Britain ... - Blue-Lite

264 THE VARANGIAN. [Act I.
Hath, bright eyes like the sunbeams, and a voice
Sweet as the sky-bird's when those sunbeams kiss
The silent rain-drops of the summer cloud :
And know I too, as truly, that to win
Her silken favours for your warlike crest,
You would in listed field rejoice to meet
The stoutest knight in Europe. Send you not
Some letter, or sweet message, by your page
To her ere night ? I love such errands well ;
For she, one day, did give me
FITZ-ROLLO.
PALAMON.
ladies' favours must be ever secrets.
FITZ-ROLLO.
What, good boy ?
Tell me, young sprig of gallantry, her name.
PALAMON.
That would be breach of honour in a page.
1 never whisper love-tales,
or could I
Speak of a certain damsel who was found,
One moonlight evening, with a nameless knight
Beside yon river in the alder grove ;
And how that knight the lady fondly kissed
Beneath a Was it not a beechen tree,
My
Lord Fitz-Rollo ?
FITZ-ROLLO.
Peace ! you
PALAMON.
little knave.
Little ! sir knight ? Why am I not grown tall,
Ay, very tall, for one who is no more
In debt to years than I am ?
OSMOND.
Forward child,