A woman! and known To them all--one must own TOO WELL KNOWN to the many, to-day to be shown As a martyr, or e'en As a Christian! A queen Of pleasance and revel, of glitter and sheen; So bad that the worst Of Cologne spake up first, And declared 'twas an outrage to suffer one curst, And already a fief Of the Satanic chief, To martyr herself for the Church's relief. But in vain fell their sneer On the mob, who I fear On the whole felt a strong disposition to cheer. A woman! and there She stands in the glare Of the pitiless sun and their pitying stare,-- A woman still young, With garments that clung To a figure, though wasted with passion and wrung With remorse and despair, Yet still passing fair, With jewels and gold in her dark shining hair, And cheeks that are faint 'Neath her dyes and her paint. A woman most surely--but hardly a saint! She moves. She has gone From their pity and scorn; She has mounted alone The first step of stone, And the high swinging doors she wide open has thrown, Then pauses and turns, As the altar blaze burns On her cheeks, and with one sudden gesture she spurns Archbishop and Prior, Knight, ladye, and friar, And her voice rings out high from the vault of the choir. "O men of Cologne! What I WAS ye have known; What I AM, as I stand here, One knoweth alone. If it be but His will I shall pass from Him still, Lost, curst, and degraded, I reckon no ill; If still by that sign Of His anger divine One soul shall be saved, He hath blessed more than mine. O men of Cologne! Stand forth, if ye own A faith like to this, or more fit to atone, And take ye my place, And God give you grace To stand and confront Him, like me, face to face!" She paused. Yet aloof They all stand. No reproof Breaks the silence that fills the celestial roof. One instant--no more-- She halts at the door, Then enters!... A flood from the roof to the floor Fills the church rosy red. She is gone! But instead, Who is this leaning forward with glorified head And hands stretched to save? Sure this is no slave Of the Powers of Darkness, with aspect so brave!