| Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807–1882). Complete Poetical Works. 1893. | | | | Tales of a Wayside Inn | Part First.
The Musician’s Tale: The Saga of King Olaf.
XXII. The Nun of Nidaros |
| | | IN the convent of Drontheim, | |
| Alone in her chamber | |
| Knelt Astrid the Abbess, | |
| At midnight, adoring, | |
| Beseeching, entreating | 5 |
| The Virgin and Mother. | |
| |
| She heard in the silence | |
| The voice of one speaking, | |
| Without in the darkness, | |
| In gusts of the night-wind, | 10 |
| Now louder, now nearer, | |
| Now lost in the distance. | |
| |
| The voice of a stranger | |
| It seemed as she listened, | |
| Of some one who answered | 15 |
| Beseeching, imploring, | |
| A cry from afar off | |
| She could not distinguish. | |
| |
| The voice of Saint John, | |
| The beloved disciple, | 20 |
| Who wandered and waited | |
| The Master’s appearance, | |
| Alone in the darkness, | |
| Unsheltered and friendless. | |
| |
| “It is accepted, | 25 |
| The angry defiance, | |
| The challenge of battle! | |
| It is accepted, | |
| But not with the weapons | |
| Of war that thou wieldest! | 30 |
| |
| “Cross against corselet, | |
| Love against hatred, | |
| Peace-cry for war-cry! | |
| Patience is powerful; | |
| He that o’ercometh | 35 |
| Hath power o’er the nations! | |
| |
| “As torrents in summer, | |
| Half dried in their channels, | |
| Suddenly rise, though the | |
| Sky is still cloudless, | 40 |
| For rain has been falling | |
| Far off at their fountains; | |
| |
| “So hearts that are fainting | |
| Grow full to o’erflowing, | |
| And they that behold it | 45 |
| Marvel, and know not | |
| That God at their fountains | |
| Far off has been raining! | |
| |
| “Stronger than steel | |
| Is the sword of the Spirit; | 50 |
| Swifter than arrows | |
| The light of the truth is, | |
| Greater than anger | |
| Is love, and subdueth! | |
| |
| “Thou art a phantom, | 55 |
| A shape of the sea-mist, | |
| A shape of the brumal | |
| Rain, and the darkness | |
| Fearful and formless; | |
| Day dawns and thou art not! | 60 |
| |
| “The dawn is not distant, | |
| Nor is the night starless; | |
| Love is eternal! | |
| God is still God, and | |
| His faith shall not fail us; | 65 |
| Christ is eternal!” | | | | |
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