Palfreys Two; Birds Are Singing, - Let It Seem You Lure Me - And I Take You. "Let Us Start - 'Tis Eve, You See, I'm Thy Master And Thy Prey. My Bright Steed Shall Pleasure Be; Yours, It Shall Be Love, I Say. "Journeying Leisurely We Go, We Will Make Our Steeds Touch Heads, Kiss For Fodder, - And We So Satisfy Our Horses' Needs. "Come! The Two Delusive Things Stamp Impatiently It Seems, Yours Has Heavenward Soaring Wings, Mine Is Of The Land Of Dreams. "What's Our Baggage? Only Vows, Happiness, And All Our Care, And The Flower That Sweetly Shows Nestling Lightly In Your Hair. "Come, The Oaks All Dark Appear, Twilight Now Will Soon Depart, Railing Sparrows Laugh To Hear Chains Thou Puttest Round My Heart. "Not My Fault 'Twill Surely Be If The Hills Should Vocal Prove, And The Trees When Us They See, All Should Murmur - Let Us Love! "Oh, Be Gentle! - I Am Dazed, See The Dew Is On The Grass, Wakened Butterflies Amazed Follow Thee As On We Pass. "Envious Night-Birds Open Wide Their Round Eyes To Gaze Awhile, Nymphs That Lean Their Urns Beside From Their Grottoes Softly Smile, "And Exclaim, By Fancy Stirred, 'Hero And Leander They; We In Listening For A Word Let Our Water Fall Away.' "Let Us Journey Austrian Way, With The Daybreak On Our Brow; I Be Great, And You I Say Rich, Because We Love Shall Know. "Let Us Over Countries Rove, On Our Charming Steeds Content, In The Azure Light Of Love, And Its Sweet Bewilderment. "For The Charges At Our Inn, You With Maiden Smiles Shall Pay; I The Landlord'S Heart Will Win In A Scholar'S Pleasant Way. "You, Great Lady - And I, Count - Come, My Heart Has Opened Quite, We This Tale Will Still Recount, To The Stars That Shine At Night." The Melody Went On Some Moments More Among The Trees The Calm Moon Glistened O'Er, Then Trembled And Was Hushed; The Voice'S Thrill Stopped Like Alighting Birds, And All Was Still. Xii. Great Joss And Little Zeno. Quite Suddenly There Showed Across The Door, Three Heads Which All A Festive Aspect Wore. Two Men Were There; And, Dressed In Cloth Of Gold, A Woman. Of The Men One Might Have Told Some Thirty Years, The Other Younger Seemed, Was Tall And Fair, And From His Shoulder Gleamed A Gay Guitar With Ivy Leaves Enlaced. The Other Man Was Dark, But Pallid-Faced And Small. At The First Glance They Seemed To Be But Made Of Perfume And Frivolity. Handsome They Were, But Through Their Comely Mien A Grinning Demon Might Be Clearly Seen. April Has Flowers Where Lurk The Slugs Between. "Big Joss And Little Zeno, Pray Come Here; Look Now - How Dreadful! Can I Help But Fear!" Madame Mahaud Was Speaker. Moonlight There Caressingly Enhanced Her Beauty Rare, Making It Shine And Tremble, As If She So Soft And Gentle Were Of Things That Be Of Air Created, And Are Brought And Ta'En By Heavenly Flashes. Now, She Spoke Again "Certes, 'Tis Heavy Purchase Of A Throne, To Pass The Night Here Utterly Alone. Had You Not Slyly Come To Guard Me Now, I Should Have Died Of Fright Outright I Know." The Moonbeams Through The Open Door Did Fall, And Shine Upon The Figure Next The Wall. Said Zeno, "If I Played The Marquis Part, I'd Send This Rubbish To The Auction Mart; Out Of The Heap Should Come The Finest Wine, Pleasure And Gala-F'Tes, Were It All Mine." And Then With Scornful Hand He Touched The Thing, And Made The Metal Like A Soul'S Cry Ring. He Laughed - The Gauntlet Trembled At His Stroke. "Let Rest My Ancestors" - 'Twas Mahaud Spoke; Then Murmuring Added She, "For You Are Much Too Small Their Noble Armor Here To Touch." And Zeno Paled, But Joss With Laugh Exclaimed, "Why, All These Good Black Men So Grandly Named Are Only Nests For Mice. By Jove, Although They Lifelike Look And Terrible, We Know What Is Within; Just