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ABELAKD AND HELOISE

EUjA'C. BENNETT

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EX.UBKS UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA*

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JOHN HENRY NASH

^

LIBRARY
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SAN FRANCISCO
PRESENTED TO THE

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
ROBERT GORDON SPROUL, PRESIDENT.
Mr.andMrs.MILTON S. RAYCECILY, VIRGINIA and ROSALYN
AND THE

RAY

RAY OIL BURNER COMPANY

SAN FRANCISCO

NEW YORK

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Digitized by the Internet Archive

in

2007 with funding from

IVIicrosoft

Corporation

http://www.archive.org/details/abelardheloiseloOOabelrich

Abelard

^ Heloise

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Abelard

& Heloise
in

The Love Letters

A Poetical Rendering
By
Ella C. Bennett
Photogravure
by

The Frontispiece done

from an Oil Painting

ifill Jenkins

Paul Elder

^ Company
New
York

San Francisco and

Copyright,
by

igoy

Paul Elder and Company

Affectionately Dedicated

To

My

Friend

Constance Mattingly

The IntroduBion
The known
story of
to

Abelard and Heloise

is

too

well

need repetition bere^ for these two rank

with the

few

great historic lovers of the worlds as

well they may.

The

love of Heloise
its

was

sublime in

its intensity

romantic in

constancy^ appealing in its pathos^

and tragic in its suffering. The lives and love-letters of y^Mard and Heloise by Wrigbty are most beautifully written^ and well worth the reading. In his delineation of the chara^er of Abelard^ he condones^ to some extent^ his
apparent coldness of hearty for which other writers

have

mercilessly scored him.

the lineSy
letters

Wright reads between and shows a word here and there in the

of Abelardy to prove that though his love burned not with the brilliancy which marked that of
the tendery passionate Heloise^ the flames were never

wholly extinguished^ but merely sunk in magnitude by

comparison with that which nothing surpassed^

"The Introdu&ion
Mr, Wright
of the
leaves the letters
(

the actual letters

famous lovers ) where the record of love endsy and dry controversies y advice and explanations begin, I have followed his excellent exampky making no
attempt
to it,
to

put

into verse that

which

is so

unsuited
until the

Ahelard and Heloise corresponded

death of the former. For many years in the latter part of their livesy letters were confined stri5ily to
theological

and

religious subjects y

and

to the

welfare

of the convent protested in those turbulent times by

name of Abelard, His was at one time the grandest and most commanding figure in France, Hcy like Mark Antony y lost an empire for a womany
the

but this time a worthy one y for whose love an empire

were well

lost,

Abelard' s fame had spread not only

over all Europe,

in

France but

He was

renowned as the greatest

oratory the broadest theologiany

logician of his time.

and the most learned

the first theologian to

He was

bring logic to bear as the greatest bulwark to the

faith y and students of the civilized world flocked to

France

to

hear him.

His

love-songSy dedicated to

Heloisey were the popular songs of the dayy

and won

fame for hery and both

censure

and praise for thedar-

ingy passionatey brilliant

Abelard,

lovers^

In my early youth I read somewhat of these great and it left on my mind an impression of

tt

ne Introdu&ion
sympathy and admiration ; and that
countless others
it

has

so offered

for centuries y

is

evidenced by the fa^

that never are their graves without flowers.

Love

will ever appeal to the better side of human nature;

and though

its

name has been dragged

in the

mire by

grosser passions masquerading in the reflected light of

its splendor,

true love will ever remain

has always been

what
y

it

the sweetest thing in the world.

I have not tried to keep in touch withy nor in any way follow y the originals except as to sentiment upon which thread this rosary of my love-letters has been
y

strung.

I give

these love-letters to the public with the

license^

hope that any fault of diSfiony or rhythmic

will be forgiven for the love
the unhappy HeloisCy as

I bear

the

memory of
j/,

we forgive

her her

for

the love she bore Abelard,

E. C. .

ttt

Heloise to
My
Ahelardy
last

^belard
adored!
soul

my

love^

my own

I poured^ In all its grief and anguish from my heart Abelardy my love^ why did we part?
I
wrote
to thee

When

my

Why didst thou hide thyself in gloomy celly And banish me^ 'til earth seemed part of Hell? And my last letter I O not answered yet I
1
cannot for one single hour forget
one.

