The Standard Bearer: What do you see?
The Subaltern: Nothing. The mountain shuts off the view on this side.
The Second Subaltern: Why is it that the King did not take his standard with him?
The Standard Bearer: I do not know for till to-day I always stood at his side, when, at the crisis of the battle, he mounted on his horse,
Holding the banner on which is shown the black and terrible eagle
That soars towards the sun with the corpse of a man in his talons.
And the sun one does not see, but all the banner is of the color of gold.
But to-day he bade me remain behind at the place that commands the deep defile
And wait till he returned or gave the signal.
The First Subaltern: The standard hangs without movement upon its staff.