Poems (May)/The tower of Lahneck
THE TOWER OF LAHNECK.
A PARAPHRASE.
Perched on a rock, a river at its base, Stands Castle Lahneck. 'Twas a robber's keep In the old time. An outlawed baron lodged His train of knights, and hostages grew gray, And victims plead and died, where limp grass waves Like signals from the windows, or grows rank Around a horrible pit digged deep beneath The one tall tower. The one tall tower.One fair May afternoon, An English stranger with her German guide Trod breathlessly the difficult path that winds Up to the ruined walls. The two were friends, And with light laughter and familiar jests Made the way pleasant, till they paused at last Under the castle's shadow, to look down On the blue Lahn that widens to the Rhine, The Rhine itself beyond, the broad, fair scene Outspread below. The English girl spoke first After long silence; with clasped hands, and head Thrown back, retreating slow, and with her eye Measuring the lone high tower. "Oh, Margaret! Eagles by daylight, and gray owls that blink Under the o'er -bright moon, on yon great height Blindly possess the wealth that would enrich A human soul for ever!" A human soul for ever!"Through a maze Of matted shrubbery they forced a path Close to the ruin. A projecting wall Sheltered a low-arched door, that, cloaked by vines,And half way blocked with slippery stones, framed in Intensest darkness. With light, fearless tread, Ida, the blue-eyed stranger, leading through. Crossed the rude threshold. Lo! a massy stair, Far as the eye could follow, up the wall Wound to the summit! Wound to the summit!They were young and gay,And never thought of danger. Ida first, They scaled the steep flight, singing as they trod Snatches of song. Their sweet notes filled the tower, Making faint tinkling echoes as they dropt Through its dim well of silence. Safe at last, They stood upon the turret roof, and looked Over the low broad parapet. Over the low broad parapet.While one With tears of joyous pride and outstretched hand, Hamlet and river, vale and distant mount Named rapidly, the other wept, oppressed By the vague, restless sadness that to some Comes linked with beauty. Comes linked with beauty.Warning shadows grew Long on the meadows while they talked of home, Minding each other of the tedious path, And yet they lingered. Margaret had crept Close to the edge, and Ida, on her shoulder Resting a light hand, forward leant with looks Piercing the distance downward. Piercing the distance downward.A strange dread Thrilled each alike. Both from the parapet Shrank with one impulse. From the vaults beneath Crept a light, silent shudder. Was it time For the roused earth to jostle from her breast This sepulchre of crime? The turret rocked Under their feet, and a loud thunderous roar Rushed upward like the swift flame shot to heaven Out of a crater! When it died away In a deep trembling, all the ruin seemed Alive with swarming echoes, but these dropped Into their nooks, and from below again Welled the deep silence. Welled the deep silence.Then the German rose, And, tottering to the stairway, shrieked to see Its last rude vestige, loosened by her tread, Plunge through the void, and Ida, at the cry, Lifting her wan face, to the chasm's edge Stole fearfully. A black, fixed gloom half wayFilled the deep, well-like tower; gray threads of light Drawn through the ragged crevices, or caught On the vine branches, seemed the gossamer skein The spider wove from wall to wall, or spread Over the ivy. They who from its depths Withdrew their looks, each in the other's eyes Searching for comfort, read the sharp dismay Neither had spoken. Neither had spoken.Hiding in her soul One hope that like a precious perfume might Exhale in the disclosing, Ida crept Back to the turret's' verge, and steadfastly Screening her eyes from the descending sun, Looked o'er the parapet. The wooded hills Sprinkled with sunshine, and the vales between Lapped in dim lovely shade, seemed overspread With a faint ghastliness. Except the crow Flapping above the forest, or the wings Of the fierce eagles, or the bird that flew Dipping along the river, nothing stirred Over the landscape, and her straining gaze Dropped listless downward. Dropped listless downward.Nay! upon the path Tracking the mountain, some one stirred beneath,Slowly approaching! Both together leant Over the parapet, and called aloud. Alas! the thin, light air refused to keep The burden of their voices. He, below, Never looked up. But could their frantic cries Have fathomed the deep distance, it had then Availed them not. For it was only Kranz, The deaf and dumb from Lahnstein, seeking flowers, To sell them at the inn. To sell them at the inn.They watched the twilight As 'twere a deluge, while its flowing tides Flooded the valleys, and crept up the front Of the tall turret. Barge on barge had gone Down the calm river; from the mill above Forth came the miller, and walked loitering home Under the mountain's shadow; peasants drove Their cattle from the pasture; children played In the near fields, and once a fisherman Rowed through the castle's bright reflection cast Over the Lahn. And no one paused for them. The steersman had been busy at his helm, The miller thought of home. The miller thought of home.They had strayed far That sunny day; none in the distant town They left behind, knew whither, or would think To seek them here. To seek them here.The stars shone thick above. The gloom below was studded here and there By clustered village lights; the firefly lit His lamp among the osiers. Ida still Crouched by the parapet, her folded arms Pillowing her head. She had awhile exchanged Her sorrow for another's, and in thought Mourned for her own lost self, and wearied time With questions of her fate. Once Margaret spoke Words of faint comfort, but she, looking up,Answered with dreary smiling, "Hope thou not,Unless we make, like rosy Ganymede, Steeds of the eagles!" Now bright floods of light Streamed from the windows of the Lahnstein inn Over the waters. There the merry guests Sat quaffing Rheinwein. Sat quaffing Rheinwein.Midnight from the skies Swept like a solemn vision. Ere the dawn, A low white mist had settled on the vales, And all that day no traveller came to look At the lone ruin. They were wild with thirst,Faint for the lack of food, when, still as dew,Another eve dropt round them. Since the noon Margaret had stirred not, but with blank cold eyes Turned to the misty river, and hands locked Over her knee, sat patient, though aloud Ida wailed out, or, leaning from the tower, Stretched forth her arms towards the distant home Whence they had strayed, or, frozen by despair,Prostrate lay silent till dismay again Struck at her cowering soul. But now she rose, And close upon its brink, looked steadily Down the black chasm. From the vaults stole up An odour of damp earth, against the walls Beat the blind bats, and startled by her tread An owl rushed upward with its boding scream. And wheeling round the tower, fled fast and far Toward the Black Forest. Whether she had leant Over the gulf too hardily, and, seared By the near flight of that unholy bird, Swerved and stepped falsely, whether desperate fear Then fixed the wavering purpose in her soul God saw, but Ida, starting at a shriek That drowned the owl's hoot, only looked to know She was alone. She was alone.What desolate hours were hers, Who knelt down in the starlight, stretching forth,Her shuddering arms to Heaven, and from that time Patiently suffered! Patiently suffered!Was she saved at last? What say the bargemen floating down the Lahn, The boatmen at the Ferry, to and fro Hourly plying, or the rustic groups That loiter as they pass? To their belief,Since from its heights the robber baron swept With his hawk's eye the valleys, never foot Has trod the ruined summit. Only, once, Albert, the fisher, resting on his oar After the day's toil, marvelled to discern A wild she-eagle, 'wheeling from the clouds, Sit screaming to her mate with outspread wings Where the red sunset crowns the Tower of Lahneck!