The Vigil
A Legend of Pekin
I
Loud through the land from east
to west1
Red battle surged ; from north to south2
The demon of a world’s unrest3
Blazed in the angry cannon’s mouth.4
And growing fury, creeping fire5
Sprang from the outer darkness deep,6
Unchecked, to hurl a people’s ire7
On distant nations lost in sleep.8
Soundly they slept ! They could not hear9
Low from our lips that hopeful call,10
That prayer for life, which knows not fear11
Yet asks that death may not befall,12
For life is sweet, and men must take13
Into their hearts, wife, child, and friend.14
But sound they slept, and only wake15
Knowing the strange and dreadful end.16
But God gave strength : and morn by morn17
Faithful His luminary rose18
To give, with every hour new-born,19
A light unseen of friends and foes.20
We looked the future in the face,21
And dared its issue : it was kind.22
The body loses form and grace,23
Remains the beauty of the mind.24
Remains the inward health and light,25
Force of the brain, strength of the will,26
Remains the heart’s supernal sight,27
Remains the soul’s own splendour still.28
We said farewell to life and love,29
We said farewell to hope and youth,30
We glanced below, we gazed above,31
And so we faced the tragic truth.32
Fears in our danger rose, but fell :33
At first the children held their breath,34
But soon they heard, and it was well,35
As of a friend, the name of Death.36
And so to arms, while east and west37
Red battle surged, and north and south38
The demon of a world’s unrest39
Blazed in the fiery cannon’s mouth.40
II
Each to his task : each to his post :41
We took our orders, none rebelled ;42
We shared with those who loved it most43
The honour of the name we held.44
And all was ready, come the dread45
Deliverance as it might and must.46
Our chief looked noble as he said :—47
“ Do but your duty, God is just.”48
Each to his post. Increased the strain,49
The days were one hard labour long,50
But still we found our wits again,51
And sometimes laughter rose to song.52
A cheerful band, together knit,53
Old friends, and only one away,54
And he ? The good God answer it !55
Alone. He could not disobey.56
And yet how grand his fatal lot,57
A mortal shielding the divine,58
For though he fall, he suffers not59
Who guards till death a sacred shrine.60
We left him when the hour was late61
(One only could be spared to rest62
Within the sanctuary gate63
Before the emblems of the blest).64
His face was calm, his eyes were bright ;65
With cheerful voice he said “ Good-bye,”66
And pointed to the single light67
That hung before the altar high.68
He spoke—we answered with a smile—69
“ You die together : I alone.70
The future ? ’Tis a little while71
And we shall meet before the Throne.”72
And in his glance there shone the trust73
Of those whose work is yet to do.74
The scoffer’s scorn lay deep in dust,75
For they who wondered found him true.76
Forth to our fearful toil we went77
Through empty court and vacant room,78
And there, his courage still unspent,79
We left him kneeling in the gloom.80
III
The days, the very hours were long ;81
And twenty times he heard the clock82
Above him chime for evensong.83
Twice every day he turned the lock84
Seeking the cloister. There the store85
Was scanty. Little was his need ;86
He would not give the body more,87
It was his soul he willed to feed.88
And all the while from east to west,89
With distant thunder, north and south,90
The demon of a world’s unrest91
Blazed in the furious cannon’s mouth.92
One night he turned at the quick sound93
Of footsteps, while the angry storm94
Seemed nearer. On the holy ground95
There stooped to him a sombre form.96
A friend ! A parchment-yellow face,97
But still a friend, who spoke with haste :98
“ The time is short, but I can trace,99
Master, a path across the waste100
“ Where all lie dead. The time is short ! ”101
The priest but blessed him by his name :—102
“ In days of good and ill report103
You helped me. Christ would do the same.”104
“ But look,” he said, “ there, overhead,105
Light fails. Our foes I fain would foil.”106
With magic feet his servant sped107
And brought him back a cruse of oil.108
Blest service ! Once again the glow109
Shone brightly as it shone of old ;110
With thanks he made his servant go :111
“ We meet,” he said, “ when all’s unrolled.”112
“ Dead ! ” And the merry music stilled113
Of children ; the perfected zeal114
Of men and women, proudly filled115
With love for this strange people’s weal,116
Gone ! And he shrank a moment, blind117
With horror : then to lift his eyes118
And see, past every fate unkind,119
A sign of perfect peace arise.120
IV
Night fell. Once more the solemn hour121
Of vigil through increasing pain,122
Alone, whilst in the quiet tower123
Chimed the sweet bell again, again,124
To daylight, with an aching heart125
He watched and waited for release.126
The slightest whisper made him start :127
He prayed with pallid lips for peace.128
Peace, but to keep that altar light129
Steadily burning till he died.130
And after ? God maintains the right ;131
The rest He will at last provide.132
“ My happiest duty’s all but done,133
I fear no sword’s benignant edge,134
But fear, ere yet my race be run,135
The last most dreadful sacrilege.”136
He spoke with utterance faint and weak,137
Hunger had long begun to gnaw,138
But still he prayed, intent to seek139
Mercy for those without the law.140
Then the light flickered, and his strength141
Grew with the moments less and less.142
But prayers are heard. Loud, loud at length143
He heard the rabble shriek and press.144
He rose to meet them, threw the door145
Wide open ; came full strength anew.146
Then at one blow the holy floor147
Was quickly stained a crimson hue.148
But ere he fell one glance he flung149
Backward, to lift a cry of praise,150
For there before the altar hung151
No flickering light. A mighty blaze,152
A golden splendour, seen of men153
Who hold the faith when all is gone.154
He saw, and died. And only then155
The blind unreasoning crowd swept on.156
*******
O crowning mercy, vigil blest,157
Hiding from those imperfect eyes158
The triumph of that strange unrest !159
For we, from vantage of the skies,160
See with an undiminished faith161
The light, extinguished for an hour,162
Pass from the dim abodes of death163
To radiance of a higher power—164
While through the land from east to west165
Dark fury rules, and north and south166
Blind anger, with a demon’s zest,167
Is blazing in the cannon’s mouth—168
See fresh revealed, through weal and woe,169
That ancient promise, made of yore,170
As light athwart the darkness : “ Go,171
For I am with you evermore.”172