Goblin Market, and other poems, by Christina Rossetti

A hundred, a thousand to one; even so;

    Not a hope in the world remained:

The swarming howling wretches below

    Gained and gained and gained.

Skene looked at his pale young wife:—

    ‘Is the time come?’ — ‘The time is come!’ —

Young, strong, and so full of life:

    The agony struck them dumb.

Close his arm about her now,

    Close her cheek to his,

Close the pistol to her brow —

    God forgive them this!

‘Will it hurt much?’ — ‘No, mine own:

    I wish I could bear the pang for both.’

‘I wish I could bear the pang alone:

    Courage, dear, I am not loth.’

Kiss and kiss: ‘It is not pain

    Thus to kiss and die.

One kiss more.’ — ‘And yet one again.’ —

    ‘Good-bye.’ — ‘Good-bye.’