Is  subject  to  the  Nixie's  spell;
She  who  walks  on  lonely  beach
To  the  Mermaid's  charmed  speech;


120  THE  PIRATE.
She  who  walks  round  ring  of  green,
Oflfends  the  peevish  Fairy  Queen ;
And  she  who  takes  rest  in  the  Dwarfie's  cave,
A  weary  weird  of  woe  shall  have.
"  By  ring,  by  spring,  by  cave,  by  shore,

Minna  Troil  has  braved  all  this  and  more:

And  yet  hath  the  root  of  her  sorrow  and  ill

A  source  that's  more  deep  and  more  mystical  still."

Minna,  whose  attention  had  been  latterly  some-
thing disturbed  by  reflections  on  her  own  secret  sor-
row, now  suddenly  recalled  it,  and  looked  eagerly
on  Noma  as  if  she  expected  to  learn  from  her
rhymes  something  of  deep  interest.  The  northern
sibyl,  meanwhile,  proceeded  to  pierce  the  piece  of
lead,  which  bore  the  form  of  a  heart,  and  to  fix  in  it
a  piece  of  gold  wire,  by  which  it  might  be  attached
to  a  chain  or  necklace.  She  then  proceeded  in  her
rhyme,  —

"  Thou  art  within  a  demon's  hold,

More  wise  than  Heims,  more  strong  than  TroUd;

No  siren  sings  so  sweet  as  he,  —

No  fay  springs  lighter  on  the  lea ;

No  elfin  power  hath  half  the  art

To  soothe,  to  move,  to  wring  the  heart, —

Life-blood  from  the  cheek  to  drain.
Drench  the  eye,  and  dry  the  vein.