Listen, And You'll Hear The Vermins' Gnawing Teeth, Yet 'Twould Appear These Figures Once Were Proudly Named Otho, And Ottocar, And Bela, And Plato. Alas! The End'S Not Pleasant - Puts One Out; To Have Been Kings And Dukes - Made Mighty Rout - Colossal Heroes Filling Tombs With Slain, And, Madame, This To Only Now Remain; A Peaceful Nibbling Rat To Calmly Pierce A Prince'S Noble Armor Proud And Fierce." "Sing, If You Will - But Do Not Speak So Loud; Besides, Such Things As These," Said Fair Mahaud, "In Your Condition Are Not Understood." "Well Said," Made Answer Zeno, "'Tis A Place Of Wonders - I See Serpents, And Can Trace Vampires, And Monsters Swarming, That Arise In Mist, Through Chinks, To Meet The Gazer'S Eyes." Then Mahaud Shuddered, And She Said: "The Wine The Abb' Made Me Drink As Task Of Mine, Will Soon Enwrap Me In The Soundest Sleep - Swear Not To Leave Me - That You Here Will Keep." "I Swear," Cried Joss, And Zeno, "I Also; But Now At Once To Supper Let Us Go." Xiii. They Sup. With Laugh And Song They To The Table Went. Said Mahaud Gayly: "It Is My Intent To Make Joss Chamberlain. Zeno Shall Be A Constable Supreme Of High Degree." All Three Were Joyous, And Were Fair To See. Joss Ate - And Zeno Drank; On Stools The Pair, With Mahaud Musing In The Regal Chair. The Sound Of Separate Leaf We Do Not Note - And So Their Babble Seemed To Idly Float, And Leave No Thought Behind. Now And Again Joss His Guitar Made Trill With Plaintive Strain Or Tyrolean Air; And Lively Tales They Told Mingled With Mirth All Free, And Frank, And Bold. Said Mahaud: "Do You Know How Fortunate You Are?" "Yes, We Are Young At Any Rate - Lovers Half Crazy - This Is Truth At Least." "And More, For You Know Latin Like A Priest, And Joss Sings Well." "Ah, Yes, Our Master True, Yields Us These Gifts Beyond The Measure Due." "Your Master! - Who Is He?" Mahaud Exclaimed. "Satan, We Say - But Sin You'd Think Him Named," Said Zeno, Veiling Words In Raillery. "Do Not Laugh Thus," She Said With Dignity; "Peace, Zeno. Joss, You Speak, My Chamberlain." "Madame, Viridis, Countess Of Milan, Was Deemed Superb; Diana On The Mount Dazzled The Shepherd Boy; Ever We Count The Isabel Of Saxony So Fair, And Cleopatra'S Beauty All So Rare - Aspasia'S, Too, That Must With Theirs Compare - That Praise Of Them No Fitting Language Hath. Divine Was Rhodope - And Venus' Wrath Was Such At Erylesis' Perfect Throat, She Dragged Her To The Forge Where Vulcan Smote Her Beauty On His Anvil. Well, As Much As Star Transcends A Sequin, And Just Such As Temple Is To Rubbish-Heap, I Say, You Do Eclipse Their Beauty Every Way. Those Airy Sprites That From The Azure Smile, Peris And Elfs The While They Men Beguile, Have Brows Less Youthful Pure Than Yours; Besides Dishevelled They Whose Shaded Beauty Hides In Clouds." "Flatt'rer," Said Mahaud, "You But Sing Too Well." Then Joss More Homage Sought To Bring; "If I Were Angel Under Heav'N," Said He, "Or Girl Or Demon, I Would Seek To Be By You Instructed In All Art And Grace, And As In School But Take A Scholar'S Place. Highness, You Are A Fairy Bright, Whose Hand For Sceptre Vile Gave Up Your Proper Wand." Fair Mahaud Mused - Then Said, "Be Silent Now; You Seem To Watch Me; Little 'Tis I Know, Only That From Bohemia Joss Doth Come, And That In Poland Zeno Hath His Home. But You Amuse Me; I Am Rich, You Poor - What Boon Shall I Confer And Make Secure? What Gift? Ask Of Me, Poets, What You Will And I Will Grant It - Promise To Fulfil." "A Kiss," Said Joss. "A Kiss!" And Anger Fraught Amazed At Minstrel Having Such A Thought - While Flush Of Indignation Warmed Her Cheek. "You Do Forget To Whom It Is You Speak," She Cried. "Had I Not Known Your High Degree, Should I Have Asked This