News of triumph！who should bring Tidings from our noble army，Greetings from our gallant King？All last night we watched the beaconsBlazing on the hills afar，Each one bearing，as it kindled，Message of the opened war.
All night long the northern streamers Shot across the trembling sky：
Fearful lights，that never beacon Save when kings or heroes die.
2.News of battle！who hath brought it？
All are thronging to the gate；-
a Our gallant King.-James IV.of scotland，who was slain at Flodden.
b The northern streamers.-The Aurora borealis，supposed in early times to foretell the death of some great person.
“Warder，warder！open quickly！
Man-is this a time to wait？”And the heavy gates are opened：
Then a murmur long and loud，And a cry of fear and wonderBursts from out the bending crowd.For they see in battered harnessOnly one hard-stricken man；And his weary steed is wounded，And his cheek is pale and wan：Spearless hangs a bloody bannerIn his weak and drooping hand-What！can that be Randolph Murray，Captain of the city band？
3.Round him crush the people，crying，“Tell us all-oh，tell us true！
Where are they who went to battle，
Randolph Murray，sworn to you？Where are they，our brothers-children？
Have they met the English foe？
Why art thou alone，unfollowed？-Is it weal，or is it woe？”
Like a corpse the grisly warrior Looks from out his helm of steel；But no word he speaks in answer-Only with his armed heelChides his weary steed，and onward Up the city street they ride；Fathers，sisters，mothers，children，Shrieking，praying by his side：
“By the God that made thee，Randolph！
Tell us what mischance hath come.”Then he lifts his riven banner，And the asker’s voice is dumb.
a The city band.-Before the days of standing armies，each town had to keep up its own train-band or militia for its defence.
4.The elders of the city
Have met within their hall-
The men whom good King James had charged To watch the tower and wall.
“Your hands are weak with age，”he said，“Your hearts are stout and true；So bide ye in the Maiden Town，While others fight for you……And if，instead of Scottish shouts，Ye hear the English drum-Then let the warning bells ring out，Then gird you to the fray，Then man the walls like burghers stout，And fight while fight you may.
‘Twere better that in fiery flame The roof should thunder down，Than that the foot of foreign foe Should trample in the town！”
5.Then in came Randolph Murray-His step was slow and weak；And，as he doffed his dinted helm，The tears ran down his cheek：
They fell upon his corselet，And on his mailed hand，As he gazed around him wistfully，Leaning sorely on his brand.
And none who then beheld him
But straight were smote with fear，For a bolder and a sterner manHad never couched a spear.They knew so sad a messengerSome ghastly news must bring；And all of them were fathers，And their sons were with the King.
a The Maiden Town.-Edinburgh.An old name of Edinburgh Castle is Custrum Puellarum，“the Castle of the Maidens.”
6.And up then rose the Provost-A brave old man was he，Of ancient name，and knightly fame，And chivalrous degree......
Oh，woful now was the old man’s look，And he spake right heavily-“Now，Randolph，tell thy tidings，However sharp they be！Woe is written on thy visage，Death is looking from thy face：Speak！-though it be of overthrow，It cannot be disgrace！”
7.Right bitter was the agony
That wrung that soldier proud：Thrice did he strive to answer，And thrice he groaned aloud.Then he gave the riven bannerTo the old man‘s shaking hand，Saying-“That is all I bring yeFrom the bravest of the land！
Ay！ye may look upon it-
It was guarded well and long，
By your brothers and your children，By the valiant and the strong.
One by one they fell around it，As the archers laid them low，Grimly dying，still unconquered，With their faces to the foe.
Ay！well ye may look upon it-There is more than honour there，Else，be sure，I had not brought it From the field of dark despair.
Never yet was royal banner Steeped in such a costly dye；-It hath lain upon a bosomWhere no other shroud shall lie.Sirs！I charge you，keep it holy，Keep it as a sacred thing；For the stain ye see upon itWas-the life-blood of your King！”
8.Woe，woe and lamentation！
What a piteous cry was there！Widows，maidens，mothers，children，Shrieking，sobbing in despair！……“O the blackest day for ScotlandThat she ever knew before！
O our King！the good，the noble，Shall we see him never more？
Woe to us，and woe to Scotland！-O our sons，our sons and men！
Surely some have ’scaped the Southron，Surely some will come again！”-Till the oak that fell last winterShall uprear its shattered stem，Wives and mothers of Dunedin，Ye may look in vain for them！
-W.E.AYTOUN
中文阅读
1.战斗的消息！战斗的消息！听啊！它正沿街传来！穿过拱门，穿过街巷，带着匆忙而铿锵步履。这是战斗的消息！是谁将它传递？
这是胜利的消息！是谁从威武王师之中带回消息？是谁从英明国王b那里带回致意？昨夜我们向远山上闪烁的灯塔注目，每一盏灯都向我们积极传递着战场的消息。
a Dunedin.-A poetical name for Edinburgh.Dun is the Celtic for a hill or fort；burgh is the Old English word with the same meaning.The chief town in Otago，New Zealand，is called Dunedin.
b 英明国王：指苏格兰国王詹姆士四世，他在弗洛登战场上被杀害。
整整一夜，北极光a在颤抖的天空纵横驰骋：这可怕的亮光，若非国王与英雄离去，它们不会点亮夜空。
2.这是战斗的消息！是谁将它传递？人们涌向大门；“守卫官啊守卫官！快点开门！现在哪是等待的时候？”沉重的大门打开，顿时人声鼎沸，还有惊恐的尖叫从紧张的人群里传来。因他们看见伤痕累累的盔甲里，只有一人活着回来；他疲惫的战马也身负重伤，他的脸颊苍白惨淡：
随身已没有武器，只有一面带血的旗帜，拎在他无力而下垂的手里--什么？这就是伦道夫·默里？这就是此城军队b的将军？
3.人们向他涌去，在他周围高喊：“告诉我们所有人，告诉我们真相！伦道夫·默里，那些向你发誓而后奔赴战场的人如今安在？我们的兄弟，我们的孩子，他们如今安在？他们是否遇上了英国敌人？为何你一人独归，无人跟随？结局到底是喜是忧？”这位令人恐惧的勇士活像一具尸体，从他的钢盔里向外张望，但却沉默无语；a 北极光：古时候人们认为它的出现预示着重要人物的死亡。
b 此城军队：在国家军队设立以前，每座城邦都有自己的军队或武装力量以实施防卫。
他只是怒斥着用军靴催促胯下的战马，向着他们行过的街道骑行而去；沿途很多父亲、姐妹、母亲、孩子，高声尖叫，为他祈祷：“请求上帝保护您，伦道夫！告诉我们到底发生了何种不幸？”这时他举起手里残破的军旗，人们顿时安静下来。
4.城中父老济济一堂，贤君詹姆士曾让他们看守故地。他言道：“尔等年事已高且手上无力，但内心却诚恳坚毅；故尔等可在少女城a中等待，当外邦人与你们交战，且你们听到的不是苏格兰人的叫喊，而是英国战鼓之时，你们就拉响警报的铃声，准备开始战斗，还有那些淳朴的市民，该出手时就出手吧。与其让外邦的敌人践踏我土，不如让这里的一切化成灰烬！”