The dame passes out, and swiftly down the streets of Camelot, where she seeks, and finds, the needed bread, and hastens back--but all too late, alas! for Sir Tray lay prone upon the hearth, and neither breathed nor stirred:-- "Dead?" said the Dame, while louder wailed Elaine; "I see," she said, "thy fasts were all too long, Thy commons all too short, which shortened thus Thy days, tho' thou mightst still have cheered mine age Had I but timelier to the city wonned. Thither I must again, and that right soon, For now 'tis meet we lap thee in a shroud, And lay thee in the vault by Astolat, Where faithful Tray shall by Sir Hubbard lie." Up a by-lane the undertaker dwelt; There day by day he plied his merry trade, And all his undertakings undertook: Erst knight of Arthur's Court, _Sir Waldgrave_ hight, A gruesome carle who hid his jests in gloom, And schooled his lid to counterfeit a tear. With cheerful hammer he a coffin tapt, While hollow, hollow, hollow rang the wood, And, as he sawed and hammered, thus he sang-- Wood, hammer, nails, ye build a house for him, Nails, hammer, wood, ye build a house for me, Paying the rent, the taxes, and the rates. I plant a human acorn in the ground, And therefrom straightway springs a goodly tree, Budding for me in bread and beer and beef. O Life, dost thou bring Death or Death bring thee? Which of the twain is bringer, which the brought? Since men must die that other men may live. O Death, for me thou plump'st thine hollow cheeks, Mak'st of thine antic grin a pleasant smile, And prank'st full gaily in thy winding sheet. Yet am I but the henwife's favourite chick, Pampered but doomed; and, in the sequel sure, Death will the Undertaker overtake." Thus to Sir Waldgrade the Dame recounts her loss:-- "Sir Tray that with me dwelt, Lies on my lonely hearthstone stark and stiff; Wagless the tail that waved to welcome me." Here Waldgrave interposed in sepulchral tones-- "Oft have I noted, when the jest went round, Sad 'twas to see the wag forget his tale-- Sadder to see the tail forget its wag." The description of the coffin follows, and, lastly, after sundry vicissitudes (including a visit to the hatter's), the dame returned-- "Home through the darksome wold, and raised the latch, And marked, full lighted by the ingle-glow, Sir Tray, with spoon in hand, and cat on knee, Spattering the mess about the chaps of Puss." * * * * * SIR EGGNOGG.