Too much horrified to speak, They can only shriek, shriek, In a clamorous appealing to the mercy of the fire, By the side of the pale-faced moon. How they clang and clash and roar ! On the bosom of the palpitating air. And the clanging. How the danger ebbs and flows; In the jangling, And the wrangling, How the danger sinks and swells, By the sinking or the swelling in the anger of the bells; Of the bells Of the bells, bells, bells, bells, Bells bells, bells, In the clamour and the clangour of the bells! Hear the tolling of the bells Iron bells! What a world of solemn thought their monody compels ! In the silence of the night, How we shiver with affright At the melancholy menace of their tone! From the rust within their throats And the people-ah, the people- And who tolling, tolling, tolling, On the human heart a stone, And their king it is who tolls; And he rolls, rolls, rolls, A Rolls pæan from the bells! With the pean of the bells! Keeping time, time, time, To the throbbing of the bells Of the bells, bells, bells To the sobbing of the bells; To the rolling of the bells— To the tolling of the bells- To the moaning and the groaning of the bells. EDGAR ALLAN POE. THE BATTLE OF THE LAKE REGILLUS. (AN EXTRACT.) * But north looked the Dictator, North looked he long and hard; And spake to Caius Cossus, The captain of his guard: "Caius, of all the Romans Thou hast the keenest sight; Say, what through yonder storm of dust Then answered Caius Cossus : I see the plumèd horsemen, I see the purple vest; I see the golden helmet That shines far off like flame; So ever rides Mamilius, Prince of the Latian name." "Herminius, Aulus greets thee, He bids thee come with speed, To help our central battle, For sore is there our need. There wars the youngest Tarquin, And there the crest of flame, The Tusculan Mamilius, Prince of the Latian name. Herminius beat his bosom : But never word he spake. He clapped his hand on Auster's mane : He gave the reins a shake, Right glad were all the Romans Who, in that hour of dread, When from the south the cheering Mamilius spied Herminius, And dashed across the way. All round them paused the battle, The Roman and the Tusculan, The horses black and grey. Herminius smote Mamilius Through breast-plate and through breast; And fast flowed out the purple blood Over the purple vest. Mamilius smote Herminius Through head-piece and through head; And side by side those chiefs of pride Together fell down dead. |