Royal Boon," Said He, "Obtained Or Given, A Kiss Must Ever Be. No Gift Like King'S - No Kiss Like That Of Queen!" Queen! And On Mahaud'S Face A Smile Was Seen. Xiv. After Supper. But Now The Potion Proved Its Subtle Power, And Mahaud'S Heavy Eyelids 'Gan To Lower. Zeno, With Finger On His Lip, Looked On - Her Head Next Drooped, And Consciousness Was Gone. Smiling She Slept, Serene And Very Fair, He Took Her Hand, Which Fell All Unaware. "She Sleeps," Said Zeno, "Now Let Chance Or Fate Decide For Us Which Has The Marquisate, And Which The Girl." Upon Their Faces Now A Hungry Tiger'S Look Began To Show. "My Brother, Let Us Speak Like Men Of Sense," Said Joss; "While Mahaud Dreams In Innocence, We Grasp All Here - And Hold The Foolish Thing - Our Friend Below To Us Success Will Bring. He Keeps His Word; 'Tis Thanks To Him I Say, No Awkward Chance Has Marred Our Plans To-Day. All Has Succeeded - Now No Human Power Can Take From Us This Woman And Her Dower. Let Us Conclude. To Wrangle And To Fight For Just A Yes Or No, Or To Prove Right The Arian Doctrines, All The Time The Pope Laughs In His Sleeve At You - Or With The Hope Some Blue-Eyed Damsel With A Tender Skin And Milkwhite Dainty Hands By Force To Win - This Might Be Well In Days When Men Bore Loss And Fought For Latin Or Byzantine Cross; When Jack And Rudolf Did Like Fools Contend, And For A Simple Wench Their Valor Spend - When Pepin Held A Synod At Leptine, And Times Than Now Were Much Less Wise And Fine. We Do No Longer Heap Up Quarrels Thus, But Better Know How Projects To Discuss. Have You The Needful Dice?" "Yes, Here They Wait For Us." "Who Wins Shall Have The Marquisate; Loser, The Girl." "Agreed." "A Noise I Hear?" "Only The Wind That Sounds Like Some One Near - Are You Afraid?" Said Zeno. "Naught I Fear Save Fasting - And That Solid Earth Should Gape. Let'S Throw And Fate Decide - Ere Time Escape." Then Rolled The Dice. "'Tis Four." 'Twas Joss To Throw. "Six! - And I Neatly Win, You See; And Lo! At Bottom Of This Box I'Ve Found Lusace, And Henceforth My Orchestra Will Have Place; To It They'll Dance. Taxes I'll Raise, And They In Dread Of Rope And Forfeit Well Will Pay; Brass Trumpet-Calls Shall Be My Flutes That Lead, Where Gibbets Rise The Imposts Grow And Spread." Said Zeno, "I'Ve The Girl And So Is Best," "She'S Beautiful," Said Joss. "Yes, 'Tis Confess'D." "What Shall You Do With Her?" Asked Joss. "I Know. Make Her A Corpse," Said Zeno; "Marked You How The Jade Insulted Me Just Now! Too Small She Called Me - Such The Words Her Lips Let Fall. I Say, That Moment Ere The Dice I Threw Had Yawning Hell Cried Out, 'My Son, For You The Chance Is Open Still: Take In A Heap The Fair Lusace'S Seven Towns, And Reap The Corn, And Wine, And Oil Of Counties Ten, With All Their People Diligent, And Then Bohemia With Its Silver Mines, And Now The Lofty Land Whence Mighty Rivers Flow And Not A Brook Returns; Add To These Counts The Tyrol With Its Lovely Azure Mounts And France With Her Historic Fleurs-De-Lis; Come Now, Decide, What 'Tis Your Choice Must Be?' I Should Have Answered, 'Vengeance! Give To Me Rather Than France, Bohemia, Or The Fair Blue Tyrol, I My Choice, O Hell! Declare For Government Of Darkness And Of Death, Of Grave And Worms.' Brother, This Woman Hath As Marchioness With Absurdity Set Forth To Rule O'Er Frontier Bulwarks Of The North. In Any Case To Us A Danger She, And Having Stupidly Insulted Me 'Tis Needful That She Die. To Blurt All Out - I Know That You Desire Her; Without Doubt The Flame That Rages In My Heart Warms Yours; To Carry Out These Subtle Plans Of Ours, We Have Become As Gypsies Near This Doll, You As Her Page - I Dotard To Control - Pretended Gallants Changed To Lovers