THE RIME OF THE ANCYENT MARINERE-7
A sadder and a wiser man
This Hermit good lives in that wood
The Skiff-boat nerd: I heard them talk,
And Youths, and Maidens gay.
And then it left me free.
The boat spun round and round:
Laughd loud and long, and all the while
Still louder and more dread:
Was telling of the sound.
Like one that hath been seven days drownd
And is of sense forlorn:
"Where are those lights so many and fair
To walk together to the Kirk
Alone on a wide wide sea:
"Unless perchance it were
My ghastly aventure.
Farewell, farewell! but this I tell
And scarcely he could stand.
The Boat came close beneath the Ship,
He kneels at 九-九-藏-书-网morn and noon and eve--
I stood on the ?rm land!
He went, like one that hath been stunnd
Is gone; and now the wedding-guest
Now oftimes and now fewer,
"How thin they are and sere!
He loves to talk with Marineres
I took the oars: the Pilots boy,
The Hermit steppd forth from the boat,
That come from a far Contree.
Which sky and ocean smote:
Who now doth crazy go,
And now all in mine own Countree
So lonely twas, that God himself
How loudly his sweet voice he rears!
"That signal made but now?
"Dear Lord! it has a ?endish look"--
Upon the whirl, where sank the Ship,
"And the Owle九_九_藏_书_网t whoops to the wolf below
"Say quick," quoth he, "I bid thee say
The Wedding-guests are there;
With a goodly company.
For the dear God, who loveth us,
With a woeful agony,
Within the Pilots boat.
But, swift as dreams, myself I found
And hark the little Vesper-bell
He made and loveth all.
He prayeth best who loveth best,
"Why, this is strange, I trow!
All things both great and small:
VII.
Old men, and babes, and loving friends,
Turnd from the bridegrooms door.
"What manner man art thou?"
The Marinere, whose eye is bright,
And strait a sound was heard!
Since then at an uncert九九藏书ain hour,
"O shrieve me, shrieve me, holy Man!"
The Hermit crossd his brow--
O sweeter than the Marriage-feast,
The moment that his face I see
What loud uproar bursts from that door!
O Wedding-guest! this soul hath been
He hath a cushion plump:
It is the moss, that wholly hides
And prayd where he did sit.
Scarce seemed there to be.
I pass, like night, from land to land;
Which forcd me to begin my tale
While each to his great father bends,
The Holy Hermit raisd his eyes
Whose beard with age is hoar,
It reachd the Ship, it split the bay;
He prayeth well who loveth well
Stunnd by that loud and dreadful so九*九*藏*书*网und,
"That eats the she-wolfs young.
Which biddeth me to prayer.
The rotted old Oak-stump.
And all together pray,
"My forest brook along:
Tis sweeter far to me
That anguish comes and makes me tell
"The skeletons of leaves that lag
"Strange, by my faith!" the Hermit said--
"And they answerd not our cheer.
And Bride-maids singing are:
To walk together to the Kirk
The Ship went down like lead.
Under the water it rumbled on,
And fell down in a ?t.
"I am a-feard.--"Push on, push on!"
(The Pilot made reply)
"Ha! ha!" quoth he--"full plain I see,
And all was still,九_九_藏_书_网 save that the hill
His eyes went to and fro,
Forthwith this frame of mine was wrenchd
I know the man that must hear me;
To thee, thou wedding-guest!
I have strange power of speech;
But I ne spake ne stirrd!
The Boat came closer to the Ship,
Said the Hermit cheerily.
"I never saw aught like to them
"The planks look warpd, and see those sails
"When the Ivy-tod is heavy with snow,
My body lay a?oat:
But in the Garden-bower the Bride
Both man and bird and beast.
"The devil knows how to row."
He rose the morrow morn.
Which slopes down to the Sea.
I movd my lips: the Pilot shriekd
To him my tale I teach.