And all uncertain whither he should turn,
  Chafed like a wild beast in the toils; but soon
  Discovering traces of the fugitives,
  Their steps he followed to the Maid’s retreat. 
  Easily may the sequel be divined—­[3] 80
  Walks to and fro—­watchings at every hour;
  And the fair Captive, who, whene’er she may,
  Is busy at her casement as the swallow
  Fluttering its pinions, almost within reach,
  About the pendent nest, did thus espy 85
  Her Lover!—­thence a stolen interview,
  Accomplished under friendly shade of night.

    I pass the raptures of the pair;—­such theme
  Is, by innumerable poets, touched
  In more delightful verse than skill of mine 90
  Could fashion; chiefly by that darling bard
  Who told of Juliet and her Romeo,
  And of the lark’s note heard before its time,
  And of the streaks that laced the severing clouds
  In the unrelenting east.—­Through all her courts 95
  The vacant city slept; the busy winds,
  That keep no certain intervals of rest,
  Moved not; meanwhile the galaxy displayed
  Her fires, that like mysterious pulses beat
  Aloft;—­momentous but uneasy bliss! 100
  To their full hearts the universe seemed hung
  On that brief meeting’s slender filament!

    They parted; and the generous Vaudracour
  Reached speedily the native threshold, bent
  On making (so the Lovers had agreed) 105
  A sacrifice of birthright to attain
  A final portion from his father’s hand;
  Which granted, Bride and Bridegroom then would flee
  To some remote and solitary place,
  Shady as night, and beautiful as heaven, 110
  Where they may live, with no one to behold
  Their happiness, or to disturb their love. 
  But now of this no whisper; not the less,
  If ever an obtrusive word were dropped
  Touching the matter of his passion, still, 115
  In his stern father’s hearing, Vaudracour
  Persisted openly that death alone
  Should abrogate his human privilege
  Divine, of swearing everlasting truth,
  Upon the altar, to the Maid he loved. 120

    “You shall be baffled in your mad intent
  If there be justice in the court of France,”
  Muttered the Father.—­From these words the Youth [4]
  Conceived a terror; and, by night or day,
  Stirred nowhere without weapons, that full soon 125
  Found dreadful provocation:  for at night [5]
  When to his chamber he retired, attempt
  Was made to seize him by three armed men,
  Acting, in furtherance of the father’s will,
  Under a private signet of the State. 130
  One the rash Youth’s ungovernable