From slumber he had started, shaking off
Dreams of the chace, to share the actual joy;
The eye, whose recognition he was wont

To watch and welcome with exultant tongue.

A coming step, unheard by Roderick, roused
His watchful ear, and turning he beheld
Siverian. Father, said the good old man,
As Theron rose and fawn'd about his knees,
Hast thou some charm, which draws about thee thus
The hearts of all our house,.. even to the beast
That lacks discourse of reason, but too oft,
With uncorrupted feeling and dumb faith,
Puts lordly man to shame?.. The king replied,
'Tis that mysterious sense by which mankind
To fix their friendships and their loves are led,
And which with fainter influence doth extend
To such poor things as this. As we put off
The cares and passions of this fretful world,
be too that we thus far approach

It

may

To elder nature, and regain in part

The privilege through sin in Eden lost.

The timid hare soon learns that she may trust

The solitary penitent, and birds

Will light upon the hermit's harmless hand.

Thus Roderick answered in excursive speech,
Thinking to draw the old man's mind from what
Might touch him else too nearly, and himself
Disposed to follow on the lure he threw,
As one whom such imaginations led

Out of the world of his own miseries.
But to regardless ears his words were given,
For on the dog Siverian gazed the while,
Pursuing his own thoughts. Thou hast not felt,
Exclaimed the old man, the earthquake and the storm;
The kingdom's overthrow, the wreck of Spain,

The ruin of thy royal master's house,

Have reached not thee!.. Then turning to the King,

When the destroying enemy drew nigh

Toledo, he continued, and we fled

Before their fury, even while her grief

Was fresh, my Mistress would not leave behind
This faithful creature. Well we knew she thought
Of Roderick then, although she named him not ;
For never since the fatal certainty

Fell on us all, hath that unhappy name,

Save in her prayers, been known to pass her lips Before this day. She names him now,

and weeps:

But now her tears are tears of thankfulness,

For blessed hath thy coming been to her

And all who loved the King.

His faultering voice.

Here failed him, and he paused: recovering soon,

When that poor injured Lady, he pursued,
Did in my presence to the Prince absolve

The unhappy King.....

Absolve him! Roderick cried,

And in that strong emotion turned his face
Sternly toward Siverian, for the sense

Of shame and self-reproach drove from his mind
All other thoughts. The good old man replied,
Of human judgements humanly I speak.
Who knows not what Pelayo's life hath been?
Not happier in all dear domestic ties,
Than worthy for his virtue of the bliss

Which is that virtue's fruit; and yet did he
Absolve, upon Florinda's tale, the King.
Siverian, thus he said, what most I hoped,

And still within my secret heart believed,

Is now made certain. Roderick hath been.
More sinned against than sinning. And with that
He claspt his hands, and, lifting them to Heaven,
Cried, Would to God that he were yet alive!
For not more gladly did I draw my sword
Against Witiza in our common cause,

Than I would fight beneath his banners now,
And vindicate his name!

Did he say this?

The Prince? Pelayo? in astonishment

Roderick exclaimed... He said it, quoth the old man. None better knew his kinsman's noble heart,

None loved him better, none bewailed him more:
And as he felt, like me, for his reproach

A deeper grief than for his death, even so
He cherished in his heart the constant thought
Something was yet untold, which, being known,
Would palliate his offence, and make the fall
Of one till then so excellently good,
Less monstrous, less revolting to belief,
More to be pitied, more to be forgiven.

While thus he spake, the fallen King felt his face Burn, and his blood flow fast. Down, guilty thoughts! Firmly he said within his soul; lie still,

Thou heart of flesh! I thought thou hadst been quelled,
And quelled thou shalt be! Help me, O my God,
That I may crucify this inward foe!

Yea, thou hast helped me, Father! I am strong,
O Saviour, in thy strength.

As he breathed thus

His inward supplications, the old man

Eyed him with frequent and unsteady looks.
He had a secret trembling on his lips,

And hesitated, still irresolute

In utterance to embody the dear hope:
Fain would he have it strengthened and assured
By this concording judgement, yet he feared
To have it chilled in cold accoil. At length
Venturing, he brake with interrupted speech
The troubled silence. Father Maccabee,
I cannot rest till I have laid my heart
Open before thee. When Pelayo wished
That his poor kinsman were alive to rear
His banner once again, a sudden thought..