Over and over these rhymes went, jingling their sweet concord in his brain,--till all at once the strong pressure upon his soul relaxed,- -a great sigh escaped his lips--and with the sigh came the sudden breaking of the wave of grief. A rush of scalding tears blinded his eyes--and with a hard sob of agony his head fell forward on his clasped hands.
"Spare me her life, O God!" he passionately prayed--"Oh God, oh God! Save Guinevere!"