That we were

At
cell

night from dreams

call

Thy name
The

aloudy in pain^ then like

pally

ceiling

of my

oercaps

my

vieWy

kneely

And visions fade

again that brought

me you I

Think you at night when at my prayers I

That

only thoughts celestial through

me

steal?

Heloise
Think you

to

Ahelard
of
orisons divine
lost bliss

the sound

Can

banish that

that you were mine?

That

once you loved me^

we

together slept.

Together laughed and loved, together wept; Together shared each joy y each pain, each thought?

Abelard! come

see the

wreck that's wrought

By

thine

own

absence.

See

how wan my face

Come, smile upon me; wipe away the trace

Of grief and wretchedness. O come to me. And love would make me bloom again for thee!
1
cannot feel as thou, that love
didst thou say so
is sin.

Nor

when thou sought

to

win.

If it was sophistry that made me yield, Twas thine, my Abelard. Too late to
'

shield

Me from the
(Nor grieved
If it must

shame that sophistry has wrought

I, for that love so dearly

bought)

rob

me of the

one

crave.

And bury me
By

alive within this

grave:
is

A halfrepentant, whose poor heart

torn
is

each confining thought, whose brain

worn

By futile arguments of right and wrong.

Heloise
That bring no
satisfaBion.

to

Ahelard
gong
start

And the

That summons me to prayer, but makes me

A guilty thing
Was pulsing
But for past
y

whose rapid beating heart

not from thoughts

bliss ,

of the Divine^
I

that

Abelard was mine

* *

Ifeel a hypocrite within this place^ When every other nun's celestial face Reminds me that my heart is not at rest^
Is out of harmony with these

the blest.

I am

not wicked,

and I am

not good

As
Be

these

pure nuns around me, and

place,

I would

in

my

my own, where I
thy wife,

belong.

There at thy

side,

amid

the throng
there.

Whose

duties call

them hence, and here and

Not

in

cloistered cell at constant prayer.

I am
That

not good enough

cannot feel
kneel.

That calm

renunciation,

when I

exiles all the world, its joys, its love^

And
I am

centers every thought on

Him

above!

not

of His

saints

cannot be.

Heloise
ly like the

to

Ahelard

publican

enough for

me
sin^

To

kneel afar^

and humbly own my

And by

humility some favor win.

Hypocrisy appalls me; when

think

Of these pure
At my
What

nuns around me^ dear,

I shrink

unworthinessy
to the

my

severed heart,

A fragment
And though
/ am
To

Lord, and thou a part!

has been done can never be undone

thy

vow was
* * *

broken

we

are one!

not good,

no more,

my

love, art thou.

Else thou wouldst ne'er have broken thy great

live

vow

celibate.

But

it

was

done,

Thy human nature had

the conquest

won;

And thou

didst turn to me, didst

woo and plead,

Declaring that thy heart of mine had need

I yielded prejudice for

love

of thee:

And now I ask

Throw

thee, do

as

much for me!

off thy cassock, leave thy gloomy cell

And come

with me,

my

Abelard,

to

dwell

In peace and comfort, and we two be one

Heloise
It
is too late to

to

Ahelard

change what has been done.

I am thy wifey thou art my husband^ dear. What is there that we have not known to fear?
y

cannot serve two masters

nay^ nor be
thee!

Partitioned off between

my God and

could serve

Him

better as thy wife

Than

in these convent walls

with broken

life,

A thing unworthy of the name of nun A soul that's ne'er at peace a body won By theey my Abelardy then come and claim
Thy
Heloise y deary

who should bear

* * *

thy

name!

*
'Tis latCy

my

lovey the candle's

burning loWy

Yet do I write as loathe

to let thee

go; near
bear.

