43 COME HITHER，CHILD

By Emily Bront？

Come hither，child—who gifted thee

With power to touch that string so well？

How darest thou rouse up thoughts in me，

Thoughts that I would—but cannot quell？

Nay，chide not，lady；long ago

I heard those notes in Ula's hall，

And had I known they’d waken woe

I’d weep their music to recall．

But thus it was：one festal night

When I was hardly six years old

I stole away from crowds and light

And sought a chamber dark and cold．

I had no one to love me there，

I knew no comrade and no friend；

And so I went to sorrow where

Heaven，only heaven saw me bend．

Loud blew the wind；'twas sad to stay

From all that splendour barred away．

I imaged in the lonely room

A thousand forms of fearful gloom．

And with my wet eyes raised on high

I prayed to God that I might die．

Suddenly in that silence drear

A sound of music reached my ear．

And then a note，I hear it yet，

So full of soul，so deeply sweet，

I thought that Gabriel's self had come

To take me to thy father's home．

Three times it rose，that seraph strain，

Then died，nor breathed again；

But still the words and still the tone

Dwell round my heart when all alone．