legend of the border knight.
91
Trouble and danger thou art bound to see,
Ere again Sir Jasper shall gaze on me.
Twice shall ye mingle on border fray,
Ere by thy hand shall fall Sir Lionel Gray.
Quailest thou frail mortal?—if to thee I show
My wild weird dwelling in the earth below."
"Aye," quoth Sir Jasper stepping to her side,
"I fear not whether weal or woe betide!"
Swift thro' the yawning earth the two descend,
And sky and river into darkness blend.
It was but a moment when to his sight
There burst a wild pale flickering light.
Clearly through the cavern's high vaulted halls,
This song was borne along its mystic walls,—
Ere again Sir Jasper shall gaze on me.
Twice shall ye mingle on border fray,
Ere by thy hand shall fall Sir Lionel Gray.
Quailest thou frail mortal?—if to thee I show
My wild weird dwelling in the earth below."
"Aye," quoth Sir Jasper stepping to her side,
"I fear not whether weal or woe betide!"
Swift thro' the yawning earth the two descend,
And sky and river into darkness blend.
It was but a moment when to his sight
There burst a wild pale flickering light.
Clearly through the cavern's high vaulted halls,
This song was borne along its mystic walls,—
"'Tis given unto thee frail mortal,
On our deep spirits' home to gaze;—
Mark, sir knight, what ye shall behold,
Within the mystic altar's blaze.
Oh! fear not our gift of Hilderbrand,
He ne'er can do a harm to thee;
If the golden reins are sever'd,
Woeful alas! that hour will be."
On our deep spirits' home to gaze;—
Mark, sir knight, what ye shall behold,
Within the mystic altar's blaze.
Oh! fear not our gift of Hilderbrand,
He ne'er can do a harm to thee;
If the golden reins are sever'd,
Woeful alas! that hour will be."
Ceased this wild song in trembling accents drear,
A cloud of dusky vapour roll'd aside,
A cloud of dusky vapour roll'd aside,
