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The tower of lahneck.
Over the waters. There the merry guests
Sat quaffing Rheinwein.
Midnight from the skies
Swept like a solemn vision. Ere the dawn,
A low white mist had settled on the vales,
And all that day no traveller came to look
At the lone ruin. They were wild with thirst,
Faint for the lack of food, when, still as dew,
Another eve dropt round them. Since the noon
Margaret had stirred not, but with blank cold eyes
Turned to the misty river, and hands locked
Over her knee, sat patient, though aloud
Ida wailed out, or, leaning from the tower,
Stretched forth her arms towards the distant home
Whence they had strayed, or, frozen by despair,
Prostrate lay silent till dismay again
Struck at her cowering soul. But now she rose,
And close upon its brink, looked steadily
Down the black chasm. From the vaults stole up
An odour of damp earth, against the walls
Beat the blind bats, and startled by her tread
An owl rushed upward with its boding scream.
Sat quaffing Rheinwein.
Midnight from the skies
Swept like a solemn vision. Ere the dawn,
A low white mist had settled on the vales,
And all that day no traveller came to look
At the lone ruin. They were wild with thirst,
Faint for the lack of food, when, still as dew,
Another eve dropt round them. Since the noon
Margaret had stirred not, but with blank cold eyes
Turned to the misty river, and hands locked
Over her knee, sat patient, though aloud
Ida wailed out, or, leaning from the tower,
Stretched forth her arms towards the distant home
Whence they had strayed, or, frozen by despair,
Prostrate lay silent till dismay again
Struck at her cowering soul. But now she rose,
And close upon its brink, looked steadily
Down the black chasm. From the vaults stole up
An odour of damp earth, against the walls
Beat the blind bats, and startled by her tread
An owl rushed upward with its boding scream.
