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Awakening up, he took her hollow lute,—Tumultuous,—and, in chords that tenderest be,
He play’d an ancient ditty, long since mute,
In Provence call’d, “La belle dame sans mercy:”
Close to her ear touching the melody;—
Wherewith disturb’d, she utter’d a soft moan:
He ceased—she panted quick—and suddenly
Her blue affrayed eyes wide open shone:
Upon his knees he sank, pale as smooth-sculptured stone.
Summary
Porphyro was lost in thoughts when Madeline did not wake up. She was overpowered by the charm and it appeared that her eyes could never shake off the effect of that spell.
Very soon Porphyro’s fancies were gone. He got up and was free from dreams. He devised a nice plan of awakening the beloved. He touched her lute which was lying idle. He sounded it loudly but the tunes that it produced were soft. He sang an old song which could not be heard for many days. In the south east part of France people called it a song in honor of a fair lady with-out mercy. He played upon the lute just near the ears of Madeline so that she might be awakened quickly. The beloved was disturbed by the song. When she heard it so near to her she made a soft mourning utterance. She began to heave a heavy and quick sigh. Very soon she opened her blue eyes which also indicated fear. They remained open due to fear. At this, Porphyro knelt down before Medehne to pay homage to her. He did not speak a single word, he remained pale like a calm state. How could he say anything? He had already disturbed a cultured lady in her sweet and secluded sleep.