Beneath the lamp the lady bowed, And slowly rolled her eyes around; Then drawing in her breath aloud Like one that shuddered, she unbound The cincture from beneath her breast: Her silken robe, and inner vest, Dropt to her feet, and full in view, Behold! her bosom and half her side A sight to dream of, not to tell! O shield her! shield sweet Christabel! Yet Geraldine nor speaks nor stirs; Ah! what a stricken look was hers! Deep from within she seems half-way To lift some weight with sick assay, And eyes the maid and seeks delay; Then suddenly as one defied Collects herself in scorn and pride, And lay down by the maiden’s side And in her arms the maid she took, Ah well-a-day! And with low voice and doleful look These words did say: In the touch of this bosom there worketh a spell, Which is lord of thy utterance, Christabel! Thou knowest to-night, and wilt know to-morrow This mark of my shame, this seal of my sorrow; But vainly thou warrest, For this is alone in Thy power to declare, That in the dim forest Thou heard’st a low moaning, And found’st a bright lady, surpassingly fair: And didst bring her home with thee in love and in charity, To shield her and shelter her from the damp air. ―――― _The Conclusion to Part I._ With open eyes (ah woe is me!) Asleep, and dreaming fearfully, Fearfully dreaming, yet I wis, Dreaming that alone, which is―― O sorrow and shame! Can this be she, The lady, who knelt at the old oak tree? And lo! the worker of these harms, That holds the maiden in her arms, Seems to slumber still and mild, As a mother with her child. A star hath set, a star hath risen, O Geraldine! since arms of thine―― Have been the lovely lady’s prison. O Geraldine! one hour was thine―― Thou’st had thy will! S. T. COLERIDGE. ――――:o:―――― _Dr. Maginn’s Introduction to Part III._ Listen! ye know that I am mad, And ye will listen!――wizard dreams Were with me!――all is true that seems!―― From dreams alone can truth be had―― In dreams divinest lore is taught, For the eye, no more distraught, Rests most calmly, and the ear, Of sound unconscious, may apply Its attributes unknown, to hear The music of philosophy! Thus am I wisest in my sleep, For thoughts and things, which day-light brings, Come to the spirit sad and single, But verse and prose, and, joys and woes Inextricably mingle, When the hushed frame is silent in repose! Twilight and moonlight, mist and storm, Black night, and fire-eyed hurricane, And crested lightning, and the snows That mock the sunbeams, and the rain Which bounds on earth with big drops warm, All are round me while I spell The legend of sweet Christabel!