Unto each she bowed her head, and swept past with lofty tread. Toll slowly.
Ere the midnight-bell had ceased, in the chapel had the priest
Blessed tier, bride of Linteged.

Fast and fain the bridal train along the night-storm roc e amain: Toll slowly.
Hard the steeds of lord and serf struck their hoofs out on the turf,
In the pauses of the rain.

Fast and fain the kinsmen's train along the storm pursued amain— Toll slowly.
Steed on steed-track, dashing off—thickening, doubling hoof on hoof,
In the pauses of the rain.

And the bridegroom led the flight on his red-roan steed of might, Toll slowly.
And the bride lay on his arm, still as if she feared no harm,
Smiling out into the night.

Dost thou fear?' he said at last;—' Nay !' she answered him in haste,—

Toll slowly.

'Not such death as we could find—only life with one behind— Ride on fast as fear—ride fast!

Up the mountain wheeled the steed—girth to ground, and fetlocks spread,—

Toll slowly.

Headlong bounds, and rocking flanks,—down he staggered—down the hanks, To the towers of Linteged.

High and low the serfs looked out, red the flambeaus tossed about,—

Toll slowly.

In the courtyard rose the cry—' Live the Duchess and Sir Guy!'
But she never heard them shout.

On the steed she drbpt her cheek, kissed his mane and kissed his neck,—

Toll slowly.

'I had happier died by thee, than lived on a Lady Leigh,'
Were the first words she did speak.

But a three months' joyaunce lay 'twixt that moment and to-day. Toll slowly.
When five hundred archers tall stand beside the castle wall,
To recapture Duchess May.

And the castle standeth black, with the red sun at its hack,— Toll slowly.

And a fort-light's siege is done—and, except the Duchess, none
Can misdoubt the coming wrack.

Then the captain, young Lord Leigh, with his eyes so gray of blee,

Toll slowly.

And thin lips that scarcely sheath the cold white gnashing of his teeth,
Gnashed in smiling, absently,

Cried aloud—' So goes the day, bridegroom fair of Duchess May !—

Toll slowly.

I,ook thy last upon that sun. If thou seest to-morrow's one,
'Twill be through a foot of clay.

'Ha, fair bride I Dost hear no sound, save that moaning of the hound ?—

Toll slowly.

Thou and I have parted troth,—yet I keep my vengeance oath,
And the other may come round.

\ ' Ha! tby will is brave to dare, and tby new love past compare,— Toll slowly.
Yet thine old love's falchion brave is as strong a thing to have.
As the will of lady fair.

'Peck on blindly, netted dove !—if a wife's name thee behove. Toll slowly Thou shalt wear the same to-morrow, ere the grave has hid the sorrow Of tby last ill-mated love.

'O'er his fixed and silent mouth, thou and I will call back troth, Toll slowly He shall altar be and priest,—and he will not cry at least I forbid you,—I am loath!'

'I will wring my fingers pale in the gauntlet of my mail, Toll slow?

'Little hand and muckle gold' close shall lie within my hold,
As the sword did to prevail.'

0 the little birds sang east, and the little birds sang Vest, Toll slowl O, and laughed the Duchess May, and her soul did put away

All his boasting, for a jest.

In her chamber did she sit, laughing low to think of it,— Toll slowly.

'Tower is strong and will is free—thou canst boast, my Lord of Leigh, But thouboasteth little wit.'

In her tire-glass gazed she. and she blushed right womanly. Toll slowly.

She blushed half from her disdain—half, her beauty was so plain, —' Oath for oath, my Lord of Leigh l'

Straight she called her maidens in—' Since ye gave me blame herein,

Toll slowly

That a bridal such as mine should lack gauds to make it fine, . Come and shrive me from that sin.

'It is three months gone to-day, since I gave mine hand away. Toll slowly.

Bring the gold, and bring the gem, we will keep bride state in them,
While we keep the foe at bay.

'On your arms I loose my hair ;—comb it smooth and crown it fair,

Toll slowly.

I would look in purple-pall from this lattice down the wall,

And throw scorn to one that's there!'

O, the little birds sang east, and the little birds sang west, Toll slowly.

On the tower the castle's lord leant in silence on his sword, . With an anguish in his breast.

With a spirit-laden weight, did he lean down passionate. Toll slowly.

They have almost sapped the wall,—they will enter there withal,
With no knocking at the gate.

Then the sword he leant upon, shivered—snapped upon the stone,—

Toll slowly.

''Sword,' he thought, with inward laugh, 'ill thou servest for a staff When thy nobler use is done!

1 Sword, thy nobler use is done I—tower is lost, and shame begun;

Toll slowly.

If we met them in the breach, hilt to hilt or speech to speech,
We should die there, each for one.

* If we met them at the wall, we should singly, vainly fall,— Toll slowly.

But if / die here alone,—then I die, who am but one,
And die nobly for them all.

'Five true friends lie for my sake—in the moat and in the brake,

Thirteen warriors lie at rest, with a black wound in the breast,
And not one of these will wake.

