前奏曲。她因未知的疾病而疲倦;在睡梦中，她呜咽着，好像漂浮着，一朵睡莲，独自在一个寂寞的城堡护城河里;当满月如幽灵般躺在新月闪闪发光的臂弯里时，现在向她那漫不经心的眼睛展示的是一个充满模糊警报的模糊的未来。她看见了，却又几乎看不见，因为生活还没有开始，生活中有太多的奥秘，难以琢磨出一个人。她听说少女受到年轻人的极度尊敬和爱慕;他叹息道:“如果那些甜蜜的故事是真的，那么，受到如此多的赞美是多么幸福啊!”求婚者来了;她看见他们悲伤;她的冷漠使他们绝望; She'd pity if she could believe; She's sorry that she cannot care. But who now meets her on her way? Comes he as enemy or friend, Or both? Her bosom seems to say, He cannot pass, and there an end. Whom does he love? Does he confer His heart on worth that answers his? Or is he come to worship her? She fears, she hopes, she thinks he is! Advancing stepless, quick, and still, As in the grass a serpent glides, He fascinates her fluttering will, Then terrifies with dreadful strides. At first, there's nothing to resist; He fights with all the forms of peace; He comes about her like a mist, With subtle, swift, unseen increase; And then, unlook'd for, strikes amain Some stroke that frightens her to death, And grows all harmlessness again, Ere she can cry, or get her breath. At times she stops, and stands at bay; But he, in all more strong than she, Subdues her with his pale dismay, Or more admired audacity. She plans some final, fatal blow, But when she means with frowns to kill He looks as if he loved her so, She smiles to him against her will. How sweetly he implies her praise! His tender talk, his gentle tone, The manly worship in his gaze, They nearly made her heart his own. With what an air he speaks her name; His manner always recollects Her sex, and still the woman's claim Is taught its scope by his respects. Her charms, perceived to prosper first In his beloved advertencies, When in her glass they are rehearsed, Prove his most powerful allies. Ah, whither shall a maiden flee, When a bold youth so swift pursues, And siege of tenderest courtesy, With hope perseverant, still renews! Why fly so fast? Her flatter'd breast Thanks him who finds her fair and good; She loves her fears; veil'd joys arrest The foolish terrors of her blood. By secret, sweet degrees, her heart, Vanquish'd, takes warmth from his desire; She makes it more, with hidden art, And fuels love's late dreaded fire. The generous credit he accords To all the signs of good in her Redeems itself; his praiseful words The virtues they impute confer. Her heart is thrice as rich in bliss, She's three times gentler than before; He gains a right to call her his Now she through him is so much more; 'Tis heaven where'er she turns her head; Tis music when she talks; 'tis air On which, elate, she seems to tread, The convert of a gladder sphere! Ah, might he, when by doubts aggrieved, Behold his tokens next her breast, At all his words and sighs perceived Against its blythe upheaval press'd! But still she flies. Should she be won, It must not be believed or thought She yields; she's chased to death, undone, Surprised, and violently caught. II Denied The storm-cloud, whose portentous shade Fumes from a core of smother'd fire, His livery is whose worshipp'd maid Denies herself to his desire. Ah, grief that almost crushes life, To lie upon his lonely bed, And fancy her another's wife! His brain is flame, his heart is lead. Sinking at last, by nature's course, Cloak'd round with sleep from his despair, He does but sleep to gather force That goes to his exhausted care. He wakes renew'd for all the smart. His only Love, and she is wed! His fondness comes about his heart, As milk comes, when the babe is dead. The wretch, whom she found fit for scorn, His own allegiant thoughts despise; And far into the shining morn Lazy with misery he lies. III The Churl This marks the Churl: when spousals crown His selfish hope, he finds the grace, Which sweet love has for even the clown, Was not in the woman, but the chace. The Abdication. I From little signs, like little stars, Whose faint impression on the sense The very looking straight at mars, Or only seen by confluence; From instinct of a mutual thought, Whence sanctity of manners flow'd; From chance unconscious, and from what Concealment, overconscious, show'd; Her hand's less weight upon my arm, Her lowlier mien; that match'd with this; I found, and felt with strange al