She listen'd with a flitting blush,

With downcast eyes and modest grace:
For well she knew, I could not choose
But gaze upon her face.

12

I told her of the Knight that wore
Upon his shield a burning brand,
And how for ten long years he woo'd
The Ladie of the Land:

13

I told her, how he pin'd, and ah!
The deep, the low, the pleading tone,
With which I sang another's love,
Interpreted my own!

14

She listen'd with a flitting blush,
With downcast eyes and modest grace.
And she forgave me, that I gaz'd
Too fondly on her face!

37 sad] soft MSS. (1, 2). doleful] mournful erased MS. (1).

And MS. (2). 41-4

rude] wild erased MS. (1).

With flitting Blush and downcast eyes,
In modest melancholy grace

The Maiden stood: perchance I gaz'd

40

Too fondly on her face. Erased MS. (1). 49 Igaz'd and when I sang of love MS. (1). With flitting Blush and downcast eyes

45-8 om. MS. (1). 53-6

15

But when I told the cruel scorn,

That craz'd this bold and lovely Knight:
And how he roam'd the mountain woods,
Nor rested day or night;

16

And how he cross'd the Woodman's paths,
Thro' briars and swampy mosses beat;
How boughs rebounding scourg'd his limbs,
And low stubs gor'd his feet.

17

How sometimes from the savage den,
And sometimes from the darksome shade,
And sometimes starting up at once,
In green and sunny glade;

18

There came and look'd him in the face
An Angel beautiful and bright,
And how he knew it was a Fiend,
This mis'rable Knight!

19

And how, unknowing what he did,
He leapt amid a lawless band,

And sav'd from outrage worse than death
The Ladie of the Land.

20

And how she wept, and clasp'd his knees,
And how she tended him in vain,

And meekly strove to expiate

The scorn that craz'd his brain;

57 told] sang MS. (1). 59 roam'd] cross'd MS. (1).

MS. (1).

Trees MS. (1).

69-72

60

65

75

80

60 or] nor

65 How sometimes from the hollow

61-4 om. MS. (1).

look'd

There came and star'd him in the face
An[d] Angel beautiful and bright,
And how he knew it was a fiend

And yell'd with strange affright. MS. (1).
77 clasp'd] kiss'd MS. (1).

74 lawless] murderous MS. (1). meekly] how she MS. (1).

79

21

And how she nurs'd him in a cave;
And how his madness went away,
When on the yellow forest leaves
A dying man he lay ;

22

His dying words-but when I reach'd
That tenderest strain of all the ditty,
My fault'ring voice and pausing harp
Disturb'd her soul with pity.

23

All impulses of soul and sense

Had thrill'd my guiltless Genevieve-
The music and the doleful tale,

The rich and balmy eve;

24

And hopes and fears that kindle hope,
An undistinguishable throng;

And gentle wishes long subdu'd,
Subdu'd and cherish'd long.

25

She wept with pity and delight

She blush'd with love and maiden shame,

And like the murmurs of a dream,

I heard her breathe my name.

87 fault'ring] trembling MS. (1) erased. MS. (1).

Between 96 and 97

midnight

90 guiltless] guileless

And while
While Fancy like the nuptial Torch
That bends and rises in the wind
Lit up with wild and broken lights

The Tumult of her mind. MS. (1) erased.
And like the murmur of a dream MSS. (1, 2).
And in a murmur faint and sweet MS. (1) erased.
She-half-pronounced my name.

She breathed her Lover's name. MS. (1) erased.

26

I saw her bosom heave and swell,
Heave and swell with inward sighs—
I could not choose but love to see
Her gentle bosom rise

27

Her wet cheek glow'd; she stept aside,
As conscious of my look she stept;
Then suddenly, with tim'rous eye,
She flew to me, and wept;

28

She half-inclos'd me with her arms-
She press'd me with a meek embrace;
And, bending back her head, look'd up,
And gaz'd upon my face.

29

"Twas partly love, and partly fear,
And partly 'twas a bashful art,

That I might rather feel than see,
The swelling of her heart.

And ah! the bashful Maiden mark'd

The wanderings of my eye [s] MS. (1) erased.

105-8 om. MS. (1). 105 cheek] cheeks MS. (2). 108 flew] fled MS. (9).

109-16

Or

side

And closely to my heart she press'd

And ask'd me with her swimming eyes

might

That I would rather feel than see

Her gentle Bosom rise.

side

And closely to my heart she press'd
And closer still with bashful art-
That I might rather feel than see

The swelling of her Heart. MS. (1) erased.

III And] Then MS. (2) erased.

30

I calm'd her fears, and she was calm,
And told her love with virgin pride;
And so I won my Genevieve,

My bright and beaut'ous bride.

31

And now once more a tale of woe,
A woeful tale of love, I sing:
For thee, my Genevieve! it sighs,
And trembles on the string.

32

120

When last I sang the cruel scorn

125

That craz'd this bold and lonely Knight,

And how he roam'd the mountain woods,
Nor rested day or night;

33

I promis'd thee a sister tale

Of Man's perfidious cruelty:

130

Come, then, and hear what cruel wrong
Befel the Dark Ladie.

End of the Introduction.

117

And now serene, serene and chaste

But soon in calm and solemn tone MS. (1) erased.

118 And] She MS. (1) erased. virgin] maiden MSS. (1, 2).

bright] dear MS. (1) erased.

125-8

beaut'ous] lovely MS. (1) erased.

When last I sang of Him whose heart

Was broken by a woman's scorn

And how he cross'd the mountain woods

All frantic and forlorn MS. (1).

129 sister] moving MS. (1). 131 wrong] wrongs MS. (1). Ladie] Ladié MS. (1). After 132 The Dark Ladie.

MS. (1).

120

132