And the mother only watches late;
She receives with courtesy the guest,

  And conducts him to the room of state.

      Wine and food are brought,

      Ere by him besought;

  Bidding him good night. she leaves him straight.

But he feels no relish now, in truth,

For the dainties so profusely spread;
Meat and drink forgets the wearied youth,

  And, still dress’d, he lays him on the bed.

      Scarce are closed his eyes,

      When a form in-hies

  Through the open door with silent tread.

By his glimmering lamp discerns he now

How, in veil and garment white array’d,
With a black and gold band round her brow,

  Glides into the room a bashful maid.

      But she, at his sight,

      Lifts her hand so white,

  And appears as though full sore afraid.

“Am I,” cries she, “such a stranger here,

That the guest’s approach they could not name? 
Ah, they keep me in my cloister drear,

  Well nigh feel I vanquish’d by my shame.

      On thy soft couch now

      Slumber calmly thou!

  I’ll return as swiftly as I came.”

“Stay, thou fairest maiden!” cries the boy,

Starting from his couch with eager haste: 
“Here are Ceres’, Bacchus’ gifts of joy;

  Amor bringest thou, with beauty grac’d!

      Thou art pale with fear!

      Loved one let us here

  Prove the raptures the Immortals taste.”

“Draw not nigh, O Youth! afar remain!

Rapture now can never smile on me;
For the fatal step, alas! is ta’en,

  Through my mother’s sick-bed phantasy.

      Cured, she made this oath: 

      ’Youth and nature both

  Shall henceforth to Heav’n devoted be.’

“From the house, so silent now, are driven

All the gods who reign’d supreme of yore;
One Invisible now rules in heaven,

  On the cross a Saviour they adore.

      Victims slay they here,

Neither lamb nor steer,
But the altars reek with human gore.”

And he lists, and ev’ry word he weighs,

While his eager soul drinks in each sound: 
“Can it be that now before my gaze

  Stands my loved one on this silent ground?

      Pledge to me thy troth!

      Through our father’s oath: 

  With Heav’ns blessing will our love be crown’d.”

“Kindly youth, I never can be thine!

’Tis my sister they intend for thee. 
When I in the silent cloister pine,

  Ah, within her arms remember me!

      Thee alone I love,

      While love’s pangs I prove;

  Soon the earth will veil my misery.”