Journeys Through Bookland Volume Vii Part 7

"Till noon we quietly sailed on, Yet never a breeze did breathe: Slowly and smoothly went the ship, Moved onward from beneath.

"Under the keel nine fathom deep, From the land of mist and snow, The spirit slid: and it was he That made the ship to go.

The sails at noon left off their tune, And the ship stood still also.

"The Sun, right up above the mast, Had fixed her to the ocean: But in a minute she 'gan stir, With a short, uneasy motion-- Backwards and forwards half her length With a short, uneasy motion.

"Then like a pawing horse let go, She made a sudden bound: It flung the blood into my head, And I fell down in a swound.

"How long in that same fit I lay, I have not to declare; But ere my living life returned, I heard, and in my soul discerned, Two voices in the air.

"'Is it he?' quoth one, 'Is this the man?

By him who died on cross, With his cruel bow he laid full low The harmless Albatross.

"'The spirit who bideth by himself In the land of mist and snow, He loved the bird that loved the man Who shot him with his bow.'

"The other was a softer voice, As soft as honey-dew: Quoth he, 'The man hath penance done, And penance more will do.'"

[Ill.u.s.tration: SLOWLY AND SMOOTHLY WENT THE SHIP]

PART VI

_First Voice_

"'But tell me, tell me! speak again, Thy soft response renewing-- What makes that ship drive on so fast?

What is the ocean doing?'

_Second Voice_

"'Still as a slave before his lord, The ocean hath no blast; His great bright eye most silently Up to the Moon is cast--

"'If he may know which way to go; For she guides him smooth or grim.

See, brother, see! how graciously She looketh down on him.'

_First Voice_

"'But why drives on that ship so fast, Without or wave or wind?'[49-36]

_Second Voice_

"'The air is cut away before, And closes from behind.

"'Fly, brother, fly! more high, more high!

Or we shall be belated: For slow and slow that ship will go, When the mariner's trance is abated.'

"I woke, and we were sailing on As in a gentle weather: 'Twas night, calm night, the Moon was high; The dead men stood together.

"All stood together on the deck, For a charnel-dungeon[50-37] fitter: All fixed on me their stony eyes, That in the Moon did glitter.

"The pang, the curse, with which they died, Had never pa.s.sed away: I could not draw my eyes from theirs, Nor turn them up to pray.

"And now this spell was snapt:[50-38] once more I viewed the ocean green, And looked far forth, yet little saw Of what had else been seen--

"Like one, that on a lonesome road Doth walk in fear and dread, And having once turned round walks on, And turns no more his head; Because he knows a frightful fiend Doth close behind him tread.

"But soon there breathed a wind on me, Nor sound nor motion made: Its path was not upon the sea, In ripple or in shade.

"It raised my hair, it fanned my cheek Like a meadow-gale of spring-- It mingled strangely with my fears, Yet it felt like a welcoming.

"Swiftly, swiftly flew the ship, Yet she sailed softly too: Sweetly, sweetly blew the breeze-- On me alone it blew.

"Oh! dream of joy! is this indeed The lighthouse top I see?

Is this the hill? is this the kirk?

Is this mine own countree?

"We drifted o'er the harbour-bar, And I with sobs did pray-- O let me be awake, my G.o.d!

Or let me sleep alway.

"The harbour-bay was clear as gla.s.s, So smoothly it was strewn!

And on the bay the moonlight lay, And the shadow of the Moon.

"The rock shone bright, the kirk no less, That stands above the rock: The moonlight steeped in silentness The steady weatherc.o.c.k.

"And the bay was white with silent light, Till, rising from the same, Full many shapes, that shadows were, In crimson colours came.

"A little distance from the prow Those crimson shadows were: I turned my eyes upon the deck-- O Christ! what saw I there!

"Each corse lay flat, lifeless and flat, And, by the holy rood![52-39]

A man all light, a seraph-man, On every corse there stood.

"This seraph-band, each waved his hand: It was a heavenly sight!

They stood as signals to the land.

Each one a lovely light;

"This seraph-band, each waved his hand: No voice did they impart-- No voice; but oh! the silence sank Like music on my heart.[52-40]

"But soon I heard the dash of oars, I heard the Pilot's cheer; My head was turned perforce away, And I saw a boat appear.

"The Pilot and the Pilot's boy, I heard them coming fast: Dear Lord in Heaven! it was a joy The dead men could not blast.

"I saw a third--I heard his voice: It is the Hermit good!

He singeth loud his G.o.dly hymns That he makes in the wood.

He'll shrieve my soul, he'll wash away The Albatross's blood."

PART VII

"This Hermit good lives in that wood Which slopes down to the sea.