English Poetry III: From Tennyson to Whitman.
The Harvard Classics. 1909–14. |
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| 726. In the Round Tower at Jhansi |
| | | June 8, 1857 (Indian Mutiny) |
| | | Christina Georgina Rossetti (1830–1894) |
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| A HUNDRED, a thousand to one: even so; | |
| Not a hope in the world remained: | |
| The swarming howling wretches below | |
| Gained and gained and gained. | |
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| Skene looked at his pale young wife. | 5 |
| ‘Is the time come?’—‘The time is come.’ | |
| Young, strong, and so full of life, | |
| The agony struck them dumb. | |
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| Close his arm about her now, | |
| Close her cheek to his, | 10 |
| Close the pistol to her brow— | |
| God forgive them this! | |
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| ‘Will it hurt much?’ ‘No, mine own: | |
| I wish I could bear the pang for both.’— | |
| ‘I wish I could bear the pang alone: | 15 |
| Courage, dear, I am not loth.’ | |
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| Kiss and kiss: ‘It is not pain | |
| Thus to kiss and die. | |
| One kiss more.’—‘And yet one again.’— | |
| ‘Good-bye.’—‘Good-bye.’ | 20 |
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