The Poetical Works of Sir Walter ScottCambridge Scholars Publishing, 2012 - 304 páginas Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: With open hand, and brow as free, Lover of wine and minstrelsy; Ever the first to scale a tower, As venturous in a lady's bower: ? Such buxom chief shall lead his host From India's fires to Zembla's frost. 5 Resting upon his pilgrim staff, Right opposite the Palmer stood; His thin dark visage seen but half, Half-hidden by his hood. Still fixed on Marmion was his look, Which he, who ill such gaze could brook, Strove by a frown to quell; But not for that, though more than once Full met their stern encountering glance, The Palmer's visage fell. 6 By fits less frequent from the crowd Was heard the. burst of laughter loud; For still, as squire and archer stared On that dark face and matted beard, Their glee and game declined. All gazed at length in silence drear, Unbroke, save when in comrade's ear Some yeoman, wondering in his fear, Thus whisper'd forth his mind: ? ' Saint Mary, saw'st thou e'er such sight 1 How pale his cheek, his eye how bright, Whene'er the firebrand's fickle light Glances beneath his cowl! Full on our Lord he sets his eye; For his best palfrey would not I Endure that sullen scowl.' 7 But Marmion, as to chase the awe Which thus had quelled their hearts, who saw The ever-varying fire-light show That figure stern and face of woe, Now called upon a squire;? ' Fitz-Eustace, know'st thou not some lay To speed the lingering night away ? We slumber by the fire.' 8 'So please you, ' thus the youth rejoined, ' Our choicest minstrel's left behind. Ill may we hope to please your ear, Accustomed Constant's strains to hear. The harp full deftly can he strike, And wake the lover's lute alike; To dear Saint Valentine, no thrush Sings livelier from a spring-tide bush; No nightingale her love-lorn tune More sweetly warbles to th... |