Chapter 3 No.3

They chained us each to a column stone,

And we were three-yet, each alone;

We could not move a single pace,50

We could not see each other's face,

But with that pale and livid light

That made us strangers in our sight:

And thus together-yet apart,

Fettered in hand, but joined in heart;55

'Twas still some solace, in the dearth

Of the pure elements[112] of earth,

To hearken to each other's speech,

And each turn comforter to each

With some new hope or legend old,60

Or song heroically bold;

But even these at length grew cold.

Our voices took a dreary tone,

An echo of the dungeon stone,

A grating sound-not full and free65

As they of yore were wont to be;

It might be fancy-but to me

They never sounded like our own.