THE NORMAN BARON Dans les moments de la vie où la réflexion devient profonde, où l'intérêt et l'avarice parlent moins haut q les instants de chagrin domestique, de maladie, et de nobles se repentirent de posséder des serfs, comme d'une able à Dieu, qui avait créé tous les hommes à son image. THIERRY: CONQUÊTE DE 1 In his chamber, weak and dying, Loud, without, the tempest thund And the castle-turret shook. ne et plus son, dans mort, les peu agré TERRE In this fight was Death the gainer, And the lands his sires had plundered, Written in the Doomsday Book. By his bed a monk was seated, Who in humble voice repeated Many a prayer and pater-noster, From the missal on his knee; And, amid the tempest pealing, Bells, that, from the neighbouring kloster, In the hall, the serf and vassal Held, that night, their Christmas wassail; Many a carol, old and saintly, Sang the minstrels and the waits. And so loud these Saxon glee Sang to slaves the songs of fr That the storm was heard but Knocking at the castle-ga Till at length the lays they cha Reached the chamber terror-ha Where the monk, with accents Tears Whispered at the baron's e upon his eyelids glistened, As he paused awhile and listened And the dying baron slowly Turned his weary head to h "Wassail for the kingly stranger Born and cradled in a manger! King, like David, priest, like Aar Christ is born to set us free! And the lightning showed the sainted In that hour of deep contrition, Through all outward show and fashion, All the pomp of earth had vanished, Every vassal of his banner, Every serf born to his manor, All those wronged and wretched creatures, By his hand were freed again. And, as on the sacred missal Many centuries have been numbe Since in death the baron slumber By the convent's sculptured porta Mingling with the common d But the good deed, through the a Living in historic pages, Brighter grows and gleams immort Unconsumed by moth or rust |