"I've a yearning for thee in my heart That almost makes me weep, For as I pass'd from town to town The folks were all stone-asleep,-- But when I saw thee sitting aloft, It made me both laugh and leap!" XII. Now a curse (I thought) be on his love, And a curse upon his mirth,-- An it were not for that beggar man I'd be the King of the earth,-- But I promis'd myself, an hour should come To make him rue his birth!-- XIII. So down we sat and bons'd again Till the sun was in mid-sky, When, just as the gentle west-wind came, We hearken'd a dismal cry: "Up, up, on the tree," quoth the beggar man, "Till those horrible dogs go by!" XIV. And, lo! from the forest's far-off skirts, They came all yelling for gore, A hundred hounds pursuing at once, And a panting hart before, Till he sunk adown at the gallows' foot, And there his haunches they tore! XV. His haunches they tore, without a horn To tell when the chase was done; And there was not a single scarlet coat To flaunt it in the sun!-- I turn'd, and look'd at the beggar man, And his tears dropt one by one! XVI. And with curses sore he chid at the hounds, Till the last dropt out of sight, Anon saith he, "Let's down again, And ramble for our delight, For the world's all free, and we may choose A right cozie barn for to-night!" XVII. With that, he set up his staff on end, And it fell with the point due West; So we far'd that way to a city great, Where the folks had died of the pest-- It was fine to enter in house and hall, Wherever it liked me best!-- XVIII. For the porters all were stiff and cold, And could not lift their heads; And when we came where their masters lay, The rats leapt out of the beds:-- The grandest palaces in the land Were as free as workhouse sheds. XIX. But the beggar man made a mumping face, And knocked at every gate: It made me curse to hear how he whined, So our fellowship turn'd to hate, And I bade him walk the world by himself, For I scorn'd so humble a mate! XX. So _he_ turn'd right and _I_ turn'd left, As if we had never met; And I chose a fair stone house for myself, For the city was all to let; And for three brave holydays drank my fill Of the choicest that I could get. XXI. And because my jerking was coarse and worn, I got me a properer vest; It was purple velvet, stitch'd o'er with gold, And a shining star at the breast,-- 'Twas enough to fetch old Joan from her grave To see me so purely drest!-- XXII. But Joan was dead and under the mould, And every buxom lass; In vain I watch'd, at the window pane, For a Christian soul to pass;-- But sheep and kine wander'd up the street, And brows'd on the new-come grass.-- XXIII. When lo! I spied the old beggar man, And lustily he did sing!-- His rags were lapp'd in a scarlet cloak, And a crown he had like a King; So he stept right up before my gate And danc'd me a saucy fling! XXIV.