But ne’er estrange. Three times thou did’st repulse
The young Prince from thee; thrice again he came
As suppliant to thee—to entreat thy love,
And urgently to press his love upon thee.
But that which Karlos could not, chance effected.
(The story is then related of how as a boy he took on himself the blame for a misdemeanour of Roderick’s, and was severely punished by his royal father)—
Under the pitiless strokes my blood flowed red;
I looked on thee and wept not. But the King
Was angered by my boyish heroism,