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At once they rode
To Bivar, where from age to age had dwelt
The Cid's great race. Behind them rode their knights,
Two hundred men. Before the castle's gate
High on its topmost step his mother stood
Girt by the stateliest ladies of that land
In festive garb arrayed. Her daughter new
Before her knelt; then, to her bosom clasped,
Looked up, and, smiling, spake not. Spake my Cid:
‘Mother, if less than this had been my Bride
Here had I tarried many a month and year;
But this is gift of God in Spain His greatest,
A maid taught nobleness in sorrow's school,
Unmatched for courage, simpleness, and truth:
Yea all her words have in them strength and sweetness.
Now therefore, since God's gifts must first be earned,
Not till five victories on five battle-fields
Against Christ's foes have made her justly mine
Inhabit I with her in castle or waste.
Cherish her thou as thou didst cherish me;
The laws of Honour and of Faith to her
Teach as thou taughtest to me. Farewell to both!’
He turned, he lingered not, he looked not back;
Westward he rode to combat with the Moors.

Then spake another of those watchers sad,
Count Gaspar of the Douro: Love is good;
But good things live beside. That knew the Cid;
That lesson learned I riding at his left
Beneath his standard named ‘Ximena's Veil.’
Three days we rode o'er hill and dale; the fourth,
The daylight slowly dying o'er the moor,
A shrill voice reached us from the neighbouring fen,
A drowning man's. Down leaped our Cid to earth
And, ere another's foot had left the stirrup,
Forth from the water drew him; held him next
On his own horse before him. 'Twas a Leper!
The knights stared round them! When they supped that eve,
He placed that Leper at his side. The knights
Forth strode. At night one bed received them both.
Sirs, learn the marvel! As Rodrigo slept
Betwixt his shoulders twain that Leper blew
Breath of strong virtue, piercing to his heart.
A cry was heard—the Cid's—the knights rushed in
Sworded: they searched the room: they searched the house:
The Cid slept well: but Leper none was found:
Sudden that chamber brightened like the sun
New-risen o'er waves, and in its splendour stood
A Man in snowy raiment speaking thus:
‘Sleepest thou, Rodrigo?’ Thus my Cid replied,
‘My Lord, I slept; but sleep not; who art thou?’
He spake, and, rising, in that splendour knelt:
And answer came: ‘Thy Brother-man am I,
In heaven thy Patron, though the least in heaven,
Lazarus, thy brother, who unhonoured lay
At Dives’ gate. To-day thou honoured'st me:
Therefore thy Jesus this to thee accords
That whensoe'er in time of peril or pain
Or dread temptations dealing with the soul
Again that strong Breath blows upon thy heart,
Nor angel's breath that Breath shall be, nor man's,
But Breath immortal arming thy resolve,
So long as Humbleness and Love are thine,
With strength as though the total Hosts of Heaven
Leaned on thy single sword. The work thou workest
That hour shall prosper. Moor and Christian, both,
Shall fear thee and thy death be glorified.’
Slowly that splendour waned away: not less
Hour after hour the Cid prayed on. At morn
Forth from that village forest-girt we rode
Ere flashed a dew-drop on its lightest spray
Or woke its earliest bird.