XXXIII. THE Palmer comes from the Holy Land; On my Second the Prior trots away: My Whole leaped out of the road-side ditch, With "Stand!" to the poor man, and “Stand!' to the rich: From the Prior he strips his mantle fair; XXXIV. O'DONOGHUE came to the hermit's cell; "I have ridden," said he, "with the Saint to dine On his richest meat, and his reddest wine." The Hermit hasted my First to fill With water from the limpid rill; And "Drink," quoth he, "of the juice, brave Knight, Which breeds no fever, and prompts no fight." The Hermit hasted my Second to spread Hasty and hungry, the Chief explored XXXV. THE night was dark, the night was damp: Wine he brought him, such as yet But he crossed with a cross the Tempter's can, Jewels he showed him-many a gem Dazzled, I trow, was the anchorite: But he told his beads with all his might; And instead of my Second, so rich and rare, A Lady at last he handed in, With a bright black eye and a fair white skin: The stern ascetic flung, 'tis said, A ponderous missal at her head: She vanished away; and what a smell Of my Whole she left in the hermit's cell! XXXVI. UPON my First's blue stream The moon's cold light is sleeping; And Marion in her mournful dream Is wandering there and weeping. Where is my Whole?-this hour His boat should cleave the water; He is a Knight of pride and power, But he loves the Huntsman's daughter. The shroud her marriage vest- Go, solemn Song, to chide him; (AUGUST, 1829.) XXXVII. He hath seen the tempest lower: He hath dared the foeman's spear; He hath welcomed Death on tide and tower; How will he greet him here? My First was set, and in his place You might see the dark man stand, With a fearful vizor on his face, Short shrift, and hurried prayer: The dark man grinned in bitter scorn; "Rise! thou art pardoned !"—vain! Lift up the lifeless clay; On the skin no scratch, on the steel no stain, But the soul hath passed away. The dark man laid his bright axe by As he heard the tower clock chime; And he thought that none but my Whole would die A minute before the time. (JULY, 1829.) |