THE TALE OF BALEN
123
'What knight art thou? for never I
Who now beside thee dead shall die
Found yet the knight afar or nigh
That matched me.' Then his brother's eye
Flashed pride and love; he spake and smiled
And felt in death life's quickening flame,
And answered: 'Balan is my name,
The good knight Balen's brother; fame
Calls and miscalls him wild.'
The cry from Balen's lips that sprang
Sprang sharper than his sword's stroke rang.
More keen than death's or memory's fang,
Through sense and soul the shuddering pang
Shivered: and scarce he had cried,
'Alas That ever I should see this day,'
When sorrow swooned from him away
As blindly back he fell, and lay
Where sleep lets anguish pass.