For while I writey I seem

to feel thee

almost think thy deep-toned voice

say good nighty

will not say farewell^

For I shall wait

thee in
to

my

convent cell:

For thou wilt come

mey thou musty thou musty

And take me from

abode of saints y where dust

Seems hallowed by their presence y e'en while

Heloise

to

Abelard

Do move amongst them as a living lie I am not pure enough, come, dearest, come And take me as thou promised, to a home. And hold me in thine arms, and call me fair. And kiss my neck, my lips, my arms, my hair. As once you used to do, for I am thine. And broken vows but make thee surer mine

The candle's last faint gleam

there is no light

I will

not say farewell

say good night.

^belard
My
Sister in the

to

Heloise

Lord: dear Heloise!

ever^ peace!

Peace he unto

thee^ ever^

I bear I know

reports
so

of thy good judgment^ dear^

well thy virtue^ that

^

I fear

No fall from grace no move Fd not approve And how thy wisdom wins the constant love

Of those
Whoy

about thee,

This^

my

Heloise

too impatienty sighs for

her release
to

From

convent walls.
to

To whaty
take on

whaty I ask ?
task ?

Thrust off the old

what new

A lighter
There
is

worldly burden wouldst thou bear?

no spot upon the earth where care

it

Can
It
is

enter noty nor where

holds not

sway;

omnipotenty

its

right of

way

Markedfrom thefirst.

And each life hath its own;

Ahelard
We
enter^

to

Heloise
leave the earth with

and we
*

moan!

*
y

Ofjoy we tastedy Heloise of sin We did not seek a better thing to

But now a chance
is

winy

giveny deary repent

sent.
is o'ery to the

Ifeel

God's chastisement was mercy

y

A few more years

The path marked

and

all our

pain

out leads

onward

door

Of bliss
I would
The

eternal.

What
it o'er

is life

but pain ?

not live

again

to

gain

transitory joy Sy for life at best

rest.

Is but a struggle for eternal There's

much

that
not

I would

tell theey

Heloise:

Of late I have
But

had a day of peace

Hatred's spear

bitter persecution.

Hath
From

pierced

my

lifcy

and driven mey my

where
oft

deary

old-time haunts y

my

voice

was

raised

To youth

instrudly as in the old-time days

When first we

met.

And jealousy

hath sting

So poignant that the wounded bird takes wing

Ahelard
Andjlies
to

to

Heloise

any haven where

is

peace

Andfrom
And take

earth* s prejudice gain some release.

so conquered,

Thus envy hath

and I yields
shield.

humiliation for
let

my my

For have I not

pride

bosom swells

And hung my
I know my I proved my

soul above abyss

of Hell?

weakness, aye, in

many ways^

lack of strength informer days;

in passion, lust

In pride offame,

and

love^

I armed myself against my God

I
ruined thy
life,

above.

Heloise,

and mine.
design.

Swervedfrom my higher purpose and

I have

deserved
in

my fall,

too well,
still

and yet
regret
held.

The human

me makes me

The fall from eminence that once I

Now

like

a mighty oak, weak, I

lie felled^

Prone on the ground, a thing for man*s contempt

And yet why And why

should

The just have fallen

should

hope
they

to

be exempt?
not sin

who did

Abelard

Exemption from the law

e*er hope to

win

exception be.

Ahelard
Because

to

Heloise
I would
not see.

too wilful^ hlind^

Pray thou for me, my

That from my

sister Heloise

earthly pride

I gain

release.

Pray that I peace of mind at length attainPray that my soul is not entirely slain

By

sinful past.

Pray

ever,

and pray

on^

For one sweet ray of hope at final dawn!

Pray for Pray for

thy fallen brothery

still

pray hard-

thy weaky repentant

Abelard I

10

Heloise to Abelard
My
Abelard! Thy
in
letter

came at

last!

Renewing

me

all the old sweet past^

And making all my hopes to thrive anew^ Andfiling all my mind with thoughts of you I
Again I
see thy

stalwart frame ^ thy face^

erase
eyes^ thy smile;

Andy Abelardy I never can

The piBure of thy gleaming

And yet
At times

thou dost not come^

in

and I meanwhile
see thee^

Live o'er the past

it is so

dreams ^ and

dear

real

I feel

thee near;

And

then the

awful thought

that thou art

far.
Rebellious passions rise until they

mar

The peace Fve

striven to obtain, while here^

No

one

love^ to

wipe away a tear,

II

Heloise
No
loving

to

Ahelard
to

hand

smooth

my

aching brow,

Abelardy I want thee want thee now!

