There came a knock to her bower door,
And blithe she let him in;
It was her brother from the wars,
The dearest of her kin.
‘Set gold within your hair, Margaret,
Set gold within your hair,
And gold upon your girdle band,
And on your breast so fair.
‘For we are bidden to dance to-night,
We may not bide away;
This one good night, this one fair night,
Before the red new day.’
‘Nay, no gold for my head brother,
Nay, no gold for my hair;
It is the ashes and dust of earth
That you and I must wear.
‘No gold work for my girdle band,
No gold work on my feet;
But ashes of the fire, my love,
But dust that the serpents eat.’
* * * * * *
They danced across the bridge of Death,
Above the black water,
And the marriage-bell was tolled in hell
For the souls of him and her.
LE PÈRE SÉVÈRE.
KING LOUIS’ DAUGHTER.
BALLAD OF THE ISLE OF FRANCE.