'As with his wings aslant, Through the wild hurricane, 'Three weeks we westward bore, There for my lady's bower Which, to this very hour, Stands looking seaward. "There lived we many years; Time dried the maiden's tears; She had forgot her fears, She was a mother ; Death closed her mild blue eyes, Ne'er shall the sun arise 'Still grew my bosom then, Still as a stagnant fen! Hateful to me were men, The sunlight hateful! In the vast forest here, Clad in my warlike gear, Fell I upon the spear, O, death was grateful! "Thus, seamed with many scars, Up to its native stars My soul ascended! There from the flowing bowl Deep drinks the warrior's soul, Skoal to the Northland! skoal! -Thus the tale ended. H. W. Longfellow. THE END OF THE SIEGE. (Rhyme of the Duchess May.) THEY have fetched the steed with care, in the harness he did did wear, Toll slowly. Past the court and through the doors, across the rushes of the floors, But they goad him up the stair. Then from out her bower chambère, did the Duchess May repair: Toll slowly. 'Tell me now what is your need,' said the lady, 'of this steed, That ye goad him up the stair?' Calm she stood; unbodkined through, fell her dark hair to her shoe ; Toll slowly. And the smile upon her face, ere she left the tiring-glass, 'Get thee back, sweet Duchess May! hope is gone like yesterday.' Toll slowly. 'One half-hour completes the breach: and thy lord grows wild of speech Get thee in, sweet lady, and pray! 'In the east tower, highest of all, loud he cries for steed from stall:' Toll slowly. 'He would ride as far,' quoth he, 'as for love and victory, Though he rides the castle wall.' 'And we fetch the steed from stall, up where never a hoof did fall' Toll slowly. 'Wifely prayer meets deathly need: may the sweet Heavens hear thee plead If he rides the castle wall!' Low she dropt her head, and lower, till her hair coiled on the floor, Toll slowly. And tear after tear you heard fall distinct as any word Which you might be listening for. 'Get thee in, thou soft ladye! here is never a place for thee!' Toll slowly. ‘Braid thine hair and clasp thy gown, that thy beauty in its moan May find grace with Leigh of Leigh,' She stood up in bitter case, with a pale yet steady face, Toll slowly. Like a statue thunderstruck, which, though quivering, seems to look Right against the thunder-place. And her foot trod in, with pride, her own tears i' the stone beside,― Toll slowly. Go to, faithful friends, go to judge no more what ladies do, No, nor how their lords may ride!' Then the good steed's rein she took, and his neck did kiss and stroke: Toll slowly. Soft he neighed to answer her, and then followed up the stair For the love of her sweet look : Oh, and steeply, steeply wound up the narrow stair around, Toll slowly. Oh, and closely, closely speeding, step by step beside her treading, Did he follow, meek as hound. On the east tower highest of all,-there, where never a hoof did fall, Toll slowly. Out they swept, a vision steady, noble steed and lovely lady, Calm as if in bower or stall, Down she knelt at her lord's knee, and she looked up silently, Toll slowly. And he kissed her twice and thrice, for that look within her eyes Which he could not bear to see. Quoth he, 'Get thee from this strife, and the sweet saints bless thy life!' Toll slowly. 'In this hour I stand in need of my noble red-roan steed, But no more of my noble wife.' Quoth she, 'Meekly have I done all thy biddings under sun;' Toll slowly. 'But by all my womanhood, which is proved so, true and good, I will never do this one. 'Now by womanhood's degree and by wifehood's verity,' Toll slowly. 'In this hour if thou hast need of thy noble-roan steed, Thou hast also need of me. |