# The Golden Violet with its Tales of Romance and Chivalry and Other Poems/The Rose

'T was sad to gaze on the wan brow  Of him who now awoke the lute, As one last song life must allow,  Then would those tuneful lips be mute. His cheek was worn, what was the care Had writ such early lesson there? Was it Love, blighted in its hour Of earliest and truest power By worldly chills which ever fling Their check and damp on young Love's wing; Or unrequited, while the heart Could not from its fond worship part? Or was it but the wasting woe Which every human path must know; Or hopes, like birds, sent forth in vain, And seeking not their ark again;
Friends in their very love unjust, Or faithless to our utmost trust; Or fortune's gifts, to win so hard; Or fame, that is its own reward Or has no other, and is worn Mid envy, falsehood, hate, and scorn?
 All these ills had that young bard known, And they had laid his funeral stone. Slowly and sad the numbers pass'd, As thus the minstrel sung his last.
THE ROSE:
THE ITALIAN MINSTREL'S TALE.
The Count Gonfali held a feast that night, And colour'd lamps sent forth their odorous light
Over gold carvings and the purple fall Of tapestry; and around each stately hall Were statues, pale and finely shaped and fair, As if all beauty save her life were there; And, like light clouds floating around each room, The censers roll'd their volumes of perfume; And scented waters mingled with the breath Of flowers, which died as if they joy’d in death; And the white vases, white as mountain snow, Look'd yet more delicate in the rich glow Of summer blossoms hanging o'er each side, Like sunset reddening o'er a silver tide. There was the tulip with its rainbow globe; And like the broidery on a silken robe Made for the beauty's festal midnight hours, The sparkling jessamine shook its silver showers;
Like timid hopes the lily shrank from sight; The rose leant as it languish'd with delight, Yet, bride-like, drooping in its crimson shame; And the anemone, whose cheek of flame Is golden, as it were the flower the sun In his noon-hour most loved to look upon.
 At first the pillar'd halls were still and lone, As if some fairy palace all unknown To mortal eye or step. This was not long; Waken'd the lutes, and swell'd a burst of song, And the vast mirrors glitter'd with the crowd Of changing shapes. The young, the fair, the proud, Came thronging in; and the gay cavalier Took some fair flower from the fairest near, And gave it to the dark-eyed beauty's hand, To mark his partner for the saraband;
And graceful steps pass'd on, whose tender tread Was as the rose leaf in the autumn shed; And witching words, raising on the young cheek Blushes that had no need of words to speak. Many were lovely there; but, of that many, Was one who shone the loveliest of any, The young Olympia. On her face the dyes Were yet warm with the dance's exercise, The laugh upon her full red lip yet hung, And, arrow-like, flash'd light words from her tongue. She had more loveliness than beauty: hers Was that enchantment which the heart confers; A mouth sweet from its smiles, a glancing eye, Which had o'er all expression mastery; Laughing its orb, but the long dark lash made Somewhat of sadness with its twilight shade,
And suiting well the upcast look which seem'd At times as it of melancholy dream'd; Her cheek was as a rainbow, it so changed, As each emotion o'er its surface ranged; And every word had its companion blush, But evanescent as the crimson flush That tints the daybreak; and her step was light As the gale passing o'er the leaves at night; In truth those snow feet were too like the wind, Too slight to leave a single trace behind. She lean'd against a pillar, and one hand Smooth'd back the curls that had escaped the band Of wreathed red roses,—soft and fitting chain In bondage such bright prisoners to retain. The other was from the white marble known But by the clasping of its emerald zone:
And lighted up her brow, and flash'd her eye, As many that were wandering careless by Caught but a sound, and paused to hear what more Her lip might utter of its honey store. She had that sparkling wit which is like light, Making all things touch'd with its radiance bright; And a sweet voice, whose words would chain all round, Although they had no other charm than sound. And many named her name, and each with praise; Some with her passionate beauty fill'd their gaze, Some mark'd her graceful step, and others spoke Of the so many hearts that own'd the yoke Of her bewildering smile; meantime, her own Seem'd as that it no other love had known
Than its sweet loves of nature, music, song, Which as by right to woman's world belong, And make it lovely for Love's dwelling-place. Alas! that he should leave his fiery trace! But this bright creature's brow seem'd all too fair, Too gay, for Love to be a dweller there; For Love brings sorrow: yet you might descry A troubled flashing in that brilliant eye, A troubled colour on that varying cheek, A hurry in the tremulous lip to speak Avoidance of sad topics, as to shun Somewhat the spirit dared not rest upon; An unquiet feverishness a change of place, A pretty pettishness, if on her face A look dwelt as in scrutiny to seek What hidden meanings from its change might break.
