XXII.

"I said, 'My steed neighs in the court, My bark rocks on the brine, And the warrior's vow I am under now To free the pilgrim's shrine; But fetch the ring and fetch the priest And call that daughter of thine, And rule she wide from my castle on Nyde While I am in Palestine.'

XXIII.

"In the dark chambere, if the bride was fair, Ye wis, I could not see, But the steed thrice neighed, and the priest fast prayed, And wedded fast were we.

Her mother smiled upon her bed As at its side we knelt to wed, And the bride rose from her knee And kissed the smile of her mother dead, Or ever she kissed me.

XXIV.

"My page, my page, what grieves thee so, That the tears run down thy face?"-- "Alas, alas! mine own sister Was in thy lady's case: But _she_ laid down the silks she wore And followed him she wed before, Disguised as his true servitor, To the very battle-place."

XXV.

And wept the page, but laughed the knight, A careless laugh laughed he: "Well done it were for thy sister, But not for my ladye!

My love, so please you, shall requite No woman, whether dark or bright, Unwomaned if she be."

XXVI.

The page stopped weeping and smiled cold-- "Your wisdom may declare That womanhood is proved the best By golden brooch and glossy vest The mincing ladies wear; Yet is it proved, and was of old, Anear as well, I dare to hold, By truth, or by despair."

XXVII.

He smiled no more, he wept no more, But pa.s.sionate he spake-- "Oh, womanly she prayed in tent, When none beside did wake!

Oh, womanly she paled in fight, For one beloved's sake!-- And her little hand, defiled with blood, Her tender tears of womanhood Most woman-pure did make!"

XXVIII.

--"Well done it were for thy sister, Thou tellest well her tale!

But for my lady, she shall pray I' the kirk of Nydesdale.

Not dread for me but love for me Shall make my lady pale; No casque shall hide her woman's tear-- It shall have room to trickle clear Behind her woman's veil."

XXIX.

--"But what if she mistook thy mind And followed thee to strife, Then kneeling did entreat thy love As Paynims ask for life?"

--"I would forgive, and evermore Would love her as my servitor, But little as my wife.

x.x.x.

"Look up--there is a small bright cloud Alone amid the skies!

So high, so pure, and so apart, A woman's honour lies."

The page looked up--the cloud was sheen-- A sadder cloud did rush, I ween, Betwixt it and his eyes.

x.x.xI.

Then dimly dropped his eyes away From welkin unto hill-- Ha! who rides there?--the page is 'ware, Though the cry at his heart is still: And the page seeth all and the knight seeth none, Though banner and spear do fleck the sun, And the Saracens ride at will.

x.x.xII.

He speaketh calm, he speaketh low,-- "Ride fast, my master, ride, Or ere within the broadening dark The narrow shadows hide."

"Yea, fast, my page, I will do so, And keep thou at my side."

x.x.xIII.

"Now nay, now nay, ride on thy way, Thy faithful page precede.

For I must loose on saddle-bow My battle-casque that galls, I trow, The shoulder of my steed; And I must pray, as I did vow, For one in bitter need.

x.x.xIV.

"Ere night I shall be near to thee,-- Now ride, my master, ride!

Ere night, as parted spirits cleave To mortals too beloved to leave, I shall be at thy side."

The knight smiled free at the fantasy, And adown the dell did ride.

x.x.xV.

Had the knight looked up to the page's face, No smile the word had won; Had the knight looked up to the page's face, I ween he had never gone: Had the knight looked back to the page's geste, I ween he had turned anon, For dread was the woe in the face so young, And wild was the silent geste that flung Casque, sword to earth, as the boy down-sprung And stood--alone, alone.

x.x.xVI.

He clenched his hands as if to hold His soul's great agony-- "Have I renounced my womanhood, For wifehood unto _thee_, And is this the last, last look of thine That ever I shall see?

x.x.xVII.

"Yet G.o.d thee save, and mayst thou have A lady to thy mind, More woman-proud and half as true As one thou leav'st behind!

And G.o.d me take with HIM to dwell-- For HIM I cannot love too well, As I have loved my kind."

x.x.xVIII.

She looketh up, in earth's despair, The hopeful heavens to seek; That little cloud still floateth there, Whereof her loved did speak: How bright the little cloud appears!

Her eyelids fall upon the tears, And the tears down either cheek.

x.x.xIX.

The tramp of hoof, the flash of steel-- The Paynims round her coming!

The sound and sight have made her calm,-- False page, but truthful woman; She stands amid them all unmoved: A heart once broken by the loved Is strong to meet the foeman.

XL.

"Ho, Christian page! art keeping sheep, From pouring wine-cups resting?"-- "I keep my master's n.o.ble name, For warring, not for feasting; And if that here Sir Hubert were, My master brave, my master dear, Ye would not stay the questing."

XLI.

"Where is thy master, scornful page, That we may slay or bind him?"-- "Now search the lea and search the wood, And see if ye can find him!

Nathless, as hath been often tried, Your Paynim heroes faster ride Before him than behind him."

XLII.

"Give smoother answers, lying page, Or perish in the lying!"-- "I trow that if the warrior brand Beside my foot, were in my hand, 'T were better at replying!"