Poetry > Lady of the lake

Canto VI.
THE GUARD-ROOM.
2G7
But Ellen boldly stepp’d beween,
And dropp’d at once the tartan screen:—
So, from his morning cloud, appears
The sun of May, through summer tears.
The savage soldiery, amazed,1
As on descended angel gazed;
Even hardy Brent, abash’d and tamed,
Stood half admiring, half ashamed.
VIII.
Boldly she spoke,—“ Soldiers, attend1
My father was the soldier’s friend;
Cheer’d him in camps, in marches led,
And with him in the battle hied.
Not from the valiant, or the strong,
Should exile’s daughter suffer wrong.”—9
Answer’d De Brent, most forward still
In every feat of good or ill,—
“ I shame me of the part I play’d:
And thou an outlaw’s child, poor maid !
An outlaw I by forest laws,
And merry Needwood knows the cause.
Poor Rose,—if Rose he living now,”—3
He wiped his iron eye and brow,—
“ Must hear such age, I think, as thou.—
1 [MS.—“ While the rude soldiery, amazed.”]
2 [MS.—“ Should Ellen Douglas suffer wrong.”]
" [MS.—“ ‘ My Rose,’—he wiped his iron eye and brow,—
‘ Poor Rose,—if Rose be living now.’ ”]