" The onset shall be given, unless the heavens
Fall solid on us ! " answered Ger and Gel.
" The onset shall be given ! " replied they all
Then Lomna, — laying his brooch upon the heap, —
" Who first returns — but I shall not return —
To take his stone again, take also this ;
And, for the rest of what my sword has gained,
Share it among you. I forgive you all,
And bid you all farewell ; for nothing now
Remains for me but death : " and with the word
He struck his dagger in his heart, and fell.
" Kings, lords, and men of war," said Ferragon,
" Comrades till now, the man whose body lies
Before us, though we used to call him fool
Because his heart was softer and his speech
More delicate than ours, I now esteem
Both wise and brave, and noble in his death
He spoke me truly, for he knew my heart
Unspoken, when he said 'twas not through fear
Of death I spoke dissuading ; but through fear
Of conscience : but your hearts I better knew
Leaving unspoken what was in my own ;
For well indeed I knew how vain it were
To talk of pity, love, or tenderness
To bloody-minded and to desperate men.
Therefore I told you, and I told you true
What loss to reckon of your wretched lives.
Entering this dragons' den ; but did not tell
The horror and the anguish sharp as death
In my own bosom entering as I knew
The pictured presence of each faithful friend,
And of that sire revered, ye now consign
To massacre and bloody butchery.
And that 'twas love that swayed me, and not fear.
Take this for proof : " and drew and slew himself.
