Page:Ballads, Stevenson, 1890.djvu/25

 And now was the hour of the bath in Taiárapu: far and near

The lovely laughter of bathers rose and delighted his ear.

Night massed in the valleys; the sun on the mountain coast

Struck, end-long; and above the clouds embattled their host,

And glowed and gloomed on the heights; and the heads of the palms were gems,

And far to the rising eve extended the shade of their stems;

And the shadow of Támatéa hovered already at home.

And sudden the sound of one coming and running light as the foam

Struck on his ear; and he turned, and lo! a man on his track,

Girded and armed with an ómare, following hard at his back.

At a bound the man was upon him;—and, or ever a word was said,

The loaded end of the ómare fell and laid him dead.

II. THE VENGING OF TÁMATÉA.

Thus was Rahéro's treason; thus and no further it sped

The king sat safe in his place and a kindly fool was dead.

But the mother of Támatéa arose with death in her eyes.

All night long, and the next, Taiárapu rang with her cries.

As when a babe in the wood turns with a chill of doubt

And perceives nor home, nor friends, for the trees have closed her about, 13