No More Learning

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:

LXXI.

Oh, and steeply, steeply wound up the narrow stair around--
_Toll slowly. _
Oh, and closely, closely speeding, step by step beside her treading
Did he follow, meek as hound.

LXXII.

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.

LXXIII.

Down she knelt at her lord's knee, and she looked up silently--
_Toll slowly. _
And he kissed her twice and thrice, for that look within her eyes
Which he could not bear to see.

LXXIV.

Quoth he, "Get thee from this strife, and the sweet saints bless thy
life! "
_Toll slowly. _
"In this hour I stand in need of my noble red-roan steed,
But no more of my noble wife. "

LXXV.
Quoth she, "Meekly have I done all thy biddings under sun":
_Toll slowly. _
"But by all my womanhood, which is proved so, true and good,
I will never do this one.

LXXVI.

"Now by womanhood's degree and by wifehood's verity"--
_Toll slowly. _
"In this hour if thou hast need of thy noble red-roan steed,
Thou hast also need of _me_.

LXXVII.

"By this golden ring ye see on this lifted hand pardie"--
_Toll slowly. _
"If, this hour, on castle-wall can be room for steed from stall,
Shall be also room for _me_.

LXXVIII.

"So the sweet saints with me be," (did she utter solemnly)--
_Toll slowly. _
"If a man, this eventide, on this castle wall will ride,
He shall ride the same with _me_. "

LXXIX.

Oh, he sprang up in the selle and he laughed out bitter-well--
_Toll slowly. _
"Wouldst thou ride among the leaves, as we used on other eves,
To hear chime a vesper-bell? "

LXXX.

She clung closer to his knee--"Ay, beneath the cypress-tree!