My bridegroom answered in his turn, Myself had almost answered "Yea When through the flashing nave I heard A struggle and resounding "Nay," Bridesmaids and bridegroom shrank in fear, But I stood high who stood at bay: "And if I answer yea, fair sir, What man art thou to bar with nay?" He was a strong man from the north, Light-locked, with eyes of dangerous grey: "Put yea by for another time In which I will not say thee nay." He took me in his strong white arms, He bore me on his horse away O'er crag, morass, and hair-breadth pass, But never asked me yea or nay. He made me fast with book and bell, With links of love he makes me stay; Till now I've neither heart nor power Nor will nor wish to say him nay. ----Christina Rossetti. MAUDE CLARE [Illustration: 0300] |Out of the church she followed them With a lofty step and mien: His bride was like a village maid, Maude Clare was like a queen. "Son Thomas," his lady mother said, With smiles, almost with tears: "May Nell and you but live as true As we have done for years; "Your father thirty years ago Had just your tale to tell; But he was not so pale as you, Nor I so pale as Nell." 6 My lord was pale with inward strife, And Nell was pale with pride; My lord gazed long on pale Maude Clare Or ever he kissed the bride. "Lo, I have brought my gift, my lord, Have brought my gift," she said: "To bless the hearth, to bless the board, To bless the marriage-bed. "Here's my half of the golden chain You wore about your neck, That day we waded ankle-deep For lilies in the beck: "Here's my half of the faded leaves We plucked from budding bough, With feet among the lily leaves,-- The lilies are budding now." He strove to match her scorn with scorn, He faltered in his place; "Lady," he said,--"Maude Clare," he said,-- "Maude Clare:"--and hid his face. She turn'd to Nell: "My Lady Nell, I have a gift for you; Though, were it fruit, the bloom were gone, Or, were it flowers, the dew. "Take my share of a fickle heart, Mine of a paltry love: Take it or leave it as you will, I wash my hands thereof." "And what you leave," said Nell, "I'll take, And what you spurn, I'll wear; For he's my lord for better and worse, And him I love, Maude Clare. "Yea, though you re taller by the head, More wise, and much more fair; I'll love him till he loves me best, Me best of all, Maude Clare." ----Christina Rossetti. [Illustration: 0302] THE SEVEN FIDDLERS |A blue robe on their shoulder, And an ivory bow in hand, Seven fiddlers came with their fiddles A-fiddling through the land, And they fiddled a tune on their fiddles That none could understand. For none who heard their fiddling Might keep his ten toes still,