Now. So, Brother, This Being Fact For Us To Know Sooner Or Later, 'Gainst Our Best Intent About Her We Should Quarrel. Evident Is It Our Compact Would Be Broken Through. There Is One Only Thing For Us To Do, And That Is, Kill Her." "Logic Very Clear," Said Musing Joss, "But What Of Blood Shed Here?" Then Zeno Stooped And Lifted From The Ground An Edge Of Carpet - Groped Until He Found A Ring, Which, Pulled, An Opening Did Disclose, With Deep Abyss Beneath; From It There Rose The Odor Rank Of Crime. Joss Walked To See While Zeno Pointed To It Silently. But Eyes Met Eyes, And Joss, Well Pleased, Was Fain By Nod Of Head To Make Approval Plain. Xv. The Oubliettes. If Sulphurous Light Had Shone From This Vile Well One Might Have Said It Was A Mouth Of Hell, So Large The Trap That By Some Sudden Blow A Man Might Backward Fall And Sink Below. Who Looked Could See A Harrow'S Threatening Teeth, But Lost In Night Was Everything Beneath. Partitions Blood-Stained Have A Reddened Smear, And Terror Unrelieved Is Master Here. One Feels The Place Has Secret Histories Replete With Dreadful Murderous Mysteries, And That This Sepulchre, Forgot To-Day, Is Home Of Trailing Ghosts That Grope Their Way Along The Walls Where Spectre Reptiles Crawl. "Our Fathers Fashioned For Us After All Some Useful Things," Said Joss; Then Zeno Spoke: "I Know What Corbus Hides Beneath Its Cloak, I And The Osprey Know The Castle Old, And What In Bygone Times The Justice Bold." "And Are You Sure That Mahaud Will Not Wake?" "Her Eyes Are Closed As Now My Fist I Make; She Is In Mystic And Unearthly Sleep; The Potion Still Its Power O'Er Her Must Keep." "But She Will Surely Wake At Break Of Day?" "In Darkness." "What Will All The Courtiers Say When In The Place Of Her They Find Two Men?" "To Them We Will Declare Ourselves - And Then They At Our Feet Will Fall." "Where Leads This Hole?" "To Where The Crow Makes Feast And Torrents Roll To Desolation. Let Us End It Now." These Young And Handsome Men Had Seemed To Grow Deformed And Hideous - So Doth Foul Black Heart Disfigure Man, Till Beauty All Depart. So To The Hell Within The Human Face Transparent Is. They Nearer Move Apace; And Mahaud Soundly Sleeps As In A Bed. "To Work." Joss Seizes Her And Holds Her Head Supporting Her Beneath Her Arms, In His; And Then He Dared To Plant A Monstrous Kiss Upon Her Rosy Lips, - While Zeno Bent Before The Massive Chair, And With Intent Her Robe Disordered As He Raised Her Feet; Her Dainty Ankles Thus Their Gaze To Meet. And While The Mystic Sleep Was All Profound, The Pit Gaped Wide Like Grave In Burial Ground. Xvi. What They Attempt Becomes Difficult. Bearing The Sleeping Mahaud They Moved Now Silent And Bent With Heavy Step And Slow. Zeno Faced Darkness - Joss Turned Towards The Light - So That The Hall To Joss Was Quite In Sight. Sudden He Stopped - And Zeno, "What Now!" Called, But Joss Replied Not, Though He Seemed Appalled, And Made A Sign To Zeno, Who With Speed Looked Back. Then Seemed They Changed To Stone Indeed. For Both Perceived That In The Vaulted Hall One Of The Grand Old Knights Ranged By The Wall Descended From His Horse. Like Phantom He Moved With A Horrible Tranquillity. Masked By His Helm Towards Them He Came; His Tread Made The Floor Tremble - And One Might Have Said A Spirit Of Th' Abyss Was Here; Between Them And The Pit He Came - A Barrier Seen; Then Said, With Sword In Hand And Visor Down, In Measured Tones That Had Sepulchral Grown As Tolling Bell, "Stop, Sigismond, And You, King Ladisl'Us;" At Those Words, Though Few, They Dropped The Marchioness, And In Such A Way That At Their Feet Like Rigid Corpse She Lay. The Deep Voice Speaking From The Visor'S Grate Proceeded - While The Two In Abject State Cowered Low. Joss Paled, By Gloom And Dread O'Ercast, And Zeno Trembled Like A Yielding Mast. "You Two Who Listen Now Must Recollect The Compact All Your Fellow-Men Suspect. 