375
Moved onward from beneath.

"Under the keel nine fathom deep,
From the land of mist and snow,
The spirit slid: and it was he
That made the ship to go. 380
The sails at noon left off their tune,
And the ship stood still also.

"The Sun, right up above the mast,
Had fixed her to the ocean:
But in a minute she gan stir, 385
With a short uneasy motion--
Backwards and forwards half her length,
With a short uneasy motion.

"Then, like a pawing horse let go,
She made a sudden bound: 390
It flung the blood into my head,
And I fell down in a swound.[47]

"How long in that same fit I lay,
I have not to declare;
But ere my living life returned, 395
I heard, and in my soul discerned
Two voices in the air.[48]

"'Is it he?' quoth one, 'Is this the man?
By Him who died on cross,
With his cruel bow he laid full low 400
The harmless Albatross.

"'The spirit who bideth by himself
In the land of mist and snow,
He loved the bird that loved the man
Who shot him with his bow.' 405

"The other was a softer voice,
As soft as honey-dew;[49]
Quoth he, 'The man hath penance done,
And penance more will do.'"

PART VI

_First Voice_

"'But tell me, tell me! speak again, 410
Thy soft response renewing--
What makes that ship drive on so fast?
What is the ocean doing?'"

_Second Voice_

"'Still as a slave before his lord,
The ocean hath no blast; 415
His great bright eye most silently
Up to the Moon is cast--

"'If he may know[50] which way to go;
For she guides him smooth or grim.[51]
See, brother, see! how graciously 420
She looketh down on him.'"

_First Voice_

"'But why drives on that ship so fast,
Without or wave or wind?'"

_Second Voice_

"'The air is cut away before,
And closes from behind. 425

"'Fly, brother, fly! more high, more high!
Or we shall be belated:
For slow and slow that ship will go,
When the Mariner's trance is abated.'

"I woke, and we were sailing on 430
As in a gentle weather:
'T was night, calm night, the moon was high;
The dead men stood together.

"All stood tog