"But I saw his white and palsied lips, When he turned in hurried haste away,- He was chained to the deck with his heavy guilt, ""Twas a cursed thing,' said I, 'to kill That old man in his sleep! And the plagues of the storm will come from him Ten thousand fathoms deep! "And the plagues of the storm will follow us, "And he slowly lifted his bloody hand, His aching eyes to shade; But the blood that was wet did freeze his soul, And he shrinked like one afraid. "And even then-that very hour "I told no one within the ship For I saw the hand of God at work, "And when they spoke of the murdered man, And the El Dorado hoard, They all surmised he had walked in dreams, And had fallen overboard. "But I, alone, and the murderer, That dreadful thing did know, How he lay in his sin-a murdered man, A thousand fathom low. "And many days, and many more Came on, and lagging sped; And the heavy waves of that sleeping sea Were dark, like molten lead. "And not a breeze came, east or west, And stifling was each breath we drew "Oh me! there was a smell of death "In his cabin, alone, the captain kept, "The captain's son was on board with us,― A fair child, seven years old, With a merry look, that all men loved, "I loved the child, and I took his hand, And made him kneel, and pray That the crime, for which the calm was sent, "For I thought that God would hear his prayer, And set the vessel free; For a dreadful thing it was to lie Upon that charnel sea. “Yet I told him not wherefore he prayed,— I would not give that knowledge dark "At length I saw a little cloud A little cloud,—but it grew, and grew, "And we saw the sea beneath its track "And all around, 'twixt sky and sea, A hollow wind did blow; And the waves were heaved from the ocean depths, And the ship rocked to and fro. "I knew it was that fierce death calm Its horrid hold undoing; And I saw the plagues of wind and storm Their missioned work pursuing. "There was a yell in the gathering winds, A groan in the heaving sea; And the captain rushed from the hold below, But he durst not look on me. "He seized each rope with a madman's haste, And he set the helm to go; And every sail he crowded on As the furious winds did blow. "And away they went, like autumn leaves Before the tempest's rout; And the naked masts with a crash came down, And the wild ship tossed about. "The men to spars and splintered boards "And 'mid the creaking timber's din, I heard the dismal, drowning cries, "There was a curse in the wind that blew,A curse in the boiling wave; And the captain knew that vengeance came From the old man's ocean grave. "And I heard him say, as he sate apart, In a hollow voice and low, 'Tis a cry of blood doth follow us, And still doth plague us so !' "And then those heavy iron chests, With desperate strength took he, And ten of the strongest mariners Did cast them into the sea. "And out from the bottom of the sea, And he drew in his breath with a gasping sob, "And a furious boiling wave rose up, "Two days before, when the storm began, "The child and I, we were but two, And he clung to me in fear; Oh! it was pitiful to see That meek child in his misery, And his little prayers to hear! "At length, as if his prayers were heard, The clear sun shone, and warm and low, |