All these silent
thoughts
did swim o'er his eyes grown strange and
dim--
_Toll slowly.
dim--
_Toll slowly.
Elizabeth Browning
_
"That new corse new peace shall bring, and a blessed, blessed thing
Shall the stone be at its head.
XLIX.
"Then my friends shall pass out free, and shall bear my memory"--
_Toll slowly. _
"Then my foes shall sleek their pride, soothing fair my widowed bride
Whose sole sin was love of me:
L.
"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.
LI.
"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.
LII.
"Ah, sweet May! ah, sweetest grief! --once I vowed thee my belief"--
_Toll slowly_--
"That thy name expressed thy sweetness,--May of poets, in completeness!
Now my May-day seemeth brief. "
LIII.
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.
LIV.
"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.
LV.
"Each man clasp my hand and swear by the deed we failed in there"--
_Toll slowly. _
"Not for vengeance, not for right, will ye strike one blow to-night! "
Pale they stood around to swear.
LVI.
"One last boon, young Ralph and Clare! faithful hearts to do and dare! "
_Toll slowly. _
"Bring that steed up from his stall, which she kissed before you all.
"That new corse new peace shall bring, and a blessed, blessed thing
Shall the stone be at its head.
XLIX.
"Then my friends shall pass out free, and shall bear my memory"--
_Toll slowly. _
"Then my foes shall sleek their pride, soothing fair my widowed bride
Whose sole sin was love of me:
L.
"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.
LI.
"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.
LII.
"Ah, sweet May! ah, sweetest grief! --once I vowed thee my belief"--
_Toll slowly_--
"That thy name expressed thy sweetness,--May of poets, in completeness!
Now my May-day seemeth brief. "
LIII.
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.
LIV.
"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.
LV.
"Each man clasp my hand and swear by the deed we failed in there"--
_Toll slowly. _
"Not for vengeance, not for right, will ye strike one blow to-night! "
Pale they stood around to swear.
LVI.
"One last boon, young Ralph and Clare! faithful hearts to do and dare! "
_Toll slowly. _
"Bring that steed up from his stall, which she kissed before you all.