*
*

How

thou hast changed!

One

time

my

lightest

word

Would

bring thee

to

my feet;
and

yet have

I heard
cell.

That now thou seemst

content in cloistered
all is well.

And patiently
It
is

repent,

not so with me,

my

dear, ah, no.

If thou wouldst say the word Rush forth from convent walls

today

I'd

go.

again he free
to thee !

And speed my
Ton
You Tou

steps,

my

Ahelard,

counsel patience, penitence counsel this too late,

it is

and prayer!

not fair!
love,

roused

my
me

soul to bliss,

and

and

life

Then

thrust

here in daily woe

and

strife.

While my poor heart

in anguish still beats on.

Not
Tou

wife, nor widow,

nun

but all forlorn,

A mixture of the
talk

three.

It

is too

hard.

of patience, you, my Abelard!

12

Heloise
Where was your patience
y

to

Ahelard

e'er you

won my hearty

To crush

its

sweetness out^

counseled patience then

counsel patience

You

twas
*

and

then depart?
/,

and now

yet you broke your

'Twas I respeBed Mother Church

mend

vow!

not

you

A vow that's broken you cannot renew.

You
do but
ity still it

shows the scar^

The seams are

still
it

apparent

you

but

The beauty that

had

before

you fell

mar

Nor can you

I am your
That you

hide the truth in cloistered

cell.

wifcy you

owe

it

for my

sake^

do not your second promise break.

y

You have no justice Abelardy nayy nay^

Or you would

not content you there to pray^

And leave your

From
thine
it

wife an exile from your heart;

to

Unjust and cruely Abelardy

part

own

Heloise y thy lovCy thy wife I

O how
(Nor

grieves

me

that

my

broken

life

Should be the

sacrifice that thou

wouldst make
heart should

dost thou care if

my poor

break)!

13

Heloise to Ahelard
To
ease thy tortured conscience thou wouldst find
sacrifice y thy wife^
see

Some

// is

not kind.

Nor can I
Can
could

how

thy perverted sight

to

reconcile

two wrongs

make a

right.
side,

see theCy could

I plead my
to

1 would not
I would
Andy
Good

need

my Ahelard

chide;
see^

but show thee justice; thou wouldst

Abelardy my lovcy agree with me!

nighty

night

my

lovCy

a thousand

times good

Airs

still

within the convent while

I write;

My

tears

have spattered on the paper

see

How

Heloise^ s heart doth bleedfor thee!

14

^belard
Should

to

Heloise

My Sweetheart Wife My Sister in the Lord!

I throw
off my cassock

7hat binds me to the churchy

Should

loose the

cord

ask^

what then?

we renew

the life that

we began
in sin^

With broken laws of God and man^

And ever

hope forgiveness then to

*tis best

win?

My

Heloise y

as

we

are now^

Each
That

one to keep in holiness the

vow

binds to Christy the merciful^ the pure

A few more years the prison cell endure

To gain
eternal pardon y perfeB peace

A few
Not
But

more years on earthy and we release

only bodies from

liberate

a prison

celly

our souls from

fre of Hell!

Tou

write

of love of me^ ahy think of Him

15

Ahelard
He

to

Heloise
my own
seems pale
died for

Beside whose love

died for thee^
love

and dim

my

sister^

all.

My

a shadow

but a darkened pall

To cover

o'er the passion underneath^

And let
The

us bury ' neath a floral wreath

earthly part

of it: forget^ forgive

And for

the long hereafter let us live!

Poor Heloise ! Tes, yes, I know thy love was

great,

JVas great, and e'er shall

be,

but

still
it

above

There

is

far

greater;

let

us seek

hence.

And for

all earthly woes gain recompense.

Thy youth was

Yet did I love

spoiled by me, thy blooming youth.

thee, Heloise, in truth.

Thy

letters

move me

yet,

more than
it is

tell.

And yet I
To
rouse

bid thee cease,

sleeping lion,

not well

and thus renew

The

passion that once conquered me,

thoughts should ever rest on
seek renewal

and

you.

Our

Him
love.

above.

