maladies; the last survivor expired yesterday, and strength will fail me, I fear, to dig his grave." During this discourse Anthemmina sate upon the ground, weaving a fresh garland, and sometimes raising her head to cast sullen glances at the unhappy maid. Dorna hied away to the sea shore, hoping yet to hail Karadan's vessel, while Iarine stood beside her mother absorbed in silent grief.

CHAPTER XLII.

PHANTASMION AND HIS ALLIES JOIN BATTLE WITH GLANDRETH IN THE VALLEY OF THE BLACK LAKE.

STRUCK with consternation at sight of the united army, the people of Rockland had offered no resistance, but had forthwith despatched messengers to Glandreth, and while Phantasmion was gazing on the Island where Iarine used to dwell, it was announced that the conqueror was about to enter the valley of the Black Lake with his victorious forces. Soon afterwards the foremost bands of the enemy were descried at a distance, and were hailed by the men of Palmland with this chant :

Or wind to the slumbering sea,
Or sunny sheen

To woodlands green,

So dear have we been to thee.

The new-blown flowers,

From thy fairest bowers,

Their rifling hands have taken;
And the tree's last crop,

That was ready to drop,

From the dews have rudely shaken;

Through deep green dells,

Where the bright stream wells,

Like diamond with emerald blending;

Through sheltered vales,

Where the light wind sails,

High cedars scarcely bending;
Through lawn and grove,

Where the wild deer rove,

They have rush'd like a burning flood;

For mornings beam,

Or the starry gleam,

Came fire, and sword, and blood.

Then lend us thy might,
Great Earth, for the fight,
O help us to quell their pride;
Make our sinews and bones
As firm as the stones,

And metals that gird thy side;

May the smould'ring mountains,
And fiery fountains

Inflame our vengeful ire,

And beasts that lurk,

In thy forests murk,

Their tameless rage inspire;

While from caves of death

Let a sluggish breath

O'er the spoilers' spirits creep,
O send to their veins

The chill that reigns

In thy channels dark and deep.

But if those we abhor
Must triumph in war

Let us sink to thy inmost centre,
Where the trump's loud sound,
Nor the tramp and the bound,
Nor the conqueror's shout can enter;
Let mountainous rocks,

By earthquake shocks,

High o'er our bones be lifted;

And piles of snow

Where we sleep below,

To the plains above be drifted;

If the murderous band

Must dwell in the land,

And the fields we loved to cherish,

From the land of palm

Let cedar and palm

With those that rear'd them perish.

Phantasmion knew so well how the land lay in this mountainous region that Penselimer desired him to take the lead in all orders and dispositions of war; he had already shown the herdsmen how they might drive their bleating and lowing troops across the hills into Palmland, and he now joyfully proceeded to marshal the allied armies and conduct them to the most advantageous post. Flanked by the lake and its deep banks on one side, and on the other by a woody brow, they were soon drawn out in order of battle; the long winding files were quickly transformed to squares, clothing every inch of green turf and purple heather with brass and steel as

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fast as a painter's brush invests a pannel with new colours. The ground covered by the front line rose gradually at either end, toward the lake and toward the mountain, so that the troops were ranged in form of a semicircle. The centre of the van was occupied by Phantasmion with his light Gemmaurian cavalry, whose helmets were surmounted with carbuncles representing ruddy flames; but the young monarch's own crest was of diamonds, and displayed the figure of a damsel holding a pitcher. The Nemorosan spearmen were placed on either wing, Ulander commanding the division flanking the hill. His foresters wore casques crested with the grim visage of a gaping tiger. The king of Almaterra divided his large. force into two squadrons, taking charge himself of that which held the middle ground, while Delmorin, son of Sanio, commanded the rear. Some companies of archers, wearing stag's horns on their helmets, were posted by Phantasmion among fir trees on the slope of the hill, where fan-shaped branches, growing close to the ground, kept them in ambush, though now and then their sylvan crests peeped out amid the leaves.

Meantime Glandreth was rapidly advancing and filling the plain opposite to that narrower space which Phantasmion's front line occupied, and which looked like the contracted girth of the valley. His force appeared innumerable, and had been swollen by accessions from Palmland, together with certain well-ordered battalions brought by traitorous Magnart, whom the mighty promises and mysterious hints of Glandreth had persuaded to strengthen the strong cause, and desert that of Albinet. The chief now sate beside his brother in a stately car which preceded the army, and listened to his talk with