Page:The Siege of Valencia.pdf/123

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My heroic child! —A terrible sacrifice thou claim'st, O God! From creatures in whose agonizing hearts Nature is strong as death!

Is 't thus in thine? Away!—what time is given thee to resolve On?—what I cannot utter!—Speak! thou know'st Too well what I would say.

Until—ask not! The time is brief.

Thou saidst—I heard not right—

The time is brief.

What! must we burst all ties Wherewith the thrilling chords of life are twined; And, for this task's fulfilment, can it be That man, in his cold heartlessness, hath dared To number and to mete us forth the sands Of hours, nay, moments?—Why, the sentenced wretch,