Nor

of the old-time

i6

Ahelard
Thou art my
sister

to

Heloise

now^ as well as wife^

Why

resurreB the past of pain and strife ?

'///,

*Tis best as

eternity is near^

to

If we pursue

this path^

we've naught
ever cease

to fear.

Pray, pray for me!

Nor

And let
Be

the burden

of thy prayer^

pray

the lay^

meekest supplication y dear, for

me;
list to thee.

Thy
Pray

heart can love^

on^

and God will

my

Heloise y pray^ ever pray !

Nor
Thy

let

thy love

of old one moment stay

outy the right

steps

upon the path marked

And pray for Abelardy

thine owny

Good

night!

Heloise to
My
At
Ahelardy
last

yibelard
love,

my

owtiy

you wrote

me

my
*^

my

life!

Sister, Sweetheart,

Wife!'*
call

me what you

will,

care not, so

A message comes
1
still live on,

to tell

me

that you

know

and

live,

my
still

love, for thee.

To know that Abelard

r II pray, my
Hell.

Abelard,

thinks of me!

but pray not well.

For thoughts of God are mixed with earth and

Thy

calm, sweet patience bids

to

me

still

hope on.

To waken some day

better

dawn.

Meantime I seek what

solace thou canst give,

need thy thoughts

to die

or e'en to live.

While thou

dost live

I am

not yet alone,

i8

Heloise
And though
Reach
to

to

Ahelard
and wait.

no wail

utter^

and no moan
hope

thine eary still do

letters

And

by thy

calendar

my
*

date.

Think of our childy my Ahelard, thy child:

We
To

have deserted
rob a child

it!

It drives

me wild

of mother and of sire^

Though every
higher

step on earth should bring us

And

nearer

to

that goal thou bidst

too strong, religion

me

seek;

My

motherhood

weak

To bind me

here; yet hath thy will ordained.

please thee have

And thus
Rebellious

to

still

remained

delinquent in

my

prayers and love of God,

rod.

when I feel His chastening

stifled,

My

motherhood all

think,

and

see

To prove, my

Abelard, my love for thee!

Whatever my faults, whatever my

Unwasbable on earth

and
all

sin or crime,

left to

time

In one thing, Abelard, I have been

true.
to

My

love,

my

life,

my

/ gave

you.

19

Heloise
Nor can I

to

Ahelard
it 'til

once regret that oldy sweet past;

death.

I shall remember
The dropping

The

last^

Fainty gasping breath that binds me to the world

curtain y e'er

my

spirit

hurled

Spins into space y shall breathe thy hallowed

That brought

disgrace

and

name

yety that brought

me fame I
I'd rather be thy
mistress than the wife
life

Of any

king on earthy and be for

it

Thine own companiony though

brought me shame

For I would be thy wifcy

* *

in all but

name^

/ leave the path marked outy and write of love When thou hast tried to turn my thoughts above. It is so hard to keep them there. I /ry.

And say

a prayer between each loving

here

sigh.
still

That I am

a nun
my
lovey

is

that

Subserviate to theey

my
y

will;

'Tis that

I fain would please and fain obeyy Whatever path you marky that is my way.
still

E'en though the thorns aboundy I

plod

ony

20

Heloise
And tread the
I waver
To
please

to

Ahelard

weary way where

others gone

Before me^ trody with meeker steps than mine;

noty because

my

will

is

thine

It would be well if

tried
to

half as hard

my

Gody as

please Abelardl

If I am savedfrom Hell *tis by His Not that I ever tried to win a place
In His abode of peace and
love

grace.

and

light

Not

that

e*er

was

bady but that

my

sight

Was
Nayy

blinded to all

elsCy

my

lovCy

but thee.

If thou

approv'sty 'twas enough for me.

here

write again of earthly things;

My

spirit self too often doth take

wings

Andfly
Remains

beyond

my

reach;

my

earthly part

to concentrate itself in

heart!

will refrain from trespassing too far

lest

Upon forbidden groundy

should

mar

Our

correspondence y lest you cease to write

counsel in this long heart fight.

