By Anonymous
Part I
The Lovely Lady Christabel
Whom her father loves so well,
It was midnight within the wood
Far beyond where the old gate stood
She kneeled below the large oak tree
And in silence prayeth she.
Her ringlet curls rested upon her head
As if she were fast asleep in bed
The wind was weak on this warm night
A lone red leaf danced with all its might
Sweet Christabel, why are you here?
Alone in this silent wood with no one near.
The far off bell doth toll
Christabel counted the time she hath stole
She rested her head within her fair hands
She still refused to stand
A noise close by doth make itself known
Christabel sensed she was not alone.
Hush, beating heart of Christabel!
What do you hear beyond this dell?
She folded her arms beneath her cloak,
And stole to the other side of the oak.
There she saw a figure in white
Dressed in a robe that doth shined bright.
Oh, sweet Christabel do not draw near!
For this figure is still unclear!
A woman with her hair undone
Approached Christabel with gentle abandon
Gems gleamed from upon her head
Words still remained unsaid.
Her arms were long and bare
Christabel did not falter in her stare
Who art thou? Asked young Christabel
She grasped her chest as if under a spell
The lady strange made answer meet,
And her voice was faint and sweet:—
Please take pity on me!
For I have faced horrors you should never see!
My name is Geraldine
And now I must describe this scene
Five warriors seized me yestermorn,
From my life, I was brutally torn.
They took me away on their steeds of white
How I wish no one this plight!
I was left alone within this wood
And found I’d suffered all I could
I now plead with you dear maid
That you can provide me aid.
Then Christabel stretched forth her hand,
To prove that she did indeed understand
Fair Geraldine I am Christabel
And your story you surly must tell
To my father who will send for your home
For you must no longer roam!
Dear Geraldine come away with me
Far from this wretched tree!
Geraldine took the sweet Christabel’s hand
They crossed a wide breadth of land
When they reached the gate
Weak Geraldine doth sank
And Christabel with might and main
Lifted her up to relieve her pain
They crossed the threshold as a pair
Christabel handled Geraldine with care.
How beautiful was she
Christabel could not help but see.
Once within the castle’s walls
They passed through its many halls
When they reached Christabel’s chamber door
They both stood upon the floor
The room was dim without the moon
But each hoped the sun would not rise soon.
O weary lady, Geraldine,
Please rest after all you have seen!
Take my bed or this chair
For you must treat yourself with much care.
Geraldine doth smile upon the lovely Christabel
For her kind gesture made her once weak heart swell.
How fortunate I am to have found you, fair maid
Spoke Geraldine as she gazed upon Christabel unafraid.
Christabel’s heart doth quicken
For she found herself with Geraldine’s beauty stricken
Geraldine’s hair shone wildly beneath the room’s faint light.
She was an ethereal sight.
Christabel clutched her chest once more
For she felt she was under a spell quite like before.
What power overtook sweet Christabel?
Did it come with the sound of a far-off knell?
Did Geraldine put her in this trance?
Christabel doth looked askance.
Christabel, what doth plague thee?
Asks Geraldine. What can I not see?
Christabel looked up to meet her gaze
Her hand she did raise
She placed her hand upon Geraline’s cheek
For she found she no longer felt meek.
Christabel understood
That what she felt within the wood
And what she felt within this room
Was not a spell or trance that foretold near doom
But something true and sweet.
Geraldine’s lips did Christabel meet.
Geraldine closed her eyes
Feelings of love had begun to arise.
Sweet Geraldine, spoke Christabel
I wish to know you well
Let us rest here for the night
And we shall leave when you have gained your might.
I wish to be with you beyond these walls
Here my father rules these halls.
He will not understand our bond
He will not understand why you to me are so fond.
Dearest Geraldine, I love you so!
Of this, you must know!
Fair Christabel, spoke Geraldine
Our love will remain evergreen!
For I love you beyond this plane
Without you, I will feel much pain.
The pair gazed upon each other
They never wished to be parted from one another.
The moon was dim within their room
But their love was without a hint of gloom
They lay within Christabel’s bed
They loved each other without any words said.
How true this love doth be
Each maiden finally was free.
Part II
Come the morn the pair awoke
Christabel doth spoke
Loveliest Geraldine
With you heaven, I have seen
Before the sun preys us both
We must take this oath.
Dearest Geraldine, please swear
That this life we will share
Geraldine gazed upon her maiden sweet
And spoke when their eyes did meet
Christabel our love shall last forevermore
Far longer than any I have felt before
For you, I would face any feat
Any challenge I would surely meet.
Now we must get away
Before the sun rises for the day.
Christabel smiled as she listened to Geraldine
For this was the happiest she had ever been.
The pair walked through the dark halls
Moving quietly through the castle’s sprawls
Passing the dreary niche with shield of Leoline
Christabel shuttered from forces unseen
What haunts you, Christabel?
It is your father whom you love so well?
His presence crawled along the walls
Christabel was sure she heard his spectral image call
Dearest Geraldine whispered the maid
I am feeling most afraid
Geraldine with might and pride
Looked at Christabel and replied
Good maid Christabel forget your father and this place
And with our love, you will replace
Now tread lightly past Leoline’s door
And we can start our life as we swore.
They crept along the unlit path
Until they heard the mastiff’s wrath.
The dog it shook the castle’s fort
With its forceful call, it would soon rouse the court
The mastiff shouted with the hour
The clock chimed from the tower
Sweet Christabel, how could you forget?
With the sounds of the clock, your fate is set!
Geraldine, there is no time to waste, spoke Christabel.
My father and the court will find us and our story I simply can’t sell
As they spoke a door opened nearby
Sir Leoline appeared and Christabel let out a cry
My daughter, what are you doing at this hour? Spoke Leoline
Who is this woman? What is this scene?
Father, I am sorry to have awoken you
I am helping fair Geraldine who has seen horrors known to few
Geraldine lifted her head, her stately neck apparent
Leoline saw her beauty was inherent
How awful must it have been
For lovely Geraldine!
Great Baron Leoline
Excuse your daughter for this scene
It is I who disrupted these halls
You see I was harmed and no one heard my calls
Yet, fair Christabel she took me in
Please believe me she has not committed any sin
Leoline looked at Christabel
Whom he loved so well
He saw her face so deeply pained
And felt his heart much strained
He remembered his time before her mother
When he was indebted to another
Christabel, spoke Leoline
I understand your pain and will not intervene
Christabel’s fair visage shifted
How her spirits had lifted!
Father, who do you speak of? Asked she
Long ago my child, with someone I had been
Leoline spoke with great pain
For this affair, he himself had slain
I did wrong by my dearest friend
Because I knew how our story would end.
Christabel crossed the hall
And to her father call
Oh Father, how I love you so
But from this place, we must go
We cannot let our tale mimic your fate
For my love for Geraldine is great.
Please do not look ill upon my choice
Leoline spoke with a soft voice
His eyes fixed on his daughter dear
Go away from here
Do not return until the land
Can learn to understand
There is change on the horizon I wist
But until then you must persist
He drew his daughter close to him
For he knew that her future could be grim
Though Christabel’s face so lovely and so bright
Assured him that everything would one day be right