Follow'd: the king replied not: Cyril said:

"Your brother, Lady, Florian, ask for him

Of your great head

for he is wounded too

295 That you may tend upon him with the prince."

"Ay so," said Ida with a bitter smile,

"Our laws are broken: let him enter too."

Then Violet, she that sang the mournful song, And had a cousin tumbled on the plain, 300 Petition'd too for him. "Ay so," she said, "I stagger in the stream: I cannot keep My heart an eddy from the brawling hour: We break our laws with ease, but let it be."

"Ay so?" said Blanche: "Amazed am I to hear 305 Your Highness: but your Highness breaks with ease The law your Highness did not make: 'twas I.

310

I had been wedded wife, I knew mankind,

And block'd them out; but these men came to woo
Your Highness- verily I think to win."

So she, and turn'd askance a wintry eye:
But Ida with a voice, that like a bell
Toll'd by an earthquake in a trembling tower,
Rang ruin, answer'd full of grief and scorn.

"Fling our doors wide! all, all, not one, but all,

315 Not only he, but by my mother's soul,
Whatever man lies wounded, friend or foe,
Shall enter, if he will. Let our girls flit,
Till the storm die! but had you stood by us,
The roar that breaks the Pharos from his base
320 Had left us rock. She fain would sting us too,
But shall not. Pass, and mingle with your likes.
We brook no further insult but are gone."

She turn'd; the very nape of her white neck
Was rosed with indignation: but the Prince

325 Her brother came; the king her father charm'd Her wounded soul with words: nor did mine own Refuse her proffer, lastly gave his hand.

Then us they lifted up, dead weights, and bare Straight to the doors: to them the doors gave way 330 Groaning, and in the Vestal entry shriek'd

The virgin marble under iron heels:

And on they moved and gain'd the hall, and there Rested but great the crush was, and each base, To left and right, of those tall columns drown'd 335 In silken fluctuation and the swarm

Of female whisperers: at the further end
Was Ida by the throne, the two great cats
Close by her, like supporters on a shield,
Bow-back'd with fear: but in the center stood
340 The common men with rolling eyes; amazed
They glared upon the women, and aghast
The women stared at these, all silent, save
When armour clash'd or jingled, while the day,
Descending, struck athwart the hall, and shot
345 A flying splendour out of brass and steel,

That o'er the statues leapt from head to head,
Now fired an angry Pallas on the helm,
Now set a wrathful Dian's moon on flame,
And now and then an echo started up,

350 And shuddering fled from room to room, and died Of fright in far apartments.

Then the voice

Of Ida sounded, issuing ordinance :

And me they bore up the broad stairs, and thro' The long-laid galleries past a hundred doors 355 To one deep chamber shut from sound, and due To languid limbs and sickness; left me in it; And others everywhere they laid; and all

That afternoon a sound arose of hoof

And chariot, many a maiden passing home 360 Till happier times; but some were left of those Held sagest, and the great lords out and in,

From those two hosts that lay beside the walls, Walk'd at their will, and everything was changed.

"Ask me no more: thy fate and mine are seal'd: I strove against the stream and all in vain."