And give me
I
need your

Between the earth and God.

letters, for

So mark you, dear,

near,

I feel you

21

Heloise
When
I feel
Write

to

Ahelard
to

such do comey

bid

me hope and pray^-

that thou art neaVy though far away.

ofteny theny

my

Abelardy nor cease

To

counsel

and

to

guide thy Heloise!

22

Heloise to Abelard
Again
the post has come

no letter yet

Abelardy my

love^ canst thou forget

How
Have
Each

thy poor Heloise awaits

and prays

A missive from her own?

day^ without a letter^
^

How
is

many days
letter

come and gone since last your

the

same

came!

A blanky a waste
Thy
letters

a time that brings no peace

sorrow

And Heloise from

are

no release.

less frequent

than of yore^

almost daily o'er their pages porCy

is

Engraven on my heart

every line;

How

long must

I thus

wait^

and wait^ and pine?

If that

thou wilt not come to see me^ dear^ ne'er shall have thy presence near^

If that I

At

least be frequent

with the missives sent;

23

Heloise
Will tear

to

Ahelard
spirit rent

Give me that comforty or my

itselffrom body

and go free

And traverse all the earth to be with thee How time drags on from weary months to
years

A daily record of but sighs and tears

Nor
The
worky nor prayers y nor sleep can e^er erase
oft-recurring vision

of thy face.
H

^
Sometimes
it

*
to

seems

me as

thou wert deady

thy

Thy features Thrown back

strained

and pallidy and

in rigid death y thy

hand ice

cold

head

/, standing there beside theCy thus behold

My

all laid low in death

my
y

heart congeals

And through my veins a deathly coldness steals. And then I cease to grieve and stunned I kneel
Beside thy
lifeless formy

and

then

I feel
live on

The end has come for me; I may

In bodyy but my
spirit too

has gone

To follow

thine wherever it

may

leady
it

To Heaven

or to Helly there will

speed

24

Heloise
T^o follow in thy

to

Abelard

wake, where'er that be

to

'Twere happiness enough

* * *

be with thee!

You'll think this blasphemous^

will^

I know you
still

And censure me for what I

The yearning of my heart;

forget^forgive
I live!
life

cannot

Remember

that for you alone

Tou are a man y you bad your

apart;

I am a woman
One image Tou whose

in

whose

lonely heart

stands supreme;

need not

tell

that image

is,

you know

too well.

To you
Tour

there

was

all France, to speak, to teach.

voice to other countries e'en did reach;

Tour fame was widespread and your name bad

grown

To rival

kings

and princes
brilliant,

in renown.
said,

I was a woman,
To To

you have

Tet circumscribed by custom, as though dead:

live alone, secluded

and apart

live the life

of women, by a chart

25

Heloise to Ahelard
Mapped
out by

men:

"No

farther shalt thou

go"I
need not
tell thee thisy dear, for

you know
lot;

Too well how circumscribed a woman's

And if she

varies by the smallest jot

out, the ruthless

From path marked

hand of man
*

Forever places on her brow a ban.

But you, my Abelard,

ah, no, not you

Would

hold from intelleB, the praise, the due

it

RespeB

should command, nor

intelledi

draw

the line

Between my budding

and

thine,

But

e'er encourage, lead,

and
to

e'er inspire

That

intelleB to study,

and

higher

Flights of image, then into logic hurled

And open
What
In

to

my

This not alone,

cared

you

intelleB the world!

taught me how

to love:

that the world should disapprove ?

all, yes,

thee

I had my

everything.

And all the

world's contempt, or bitter sting.

Could rob me not of love, nor of thy mind

In whose strong depths I delved and e'er couldfind

26

Heloise
The answer
to

to

Ahelard
asky

each question

I would

And guidance for my

The world's contempt

every mental task.

or ban

was naught
thee I

to

me

and I had women's were And Abelard! had a woman's few men
/ had my
intelleBy

other

lots

doubly hardy

Because they
So

no love

like

understand

heart

They cannot

enter /, nor be

a part

Of all her
Nor
'

aspirations y all her fears

understandy nor sympathize with tears I

differenty though,

Twas

with you ; you understood

And sympathized
Tour

as any

woman

could.

intelleB so broady so deepy so grandy

Accepted not from other men command

But marked your path and made your views

first.

the

The world
cursed;

looked ony applauded theCy

and
way

Yet did you tower above themy

go your

The

rest to follow in

your pathy or stay

By

old traditions boundy by custom benty

27

Heloise
Or

to

Ahelard
their spiteful vent.
to reach^

While thou a target for

else the

goal which all would seek

thee,

They bent before

when you
* *

rose to teach!

