Page:Departmental Ditties and Ballads and Barrack-Room Ballads, Kipling, 1899.djvu/197

Rh In the Golden room on the palace roof

All night he fought for air:

And there was sobbing behind the screen,

Rustle and whisper of women unseen,

And the hungry eyes of the Boondi Queen

On the death she might not share.

He passed at dawn—the death-fire leaped

From ridge to river-head,

From the Malwa plains to the Abu scaurs

And wail upon wail went up to the stars

Behind the grim zenana-bars,

When they knew that the King was dead.

The dumb priest knelt to tie his mouth

And robe him for the pyre.

The Boondi Queen beneath us cried:

"See, now, that we die as our mothers died

"In the bridal-bed by our master's side!

"Out, women!—to the fire!"

We drove the great gates home apace:

White hands were on the sill: