"Poor fallen one! Christina's love,
Of heavenly birth, shall bloom above,
And all its hallowed lustre keep :
Our union was not for the earth,
Hush'd were the sounds of festal mirth,
Our joy was holier far, and deep,
Uttered in strains of praise, and prayer
For Jesus was invited there.
We wedded for a day like this,
That each the other's faith might cheer,
And, pointing to eternal bliss,
Might bear the cross together here ;-
'Tis not for her my soul is griev'd,
Or him, of both his sons bereav'd;
(Well mayst thou start, thy sin has shed
Grief's wintry snows upon his head ;)
I know their names on high are graved
Among the records of the saved:
I mourn that thou canst calmly wait,
To see thy victim seize the bait.
Why dost thou for my halting lurk,
And madly do the tempter's work ?—
Return, to those who sent thee tell,
There is a strength they cannot quell,
That, in my weakness' lowest hour,
To meet their worst, will give me power."
Again the dungeon's massy key
Turn'd in the huge lock heavily,
And closed again that dismal door,
Fast barr'd, and hopeless as before;
And Basil heard his brother go
With step irresolute, and slow,
As if he would return, and free
The captive from captivity;
But fear o'ercame the fairer will,
He past away, and all was still,
Save that from Basil's lonely cell
A hymn of praise was heard to swell.
Christina gained the appointed spot
And there one moment linger'd not,
Nor check'd she once her fleet career
Till, to the city drawing near,
She question'd thus her stranger guide,
Who still in silence kept her side;
"Tell me, oh thou who know'st the king,
If grief his royal heart may wring;
Will pity grant what wrath denied ?"
The stranger redden'd, but replied,
"Thy tears to change his will might fail,
But meek submission must prevail :—
Renounce thine errors and persuade"-
"Tempter! away! (she sternly said)
Thou canst not fright, thou canst not lure
The weakness strengthen'd to endure.
The flames my husband may consume,
And grief for me prepare a tomb;
Yet one in faith, our souls shall blend
Firm, and unshaken to the end."
Just then she heard a sudden
She saw the wild mob passing by ;
Gathering from every side, they rush'd
With noisy shout, and eager feet,
And ever as their clamour hush'd,
A voice arose,.so strangely sweet,
It seemed as if that holy hymn
With the full choir of Seraphim
To mingle notes were meet.
The fearful truth she darkly guess'd,
(For well that voice she knew)
In haste her way she trembling press'd
The reckless rabble through,
Nor rested till, beside the wood,
Piled for her Basil's doom she stood.
Thither he came, to slaughter led,
Like Him, whose blood for all was shed,
In mockery crown'd, and rudely dress'd,
By cruel hands, in gaudy vest;
Yet here the wretched scoffer's jest
Had lost its poison'd sting;
For that was buried in the breast
Of Him, the martyr's king.
He saw not her who tried to shroud
Her well-known form, among the crowd,
(Lest she again to earth might bring
His soul, already on the wing)
Till, when she fix'd her piteous gaze
Upon the slowly-kindling blaze,
One loud, one deeply piercing cry
Betrayed her to the sufferer's eye;
He uttered words of hope and cheer;—
They fell upon a lifeless ear ;-
Strong to the last, her conquering soul
Held o'er the flesh a firm control;
But when it clogged her heavenly race,
She struggled from its weak embrace,
And won the glorious goal.
"My cup of woe is drained at last;
The bitterness of death is past;
Haste now, accomplish your design,
(The martyr said) no more I fear;
Come bid the flames around me shine,
Come light my path to glory here.
Fixed on my everlasting Rock,
I can abide hell's fiercest shock
Unmoved"-at once above his head
The fiery columns quickly spread,
Yet from amidst the stifling smoke,
The accents of devotion broke ;
"Christ, none but Christ”—his parting cry, And Christ, his password to the sky.
Her pale unconscious corse beside,
Stood
poor Christina's stranger guide;
No sob convuls'd his rigid frame;
No tear to ease his anguish came;
But lost he seem'd in stern amaze,
And still as conscience fiercely stung
His phrenzied thought, in broken phrase,
Pour'd from his burning tongue.
"Go call the priest-the shaveling knave
May here his sordid traffic ply;
Go, bid him come, if he can save
A ruin'd soul !-I will not die-
Bid him anoint-absolve-prepare
For outer darkness-for despair!
See how those mouldering ashes smoke ;
Quench them at once-they will provoke
The vengeance hanging o'er my head,
Haste, offer masses for the dead.
At holy Mary's blessed shrine,
My ill-got wealth I will resign.-
Out on such mummeries; can they cool
Thy fiery conscience, blinded fool?
Ah would that I were blind, the light
Is fearful to my tortured sight,
While by its burning beams I see
Far-far into eternity.
Twice dead-plucked up-a wither'd tree;
I drew the lightning down,
And now its fires have blasted me.
How shall I bear His frown ?
I saw my angel brother die ;
On me he fixed his closing eye;
That look will haunt me to the grave-
"Twill meet me there-but yet I rave;
This is the fever of my brain;
Why should his blood my raiment stain?
I will not look upon that clay,
It takes my manliness away.
The form my brother loved lies there!
Pale vision, exquisitely fair,
Why does the coldness of thy brow
Rebuke me, as his murderer now?
I lured him to the dungeon gloom
My dastard folly sealed his doom;
Base love of life! it haunts me yet.
I will from hence, and all forget
In mirth, and song, and festal glee;
The world such opiates blends for me,
And I the proffer'd draught will take,
And drink, and dream, till-I awake.
Oh what a waking that will be !
Rous'd from that short, uneasy sleep,
Through everlasting years to reap
The wages of apostacy!
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