My

Abelardy

my own^ my name
woman
he adores^

still

rings

In harmony through music when

there sings

A lover
And in
Thy
The

to the

his rapture ^ in his passion ^ pours

love flights to her ear^

these

were for me.

Heloise^ belovedy dear^ by thee I

Last

nighty as on

my way^

on mercy bent^

I heard a man^s
**

strong voice to this give vent:

My

Heloisey

ne'er could love but thee**

to

The

songy

remembery that you wrote

me;

The song that France has echoed and re-sung

Vibrated on the evening air and rung

Cleary true and sweet!

A lover poured his soul

Out

in thy musicy Abelardy the goal

to

A sweety fair maiden leaning out

Her
lover's song.

hear
tear

listenedy

and a

28

'

Heloise
Fell from

to

Ahelard
be thy bride V*
his

my

eye.
**

hastened

to bis side^ to

And whispered: Is the He smiled and answered^

handy

maid

" Yes^ I pressed

And saidy " / am

I knew I knew
the

thy friend^ thine to command.

songy

Abelard who wrote that

that Heloise y
so

She loved him

who

once did

she loves

him yet

He

stooped

and kissed my hand

the

and you
so

wrong

'

perhaps he knew
movedy

Or guessed

nun

beside himy

now

Had been
I
hurried

the

woman Abelard had

conventy wept

loved.

to the

and prayed
maid;
bCy

For

this fond lover

and

the sweety pure

Prayed that

they too might

wed and happy

Not

separatedy deary like

their lives

you from me;

so

Prayed that

might never be

marred

As

those

of Heloise and Abelard.

29

Heloise
To our dear friend

to

Abelard
me a
note

Poor Abelard! The record that you wrote

enclosing

Has
Thee

been perused by me.

to finish ^

read
soul

it ally

From first
to

and my

would call

mey dear^for sympathy.

uSy

My

owny

The years have parted

and you have grown

Away from

mCy and hid from

in

me your grief
to find relief

From which y

vain y you tried

These persecutions that you write of deary

At

every line

I read
is

brought forth a tear.

My

sympathy

yours

you know
My

that welly

/ have
Thou

no need

my

constancy

to tell.

greatest on the earth !

own adored!

To

think that malediBion has been poured

y

Upon thy head by pygmies mental swine!

30

^ y

Heloise
What
To
is

to

Ahelard

their intelleB

compared with thine ?

These persecute thee !

Envy play a game

thrust thee from thy pinnacle

To crush
crowds

thee *neath its feet

offame!

this rabble

OA,

could pour

my
the

blood

and

cry aloud
spirit crushed!

For vengeance on

same! Thy

At

every line

ready

my

passion gushed

With anger and

An

abbess

rebellion! /,

others under
to rule

me

a nun!
the one

Least worthy e'er

or guide!

Ah^

well^

I know

not if my journey end at Hell^

Or

if divine compassion touch

my

soul

And wipe away my

I know my
Seeks
still in

record as a whole,

soul is turbulent

my mind
to find.

vain that perfeB peace

These nuns around me

each with saintedface

Look up

to

me!

/, truly out

of place!

The

one impure amongst them!

One weak

soul

Amid that

throng
lave

who

only seek one goal.

And still they

me! Tes, unworthy II

31

Heloise
To

to

Ahelard
y

And still I struggle And strive

to

still

I try^ and try^

be as one of them^ as meeky as pure^

bear with patience and endure

My

exiled

life.

You

praise

me

sOy

my

dear^

Tou fatter

thus

my

vanity ^

Ifear.
to

For praise from you will ever be

me

As

music

to

my

ears^ as

harmony

The

sweetest

could hear^ though undeserved^

And some
From

have missed that praise who never

swerved
virtue* s pathy nor ever felly
//,

yet

Receive

and my heart with joy

theCy

leaps high

At
In

any word of praise from

lightest

my owny

Thy

word of censure

brings a moan.
life

all the record

ofyour broken

Tou blame yourself and never blame your

wifcy

My

nobley generous

Abelardy my own
my part

I thank you
For I

that you so

condone.

