But differently far his words impressed
A wondering sister’s well-believing breast;—
She caught the illusion, blest Theodric’s name,
And wildly magnified his worth and fame;
Rejoicing life’s reality contained
One, heretofore, her fancy had but feigned,
Whose love could make her proud;—and time and chance
To passion raised that day-dream of Romance.
“Once, when with hasty charge of horse and man
Our arrière-guard had checked the Gallic van,