And William’s Mary, and Mary, Queen of Scots, And consort-queens whose names oblivion blots; And several more whose chronicle one sees Adorning ancient royal pedigrees. —Now, as they drowsed on, freed from Life’s old thrall, And heedless, save of things exceptional, Said one: “What means this throbbing thudding sound That reaches to us here from overground; “A sound of chisels, augers, planes, and saws, Infringing all ecclesiastic laws? “And these tons-weight of timber on us pressed, Unfelt here since we entered into rest? “Surely, at least to us, being corpses royal, A meet repose is owing by the loyal?” “—Perhaps a scaffold!” Mary Stuart sighed, “If such still be. It was that way I died.” “—Ods! Far more like,” said he the many-wived, “That for a wedding ’tis this work’s contrived. “Ha-ha! I never would bow down to Rimmon, But I had a rare time with those six women!” “Not all at once?” gasped he who loved confession. “Nay, nay!” said Hal. “That would have been transgression.” “—They build a catafalque here, black and tall, Perhaps,” mused Richard, “for some funeral?” And Anne chimed in: “Ah, yes: it maybe so!” “Nay!” squeaked Eliza. “Little you seem to know— “Clearly ’tis for some crowning here in state, As they crowned us at our long bygone date; “Though we’d no such a power of carpentry, But let the ancient architecture be; “If I were up there where the parsons sit, In one of my gold robes, I’d see to it!” “But you are not,” Charles chuckled. “You are here, And never will know the sun again, my dear!” “Yea,” whispered those whom no one had addressed; “With slow, sad march, amid a folk distressed, We were brought here, to take our dusty rest. “And here, alas, in darkness laid below, We’ll wait and listen, and endure the show . . . Clamour dogs kingship; afterwards not so!” 1911. AQUAE SULIS THE chimes called midnight, just at interlune, And the daytime talk of the Roman investigations Was checked by silence, save for the husky tune The bubbling waters played near the excavations. And a warm air came up from underground, And a flutter, as of a filmy shape unsepulchred, That collected itself, and waited, and looked around: Nothing was seen, but utterances could be heard: Those of the goddess whose shrine was beneath the pile Of the God with the baldachined altar overhead: “And what did you get by raising this nave and aisle Close on the site of the temple I tenanted? “The notes of your organ have thrilled down out of view To the earth-clogged wrecks of my edifice many a year, Though stately and shining once—ay, long ere you Had set up crucifix and candle here.