Christabel

'Tis the middle of night by the castle clock, And the owls have awakened the crowing cock; Tu—whit!—Tu—whit!—Tu—whit!—Tu—whit! The night is chilly; but not dark. The thin gray cloud is spread on high, It covers but not hides the sky. The moon is behind, and at the full; And yet she looks both small and dull. The night is chill, the cloud is gray; 'Tis a month before the month of May, And the Spring is coming here; But the Spring is coming very slowly, And the flowers and the trees look pale, And the birds are singing very feebly, And the whole scene is dull and gray. The night is chilly; but not dark. The thin gray cloud is spread on high, It covers but not hides the sky. The moon is behind, and at the full; And yet she looks both small and dull. The night is chill, the cloud is gray; 'Tis a month before the month of May, And the Spring is coming here; But the Spring is coming very slowly, And the flowers and the trees look pale, And the birds are singing very feebly, And the whole scene is dull and gray. She rose, and forth her cabin went, And to the castle-top was bent; The castle-top, where the guest was laid, And the watchman on the tower made. The watchman on the tower made His usual rounds, and in his head He thought of the knight and the lady fair, And the strange and wondrous tale they'd share. She had no sooner reached the square Than she saw the watchman standing there, And to him she said, with a voice so low, "Pray tell me, good watchman, what is't o'clock?" He replied, "It is just the middle of night, The clock has struck one, and all's right." The lady Christabel took the key, And with a gentle touch, she turned it free; The door creaked loud, and on its hinge Swung open, with a noise that did cling To the lady's heart, as she stepped inside, And the watchman, with a bow, did reside. The door, when it creaked, and the hinge did scream, Was echoed back, in a hollow dream, By the owl, who, with a mournful face, Did look, with eyes, that seemed to say, "What place Is this, where I, with my solemn cry, Do wake the silence of the midnight sky?" The lady Christabel, with a gentle hand, Did push the door, and with a gentle stand, She looked around, with a timid eye, And saw the watchman, with a bow, saying goodbye; And as she turned, with a gentle pace, She saw a figure, with a wondrous face. 'Twas Geraldine, with a face so fair, And a voice, that was beyond compare; She said, "I am a traveler, and I pray For shelter, and for rest, this night, I say; I've come from a far and distant land, And I am weary, with a weary hand." The lady Christabel, with a gentle heart, Did welcome her, and did play her part; She took her hand, and with a gentle touch, Did lead her to the castle, with a gentle clutch; And as they walked, with a gentle pace, They talked, with a gentle voice, and a gentle face. The lady Christabel, with a curious eye, Did look at Geraldine, and did ask her why She traveled, with a solitary face, And with a heart, that seemed to bear a heavy pace; And Geraldine, with a gentle smile, Did tell her tale, in a gentle while. She said, "I am a daughter, of a noble line, And I have been, with a wicked spell, confined; A wicked spell, that did my soul ensnare, And did my heart, with a heavy care, impair; But I have broken, the wicked spell, And I am free, with a heart that doth swell." The lady Christabel, with a gentle heart, Did listen to her tale, and did play her part; She took her hand, and with a gentle touch, Did lead her to the castle, with a gentle clutch; And as they walked, with a gentle pace, They talked, with a gentle voice, and a gentle face. The night is chilly; but not dark. The thin gray cloud is spread on high, It covers but not hides the sky. The moon is behind, and at the full; And yet she looks both small and dull. The night is chill, the cloud is gray; 'Tis a month before the month of May, And the Spring is coming here; But the Spring is coming very slowly, And the flowers and the trees look pale, And the birds are singing very feebly, And the whole scene is dull and gray. The lady Christabel, with a gentle heart, Did welcome Geraldine, and did play her part; She took her hand, and with a gentle touch, Did lead her to the castle, with a gentle clutch; And as they walked, with a gentle pace, They talked, with a gentle voice, and a gentle face. And when they reached the castle-door, The lady Christabel, with a gentle roar, Did push it open, and with a gentle stand, She welcomed Geraldine, to her father's land; And Geraldine, with a gentle smile, Did thank her, and did go the while. The night is chilly; but not dark. The thin gray cloud is spread on high, It covers but not hides the sky. The moon is behind, and at the full; And yet she looks both small and dull. The night is chill, the cloud is gray; 'Tis a month before the month of May, And the Spring is coming here; But the Spring is coming very slowly, And the flowers and the trees look pale, And the birds are singing very feebly, And the whole scene is dull and gray. The lady Christabel, with a gentle heart, Did welcome Geraldine, and did play her part; She took her hand, and with a gentle touch, Did lead her to the castle, with a gentle clutch; And as they walked, with a gentle pace, They talked, with a gentle voice, and a gentle face. And when they reached the castle-hall, The lady Christabel, with a gentle call, Did summon forth, her father's knight, And he came forth, with a gentle might; And when he saw, the lady fair, He bowed his head, and with a gentle air, He welcomed her, to the castle-hall, And the lady Christabel, did hear it all. The night is chilly; but not dark. The thin gray cloud is spread on high, It covers but not hides the sky. The moon is behind, and at the full; And yet she looks both small and dull. The night is chill, the cloud is gray; 'Tis a month before the month of May, And the Spring is coming here; But the Spring is coming very slowly, And the flowers and the trees look pale, And the birds are singing very feebly, And the whole scene is dull and gray. The lady Christabel, with a gentle heart, Did welcome Geraldine, and did play her part; She took her hand, and with a gentle touch, Did lead her to the castle, with a gentle clutch; And as they walked, with a gentle pace, They talked, with a gentle voice, and a gentle face. And when they reached the castle-chamber, The lady Christabel, with a gentle whisper, Did tell her tale, of the wicked spell, And the knight, with a gentle listen, did dwell; And when she finished, with a gentle sigh, The knight, with a gentle bow, did reply. The night is chilly; but not dark. The thin gray cloud is spread on high, It covers but not hides the sky. The moon is behind, and at the full; And yet she looks both small and dull. The night is chill, the cloud is gray; 'Tis a month before the month of May, And the Spring is coming here; But the Spring is coming very slowly, And the flowers and the trees look pale, And the birds are singing very feebly, And the whole scene is dull and gray. The lady Christabel, with a gentle heart, Did welcome Geraldine, and did play her part; She took her hand, and with a gentle touch, Did lead her to the castle, with a gentle clutch; And as they walked, with a gentle pace, They talked, with a gentle voice, and a gentle face. And when they reached the castle-gate, The lady Christabel, with a gentle wait, Did bid farewell, to the knight so fair, And Geraldine, with a gentle air, Did thank her, and did go the while; And the lady Christabel, with a gentle smile, Did watch her go, with a gentle guile. The night is chilly; but not dark. The thin gray cloud is spread on high, It covers but not hides the sky. The moon is behind, and at the full; And yet she looks both small and dull. The night is chill, the cloud is gray; 'Tis a month before the month of May, And the Spring is coming here; But the Spring is coming very slowly, And the flowers and the trees look pale, And the birds are singing very feebly, And the whole scene is dull and gray.