TRUE BALLAD OF THE KING'S SINGER.
41
They wrenched the bolts; unrumpled stood
The princely bed all silken fine,
Untouched the plates of royal food,
The flask of royal wine!
The princely bed all silken fine,
Untouched the plates of royal food,
The flask of royal wine!
The costly robes strewn on the floor,
The chamber empty, ghastly still;
The guards stood trembling at the door,
And dared not cross the sill.
The chamber empty, ghastly still;
The guards stood trembling at the door,
And dared not cross the sill.
All night the sentinels their round
Had kept. No man could pass that way.
The window dizzy high from ground;
Below, the deep moat lay.
Had kept. No man could pass that way.
The window dizzy high from ground;
Below, the deep moat lay.
They crossed themselves. "The foul fiend lurks
In this," they said. They did not know
The miracles sweet Freedom works,
To let her children go.
In this," they said. They did not know
The miracles sweet Freedom works,
To let her children go.
It was the fiend himself who took
That shepherd's shape to pipe and sing;
And every man with terror shook,
For who would tell the king!
That shepherd's shape to pipe and sing;
And every man with terror shook,
For who would tell the king!
The heads of men all innocent
Rolled in the dust that day;
And east and west the bloodhounds went,
Baying their dreadful bay;
Rolled in the dust that day;
And east and west the bloodhounds went,
Baying their dreadful bay;
Safe on a snow too far, too high,
For scent of dogs or feet of men,
The shepherd watched the clouds sail by,
And dreamed and sang again;
For scent of dogs or feet of men,
The shepherd watched the clouds sail by,
And dreamed and sang again;
