HOW THEY BROUGHT THE GOOD NEWS FROM GHENT ΤΟ ΑΙΧ.

I SPRANG to the stirrup, and Joris and he;

I galloped, Dirck galloped, we galloped all three;

"Good speed!" cried the watch as the gate-bolts undrew, "Speed!" echoed the wall to us galloping through;

Behind shut the postern, the lights sank to rest,

And into the midnight we galloped abreast.

Not a word to each other: we kept the great pace

Neck and neck, stride by stride, never changing our place.

I turned in my saddle and made its girths tight,

Then shortened each stirrup and set the pique right,

Re-buckled the check-strap, chained slacker the bit;

Nor galloped less steadily Roland a whit.

'Twas moonset at starting, but while we drew near

Lokeren, the cocks crew, and twilight dawned clear;

At Boom, a great yellow star came out to see,

But Love, who had led these lovers thus along,

Played them a trick one windy night and cold:

For Eginardus, as his wont had been,

Crossing the quadrangle, and under dark,

No faint moonshine, nor sign of any star,

Seeking the Princess' door, such welcome found,

The knight forgot his prudence in his love;

For lying at her feet, her hands in his,

And telling tales of knightship and emprise,

And ringing war; while up the smooth white arm

His fingers slid insatiable of touch, The night grew old: still of the herodeeds

That he had seen, he spoke; and bitter blows

Where all the land seemed driven into dust!

Beneath fair Pavia's wall, where Loup beat down

The Longobard, and Charlemagne laid on,

Cleaving horse and rider; then, for dusty drought

Of the fierce tale, he drew her lips to his,

And silence locked the lovers fast and long,

Till the great bell crashed One into their dream.

The castle-bell! and Eginard not away!

With tremulous haste she led him to the door,

When, lo! the courtyard white with fallen snow,

While clear the night hung over it with stars.

A dozen steps, scarce that, to his own door:

A dozen steps? a gulf impassable! What to be done? Their secret

must not lie