“How sweetly,” said the trembling maid, Of her own gentle voice afraid, So long had they in silence stood, Looking upon that tranquil flood— “How sweetly does the moon-beam smile “To-night upon yon leafy isle! “Oft, in my fancy’s wanderings, “I’ve wish’d that little isle had wings, “And we, within its fairy bowers, “Were wafted off to seas unknown, “Where not a pulse should beat but ours, “And we might live, love, die alone! “Far from the cruel and the cold,— “Where the bright eyes of angels only “Should come around us, to behold “A paradise so pure and lonely. “Would this be world enough for thee?”— Playful she turn’d, that he might see The passing smile her cheek put on; But when she mark’d how mournfully His eyes met hers, that smile was gone; And, bursting into heart-felt tears, “Yes, yes,” she cried, “my hourly fears, “My dreams have boded all too right— “We part—for ever part—to-night! “I knew, I knew it _could_ not last— “’Twas bright, ’twas heavenly, but ’tis past “Oh! ever thus, from childhood’s hour, “I’ve seen my fondest hopes decay; “I never lov’d a tree or flower, “But ’twas the first to fade away. “I never nurs’d a dear gazelle, “To glad me with its soft black eye, “But when it came to know me well, “And love me, it was sure to die! “Now too—the joy most like divine “Of all I ever dreamt or knew, “To see thee, hear thee, call thee mine,— “Oh misery! must I lose _that_ too? Yet go—on peril’s brink we meet;— “Those frightful rocks—that treacherous sea— “No, never come again—though sweet, “Though heaven, it may be death to thee. “Farewell—and blessings on thy way, “Where’er thou goest, beloved stranger! “Better to sit and watch that ray, “And think thee safe, though far away, “Than have thee near me, and in danger!” “Danger!—oh, tempt me not to boast—” The youth exclaim’d—“thou little know’st “What he can brave, who, born and nurst “In Danger’s paths, has dar’d her worst; “Upon whose ear the signal word “Of strife and death is hourly breaking; “Who sleeps with head upon the sword “His fever’d hand must grasp in waking. “Danger!—” “Say on—thou fear’st not then, “And we may meet—oft meet again?”