And kissed the eyelids, having lowered them; Went then and gathered young ferns not far off; 520 With these she covered up that lovely Haste thee, O shepherd, to return with But, when I saw How many queens were busy on that Laomedon, I will await thee; haste!field, And with what rapid gliding steps they moved, Fear fell upon me lest I were surprised, Actæon-like, and changed to more a beast, Losing both speech and laughter:-so I fled So good a man both gods and nymphs "They have ruled us for a hundred years, "Were I the one last Englishman In truth I know not how, But though they be fain of mastery, They dare not claim it now." Drawing the breath of life, And you the master-rebel of all That stirs this land to strife— He laughed: "If one may settle the score for five, I am ready; but let the reckoning stand till day: I have loved the sunlight as dearly as any The College Eight and their trainer dining alive." aloof, The Dons on the daïs serene. He watched the liner's stem ploughing the foam, He felt her trembling speed and the thrash of her screw; He heard the passengers' voices talking of home, He saw the flag she flew. And now it was dawn. He rose strong on his feet, And strode to his ruined camp below the wood; He drank the breath of the morning cool. and sweet; His murderers round him stood. A bare foot pattered on deck; Ropes creaked; then-all grew still, And he pointed his finger straight in my face And growled, as a sea-dog will. 40 "Do'ee know who Nelson was? That pore little shriveled form Light on the Laspur hills was broadening With the patch on his eye and the pinned fast, The blood-red snow-peaks chilled to a dazzling white; He turned, and saw the golden circle at last, Cut by the Eastern height. "O glorious Life, Who dwellest in earth and sun, I have lived, I praise and adore thee." A sword swept. Over the pass the voices one by one Faded, and the hill slept. ALFRED NOYES (1880 THE ADMIRAL'S GHOST I tell you a tale to-night Which a seaman told to me, With eyes that gleamed in the lanthorn light And a voice as low as the sea. You could almost hear the stars Twinkling up in the sky, up sleeve And the old wind woke and moaned in the They knew that he'd come when England While he froze my blood in that deep-sea And to tell it you right, you must ge night With the things that he seemed to a-starn Two hundred years or so. know. |