_
When five hundred archers tall stand beside the castle wall
To recapture Duchess May.
When five hundred archers tall stand beside the castle wall
To recapture Duchess May.
Elizabeth Browning
"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! "
XXI.
Up the mountain wheeled the steed--girth to ground, and fetlocks
spread--
_Toll slowly. _
Headlong bounds, and rocking flanks,--down he staggered, down the
banks,
To the towers of Linteged.
XXII.
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.
XXIII.
On the steed she dropped 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.
XXIV.
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.
XXV.
And the castle standeth black with the red sun at its back--
_Toll slowly. _
And a fortnight's siege is done, and, except the duchess, none
Can misdoubt the coming wrack.
XXVI.
Then the captain, young Lord Leigh, with his eyes so grey of blee--
_Toll slowly. _
And thin lips that scarcely sheath the cold white gnashing of his
teeth,
Gnashed in smiling, absently,--
XXVII.
Cried aloud, "So goes the day, bridegroom fair of Duchess May! "
_Toll slowly. _
"Look thy last upon that sun! if thou seest to-morrow's one
'T will be through a foot of clay.
XXVIII.
"Ha, fair bride! 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.
_Toll slowly. _
"Not such death as we could find--only life with one behind.
Ride on fast as fear, ride fast! "
XXI.
Up the mountain wheeled the steed--girth to ground, and fetlocks
spread--
_Toll slowly. _
Headlong bounds, and rocking flanks,--down he staggered, down the
banks,
To the towers of Linteged.
XXII.
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.
XXIII.
On the steed she dropped 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.
XXIV.
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.
XXV.
And the castle standeth black with the red sun at its back--
_Toll slowly. _
And a fortnight's siege is done, and, except the duchess, none
Can misdoubt the coming wrack.
XXVI.
Then the captain, young Lord Leigh, with his eyes so grey of blee--
_Toll slowly. _
And thin lips that scarcely sheath the cold white gnashing of his
teeth,
Gnashed in smiling, absently,--
XXVII.
Cried aloud, "So goes the day, bridegroom fair of Duchess May! "
_Toll slowly. _
"Look thy last upon that sun! if thou seest to-morrow's one
'T will be through a foot of clay.
XXVIII.
"Ha, fair bride! 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.