As in the cool-aïr'd road I come by,
--in the night,
Under the moon-clim'd height o' the sky,
--in the night,
There by the lime's broad lim's as I staÿ'd,
Dark in the moonlight, bough's sheädows plaÿ'd
Up on the window-glass that did keep
Lew vrom the wind, my true love asleep,
--in the night.
While in the grey-wall'd height o' the tow'r,
--in the night,
Sounded the midnight bell wi' the hour,
--in the night,
There lo! a bright-heäir'd angel that shed
Light vrom her white robe's zilvery thread,
Put her vore-vinger up vor to meäke
Silence around lest sleepers mid weäke,
--in the night.
"Oh! then," I whisper'd, do I behold
--in the night.
Linda, my true-love, here in the cwold,
--in the night?"
"No," she meäde answer, "you do misteäke:
She is asleep, but I that do weäke,
Here be on watch, an' angel a-blest,
Over her slumber while she do rest,
--in the night."
"Zee how the winds, while here by the bough,
--in the night,
They do pass on, don't smite on her brow,
in the night;
Zee how the cloud-sheädes naïseless do zweep
Over the house-top where she's asleep.
You, too, goo by, in times that be near,
You too, as I, mid speak in her ear
--in the night."