One gazed with silent homage, one who caught Her every breath, and blush, and look, and thought; One whose step mingled not with the gay crowd That circled round her as of right allow'd, But one who stood aloof with that lone pride Which ever to deep passion is allied. Half scorning, yet half envying the gay ring That gather'd round with gentle blandishing, He stood aloof; and, cold and stern and high, Look'd as he mock'd at their idolatry: Yet long'd his knee to bend before the shrine Of the sweet image his heart own'd divine; While, half in anger that she had not known What even to himself he would not own. He knew not how a woman's heart will keep The mystery of itself, and like the deep
Will shine beneath the sunbeam, flash and flow O'er the rich bark that perishes below. She felt he gazed upon her, and her cheek Wore added beauty in its crimson break; And softer smiles were on her lip, like those The summer moonlight sheds upon the rose; And her eye sparkled, like the wine-cup's brim, Mantling in light, though it turn'd not to him. Again the dancers gather'd; from them one Took gayly her fair hand, and they are gone. Leoni follow'd not, yet as they pass'd How could Olympia's light step be the last? Yet pass'd she quickly by him, and the haste From her wreath'd hair one fragrant rose displaced. Leoni saw it fall; he is alone, And he may make the fairy gift his own.
He took the flower, and to his lip 't was press'd, One moment, and 'tis safe within his breast; But while he linger'd dreaming o'er its bloom, Olympia’s step again is in the room With the young cavalier, who urged her way, And said her rose beside the column lay, For there he miss'd it, and some flattering word Fill'd up the whisper which he only heard. Leoni flung it down in carelessness, As he had mark'd them not, and held it less From knowledge of his act than vacant thought, While the mind on some other subject wrought. In haste he left them both, but he could hear The pleading of the gallant cavalier For that rose as a gift. He might not tell What answer from the maiden's lip then fell,
But when they met again he mark'd her hair Where it had wreath'd,—the rosebud was not there. They pass'd and repass'd: he, cold, silently, As was his wont; but she, with flashing eye, And blush lit up to crimson, seem'd to wear More than accustom'd gladness in her air. Ah! the heart overacts its part; its mirth, Like light, will all too often take its birth Mid darkness and decay; those smiles that press, Like the gay crowd round, are not happiness: For peace broods quiet on her dovelike wings, And this false gaiety a radiance flings, Dazzling but hiding not; and some who dwelt Upon her meteor beauty, sadness felt; Its very brilliance spoke the fever'd breast; Thus glitter not the waters when at rest.
The scene is changed, the maiden is alone To brood upon Hope's temple overthrown; The hue has left her lip, the light her eye, And she has flung her down as if to die. Back from her forehead was the rich hair swept, Which yet its festal braid of roses kept. She was in solitude: the silent room Was in the summer's sweet and shadowy gloom; The sole light from the oratory came, Where a small lamp sent forth its scented flame Beneath the Virgin's picture; but the wind Stole from the casement, for the jasmine twined, With its luxuriant boughs, too thickly grew, To let the few dim star-beams wander through. In her hand was a rose; she held the flower As if her eye were spellbound by its power.
It was spell-bound; coldly that flower repress'd Sweet hopes,—ay, hopes, albeit unconfess'd. Check'd, vainly check'd, the bitter grief recurs— That rose flung down because that rose was hers! And at the thought paleness in blushes fled, Had he, then, read her heart, and scorn'd when read? Oh! better perish, than endure that thought. She started from her couch; when her eye caught The Virgin's picture. Seem'd it that she took Part in her votary's suffering; the look Spoke mild reproof, touch'd with grave tenderness, Pitying her grief, yet blaming her excess. Olympia turn'd away, she might not bear To meet such holy brow, such placid air, At least not yet; for she must teach her breast A lesson of submission, if not rest,
And still each throbbing pulse, ere she might kneel And pray for peace she had not sought to feel.
 She sought the casement, lured by the soft light Of the young moon, now rising on the night. The cool breeze kiss'd her, and a jasmine spray Caught in her tresses, as to woo her stay. And there were sights and sounds that well might fling A charmed trance on deepest suffering. For stood the palace close on the sea shore; Not like the northern ones, where breakers roar, And rugged rocks and barren sands are blent,— At once doth desolate and magnificent; But here the beach had turf, and trees that grew Down to the waterside, and made its blue
Mirror for their dark shapes. Is nought so fair But must there come somewhat of shadow there? Whate'er thou touchest there must be some shade, Fair earth, such destiny for thee is made.
