"Your hone wu dowu-your hope wu ftowu-I ~aw the
falchion ahine,
That eoon had drunk your royal blood, had I not ventured mine;
But memory aoon of ae"ice done deserteth the ingrate;
Yon'Ye thank'd the aon for life and crown by the fatber'a bloodf
fate.
"Y e Ill' ore upon your kingly faith to aet Don Snncho free;
But, cU1'1e upon your paltering breath, theJigbt he ne'er did see;
He died in dungeon cold and dim; by Alphonso's hue decree,
And Tiaage blind and atiffen'd limb were all they gave to me.
"The King that awervcth from hia word ha'b stain'd his purple
blaclt·
No Spanish lord will draw the a word behind a liar's back ;
But noble Tengeauce aball be mine, an open bate I'll show-
The King bath injured Carpio's line, and Bernard is his foe.''
" Seiae, aeit.e bim I" loud the King doth ecream: "There are
a tbo1111and here I
Lethia foul blood this instant atream:-What, e&itift'a, do ye
fear?
Seize, seiae the traitorl"-But not one to mo"~ a finger dareth:
Bernardo atandeth by the throne, and calm h.ia sword he lillre1b.
He drew tbe falchion from the aheat~ and held it up on high,
.And all the ball waa still aa death ;-cnea Bernard" Here am 1-
.And here ia the a word that O\vlls no lord, excepting hea~en and
me·
Fain W:,uld I know who dares hia point-lting, Condl!, or
G.randee."
Then to hia mouth the hom he drew-it bung below hia cloalr.-
Hia ten true men &be sigual knew, and through the ring they
broke;
With helm on head, and blade in hand, the ltnighta the circle
brake,
And baek the lordlings 'gau to stand, and the fal6e King to
quake.
.. Bat Bernard/' quoth Alphonso, " what means thia· warlike
guiaeP
Ye know fall well Ijested-ye lmow/onr worth I p,riae."-
Bnt Bel11&rd turn'd upon his heel, an smiling pue d away!-
Long rued Alphonso and hla realm the jesting of th.U day.
Trwult:rttdfrom tht Sponid. LocKU.utT.