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52 That dimly lighted up the mystic choice Of this their alien King,—how once a voice Was heard by their own monarch calling clear, And leading onward, where as on a bier A dead child lay upon a woman's knees; Whom when the old King saw, like one who sees Far through the mist of common life, he spoke And touched him with the Pearl, and he awoke, And from that day the people owned his right To wear the Pearl and rule them, when the light Had left their old King's eyes. But now, they said, The men who owned that right were too long dead; And they were young and strong and held their spears In idle resting through this white King's fears, Who still would live to rule them till they changed Their men to puling women, and estranged To Austral hands the spear and coila grew.

And so they rose against him, and they slew The white-haired men who raised their hands to warn.