XXXIII The hall was cleared, the stranger's bed His standard falls, his honor's lost. Then, from my couch may heavenly might Chase that worst phantom of the night! Again returned the scenes of youth, Of confident, undoubting truth; Again his soul he interchanged 670 675 680 With friends whose hearts were long estranged. 685 The cold, the faithless, and the dead; And doubt distracts him at the view,- XXXIV 690 At length, with Ellen in a grove 695 She listened with a blush and sigh, His suit was warm, his hopes were high. He sought her yielded hand to clasp, The phantom's sex was changed and gone, Slowly enlarged to giant size, With darkened cheek and threatening eyes, To Ellen still a likeness bore. He woke, and, panting with affright, The hearth's decaying brands were red, 700 705 710 Until, the giddy whirl to cure, He rose and sought the moonshine pure. XXXV The wild rose, eglantine, and broom 920 725 730 Can I not view a Highland brand, I'll turn to rest, and dream no more." A prayer with every bead of gold, 735 740 745 CANTO SECOND THE ISLAND I AT morn the black cock trims his jetty wing, And while yon little bark glides down the bay, And sweetly o'er the lake was heard thy strain, Mixed with the sounding harp, O white-haired Allanbane ! II SONG "Not faster yonder rowers' might Not faster yonder rippling bright, That tracks the shallop's course in light, Than men from memory erase Then, stranger, go! good speed the while, Nor think again of the lonely isle. "High place to thee in royal court, High place in battled line, Good hawk and hound for sylvan sport! The honored meed be thine ! ΤΟ 15 20 True be thy sword, thy friend sincere, And lost in love's and friendship's smile III SONG CONTINUED "But if beneath yon southern sky Whose drooping crest and stifled sigh, Pine for his Highland home; Then, warrior, then be thine to show A stranger in the lonely isle. "Or if on life's uncertain main Mishap shall mar thy sail; If faithful, wise, and brave in vain, Beneath the fickle gale; 40 Waste not a sigh on fortune changed, On thankless courts, or friends estranged, But come where kindred worth shall smile, 45 IV As died the sounds upon the tide, 50 |