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Without a single speck or hair

Of white upon his shaggy hide.

They snort, they foam, neigh, swerve aside,
And backward to the forest fly,

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By instinct, from a human eye.

They left me there to my despair,
Link'd to the dead and stiffening wretch,
Whose lifeless limbs beneath me stretch,

Relieved from that unwonted weight,
From whence I could not extricate
Nor him nor me-and there we lay,
The dying on the dead!

I little deem'd another day

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Would see my houseless, helpless head.

"And there from morn to twilight bound, I felt the heavy hours toil round,

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And, strange to say, the sons of pleasure,
They who have revel'd beyond measure

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Hath nought to hope, and nought to leave;

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And, save the future, (which is view'd

Not quite as men are base or good,

But as their nerves may be endued,)

With nought perhaps to grieve:

The wretch still hopes his woes must end,

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And Death, whom he should deem his friend,

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But bright, and long, and beckoning years,

Seen dazzling through the mist of tears,

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Guerdon of many a painful hour;

To-morrow would have given him power
To rule, to shine, to smite, to save-
And must it dawn upon his grave?

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1 Compare this description with that given in sections IX. and X. of

The Prisoner of Chillon.

And there between me and the sun

I saw the expecting raven fly,

Who scarce would wait till both should die,

Ere his repast begun;

He flew, and perch'd, then flew once more,
And each time nearer than before;

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I saw his wing through twilight flit,

And once so near me he alit

I could have smote, but lack'd the strength;

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But fail'd-and she approach'd, and made
With lip and finger signs that said,

I must not strive as yet to break

The silence, till my strength should be
Enough to leave my accents free;
And then her hand on mine she laid,
And smooth'd the pillow for my head,
And stole along on tiptoe tread,

And gently oped the door, and spake
In whispers ne'er was voice so sweet!
Even music follow'd her light feet:

But those she call'd were not awake, And she went forth; but, ere she pass'd, Another look on me she cast,

Another sign she made, to say, That I had nought to fear, that all Were near, at my command or call,

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Comrades, good night!"-The Hetman threw

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