 It was a night to gaze upon the sea, Marvel, and envy its tranquillity; It was a night to gaze upon the earth, And feel mankind were not her favourite birth; It was a night to gaze upon the sky, Pine for its loveliness, and pray to die. Olympia felt the hour; from her cheek fled Passion's untranquil rose, she bow'd her head: For the thick tears like hasty childhood's came; She hid her face, for tears are shed with shame. Her heart had spent its tempest, like the cloud When summer rain bursts from its stormy shroud;
Pale, sad, but calm, she turn'd, and bent the knee, In meekest prayer, Madonna fair, to thee.
Where might the maiden's soul, thus crush'd and riven, Turn from its mortal darkness, but to Heaven? It is in vain to say that love is not The life and colour of a woman's lot. It is her strength; for what, like love's caress, Will guard and guide her own weak tenderness? It is her pride, fleeting and false the while, To see her master suing for her smile. Calls it not all her best affections forth,— Pure faith, devotedness, whose fruitless worth Is all too little felt? Oh! man has power Of head and hand,—heart is a woman's dower.
Youth, beauty, rank, and wealth, all these combined,— Can these be wretched? Mystery of the mind! Whose happiness is in itself, but still Has not that happiness at its own will.
 And she was wretched; she, the young, the fair, The good, the kind, bow'd down in her despair. Ay, bitterest of the bitter, this worst pain,— To know love's offering has been in vain; Rejected, scorn'd, and trampled under foot, Its bloom and leaves destroy'd, not so its root. "He loves me not,"—no other word or sound An echo in Olympia’s bosom found. She thought on many a look, and many a tone, From which she gather'd hope,—now these were gone,
Life were too burthensome, save that it led To death; and peace, at least, was with the dead. One pang remain'd; perchance, though unconfess'd,
Some secret hope yet linger'd in her breast; But this too was destroy'd. She learn'd next morn Sea winds and waters had Leoni borne Afar to other lands; and she had now But only to her hapless fate to bow.
 She changed, she faded, she the young, the gay, Like the first rose Spring yields to pale decay. Still her lip wore the sweetness of a smile, But it forgot its gaiety the while. Her voice had ever a low gentle tone, But now 'twas tremulous as Sorrow's own; Her step fell softer as it were subdued To suit its motion to her alter'd mood;
As if her every movement, gesture, look, Their bearing from the spirit's sadness took; And yet there was no word which told that grief Prey'd on the heart as blight plays on the leaf. But meeker tenderness to those around, A soothing, sharing love, as if she found Her happiness in theirs; more mild, more kind, As if a holier rule were on her mind. I cannot choose but marvel at the way In which our lives pass on, from day to day Learning strange lessons in the human heart, And yet like shadows letting them depart. Is misery so familiar that we bring Ourselves to view it as a usual thing? Thus is it; how regardless pass we by The cheek to paleness worn, the heavy eye!
We do too little feel each others' pain; We do relax too much the social chain That binds us to each other; slight the care There is for grief in which we have no share.
 Olympia felt all this; it loosed one more Of her heart's ties, and earth's illusions wore The aspect of their truth,—a gloomy show, But what it well befits the soul to know. It taught the lesson of how vain the toil To build our hopes upon earth's fragile soil. Oh! only those who suffer, those may know How much of piety will spring from woe.
 Days, weeks, and months pass'd onwards, and once more Leoni stood upon his native shore.
Slight change there was in him: perchance his brow Wore somewhat of more settled shadow now; Somewhat of inward grief, too, though repress'd, Was in his scornful speech and bitter jest; For misery, like a masquer, mocks at all In which it has no part, or one of gall. I will say that he loved her, but say not That his, like hers, was an all-blighted lot; For ever in man's bosom will man's pride An equal empire with his love divide.
 It was one glorious sunset, lone and mute, Save a young page who sometimes waked his lute With snatches of sad song; Leoni paced His stately hall, and much might there be traced What were the workings of its owner's mind. Red wine was in a silver vase enshrined,
But rudely down the cup was flung, undrain'd, So hastily, the leaf below was stain'd; For many an open'd volume lay beside, As each for solace had in vain been tried: And now, worn, wearied, with his solitude, He strode, half sad, half listless in his mood, Listening the lute or the deep ocean wave, When an attendant enter'd in and gave A packet to his hand. Careless he gazed, And broke the seal. Why! the red flush has raised Its passion to his brow—what! is the name There written?—from Olympia, then, it came.
 "One word, Leoni, 't is my first and last, And never spoken but that life is past. It is earth's lingering dreaming, that I pine To know these lines will meet one look of thine;
If possible upon thy heart to fling One gentle memory, one soft thought to cling To thy more mournful hours; to bid thee take A pledge too dearly treasured for thy sake, And one of mine. Ah! this may be forgiven; 'T is the last weakness of the bride of Heaven, Which I shall be or e'er this comes to tell How much thou hast been loved. Farewell, farewell!"
 He took her gift: well known the pledges there, A wither'd rose, a tress of silken hair.