Didst thou not shrink, and start
To stain thy fair hand with the purple gore?
Hadst thou no chilling fear, O, self-devoted maid!
Of the dark doom that soon must fall upon thy head?
Yes! for one moment thou
Didst struggle with youth’s natural dread of death!
One moment didst thou bow
Thy woman’s heart—then, with firm step, free breath,
Didst thou approach the bath of the terrific man
With whom the fearful “Reign of Terror” first began!