Between The Dark And The Daylight, When The Night Is Beginning To Lower, Comes A Pause In The Day'S Occupations, That Is Known As The Children'S Hour. I Hear In The Chamber Above Me The Patter Of Little Feet, The Sound Of A Door That Is Opened, And Voices Soft And Sweet. From My Study I See In The Lamplight, Descending The Broad Hall Stair, Grave Alice, And Laughing Allegra, And Edith With Golden Hair. A Whisper, And Then A Silence: Yet I Know By Their Merry Eyes They Are Plotting And Planning Together To Take Me By Surprise. A Sudden Rush From The Stairway, A Sudden Raid From The Hall! By Three Doors Left Unguarded They Enter My Castle Wall! They Climb Up Into My Turret O'Er The Arms And Back Of My Chair; If I Try To Escape, They Surround Me; They Seem To Be Everywhere. They Almost Devour Me With Kisses, Their Arms About Me Entwine, Till I Think Of The Bishop Of Bingen In His Mouse-Tower On The Rhine! Do You Think, O Blue-Eyed Banditti, Because You Have Scaled The Wall, Such An Old Mustache As I Am Is Not A Match For You All! I Have You Fast In My Fortress, And Will Not Let You Depart, But Put You Down Into The Dungeon In The Round-Tower Of My Heart. And There Will I Keep You Forever, Yes, Forever And A Day, Till The Walls Shall Crumble To Ruin, And Moulder In Dust Away!