Four times fifty living men,
(And I heard nor sigh nor groan)
With heavy thump, a lifeless lump,
They dropped down one by one.
But Life-in-Death begins her work on the ancient Mariner.
The souls did from their bodies fly,— [220]
They fled to bliss or woe!
And every soul, it passed me by,
Like the whizz of my cross-bow!
The Wedding-Guest feareth that a Spirit is talking to him;
'I fear thee, ancient Mariner!
I fear thy skinny hand! 225
And thou art long, and lank, and brown,
As is the ribbed sea-sand.[196:1]
But the ancient Mariner assureth him of his bodily life, and proceedeth to relate his horrible penance.
I fear thee and thy glittering eye,
And thy skinny hand, so brown.'—
Fear not, fear not, thou Wedding-Guest! [230]
This body dropt not down.
Alone, alone, all, all alone,
Alone on a wide wide sea!
And never a saint took pity on
My soul in agony. [235]
He despiseth the creatures of the calm,