Was this what the seer of the cave had foretold?—
Dim, dim through the phantom the moon shot a gleam;
'Twas Reuben, but ah! he was deathly and cold,
And fleeted away like the spell of a dream!

Twice, thrice did he rise, and as often she thought

From the bank to embrace him, but never, ah! never!
Then springing beneath, at a billow she caught,
And sunk to repose on its bosom for ever!

H

THE RING.

A TALE.

'Annulus ille viri.-Ovid. Amor. lib. ii. eleg. 15.

THE happy day at length arrived
When Rupert was to wed

The fairest maid in Saxony,
And take her to his bed.

As soon as morn was in the sky,
The feast and sports began ;
The men admired the happy maid,
The maids the happy man.

In many a sweet device of mirth
The day was passed along ;
And some the featly dance amused,
And some the dulcet song.

The younger maids with Isabel
Disported through the bowers,

And decked her robe, and crowned her head
With motley bridal flowers.

The matrons all in rich attire,
Within the castle walls,

Sat listening to the choral strains
That echoed through the halls.

Young Rupert and his friends repaired
Unto a spacious court,

To strike the bounding tennis-ball
In feat and manly sport.

The bridegroom on his finger had
The wedding-ring so bright
Which was to grace the lily hand
Of Isabel that night.

And fearing he might break the gem,
Or lose it in the play,

He looked around the court, to see
Where he the ring might lay.

He went unto the feast, and much

He thought upon his ring;

And much he wondered what could mean

So very strange a thing!

The feast was o'er, and to the court,

He went without delay,

Resolved to break the marble hand,
And force the ring away!

But mark a stranger wonder still—
The ring was there no more;

Yet was the marble hand ungrasped,
And open as before !

He searched the base, and all the court,
And nothing could he find,

But to the castle did return

With sore-bewildered mind.

Within he found them all in mirth,
The night in dancing flew;
The youth another ring procured,
And none the adventure knew.

And now the priest has joined their hands,
The hours of love advance!
Rupert almost forgets to think

Upon the morn's mischance.

Within the bed fair Isabel

In blushing sweetness lay,

Like flowers, half-opened by the dawn,

And waiting for the day.

And Rupert, by her lovely side,

In youthful beauty glows,

Like Phoebus, when he bends to cast

His beams upon a rose!

And here my song should leave them both,

Nor let the rest be told,

But for the horrid, horrid tale

It yet has to unfold!

Soon Rupert, 'twixt his bride and him,

A death-cold carcass found;

He saw it not, but thought he felt
Its arms embrace him round.

He started up, and then returned,

But found the phantom still;
In vain he shrunk, it clipped him round,
With damp and deadly chill!

And when he bent, the earthly lips

A kiss of horror gave;

'Twas like the smell from charnel vaults.

Or from the mouldering grave!

Ill-fated Rupert, wild and loud

Thou criedst to thy wife,

"Oh! save me from this horrid fiend,

My Isabel my life!"

But Isabel had nothing seen,

She looked around in vain ;

And much she mourned the mad conce't

That racked her Rupert's brain.

At length from this invisible

These words to Rupert came;

(O God! while he did hear the words, What terrors shook his frame!)

"Husband! husband! I've the ring

Thou gav'st to-day to me;

And thou'rt to me for ever wed,
As I am wed to thee!"

And all the night the demon lay
Cold-chilling by his side,

And strained him with such deadly grasp,
He thought he should have died!

But when the dawn of day was near,
The horrid phantom fled,

And left the affrighted youth to weep
By Isabel in bed.

All, all that day a gloomy cloud

Was seen on Rupert's brows;
Fair Isabel was likewise sad,

But strove to cheer her spouse.

And, as the day advanced, he thought
Of coming night with fear:
Ah! that he must with terror view
The bed that should be dear!

At length the second night arrived,
Again their couch they pressed;
Poor Rupert hoped that all was o er,
And looked for love and rest.

But, oh when midnight came, again
The fiend was at his side,

And, as it strained him in its grasp,
With howl exulting cried,-

"Husband! husband! I've the ring,
The ring thou gav'st to me;
And thou'rt to me for ever wed
As I am wed to thee!"

In agony of wild despair,
He started from the bed;

And thus to his bewildered wife
The trembling Rupert said:

"O Isabel! dost thou not see
A shape of horrors here,
That strains me to the deadly kiss
And keeps me from my dear?"

"No, no, my love! my Rupert,
No shape of horrors see;
And much I mourn the phantasy
That keeps my dear from me!"

This night, just like the night before,
In terrors passed away,

Nor did the demon vanish thence
Before the dawn of day.

Says Rupert then, "My Isabel,
Dear partner of my woe,
To Father Austin's holy cave
This instant will I go."

Now Austin was a reverend man,
Who acted wonders maint,

Whom all the country round believed
A devil or a saint!

To Father Austin's holy cave

Then Rupert went full straight,

And told him all, and asked him how
To remedy his fate.

The father heard the youth, and then
Retired awhile to pray;

And having prayed for half an hour,
Returned, and thus did say:

"There is a place where four roads meet,
Which I will tell to thee;

Be there this eve, at fall of night,
And list what thou shalt see.

Thou'lt see a group of figures pass
In strange disordered crowd,
Travelling by torchlight through the roads,
With noises strange and loud.

And one that's high above the rest,

Terrific towering o'er,

Will make thee know him at a glance,

So I need say no more.

To him from me these tablets give,

They'll soon be understood;"

Thou need'st not fear, but give them straight,

I've scrawled them with my blood!"

The night-fall came, and Rupert all

In pale amazement went

To where the cross-roads met, and he
Was by the father sent.

And lo! a group of figures came
In strange disordered crowd,

Travelling by torchlight through the roads,
With noises strange and loud.

And, as the gloomy train advanced
Rupert beheld from far

A female form of wanton mien

Seated upon a car.