Well, at that moment, who should stalk But Gauthier? and he thundered "Stay!" And all stayed. 'Bring torches! "About her! "Bring no crowns, I say! X Wind the penance-sheet Let her shun the chaste, "Or lay herself before their feet! "Shall she, whose body I embraced "A night long, queen it in the day? For honour's sake no crowns, I say!" XI I? What I answered? As I live, As answer possible to give. What says the body when they spring Some monstrous torture-engine's whole Strength on it? No more says the soul. XII Till out strode Gismond; then I knew I felt quite sure that God had set XIII He strode to Gauthier, in his throat Gave him the lie, then struck his mouth With one back-handed blow that wrote In blood men's verdict there. North, South, East, West, I looked. The lie was dead, And damned, and truth stood up instead, XIV This glads me most, that I enjoyed By any doubt of the event: God took that on him-I was bid XV Did I not watch him while he let His armourer just brace his greaves, Rivet his hauberk, on the fret The while! His foot. . . my memory leaves No least stamp out, nor how anon He pulled his ringing gauntlets on. XVI And e'en before the trumpet's sound Was finished, prone lay the false knight, Prone as his lie, upon the ground: Gismond flew at him, used no sleight O' the sword, but open-breasted drove, Cleaving till out the truth he clove. XVII Which done, he dragged him to my feet And said, "Here die, but end thy breath "In full confession, lest thou fleet "From my first, to God's second death! "Say, hast thou lied?" And, "I have lied "To God and her,” he said, and died. XVIII Then Gismond, kneeling to me, asked -What safe my heart holds, though no word Could I repeat now, if I tasked Dear even as you are. Pass the rest XIX Over my head his arm he flung Against the world; and scarce I felt His sword (that dripped by me and swung) A little shifted in its belt : For he began to say the while How South our home lay many a mile. XX So, 'mid the shouting multitude We two walked forth to never more I vexed them. Gauthier's dwelling-place XXI Our elder boy has got the clear Great brow; tho' when his brother's black Full eye shows scorn, it . . . Gismond here? And have you brought my tercel back? I was just telling Adela How many birds it struck since May. EURYDICE TO ORPHEUS. A PICTURE BY FREDERICK LEIGHTON, R.A. BUT give them me, the mouth, the eyes, the brow! Out of its light, though darkness lie beyond : Of one immortal look! All woe that was, THE GLOVE. (PETER RONSARD loquitur.) HEIGHO," yawned one day King Francis, "Distance all value enhances ! "When a man's busy, why, leisure "Strikes him as wonderful pleasure: "Faith, and at leisure once is he? Straightway he wants to be busy. "Here we 've got peace; and aghast I 'm Caught thinking war the true pastime. Is there a reason in metre? "Give us your speech, master Peter!" Ne'er am at loss with my Naso, "Sire," I replied, “joys prove cloudlets : Here the King whistled aloud, "Let's Such are the sorrowful chances If you talk fine to King Francis. And so, to the courtyard proceeding, And Sir de Lorge pressed 'mid the foremost For the penfold surrounded a hollow Which led where the eye scarce dared follow, And bade him make sport and at once stir Gave out to our gaze her abortion. Such a brute! Were I friend Clement Marot One's whole blood grew curdling and creepy |