And the bright clouds that circled the fair sun 21 Melt in the azure of the mellowing sky; Then hark again the human hunt begun, The ringing hoof, the hunter's cheering cry; Round and around by sand, and cave, and steep, The doubtful ban-dogs, undulating, sweep: At length, one windeth where the wave hath left 22 The unguarded portals of the gorge, and there Far-wandering halts; and from a rocky cleft Spreads his keen nostril to the whispering air; Then, with trail'd ears, moves cowering o'er the ground, The deep bay booming breaks:--the scent is found. Hound answers hound--along the dank ravine 23 Pours the fresh wave of spears and tossing plumes; On--on; and now the idol-shrine obscene The dying pine-brand flickeringly illumes; The dogs go glancing through the the shafts of stone, Trample the altar, hurtle round the throne: Where the lone priest had watch'd, they pause awhile; 24 Then forth, hard breathing, down the gorge they swoop; Soon the swart woods that close the far defile Gleam with the shimmer of the steel-clad troop: Glinting through leaves--now bright'ning through the glade, Now lost, dispersed amidst the matted shade. Foremost rode Harold, on a matchless steed, 25 Whose sire from Afric's coast a sea-king bore, And gave the Mercian, as his noblest meed, When (beardless yet) to Norway's Runic shore, Against a common foe, the Saxon Thane Led three tall ships, and loosed them on the Dane: Foremost he rode, and on his mailed breast 26 Cranch'd the strong branches of the groaning oak. Hark, with full peal, as suddenly supprest, Behind, the ban-dog's choral joy-cry broke! Led by the note, he turns him back, to reach, Near the wood's marge, a solitary beech. Clear space spreads round it for a rood or more; 27 Where o'er the space the feathering branches bend, The dogs, wedg'd close, with jaws that drip with gore, Growl o'er the carcass of the wolf they rend. Shamed at their lord's rebuke, they leave the feast-- Scent the fresh foot-track of the idol-priest; And, track by track, deep, deeper through the maze, 28 Slowly they go--the watchful earl behind. Here the soft earth a recent hoof betrays; And still a footstep near the hoof they find;-- So on, so on--the pathway spreads more large, And daylight rushes on the forest marge. The dogs bound emulous; but, snarling, shrink 29 Back at the anger of the earl's quick cry;-- Near a small water spring, had paused to drink A man half clad, who now, with kindling eye And lifted knife, roused by the hostile sounds, Plants his firm foot, and fronts the glaring hounds.