Page:Rudyard Kipling's verse - Inclusive Edition 1885-1918.djvu/294

Small thought had he to mark the strife—
⁠Cold fear with hot desire—
When thrice she leaped from the leaping flame,
And thrice she beat her breast for shame,
And thrice like a wounded dove she came
⁠And moaned about the fire.

He said: "O shameless, put aside
⁠"The veil upon thy brow!
"Who held the King and all his land
"To the wanton will of a harlot's hand!
"Will the white ash rise from the blistered brand?
⁠"Stoop down, and call him now!"

Then she: "By the faith of my tarnished soul,
⁠"All things I did not well,
"I had hoped to clear ere the fire died,
"And lay me down by my master's side
"To rule in Heaven his only bride,
⁠"While the others howl in Hell.

"But I have felt the fire's breath,
⁠"And hard it is to die!
"Yet if I may pray a Rajpoot lord
"To sully the steel of a Thakur's sword
"With base-born blood of a trade abhorred. . . ."
And the Thakur answered, "Ay."
⁠He drew and struck: the straight blade drank

The life beneath the breast.
⁠"I had looked for the Queen to face the flame,
"But the harlot dies for the Rajpoot dame—
"Sister of mine, pass, free from shame.
⁠"Pass with thy King to rest!"