'Tis This: 'I, Satan, God Of Darkened Sphere, The King Of Gloom And Winds That Bring Things Drear, Alliance Make With My Two Brothers Dear, The Emperor Sigismond And Polish King Named Ladisl'Us. I To Surely Bring Aid And Protection To Them Both Alway, And Never To Absent Myself Or Say I'm Weary. And Yet More - I, Being Lord Of Sea And Land, To Sigismond Award The Earth; To Ladisl'Us All The Sea. With This Condition That They Yield To Me When I The Forfeit Claim - The King His Head, But Shall The Emperor Give His Soul Instead.'" Said Joss, "Is'T He? - Spectre With Flashing Eyes, And Art Thou Satan Come To Us Surprise?" "Much Less Am I And Yet Much More. Oh, Kings Of Crimes And Plots! Your Day Is O'Er, But I Your Lives Will Only Take To-Day; Beneath The Talons Black Your Souls Let Stay To Wrestle Still." The Pair Looked Stupefied And Crushed. Exchanging Looks 'Twas Zeno Cried, Speaking To Joss, "Now Who - Who Can It Be?" Joss Stammered, "Yes, No Refuge Can I See; The Doom Is On Us. But Oh, Spectre! Say Who Are You?" "I'm The Judge." "Then Mercy, Pray." The Voice Replied: "God Guides His Chosen Hand To Be Th' Avenger In Your Path To Stand. Your Hour Has Sounded, Nothing Now Indeed Can Change For You The Destiny Decreed, Irrevocable Quite. Yes, I Looked On. Ah! Little Did You Think That Any One To This Unwholesome Gloom Could Knowledge Bring That Joss A Kaiser Was, And Zeno King. You Spoke Just Now - But Why? - Too Late To Plead. The Forfeit'S Due And Hope Should All Be Dead. Incurables! For You I Am The Grave. Oh, Miserable Men! That Naught Can Save. Yes, Sigismond A Kaiser Is, And You A King, O Ladisl'Us! - It Is True. You Thought Of God But As A Wheel To Roll Your Chariot On; You Who Have King'S Control O'Er Poland And Its Many Towns So Strong. You, Milan'S Duke, To Whom At Once Belong The Gold And Iron Crowns. You, Emperor Made By Rome, A Son Of Hercules 'Tis Said; And You Of Spartibor. And Your Two Crowns Are Shining Lights; And Yet Your Shadow Frowns From Every Mountain Land To Trembling Sea. You Are At Giddy Heights Twin Powers To Be A Glory And A Force For All That'S Great - But 'Neath The Purple Canopy Of State, Th' Expanding And Triumphant Arch You Prize, 'Neath Royal Power That Sacred Veils Disguise, Beneath Your Crowns Of Pearls And Jewelled Stars, Beneath Your Exploits Terrible And Wars, You, Sigismond, Have But A Monster Been, And, Ladisl'Us, You Are Scoundrel Seen. Oh, Degradation Of The Sceptre'S Might And Swords - When Justice Has A Hand Like Night, Foul And Polluted; And Before This Thing, This Hydra, Do The Temple'S Hinges Swing - The Throne Becomes The Haunt Of All Things Base Oh, Age Of Infamy And Foul Disgrace! Oh, Starry Heavens Looking On The Shame, No Brow But Reddens With Resentful Flame - And Yet The Silent People Do Not Stir! Oh, Million Arms! What Things Do You Deter - Poor Sheep, Whom Vermin-Majesties Devour, Have You Not Nails With Strong Desiring Power To Rend These Royalties, That You So Cower? But Two Are Taken, - Such As Will Amaze E'En Hell Itself, When It On Them Shall Gaze. Ah, Sigismond And Ladisl'Us, You Were Once Triumphant, Splendid To The View, Stifling With Your Prosperity - But Now The Hour Of Retribution Lays You Low. Ah, Do The Vulture And The Crocodile Shed Tears! At Such A Sight I Fain Must Smile. It Seems To Me 'Tis Very Good Sometimes That Princes, Conquerors Stained With Bandits' Crimes, Sparkling With Splendor, Wearing Crowns Of Gold, Should Know The Deadly Sweat Endured Of Old, That Of Jehoshaphat; Should Sob And Fear, And After Crime Th' Unclean Be Brought To Bear. 