Childrens Own Longfellow | Page 7

of the land
were corrupted; Might took the place of right, and the weak were
oppressed, and the mighty Ruled with an iron rod. Then it chanced in a
nobleman's palace That a necklace of pearls was lost, and erelong a
suspicion Fell on an orphan girl who lived as a maid in the household.
She, after form of trial condemned to die on the scaffold,
Patiently
met her doom at the foot of the statue of Justice. As to her Father in
heaven her innocent spirit ascended,
Lo! o'er the city a tempest rose;
and the bolts of the thunder Smote the statue of bronze, and hurled in
wrath from its left hand Down on the pavement below the clattering
scales of the balance, And in the hollow thereof was found the nest of a
magpie,
Into whose clay-built walls the necklace of pearls was
inwoven." Silenced, but not convinced, when the story was ended, the
blacksmith Stood like a man who fain would speak, but findeth no
language; All his thoughts were congealed into lines on his face, as the
vapors Freeze in fantastic shapes on the window-panes in the winter.
Then Evangeline lighted the brazen lamp on the table,
Filled, till it
overflowed, the pewter tankard with home-brewed Nut-brown ale, that
was famed for its strength in the village of Grand-Pre; While from his
pocket the notary drew his papers and inkhorn, Wrote with a steady
hand the date and the age of the parties, Naming the dower of the bride

in flocks of sheep and in cattle. Orderly all things proceeded, and duly
and well were completed, And the great seal of the law was set like a
sun on the margin. Then from his leathern pouch the farmer threw on
the table
Three times the old man's fee in solid pieces of silver;
And
the notary rising, and blessing the bride and the bridegroom, Lifted
aloft the tankard of ale and drank to their welfare. Wiping the foam
from his lip, he solemnly bowed and departed, While in silence the
others sat and mused by the fireside,
Till Evangeline brought the
draught-board out of its corner. Soon was the game begun. In friendly
contention the old men Laughed at each lucky hit, or unsuccessful
manoeuvre,
Laughed when a man was crowned, or a breach was
made in the king-row. Meanwhile apart, in the twilight gloom of a
window's embrasure, Sat the lovers, and whispered together, beholding
the moon rise Over the pallid sea, and the silvery mists of the meadows.

Silently one by one, in the infinite meadows of heaven,
Blossomed
the lovely stars, the forget-me-nots of the angels.
Thus was the evening passed. Anon the bell from the belfry
Rang out
the hour of nine, the village curfew, and straightway Rose the guests
and departed; and silence reigned in the household. Many a farewell
word and sweet good-night on the door-step
Lingered long in
Evangeline's heart, and filled it with gladness. Carefully then were
covered the embers that glowed on the hearth-stone, And on the oaken
stairs resounded the tread of the farmer.
Soon with a soundless step
the foot of Evangeline followed. Up the staircase moved a luminous
space in the darkness,
Lighted less by the lamp than the shining face
of the maiden. Silent she passed the hall, and entered the door of her
chamber. Simple that chamber was, with its curtains of white, and its
clothes-press Ample and high, on whose spacious shelves were
carefully folded Linen and woollen stuffs, by the hand of Evangeline
woven.
This was the precious dower she would bring to her husband
in marriage, Better than flocks and herds, being proofs of her skill as a
housewife. Soon she extinguished her lamp, for the mellow and radiant
moonlight Streamed through the windows, and lighted the room, till the
heart of

the maiden
Swelled and obeyed its power, like the tremulous tides of
the ocean. Ah! she was fair, exceeding fair to behold, as she stood with
Naked snow-white feet on the gleaming floor of her chamber! Little she
dreamed that below, among the trees of the orchard, Waited her lover
and watched for the gleam of her lamp and her shadow. Yet were her
thoughts of him, and at times a feeling of sadness Passed o'er her soul,
as the sailing shade of clouds in the moonlight Flitted across the floor
and darkened the room for a moment. And, as she gazed from the
window, she saw serenely the moon pass Forth from the folds of a
cloud, and one star follow her footsteps, As out of Abraham's tent
young Ishmael wandered with Hagar!
IV
Pleasantly rose next morn the sun on the village of Grand-Pre.
Pleasantly gleamed in the soft, sweet air the Basin of Minas, Where the
ships, with their wavering shadows, were riding at anchor. Life had
long been astir in