"O Queen, thou knowest I pray not for Nor would he move the more when wan

When first she heads thee from the starting-
place

Cast down the first one for her eyes to see,
And when she turns aside make on apace,
And if again she heads thee in the race
Spare not the other two to cast aside
If she not long enough behind will bide.

531

Now has the lingering month at last gone by,

Again are all folk around the runningplace.

"Farewell, and when has come the happy Nor other seems the dismal pageantry

time

Than heretofore, but that another face Looks o'er the smooth course ready for the race,

565

For now, beheld of all, Milanion
Stands on the spot he twice has looked

That smote the fane across the heaving Redden to note his eager glance of praise,

deep

Shone on him laid in calm untroubled

sleep.

Why must the memory to her heart arise

Some lover's song, some answering maid- She laid aside to grasp the glittering prize, en's word?

O ye, O damsels, who shall never see
Her, that Love's servant bringeth now to
you,

675

Returning from another victory,
In some cool bower do all that now is due!
Since she in token of her service new
Shall give to Venus offerings rich enow,-
Her maiden zone, her arrows, and her bow.

To which the mud splashed wretchedly; 10
And the wet dripped from every tree
Upon her head and heavy hair,
And on her eyelids broad and fair;
The tears and rain ran down her face.

15

20

By fits and starts they rode apace,
And very often was his place
Far off from her; he had to ride
Ahead, to see what might betide
When the roads crossed; and sometimes,
when
There rose a murmuring from his men,
Had to turn back with promises;
Ah me! she had but little ease;
And often for pure doubt and dread
She sobbed, made giddy in the head
By the swift riding; while, for cold,
Her slender fingers scarce could hold
The wet reins; yea, and scarcely, too,
She felt the foot within her shoe
Against the stirrup: all for this,
To part at last without a kiss
Beside the haystack in the floods.

25

30

40

So then,
While Robert turned round to his men,
She saw at once the wretched end,
And, stooping down, tried hard to rend
Her coif the wrong way from her head,
And hid her eyes; while Robert said:
"Nay, love, 'tis scarcely two to one;
At Poictiers where we made them run
So fast-why, sweet my love, good cheer,

THE HAYSTACK IN THE FLOODS The Gascon frontier is so near,

Nought after us."

But, "O," she said,

"My God! my God! I have to tread

45

The long way back without you; then 50
The court at Paris; those six men;

The gratings of the Chatelet;

The swift Seine on some rainy day
Like this, and people standing by,

And laughing, while my weak hands try 55
To recollect how strong men swim.