Identifier: rhineitssceneryh00hunt (find matches)
Title: The Rhine; its scenery and historical and legendary associations
Year: 1845 (1840s)
Authors: Hunt, Frederick Knight, 1814-1854. (from old catalog)
Subjects: Legends
Publisher: London, J. How
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress

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his way =*aes?back to the Rhine. Light in his stirrups rode hethat journey, and still lighter were the songs withwhich he strove to temper his impatience and beguilehis way. Late on the fourth day he came in sight ofthe home of his ladye-love, and swimming his war-horseboldly across the rapid stream he boundedon foot up the steep. Frightful was the wel-come he received. Thecastle was in ruins; its lordwas slain; and Hilda, de- \ceived by reports of Ro-lands death, had taken the \veil in the neighbouringconvent of Nonnenwerth! « Over the bright path ofthe young knight a darkand lasting shadow was cast.His early hopes were broken—the joy of his existencehad fled —his spirit bentbeneath the weight of his evil fortune. But his faith and constancy were beyondthe control of Fate. Retiring to his castle of Rolandseck he made himself aresting-place before a window from which he could look down upon the island ofNonnenwerth and the convent that held in the chains of the church his beloved
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136 THE RHINE BOOK. Hilda. Whether she heard of his return, tradition does not say, but suchconstancy did perhaps waft its rumour through the jealous watchfulness of anunnery wall. Be that as it may, it is chronicled that, after Rolands watch hadbeen for three years prolonged, he heard one evening the tones of the bell thattolled for a passing soul, and next day the white figures of the nuns were seenbearing a sister to her last home. Roland felt that it was Hildas funeral, and when his servants, alarmed by hiswatch being prolonged deep into the night, came to urge his retirement to rest,they saw his eyes were fixed on Hildas grave in death: — a smile brighteninghis features, as though his spirits last influence upon his frame had left a happyanticipation of the meeting of two kindred souls in those realms of immortalitywhere all that is of earth, earthy has no leave to enter. Note. — In reference to the Valley of the Ahr, (another excursion in this locality,) it may be wellto quo

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