THE ROMAUNT OF THE PAGE.
113
For dread was the woe in the face so young;
And wild was the silent geste that flung
Casque, sword to earth—as the boy down-sprung,
And stood—alone, alone.
And wild was the silent geste that flung
Casque, sword to earth—as the boy down-sprung,
And stood—alone, alone.
He clenched his hands, as if to hold
His soul's great agony—
"Have I renounced my womanhood,
For wifehood unto thee?
And is this the last, last look of thine,
That ever I shall see?
His soul's great agony—
"Have I renounced my womanhood,
For wifehood unto thee?
And is this the last, last look of thine,
That ever I shall see?
"Yet God thee save, and mayst thou have
A lady to thy mind;
More woman-proud, and half as true
As one thou leav'st behind!
And God me take with Him to dwell—
For Him I cannot love too well,
As I have loved my kind."
A lady to thy mind;
More woman-proud, and half as true
As one thou leav'st behind!
And God me take with Him to dwell—
For Him I cannot love too well,
As I have loved my kind."
She looketh up, in earth's despair,
The hopeful Heavens to seek!
That little cloud still floateth there,
Whereof her Loved did speak.
How bright the little cloud appears!
Her eyelids fall upon the tears,—
And the tears, down either cheek.
The hopeful Heavens to seek!
That little cloud still floateth there,
Whereof her Loved did speak.
How bright the little cloud appears!
Her eyelids fall upon the tears,—
And the tears, down either cheek.
·······
The tramp of hoof, the flash of steel—
The Paynims round her coming!
The sound and sight have made her calm,—
False page, but truthful woman!
She stands amid them all unmoved:
The heart, once broken by the loved,
Is strong to meet the foeman.
The Paynims round her coming!
The sound and sight have made her calm,—
False page, but truthful woman!
She stands amid them all unmoved:
The heart, once broken by the loved,
Is strong to meet the foeman.
