Part 13 (1/2)

Upon the priest, with helping hand, He placed the stole and sacred band, The vessels he prepared beside, That for the ma.s.s were sanctified.

And when his duties here were o'er, Holding the ma.s.s-book, he, Ministering to the priest, before The altar bowed his knee, And knelt him left, and knelt him right, While not a look escaped his sight, And when the holy Sanctus came, The bell thrice rang he at the name.

And when the priest, bowed humbly too, In hand uplifted high, Facing the altar, showed to view The present Deity, The sacristan proclaimed it well, Sounding the clearly-tinkling bell, While all knelt down, and beat the breast, And with a cross the Host confessed.

The rites thus served he, leaving none, With quick and ready wit; Each thing that in G.o.d's house is done, He also practised it.

Unweariedly he labored thus, Till the Vobisc.u.m Dominus, When toward the people turned the priest, Blessed them,--and so the service ceased.

Then he disposed each thing again, In fair and due array; First purified the holy fane, And then he went his way, And gladly, with a mind at rest, On to the iron-foundry pressed, Saying the while, complete to be, Twelve paternosters silently.

And when he saw the furnace smoke, And saw the workmen stand, ”Have ye, ye fellows,” thus he spoke, ”Obeyed the Count's command?”

Grinning they ope the orifice, And point into the fell abyss: ”He's cared for--all is at an end!

The Count his servants will commend.”

The answer to his lord he brought, Returning hastily, Who, when his form his notice caught, Could scarcely trust his eye: ”Unhappy one! whence comest thou?”-- ”Back from the foundry”--”Strange, I vow!

Hast in thy journey, then, delayed?”-- ”'Twas only, lord, till I had prayed.”

”For when I from thy presence went (Oh pardon me!) to-day, As duty bid, my steps I bent To her whom I obey.

She told me, lord, the ma.s.s to hear, I gladly to her wish gave ear, And told four rosaries at the shrine, For her salvation and for thine.”

In wonder deep the Count now fell, And, shuddering, thus spake he: ”And, at the foundry, quickly tell, What answer gave they thee?”

”Obscure the words they answered in,-- Showing the furnace with a grin: 'He's cared for--all is at an end!

The Count his servants will commend.'”

”And Robert?” interrupted he, While deadly pale he stood,-- ”Did he not, then, fall in with thee?

I sent him to the wood.”-- ”Lord, neither in the wood nor field Was trace of Robert's foot revealed.”-- ”Then,” cried the Count, with awe-struck mien, ”Great G.o.d in heaven his judge hath been!”

With kindness he before ne'er proved, He led him by the hand Up to the Countess,--deeply moved,-- Who naught could understand.

”This child, let him be dear to thee, No angel is so pure as he!

Though we may have been counselled ill, G.o.d and His hosts watch o'er him still.”

THE GENIUS WITH THE INVERTED TORCH.

Lovely he looks, 'tis true, with the light of his torch now extinguished; But remember that death is not aesthetic, my friends!

THE COUNT OF HAPSBURG. [38]

A BALLAD.

At Aix-la-Chapelle, in imperial array, In its halls renowned in old story, At the coronation banquet so gay King Rudolf was sitting in glory.

The meats were served up by the Palsgrave of Rhine, The Bohemian poured out the bright sparkling wine, And all the Electors, the seven, Stood waiting around the world-governing one, As the chorus of stars encircle the sun, That honor might duly be given.

And the people the lofty balcony round In a throng exulting were filling; While loudly were blending the trumpets' glad sound, The mult.i.tude's voices so thrilling; For the monarchless period, with horror rife, Has ended now, after long baneful strife, And the earth had a lord to possess her.