Act V

    First， two white arms that held him very close，

    And ever closer as he drew him back

    Reluctantly， the loose gold-colored hair

    A thousand delicate fibres reaching out

    Still to detain him； then some twenty steps

    Of iron staircase winding¹ round and down，

    And ending in a narrow gallery hung

    With Gobelin tapestries——Andromeda

    Rescued by Perseus， and the sleek² Diana

    With her nymphs bathing； at the farther end

    A door that gave upon a starlit grove³

    Of citron and clipt palm-trees； then a path

    As bleached⁴ as moonlight， with the shadow of leaves

    Stamped black upon it； next a vine-clad length

    Of solid masonry⁵； and last of all

    A Gothic archway packed with night， and then——

    A sudden gleaming dagger⁶ through his heart.