The old Toledo square:
And weeping she took for her lover
A red rose out of her hair.

And they kissed farewell; and higher
The moon made amber the air:
And she drew for the traitor and liar
A stiletto out of her hair....

When the night-watch lounged through the quiet
With the stir of halberds and swords,
Not a bravo was there to defy it,
Not a gallant to brave with words.

One man, at the corner's turning,
Quite dead. And they stoop or stand--
In his heart a dagger burning,
And a red rose crushed in his hand.

AT THE CORREGIDOR'S.

To Don Odora says Donna De Vine:
"I yield to thy long endeavor!--
At my balcony be on the stroke of nine,
And, Signor, am thine forever!"

This beauty but once had the Don descried
As she quit the confessional; followed;
"What a foot for silk! a face for a bride--
Hem--!" the rest Odora swallowed.

And with vows as soft as his oaths were sweet
Her heart he barricaded;
And pressed this point with a present meet,
And that point serenaded.

What else could the enemy do but yield
To a handsome importuning!
A gallant blade with a lute for shield
All night at her lattice mooning!

"_Que es estrella!_ O lily of girls!
Here's that for thy fierce duenna:
A purse of pistoles and a rosary o' pearls
And gold as yellow as henna.

"She will drop from thy balcony's rail, my sweet!
My seraph! this silken ladder;
And then--sweet then!--my soul at thy feet
No lover of lovers gladder!"

And the end of it was!--But I will not say
How he won to the room of the lady:--
Ah! to love is life and to live is gay,
For the rest--a maravedi!

Now comes her betrothed from the wars, and he,
A Count of the Court Castilian,
A Don Diabolus, sword at knee,
And moustaches--uncivilian.

And his is a jealous love; and--for
He marks that this marriage makes sadder--
He watches, and sees a robber to her,
Or gallant, ascend a ladder.

So he pushes inquiry unto her room,
With his naked sword demanding--
An Alquazil with the face of Doom,
Sure of a stout withstanding.

And weapon to weapon they foined and fought;
Diabolus' thrusts were vicious;
Three thrusts to the floor Odora had brought,
A fourth was m