Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-04-18
COUNT GAULTIER,S RIDE.
A. D. 1921.

A. d. 1921.
Nay. We shall hear how it befell!
1t will not take nue. long to tell
How, On the tall cliffs slippery side,
I woei and won my peerless bride;
Yet for no respite would pray
Hal Castor, twas a woful day
For thee, / know; thy love lies cold,
But mine Mas fiery, fierce, and bold!
King Francis led the lordly chase
Ger field and fell, till in the race
OF horse and hound the chance was mine
To ride with queenly Catherine.
No soul was nigh, for all the train
Was scattered over hill and plain.
Ay, she was peerless tall and grand,
The haughtiest lady of the land
Mate for an emperor, eye of fire,
That flashed out fierce with sudden ire
Beneath the black arch of Der brow!
That such q silken slave as thou
Should prosper in thy suit for her
Was strange, in sooth; and that did stir
The very essence of my life
To gall and bitterness and strife,
Setting my inmOst soul on fire
With baff1ed pride and vain desire.
We rode together far and fast:
The huntsman blew distant blast
To call us back; vain, vain the call!
Fate closed behind us like wall
To shut us in alone, while she
Rode to her own dark destiny;
IN fierce career, her evil pride
And scorn of me that curled her lip
Made but bitter draught to sip.
' Sir Count" she cried, ride, ride! ana see
If ever thou canSt master me
In love, or aught where womans Will
Can make her strong-ay, look thy fill!
Frown if thou wilt. fear thee nOt!"
Whereat there flushed an angry spot
Upon her cheek. and bitterly
/ swore 10 conquer her Or die!
She laughed q bitter, scornful laugh
That seemed to smite me like a staff
Across the face; the very air
Grew strange and dark with my despair!
Was no good angel lowering nigh
To warn her, proudly sweeping by,
While, like a banner of black death,
Her long, black tresses to the breath
OF the swift wild we left behind
Waved to and fro? Her pride was blind!
Sudden her steed swerved from the track,
And, rearing, FELL then, refining back
My own npon his launches,
Leaped down beside her.
Of pain she uttered, but arose
Calm, with her hateful, cold repese,
And stood there, leaning 'gainst tree,
Taking no heed or nOta Of me.
The sun was sinking red as blood;
Beneath our feet the purple flood
Of the broad Loire ran swift and deep,
While rom its edge-a heetling steeu-
Rose the tall cliff on WI Ich we were.
NJ Hbear her up but, starting back
- though q serpent eros ed her track
- Hold, hold, Count Gaultier touch me not!"
She cried. - is honor, theE, forgot?
1 ScOrn thee as ScOrn thine add"
How royalty she stood, arrayed
In her rich garments, with one hand
Stretched forth in gesture of command!
Her great, black eyes shot dusky fire
And stung me through!
Then, coming higher
TO where she stood, felt at last
My fierce love hold her firm and fast
Safe, at my mercy, far away
From human aid. The dying day
Grew on sudden wondrous still,
AS conquered by my own wild will,
That with fierce, unhOly joy
Burst forth to rend and to destroy.
A red mist swan before my eyes,
And all the fiery evening skies
Seemed stained with blood as if they knew
And blushed for that which 1 should do.
Fair Nature neither joys or grieves,
But TREMENDOUSLY the little leaves
Shook for a moment in the calm;
Then far, far off, like sanity psalm.
We heard a distant convent-bell
Toll on the evening air a kne0;
While ever and anon the sound
Of the swift river, where it wound
At the cliffs base, rose family there
Woes weeds were all her wedding wear.
Grasping her fiercely by the arm,
[ whispered hOarsely: Dame, thy charm
Of power is broken! Swear to me
Thou'lt set the craven CASTOR free
To go his way and pledge thy hand
In troth to me, else, where we stand,
Thou look'st thy last upon the sum-"
In truth, she made me answer none,
But looked unutterable scorn!
Cursed be the day when | was born,
That ever should live to brook
The bitterness of that last look!
One fercely-ravished kiss, then down
Locked in my sinewy arms and brown,
I leaped with her across the brink
And crashed upon the rocks.
think,
Sir CASTOR, I have won the race!
In her crushed body couldst thou trace
Aught fair as she was once? know
That thou wilt tarry, but go
To dwell with her where'er she is
Our love was pledged in that one kiss!
Now bear my broken body out
AS was the judgment-let them shout
To see me bound upon the Wheel
Ha, CASTOR! never shalt thou feel
The wild sweet passion Of that sin,
Nor how the brave can WOO and win!
-Appleton's Journal.