evangeline-第3章

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Shaking　his　head；　as　in　doubt；　then；　heaving　a　sigh；　he　continued：
〃Louisburg　is　not　forgotten；　nor　Beau　S閖our；　nor　Port　Royal。
Many　already　have　fled　to　the　forest；　and　lurk　on　its　outskirts；
Waiting　with　anxious　hearts　the　dubious　fate　of　to…morrow。
Arms　have　been　taken　from　us；　and　warlike　weapons　of　all　kinds；
Nothing　is　left　but　the　blacksmith's　sledge　and　the　scythe　of　the　mower。〃
Then　with　a　pleasant　smile　made　answer　the　jovial　farmer：
〃Safer　are　we　unarmed；　in　the　midst　of　our　flocks　and　our　cornfields；
Safer　within　these　peaceful　dikes；　besieged　by　the　ocean；
Than　our　fathers　in　forts；　besieged　by　the　enemy's　cannon。
Fear　no　evil；　my　friend；　and　to…night　may　no　shadow　of　sorrow
Fall　on　this　house　and　hearth；　for　this　is　the　night　of　the　contract。
Built　are　the　house　and　the　barn。　　The　merry　lads　of　the　village
Strongly　have　built　them　and　well；　and；　breaking　the　glebe　round　about　them；
Filled　the　barn　with　hay；　and　the　house　with　food　for　a　twelvemonth。
Ren？Leblanc　will　be　here　anon；　with　his　papers　and　inkhorn。
Shall　we　not　then　be　glad；　and　rejoice　in　the　joy　of　our　children？〃
As　apart　by　the　window　she　stood；　with　her　hand　in　her　lover's；
Blushing　Evangeline　heard　the　words　that　her　father　had　spoken；
And；　as　they　died　on　his　lips；　the　worthy　notary　entered。



III。


　　BENT　like　a　laboring　oar；　that　toils　in　the　surf　of　the　ocean；
Bent；　but　not　broken；　by　age　was　the　form　of　the　notary　public；
Shocks　of　yellow　hair；　like　the　silken　floss　of　the　maize；　hung
Over　his　shoulders；　his　forehead　was　high；　and　glasses　with　horn　bows
Sat　astride　on　his　nose；　with　a　look　of　wisdom　supernal。
Father　of　twenty　children　was　he；　and　more　than　a　hundred
Children's　children　rode　on　his　knee；　and　heard　his　great　watch　tick。
Four　long　years　in　the　times　of　the　war　had　he　languished　a　captive；
Suffering　much　in　an　old　French　fort　as　the　friend　of　the　English。
Now；　though　warier　grown；　without　all　guile　or　suspicion；
Ripe　in　wisdom　was　he；　but　patient；　and　simple；　and　childlike。
He　was　beloved　by　all；　and　most　of　all　by　the　children；
For　he　told　them　tales　of　the　Loup…garou　in　the　forest；
And　of　the　goblin　that　came　in　the　night　to　water　the　horses；
And　of　the　white　L閠iche；　the　ghost　of　a　child　who　unchristened
Died；　and　was　doomed　to　haunt　unseen　the　chambers　of　children；
And　how　on　Christmas　eve　the　oxen　talked　in　the　stable；
And　how　the　fever　was　cured　by　a　spider　shut　up　in　a　nutshell；
And　of　the　marvellous　powers　of　four…leaved　clover　and　horsehoes；
With　whatsoever　else　was　writ　in　the　lore　of　the　village。
Then　up　rose　from　his　seat　by　the　fireside　Basil　the　blacksmith；
Knocked　from　his　pipe　the　ashes；　and　slowly　extending　his　right　hand；
〃Father　Leblanc；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃thou　hast　heard　the　talk　in　the　village；
And；　perchance；　canst　tell　us　some　news　of　these　ships　and　their　errand。〃
Then　with　modest　demeanor　made　answer　the　notary　public：
〃Gossip　enough　have　I　heard；　in　sooth；　yet　am　never　the　wiser；
And　what　their　errand　may　be　I　know　not　better　than　others。
Yet　am　I　not　of　those　who　imagine　some　evil　intention
Brings　them　here；　for　we　are　at　peace；　and　why　then　molest　us？〃
〃God's　name！〃　shouted　the　hasty　and　somewhat　irascible　blacksmith；
〃Must　we　in　all　things　look　for　the　how；　and　the　why；　and　the　wherefore？
Daily　injustice　is　done；　and　might　is　the　right　of　the　strongest！〃
But；　without　heeding　his　warmth；　continued　the　notary　public：
〃Man　is　unjust；　but　God　is　just；　and　finally　justice
Triumphs；　and　well　I　remember　a　story；　that　often　consoled　me；
When　as　a　captive　I　lay　in　the　old　French　fort　at　Port　Royal。〃
This　was　the　old　man's　favorite　tale；　and　he　loved　to　repeat　it
When　his　neighbors　complained　that　any　injustice　was　done　them。
〃Once　in　an　ancient　city；　whose　name　I　no　longer　remember；
Raised　aloft　on　a　column；　a　brazen　statue　of　Justice
Stood　in　the　public　square；　upholding　the　scales　in　its　left　hand；
And　in　its　right　a　sword；　as　an　emblem　that　justice　presided
Over　the　laws　of　the　land；　and　the　hearts　and　homes　of　the　people。
Even　the　birds　had　built　their　nests　in　the　scales　of　the　balance；
Having　no　fear　of　the　sword　that　flashed　in　the　sunshine　above　them。
But　in　the　course　of　time　the　laws　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　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…Pr？
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　manoeuver；
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　mist　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　passed　the　evening　away。　　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