I
See, Don Ramiro’s galley speeds
Across the heavy seas,
His pennant which the moor so dreads
Now flutters in the breeze.
Oh! when he went, his heart was moved
With grief that would not hide...
To part with her he long had loved
Though lately called his bride!
Spain’s loveliest maids or royal queen
In charms could not compare
With Violante, had she been
True as her form was fair.
Against the castle’s flanking tower
Wild beats the surging deep,
And there a watch at midnight hour
Would not submit to sleep:
All else lulled by the breaker’s jar
In slumber calm reposed,
And as its lord was distant far
His castle gates were closed.
But lo! a bark at dead of night
Alone doth swiftly glide
Beneath the tower from whence a light
Shines glimmering on the tide.
And many a darksome night the bark,
As falls that hour, returns;
Through wind and wave its path to mark
The signal torch-light burns.
Roderigo, rouse thee up from sleep;
The oath which thou didst swear
To thy good lord, how canst thou keep
When strangers come so near!
For knowest thou not, where softest swell[16]
The waves around thy strand,
With sail unstretched, a caravel
Remains upon the sand?
Ah! in a stormy night and dark
It reckless left the shore;
Who was its pilot none could mark
But it came back no more.
Yet at the hour, the guiding light
On high began to burn,
’Twas vain—no eye observed, this night,
The little bark return.
Far down the rugged rock that spread
Its masses round the tower,
Was placed a secret gate which led
To Violante’s bower.
Within this postern, steps were heard
At night approaching near,
And on her door so firmly barred
A knock aroused her ear;
—‘Oh! who can thus, unknown advance
And knock so boldly there?’—
—’Tis Bernal, lady, thine of France:
He seeks thy smile to share.’
From couch of gold she reached the floor
And rent her vestment gay,
And as she gently opened the door
It quenched her taper’s ray.
His clay cold hand she seized him by
And led him to her bower!
—‘Love, tremble not: within our sky
No clouds of sorrow lower.’
Then on her fair and glowing breast
That, heaving, throbbed the more
She pressed his hands: and fondly kissed
His cold lips o’er and o’er.
—‘Far have you come!’—‘Yes very far.’
—‘Rough was the raging sea?’
—‘It was.’—‘Why come you armed for war?
Nay tell thy thoughts to me.’
She doffed his armour, and the dew
Of roses, scenting wide,
In liquid drops she o’er him threw
And laid him by her side.
—‘Twelve hours hath rung the castle bell;
To her, who loves thee, turn
Thy face, as thou wert wont, and tell
What gives thee cause to mourn.
‘Oh! if my brothers thou dost fear,
They will not come to me;
My husband’s brother, were he here,
Can never cope with thee.
‘My serfs and vassals, through the halls,
Will sleep till morning light;
Nor can they deem that, in my walls,
I welcome such a knight.
‘My husband, fond of martial fray,
To distant lands is gone,
And may the Moors prolong his stay,
Regret here left he none.’
—‘They are my own, I need not fear
Those kneeling slaves of thine,
Nor brothers, for the badge they wear
Above their helms is mine.
‘Nor do I dread thy husband’s wrath;
Know... he reposes here,
Even by his lady, void of faith,
’Tis she who well may fear.’