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As this was said, his mazed eyes saw indeed
A lovely woman clad in dainty weed
Beside his bed, and many a thought was stirred
Within his heart by that last plaintive word,
Though nought he said, but waited what should come
“Love,” said she, “I am here to bring thee home;
Well hast thou done all that thou cam’st to do,
And if thou bidest here, for something new
Will folk begin to cry, and all thy fame
Shall then avail thee but for greater blame;
Thy love shall cease to love thee, and the earth
Thou lovest now shall be of little worth
While still thou keepest life, abhorring it
Behold, in men’s lives that so quickly flit
Thus is it, how then shall it be with thee,
Who some faint image of eternity
Hast gained through me?–alas, thou heedest not!
On all these changing things thine heart is hot–
Take then this gift that I have brought from far,
And then may’st thou remember what we are;
The lover and the loved from long ago.”
He trembled, and more memory seemed to grow
Within his heart as he beheld her stand,
Holding a glittering crown in her right hand:
“Ogier,” she said, “arise and do on thee
The emblems of thy worldly sovereignty,
For we must pass o’er many a sea this morn.”
He rose, and in the glittering tunic worn
By Charlemaine he clad himself, and took
The ivory hand, that Charlemaine once shook
Over the people’s heads in days of old;
Then on his feet he set the shoes of gold.
And o’er his shoulders threw the mantle fair,
And set the gold crown on his golden hair:
Then on the royal chair he sat him down,
As though he deemed the elders of the town
Should come to audience; and in all he seemed
To do these things e’en as a man who dreamed.

And now adown the Seine the golden sun
Shone out, as toward him drew that lovely one
And took from off his head the royal crown,
And, smiling, on the pillow laid it down
And said, “Lie there, O crown of Charlemaine,
Worn by a mighty man, and worn in vain,
Because he died, and all the things he did
Were changed before his face by earth was hid;
A better crown I have for my love’s head,
Whereby he yet shall live, when all are dead
His hand has helped.” Then on his head she set
The wondrous crown, and said, “Forget, forget!
Forget these weary things, for thou hast much
Of happiness to think of.”
At that touch
He rose, a happy light gleamed in his eyes;
And smitten by the rush of memories,
He stammered out, “O love! how came we here?
What do we in this land of Death and Fear?
Have I not been from thee a weary while?
Let us return–I dreamed about the isle;
I dreamed of other years of strife and pain,
Of new years full of struggles long and vain.”
She took him by the hand and said, “Come, love,
I am not changed;” and therewith did they move
Unto the door, and through the sleeping place
Swiftly they went, and still was Ogier’s face
Turned on her beauty, and no thought was his
Except the dear returning of his bliss.
But at the threshold of the palace-gate
That opened to them, she awhile did wait,
And turned her eyes unto the rippling Seine
And said, “O love, behold it once again!”
He turned, and gazed upon the city grey
Smit by the gold of that sweet morn of May;
He heard faint noises as of wakening folk
As on their heads his day of glory broke;
He heard the changing rush of the swift stream
Against the bridge-piers. All was grown a dream
His work was over, his reward was come,
Why should he loiter longer from his home?