Angelo parleyed with his foe; alas, was almost Won;
Before him lay a crucifix with image of God's Son;
He gazed at it and sprang erect;' hi, hands were clenched
with pain;
His pale, set lips were stained with blood; he hissed, "What,
back again !"
A shape unseen by other eyes 'stood plainly out for him;
The Devil tried a saintly smile; it turned to demon's grin.
The suppliant waited, but the priest dropped by his chair to
pray;
When he uprose his hair so dark was turned to ashen gray.
He kissed the crucifix and spoke: "In peace, my daughter,
go;
Baptised in Jesus crimson blood, your sins seem white as
snow."
The rustle of her silken gown died out upon the:air;
The priest had conquered, but the man lay fainting in his
chair.
"And did he die?" I hear you ask. Ah, no, the verger came
With holy water bathed his brow, the breath came back again;
The aureole of whitened hair forevermore would be
A signal from the heights of pain__a badge of victory,
He saw his Eve and was unmoved; she looked at him with
awe;
The people talked among themselves and wondered what he
saw
That bleached his hair in one short night, and touched his
human face
With such a holy, raptured look__almost a saint-like grace.
|
Previous Page
