Alfred de Rosann — page 118: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

ALFRED DE ROSANN. 109 The warrior he entered—the warder essayed To stop his proceedings—he sighed and he prayed ; But in vain his appeal and petition he made ; The Knight, so undaunted, could never be stayed By even the words that a foeman had said ; And his heart was now full of the beautiful maid Whom Nature with every charm had arrayed ;— So he turned from the warder, nothing dismayed. But as he was going to seek the tower Where he knew Celestine slept in bower, (For now ’twas already midnight hour) A stately form, with an arm of power, Seized on the Knight, whose brow ’gan lower, And his eyes the fire of wrath to shower ; But the other exclaimed, ‘* Thou well may’st cower, For thou ne’er shalt possess so lovely a flower. ‘This day,”’ he continued, *‘ the Moslem in vain His crescent against our red cross did sustain, | And here I was sent these towers to maintain, Should the Saracen Soldan rally again. Wilt thou then arrive to disturb my reign, And seek for my daughter, whom never a stain Has sullied, to give me, her father, pain ? For she is betrothed to Sir Alberic Fayne.”’ ‘¢—. Little reck I for the happy one, Nor thee, the governor of Ascalon, Sent by the king when the siege was done, And these walls by Richard’s arms were won :— But I will leave thee till morning’s sun To illumine our hemisphere has begun; And then, ere his mid-day course he run, Will I combat with that ephemeron.”’ ‘¢__ Sir Alberic Fayne will never fly, Though thou art so stalwart an enemy ;’’ (’T was thus the governor gave reply :) ‘¢ But to-morrow’s morn, if thou wilt try The joust to decide your rivalry, I swear by the Virgin, who rules on high, That Celestine herself, with her beauteous eye, Shall glance on the conqueror’s victory.” VOL. I1.—10 Gomichbooksnecom