I was the eldest of the three, And to uphold and cheer the rest 70 I ought to do—and did—my best, And each did well in his degree. The youngest, whom my father loved Because our mother’s brow was given To him—with eyes as blue as heaven— 75 For him my soul was sorely moved; And truly might it be distrest To see such bird in such a nest; For he was beautiful as day— (When day was beautiful to me 80 As to young eagles, being free)— A polar day, which will not see A sunset till its summer’s gone, Its sleepless summer of long light, The snow-clad offspring of the sun; 85 And thus he was as pure and bright, And in his natural spirit gay, With tears for nought but others’ ills, And then they flowed like mountain rills, Unless he could assuage the woe 90 Which he abhorr’d to view below. V. The other was as pure of mind, But form’d to combat with his kind; Strong in his frame, and of a mood Which ’gainst the world in war had stood, 95 And perish’d in the foremost rank With joy:—but not in chains to pine: His spirit wither’d with their clank, I saw it silently decline— And so perchance in sooth did mine; 100 But yet I forced it on to cheer Those relics of a home so dear. He was a hunter of the hills, Had follow’d there the deer and wolf; To him this dungeon was a gulf, 105 And fetter’d feet the worst of ills. VI. Lake Leman lies by Chillon’s walls: A thousand feet in depth below Its massy waters meet and flow; Thus much the fathom-line was sent 110 From Chillon’s snow-white battlement, Which round about the wave inthrals: A double dungeon wall and wave Have made and like a living grave. Below the surface of the lake 115 The dark vault lies wherein we lay, We heard it ripple night and day; Sounding o’er our heads it knock’d; And I have felt the winter’s spray Wash through the bars when winds were high, 120 And wanton in the happy sky; And then the very rock hath rock’d. And I have felt it shake, unshock’d, Because I could have smiled to see The death that would have set me free. 125 VII.