Page:The Collected Poems of Dora Sigerson Shorter.djvu/80

Rh “And shame be mine, Dearvorgil,” beneath his beard said he, “That I should stoop to listen to a slander told to me. And shame be mine, Macmurrah, that I should half believe You could be false to kingship by stooping to deceive.”

But in the lady's chamber the little page did frown, And on his cheek so crimson bitter tears fell down. “And false she is and cruel, to a knight so brave and true, And I wot now she is distant, thus leaving him the rue.

“I wot now she is riding far upon her palfrey white, And the comrade there beside her is not her own true knight— A plague upon all women, from north to sunny south, Since my lips are dumb to honour for the smiling of her mouth!”

But O'Ruark went out right gladly for the he the page o'Ruark had said, How his lady still lay resting so weary on her bed; And he went out to the terrace to cool his fevered cheek, There he saw his kern a-watching, like one afraid to speak.

“What see you from your tower now, O kern?” he turned and cried. “I see one on the near hills upon a king's horse ride.” “What see you from your watch, kern: does nothing else appear?” “There hides one on the terrace, with her eyes all full of fear.”