'Tis Well - God Rules - And Thus It Is That I These Masters Of The World Can Make To Lie In Ashes At My Feet. And This Was He Who Reigned - And This A Caesar Known To Be! In Truth, My Old Heart Aches With Very Shame To See Such Cravens With Such Noble Name. But Let Us Finish - What Has Just Passed Here Demands Thick Shrouding, And The Time Is Near. Th' Accursed Dice That Rolled At Calvary You Rolled A Woman'S Murder To Decree It Was A Dark Disastrous Game To Play; But Not For Me A Moral To Essay. This Moment To The Misty Grave Is Due, And Far Too Vile And Little Human You To See Your Evil Ways. Your Fingers Lack The Human Power Your Shocking Deeds To Track. What Use In Darkness Mirror To Uphold? What Use Your Doings To Be Now Retold? Drink Of The Darkness - Greedy Of The Ill To Which From Habit You're Attracted Still, Not Recognizing In The Draught You Take The Stench That Your Atrocities Must Make. I Only Tell You That This Burdened Age Tires Of Your Highnesses, That Soil Its Page, And Of Your Villanies - And This Is Why You Now Must Swell The Stream That Passes By Of Refuse Filth. Oh, Horrid Scene To Show Of These Young Men And That Young Girl Just Now! Oh! Can You Really Be Of Human Kind Breathing Pure Air Of Heaven? Do We Find That You Are Men? Oh, No! For When You Laid Foul Lips Upon The Mouth Of Sleeping Maid, You Seemed But Ghouls That Had Come Furtively From Out The Tombs; Only A Horrid Lie Your Human Shape; Of Some Strange Frightful Beast You Have The Soul. To Darkness I At Least Remit You Now. Oh, Murderer Sigismond And Ladisl'Us Pirate, Both Beyond Release - Two Demons That Have Broken Ban! Therefore 'Tis Time Their Empire Over Man And Converse With The Living, Should Be O'Er; Tyrants, Behold Your Tomb Your Eyes Before; Vampires And Dogs, Your Sepulchre Is Here. Enter." He Pointed To The Gulf So Near. All Terrified Upon Their Knees They Fell. "Oh! Take Us Not In Your Dread Realm To Dwell," Said Sigismond. "But, Phantom! Do Us Tell What Thou Wouldst Have From Us - We Will Obey. Oh, Mercy! - 'Tis For Mercy Now We Pray." "Behold Us At Your Feet, Oh, Spectre Dread!" And No Old Crone In Feebler Voice Could Plead Than Ladisl'Us Did. But Not A Word Said Now The Figure Motionless, With Sword In Hand. This Sovereign Soul Seemed To Commune With Self Beneath His Metal Sheath; Yet Soon And Suddenly, With Tranquil Voice Said He, "Princes, Your Craven Spirit Wearies Me. No Phantom - Only Man Am I. Arise! I Like Not To Be Dreaded Otherwise Than With The Fear To Which I'm Used; Know Me, For It Is Eviradnus That You See!" Xvii. The Club. As From The Mist A Noble Pine We Tell Grown Old Upon The Heights Of Appenzel, When Morning Freshness Breathes Round All The Wood, So Eviradnus Now Before Them Stood, Opening His Visor, Which At Once Revealed The Snowy Beard It Had So Well Concealed. Thin Sigismond Was Still As Dog At Gaze, But Ladisl'Us Leaped, And Howl Did Raise, And Laughed And Gnashed His Teeth, Till, Like A Cloud That Sudden Bursts, His Rage Was All Avowed. "'Tis But An Old Man After All!" He Cried. Then The Great Knight, Who Looked At Both, Replied, "Oh, Kings! An Old Man Of My Time Can Cope With Two Much Younger Ones Of Yours, I Hope. To Mortal Combat I Defy You Both Singly; Or, If You Will, I'm Nothing Loth With Two Together To Contend; Choose Here From Out The Heap What Weapon Shall Appear Most Fit. As You No Cuirass Wear, I See, I Will Take Off My Own, For All Must Be In Order Perfect - E'En Your Punishment." Then Eviradnus, True To His Intent, Stripped To His Utrecht Jerkin; But The While He Calmly Had Disarmed - With Dexterous Guile Had Ladisl'Us Seized A Knife That Lay Upon The Damask Cloth, And Slipped Away His Shoes; Then