48
THE OLD KING'S ATONEMENT.
"To be a prince is well enough," thought he,
"But then would it not be a braver thing
To be—my father, only young! To be,"
He whispered, oh, so low—"to be the King!—
"But then would it not be a braver thing
To be—my father, only young! To be,"
He whispered, oh, so low—"to be the King!—
"My father, who may live for years and years.
And I meanwhile?—Prince Henry to the last!
Sin, by God's grace, may be washed out with tears,
And some day I'll have time to pray and fast."
And I meanwhile?—Prince Henry to the last!
Sin, by God's grace, may be washed out with tears,
And some day I'll have time to pray and fast."
He blew a blast that wailed from field to field;
Then, with his sword's point hurled his father down,
And bared his own dark forehead, and revealed
Thereon the sudden lightning of the crown.
Then, with his sword's point hurled his father down,
And bared his own dark forehead, and revealed
Thereon the sudden lightning of the crown.
But soon that fire of jewels round his head
Burned to his heart. He sat forlorn with grief:
"We'll send across the mountains there," he said,
"To our great Priest in Italy for relief."
Burned to his heart. He sat forlorn with grief:
"We'll send across the mountains there," he said,
"To our great Priest in Italy for relief."
His Holiness sat thinking in his town
Of Rome five minutes, or, it may be, more;
His scarlet Cardinals pulled their brave hats down,
And thought as Cardinals never thought before.
Of Rome five minutes, or, it may be, more;
His scarlet Cardinals pulled their brave hats down,
And thought as Cardinals never thought before.
