LUCIFER HASTEN! hasten! | |
| O ye spirits! | |
| From its station drag the ponderous | |
| Cross of iron, that to mock us | |
| Is uplifted high in air! | 5 |
| |
VOICES O we cannot! | |
| For around it | |
| All the Saints and Guardian Angels | |
| Throng in legions to protect it; | |
| They defeat us everywhere! | 10 |
| |
THE BELLS Laudo Deum verum! | |
| Plebem voco! | |
| Congrego clerum! | |
| |
LUCIFER Lower! lower! | |
| Hover downward! | 15 |
| Seize the loud, vociferous bells, and | |
| Clashing, clanging, to the pavement | |
| Hurl them from their windy tower! | |
| |
VOICES All thy thunders | |
| Here are harmless! | 20 |
| For these bells have been anointed, | |
| And baptized with holy water! | |
| They defy our utmost power. | |
| |
THE BELLS Defunctos ploro! | |
| Pestem fugo! | 25 |
| Festa decoro! | |
| |
LUCIFER Shake the casements! | |
| Break the painted | |
| Panes, that flame with gold and crimson; | |
| Scatter them like leaves of Autumn, | 30 |
| Swept away before the blast! | |
| |
VOICES O, we cannot! | |
| The Archangel | |
| Michael flames from every window, | |
| With the sword of fire that drove us | 35 |
| Headlong, out of heaven, aghast! | |
| |
THE BELLS Funera plango! | |
| Fulgura frango! | |
| Sabbata pango! | |
| |
LUCIFER Aim your lightnings | 40 |
| At the oaken, | |
| Massive, iron-studded portals! | |
| Sack the house of God, and scatter | |
| Wide the ashes of the dead! | |
| |
VOICES O, we cannot! | 45 |
| The Apostles | |
| And the Martyrs, wrapped in mantles, | |
| Stand as warders at the entrance, | |
| Stand as sentinels o’erhead! | |
| |
THE BELLS Excito lentos! | 50 |
| Dissipo ventos! | |
| Paco cruentos! | |
| |
LUCIFER Baffled! baffled! | |
| Inefficient, | |
| Craven spirits! leave this labor | 55 |
| Unto Time, the great Destroyer! | |
| Come away, ere night is gone! | |
| |
VOICES Onward! onward! | |
| With the night-wind, | |
| Over field and farm and forest, | 60 |
| Lonely homestead, darksome hamlet, | |
| Blighting all we breathe upon! | |
| |
They sweep away. Organ and Gregorian Chant.
CHOIR Nocte surgentes | |
| Vigilemus omnes! | |
| |