Yet in the fall

it

I own my
and

share of blame

was who

helped to blast your name.

not yielded then

Had I been

strongery

32

Heloise
Unto your fascinations^

to

Ahelard

it

had been

Far

different.

Still

would your voice be heard

lightest

In learning* s rostrum ^ and your

word

Would seem a didium of inspired command;

Still

would

the every gesture

Be grace and manliness

The man most marked
Still

ofyour hand would you be

still

in France's destiny I

would you be an orator divine

If

Ahelardy you had not then been mine!

it?

Do I regret
Not

No, a thousand

noes

all the misery, not all the woes

in the years

That heaped upon me

now sped

Could make me wish our hearts had not been wed!

Oh,

it is selfish,

yes,

I own, I own.
selfishness

And that I should such And yet I do not! Nor

The
blissful thought

bemoan.

Was mine alone the greatest of his age! And in my life of sorrow that one page
Gleams pure and true for me: a steady light

will e'er resign

that

Abelard was mine!

That bums

eternal in the darkened night

33

Heloise
Who was
But was

to

Ahelard

Of thy poor

Heloise' s broken life;

content as mistress

or as wife:

all Abelard's !

And now

and now

Ahy

A vow of chastity of purest love^ A vow seek but that which leads above.
to

Heloise doth

II

different

vow I

How

illy

she doth fill

it

well she knows,

My kind confessor ofttime guides and shows Me how to persevere and how to hope.
,

And with
For future

his kindly counsel widens scope

things.

Thus will I grow

Better as time goes on,

feel and know

I was
I

not for this life; but

God

is

wise,

will not question if

He

thus chastise,

I promise,
Again

Abelard, not once again

to this,

Will I refer

and waken pain

to adlion,

nor again renew

A buried theme on

which I know that you

Look with askance;

will your counsel take.

Avoiding that which could an echo wake

Of things

long silenced, dead

and buried

quite,

34

Heloise
Dowtiy dowriy

to

Ahelard
dead?

so deep the faintest

ray of light
say^

Ne'er

enters to its tomb.

That time of love

Nay^ dead
is

and
to

Did I
later

when we wed?

not the word; it is not so;

Say what you

It did not die

We

buried

it

we
*

willy buty

Abelardy I know
that thought

though

buried it

Alive!

we

strive;

Welly

I have

done with themes

we know
quell
text.

too

well;

Hereaftery any thoughts of such I

And write

of treatises y of sermons y
the last

I thank you for

With

you

sent

the next

Will be awaited by the nuns and I

deepest gratitude.

We
is

ever try

To follow your

advice.

Your generous aid

repaid

In gaining us the convent

By prayer
If prayers
fear

incessant for your welfarey dear.

could win you Heaveny you need not

To meet your Gody nor

But your own self by

leave this earth

kindness.

of sin

Heaven win.

35

Heloise
Good night
night.

to

Ahelard
good night

my Abelard

good

Your Heloise

shall never more indite

A
I

letter

such as this has been

the last

That

tore the veil

again from that old past.

ask forgiveness, and your patience, dear.

bier

For dragging you again unto that

That holds our buried love,

Hereafter

the old sweet dreams,

shall write

of other

themes.

And yet
Above

tonight

linger, as

ofyore.

the

page on which my soul I pour.

With

one last look, one touch, one fond caress.

long deep sigh,

One final

and

one

God

Bless!

36

Rendered in Verse by Ella

Here ends Ahelard sf Heloise^ ^he Love Letters Costillo Bennett. The Frontispiece done in Photogravure from an Oil
'The

Fainting by Will Jenkins,

designed by J,

Typography
Edition

H, Nash, Of this First

Five Hundred Copies have been printed upon

Arches Handmade Paper, Published by Paul
Elder

Company and done

Nineteen

into

bfiok

for

them at The Tomoye Press^

in

New

Tork City

the year

Hundred and Seven

\7o7q.

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