Toll slowly.

And no more of this shall be I—heart-blood weighs too heavily— Toll slowly.
And I could not sleep in grave, with the faithful and the brave
Heaped around and over me.

'Since young Clare a mother hath, and young Ralph a plighted faith,

Toll slowly.

Since my pale young sister's cheeks blush like rose when Ronald speaks,
Albeit never a word she saith—

'These shall never die for me—life-blood falls too heavily: Toil slowly.

And if / die here apart,—o'er my dead and silent heart
They shall pass out safe and free.

'When the foe hath heard it said—' Death holds Guy of Linteged,'—

Toll slowly.

'That new corse new peace shall bring • and a blessed, blessed thing, Shall the stone be at its head.

t

'Then my friends shall pass out free, and shall bear my memory,—

Tbll slowly.

Then my foes shall sleek their pride, soothing fair my widowed bride
Whose sole sin was love of me.

With their words all smooth and sweet, they will front her and entreat

Toll slowly.

And their purple pall will spread underneath her fainting head
While her tears drop over it.

'She will weep her woman's tears, she will pray her woman's prayers,—

Toll slowly

But her heart is young in pain, and her hopes will spring again
By the suntime of her years.

* Ah, sweet May—ah, sweetest grief!—once I vowed thee my belief,

Toll slowly.

That thy name expressed tby sweetness,—May of poets, in completeness!
Now my May-day seemeth brief.'

All these silent thoughts did swim o'er his eyes grown strange and dim,—

Toll slowly.

Till his true men in the place, wished they stood there face to face
With the foe instead of him.

* One last oath, my friends that wear faithful hearts to do and dare !—

Toll slowly.

Tower must fall, and bride be lost!—swear me service worth the cost,' —Bold they stood around to swear.

'Each man clasp my hand and swear, by the deed we failed in there,

ToU slowly.

Not for vengeance, not for right, will ye strike one blow to-night I'
Pale they stood around—to swear.

'One last boon, young Ralph and Clare! faithful hearts to do and dare Q

Toll slowly.

Bring that steed up from his stall, which she kissed before you all.
Guide him up the turret stair.

'Ye shall harness him aright, and lead upward to this height! Toll slowly.

Once in love and twice in war, hath heborneme strong and far,
He shall bear me far to-night.'

Then his men looked to and fro, when they heard him speaking so.

Toll slowly.

—. 'Las! the noble heart,' they thought,—'he in sooth is grief-distraught. Would, we stood here with the foe ! *

But a fire flashed from his eye, 'twixt their thought and their reply,—

Toll slowly.

'Have ye so much time to waste! We who ride here, must ride fast, As we wish our foes to fly.'

They have fetched the steed with care, in the harness he did wear,

Toll slowly.

Past the court and through the doors, across the rushes of the floors;
But they goad him up the stair.

Then from out her bower chambdre, did the Duchess May repair. Toll slowly.
'Tell me now rhat is your need,' said the lady, * of this steed,
That y» #oad him up the stair?'

Calm she stood; unbodkined through, fell her dark hair to her shoe,—

Toll slowly.

And the smile upon her face, ere she left the tiring-glass,
Had not time enough to go.

'Get thee hack, sweet Duchess May! hope is gone like yesterday,—

Toll slowly.

One half-hour completes the breach; and thy lord grows wild of speech,
Get thee in, sweet lady, and pray.

'In the east tower, high'st of all,—loud he cries for steed from stall.
'Toll slowly.

He would ride as far, ' quoth he, 'as for love and victory,
Though he rides the castle wall.'

'And we fetch the steed from stall, up where never a hoof did fall.—
*. Toll slowly.

Wifely prayer meets deathly need! may the sweet Heavens hear thee plead. It he rides the castle-wall.'

Low she dropt her head, and lower, till her hair coiled on the floor,—

Toll slowly.

And tear after tear you heard fall distinct as any word
Which you might be listening for.

Get thee in, thou soft ladie !—here is never a place for thee!— Toll slowly
Braid thy hair and clasp thy gown, that thy beauty in its moan
May find grace with Leigh of Leigh.'

She stood up in bitter case, with a pale yet stately face. Toll slowly.

Like a statue thunderstruck, which, though quivering, seems to look
Right against the thunder-place.

And her foot trod in, with pride, her own tears i' the stone beside,—

Toll slowly.

'Go to, faithful friends, go to !—Judge no more what ladies do,— No, nor how their lords may ride!'

Then the good steed's rein she took, and his neck did kiss and stroke:

Toll slowly.

Soft he neighed to answer her; and then followed up the stair.
For the love of her sweet look.

Oh, and steeply, steeply wound up the narrow stair around,— Toll slowly

Oh, and closely speeding, step by step beside her treading,
Did he follow, meek as hound.

On the east tower, high'st of all,—there, where never a hoof did fall,—

Toll slowly

Out they swept, a vision steady,—noble steed and lovely lady,
Calm as if in bower or stall!