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(Afloat)
I. THE RED-TILED towers of the old Château, | |
| Perched on the cliff above our bark, | |
| Burn in the western evening glow. | |
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| The fiery spirit of Papineau | |
| Consumes them still with its fever spark, | 5 |
| The red-tiled towers of the old Château! | |
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| Drift by and mark how bright they show, | |
| And how the mullioned windows—mark! | |
| Burn in the western evening glow! | |
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| Drift down, or up, where’er you go, | 10 |
| They flame from out the distant park, | |
| The red-tiled towers of the old Château. | |
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| So was it once with friend, with foe; | |
| Far off they saw the patriot’s ark | |
| Burn in the western evening glow. | 15 |
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| Think of him now! One thought bestow, | |
| As, blazing against the pine trees dark, | |
| The red-tiled towers of the old Château | |
| Burn in the western evening glow! | |
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(Ashore)
II. Within this charmèd cool retreat | 20 |
| Where bounty dwelt and beauty waits, | |
| The Old World and the New World meet. | |
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| Quitting the straggling village street, | |
| Enter,—passing the great gray gates, | |
| Within this charmèd cool retreat. | 25 |
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| Where thrives a garden, ancient, neat, | |
| Where vulgar noise ne’er penetrates, | |
| The Old World and the New World meet. | |
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| For mouldering vault and carven seat | |
| Tell us that France predominates | 30 |
| Within this charmèd cool retreat, | |
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| Though Canada be felt in beat | |
| Of summer pulse that enervates: | |
| The Old World and the New World meet | |
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| In dial, arbor, tropic heat. | 35 |
| Enter! And note, how clear all states | |
| That, in this charmèd cool retreat, | |
| The Old World and the New World meet. | |
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III. The garden ’s past. ’T is forest now | |
| Encircling us with leafy tide, | 40 |
| Close clustering in green branch and bough. | |
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| So beautiful a wood, we vow, | |
| Was never seen, so fresh, so wide. | |
| The garden ’s past, ’t is forest now, | |
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| ’T is more, ’t is Canada, and how | 45 |
| Should feudal leaven lurk and hide | |
| Close clustering in green branch and bough? | |
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| Quaintly the dial on the brow | |
| Of yonder open glade is spied; | |
| The garden ’s past, ’t is forest now, | 50 |
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| Yet doth the dial straight endow | |
| The green with glamour undenied, | |
| Close clustering in green branch and bough. | |
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| Such relics who would disallow? | |
| We pause and ponder; turn aside; | 55 |
| The garden ’s past, ’t is forest now, | |
| Close clustering in green branch and bough. | |
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IV. The glint of steel, the gleam of brocade, | |
| “Monseigneur” up in his tarnished frame, | |
| A long low terrace, half sun, half shade; | 60 |
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| Tapestry, dusty, dim, and frayed, | |
| Fauteuil and sofa, a flickering flame, | |
| A glint of steel, a gleam of brocade; | |
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| “Mdme.” on the wall as a roguish maid, | |
| Later—some years—as a portly dame, | 65 |
| The long low terrace, half sun, half shade, | |
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| Where “Mdme.’s” ghost and “Monsieur’s” parade | |
| And play at ombre, their favorite game! | |
| The glint of steel, the gleam of brocade, | |
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| Hang over hall and balustrade. | 70 |
| Paceth a spectral peacock tame | |
| The long low terrace, half sun, half shade. | |
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| Waketh a nightly serenade | |
| Where daylight now we see proclaim | |
| The glint of steel, the gleam of brocade, | 75 |
| The long low terrace, half sun, half shade! | |
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V. The spell of Age is over all, | |
| The lichened vault, the massive keep, | |
| The shaded walks, the shadowy hall, | |
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| And mediæval mists enthrall | 80 |
| The senses bathed in beauty sleep,— | |
| The spell of age is over all! | |
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| No marvel if a silken shawl | |
| Be sometimes heard to trail and sweep | |
| The shaded walks, the shadowy hall. | 85 |
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| No marvel if a light footfall | |
| Adown the stair be heard to creep,— | |
| The spell of age is over all. | |
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| A foot—we muse—both arched and small, | |
| Doth often tread this terrace steep, | 90 |
| Those shaded walks, this shadowy hall— | |
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| A foot as white as trilliums tall— | |
| Musing, the wall we lightly leap. | |
| The spell of Age is over all! | |
| The shaded walks—the shadowy hall. | 95 |
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