 222, "way" changed to "may". (... it may well be supposed that the mountain ridges forming the line of demarcation between the two territories...)