206
RHYME OF THE DUCHESS MAY.
"Bring the gold and bring the gem, we will keep bride-state in them,
While we keep the foe at hay.
While we keep the foe at hay.
"On your arms I loose mine hair comb it smooth and crown it fair,"—
Toll slowly!
"I would look in purple-pall, from this lattice down the wall,
And throw scorn to one that's there!"
Toll slowly!
"I would look in purple-pall, from this lattice down the wall,
And throw scorn to one that's there!"
O the little birds sang east, and the little birds sang west,—
Toll slowly!
On the tower the castle's lord leant in silence on his sword,
With an anguish in his breast.
Toll slowly!
On the tower the castle's lord leant in silence on his sword,
With an anguish in his breast.
With a spirit-laden weight, did he lean down passionate,—
Toll slowly!
They have almost sapped the wall,—they will enter therewithal,
With no knocking at the gate.
Toll slowly!
They have almost sapped the wall,—they will enter therewithal,
With no knocking at the gate.
Then the sword he leant upon, shivered—snapped upon the stone,—
Toll slowly!
"Sword," he thought, with inward laugh, "ill thou servest for a staff,
When thy nobler use is done!
Toll slowly!
"Sword," he thought, with inward laugh, "ill thou servest for a staff,
When thy nobler use is done!
"Sword, thy nobler use is done!—tower is lost, and shame begun:"—
Toll slowly!
"If we met them in the breach, hilt to hilt or speech to speech,
We should die there, each for one.
Toll slowly!
"If we met them in the breach, hilt to hilt or speech to speech,
We should die there, each for one.
"We met them at the wall, we should singly, vainly fall,"—
Toll slowly!
"But if I die here alone,—then I die, who am but one,
And die nobly for them all.
Toll slowly!
"But if I die here alone,—then I die, who am but one,
And die nobly for them all.
