But scarce again his horn he wound,
When lo! forth starting at the sound,
From underneath an aged oak
That slanted from the islet rock,
A damsel guider of its way,
A little skiff shot to the bay,
That round the promontory steep
Led its deep line in graceful sweep,
Eddying, in almost viewless wave,
The weeping willow twig to rave,
And kiss, with whispering sound and slow,
The beach of pebbles bright as snow. 
 The boat had touched this silver strand
Just as the Hunter left his stand,
And stood concealed amid the brake,
To view this Lady of the Lake. 
 The maiden paused, as if again
She thought to catch the distant strain. 
With head upraised, and look intent,
And eye and ear attentive bent,
And locks flung back, and lips apart,
Like monument of Grecian art,
In listening mood, she seemed to stand,
The guardian Naiad of the strand.

XVIII.

And ne’er did Grecian chisel trace
A Nymph, a Naiad, or a Grace,
Of finer form or lovelier face! 
What though the sun, with ardent frown,
Had slightly tinged her cheek with brown,—­
The sportive toil, which, short and light
Had dyed her glowing hue so bright,
Served too in hastier swell to show
Short glimpses of a breast of snow: 
What though no rule of courtly grace
To measured mood had trained her pace,—­
A foot more light, a step more true,
Ne’er from the heath-flower dashed the dew;
E’en the slight harebell raised its head,
Elastic from her airy tread: 
What though upon her speech there hung
 The accents of the mountain tongue,—–­
Those silver sounds, so soft, so dear,
The listener held his breath to hear!

XIX.

A chieftain’s daughter seemed the maid;
Her satin snood, her silken plaid,
Her golden brooch, such birth betrayed. 
And seldom was a snood amid
Such wild luxuriant ringlets hid,
Whose glossy black to shame might bring
The plumage of the raven’s wing;
And seldom o’er a breast so fair
Mantled a plaid with modest care,
And never brooch the folds combined
Above a heart more good and kind. 
Her kindness and her worth to spy,
You need but gaze on Ellen’s eye;
 Not Katrine in her mirror blue
Gives back the shaggy banks more true,
Than every free-born glance confessed
The guileless movements of her breast;
Whether joy danced in her dark eye,
Or woe or pity claimed a sigh,
Or filial love was glowing there,
Or meek devotion poured a prayer,
Or tale of injury called forth
The indignant spirit of the North. 
One only passion unrevealed
With maiden pride the maid concealed,
Yet not less purely felt the flame;—­
O, need I tell that passion’s name?

XX.