'Nunc plaudite!' the Student cried, br When he had finished; 'now applaud, br As Roman actors used to say br At the conclusion of a play;? br And rose, and spread his hands abroad, br And smiling bowed from side to side, br As one who bears the palm away. br And generous was the applause and loud, br But less for him than for the sun, br br That even as the tale was done br Burst from its canopy of cloud, br And lit the landscape with the blaze br Of afternoon on autumn days, br And filled the room with light, and made br The fire of logs a painted shade. br br A sudden wind from out the west br Blew all its trumpets loud and shrill; br The windows rattled with the blast, br The oak-trees shouted as it passed, br And straight, as if by fear possessed, br The cloud encampment on the hill br Broke up, and fluttering flag and tent br Vanished into the firmament, br And down the valley fled amain br The rear of the retreating rain. br br Only far up in the blue sky br A mass of clouds, like drifted snow br Suffused with a faint Alpine glow, br Was heaped together, vast and high, br On which a shattered rainbow hung, br Not rising like the ruined arch br Of some aerial aqueduct, br But like a roseate garland plucked br From an Olympian god, and flung br Aside in his triumphal march. br br Like prisoners from their dungeon gloom, br Like birds escaping from a snare, br Like school-boys at the hour of play, br All left at once the pent-up room, br And rushed into the open air; br And no more tales were told that day.