Barefoot, Swiftly, Silently He Crept Behind The Knight, With Arm Held High. But Eviradnus Was Of All Aware, And Turned Upon The Murderous Weapon There, And Twisted It Away; Then In A Trice His Strong Colossal Hand Grasped Like A Vice The Neck Of Ladisl'Us, Who The Blade Now Dropped; Over His Eyes A Misty Shade Showed That The Royal Dwarf Was Near To Death. "Traitor!" Said Eviradnus In His Wrath, "I Rather Should Have Hewn Your Limbs Away, And Left You Crawling On Your Stumps, I Say, - But Now Die Fast." Ghastly, With Starting Eyes, The King Without A Cry Or Struggle Dies. One Dead - But Lo! The Other Stands Bold-Faced, Defiant; For The Knight, When He Unlaced His Cuirass, Had His Trusty Sword Laid Down, And Sigismond Now Grasps It As His Own. The Monster-Youth Laughed At The Silv'Ry Beard, And, Sword In Hand, A Murderer Glad Appeared. Crossing His Arms, He Cried, "'Tis My Turn Now!" And The Black Mounted Knights In Solemn Row Were Judges Of The Strife. Before Them Lay The Sleeping Mahaud - And Not Far Away The Fatal Pit, Near Which The Champion Knight With Evil Emperor Must Contend For Right, Though Weaponless He Was. And Yawned The Pit Expectant Which Should Be Engulfed In It. "Now We Shall See For Whom This Ready Grave," Said Sigismond, "You Dog, Whom Naught Can Save!" Aware Was Eviradnus That If He Turned For A Blade Unto The Armory, He Would Be Instant Pierced - What Can He Do? The Moment Is For Him Supreme. But, Lo! He Glances Now At Ladisl'Us Dead, And With A Smile Triumphant And Yet Dread, And Air Of Lion Caged To Whom Is Shown Some Loophole Of Escape, He Bends Him Down. "Ha! Ha! No Other Club Than This I Need!" He Cried, As Seizing In His Hands With Speed The Dead King'S Heels, The Body Lifted High, Then To The Frightened Emperor He Came Nigh, And Made Him Shake With Horror And With Fear, The Weapon All So Ghastly Did Appear. The Head Became The Stone To This Strange Sling, Of Which The Body Was The Potent String; And While 'Twas Brandished In A Deadly Way, The Dislocated Arms Made Monstrous Play With Hideous Gestures, As Now Upside Down The Bludgeon Corpse A Giant Force Had Grown. "'Tis Well!" Said Eviradnus, And He Cried, "Arrange Between Yourselves, You Two Allied; If Hell-Fire Were Extinguished, Surely It By Such A Contest Might Be All Relit; From Kindling Spark Struck Out From Dead King'S Brow, Batt'Ring To Death A Living Emperor Now." And Sigismond, Thus Met And Horrified, Recoiled To Near The Unseen Opening Wide; The Human Club Was Raised, And Struck Again * * * And Eviradnus Did Alone Remain All Empty-Handed - But He Heard The Sound Of Spectres Two Falling To Depths Profound; Then, Stooping O'Er The Pit, He Gazed Below, And, As Half-Dreaming Now, He Murmured Low, "Tiger And Jackal Meet Their Portion Here, 'Tis Well Together They Should Disappear!" Xviii. Daybreak. Then Lifts He Mahaud To The Ducal Chair, And Shuts The Trap With Noiseless, Gentle Care; And Puts In Order Everything Around, So That, On Waking, Naught Should Her Astound. "No Drop Of Blood The Thing Has Cost," Mused He, "And That Is Best Indeed." But Suddenly Some Distant Bells Clang Out. The Mountains Gray Have Scarlet Tips, Proclaiming Dawning Day; The Hamlets Are Astir, And Crowds Come Out - Bearing Fresh Branches Of The Broom - About To Seek Their Lady, Who Herself Awakes Rosy As Morn, Just When The Morning Breaks; Half-Dreaming Still, She Ponders, Can It Be Some Mystic Change Has Passed, For Her To See One Old Man In The Place Of Two Quite Young! Her Wondering Eyes Search Carefully And Long. It May Be She Regrets The Change: Meanwhile, The Valiant Knight Salutes Her With A Smile, And Then Approaching Her With Friendly Mien, Says, "Madam, Has Your Sleep All Pleasant Been?" Mrs. Newton Crosland.