s: Leave the gross daylight joys that in their bowers


s: Languish with too much sun, like o'er-blown flowers,


s: For the veiled loves, the blisses undisplayed


s: That slyly lurk within the Temple's shade?


s: And, 'stead of haunting the trim Garden's school--


s: Like the pale moon's, o'er passion's heaving tide,


s: Till Pleasure's self is chilled by Wisdom's pride--


s: Be taught by _us_, quit shadows for the true,


s: Substantial joys we sager Priests pursue,


s: Or pleasure's substance for its shade to miss.


s: Preach _other_ worlds but live for only _this_:-


s: Thanks to the well-paid Mystery round us flung,


s: Which, like its type the golden cloud that hung


s: O'er Jupiter's love-couch its shade benign,


s: Round human frailty wraps a veil divine.


s: Still less should they presume, weak wits, that they


s: Alone despise the craft of us who pray;--


s: Still less their creedless vanity deceive


s: With the fond thought that we who pray believe.


s: Ye monster Gods before whose shrines we fall--


s: How far gross Man can vulgarize the sky;


s: How far the same low fancy that combines


s: Into a drove of brutes yon zodiac's signs,


s: And turns that Heaven itself into a place


s: Can bring Olympus even to shame more deep,


s: Stock it with things that earth itself holds cheap.


s: Fish, flesh, and fowl, the kitchen's sacred brood,


s: In dogs, cats, owls, and apes, divinities!


s: Believe!--oh, Decius, thou, who feel'st no care


s: For things divine beyond the soldier's share,


s: Who takes on trust the faith for which he bleeds,


s: A good, fierce God to swear by, all he needs--


s: Little canst thou, whose creed around thee hangs


s: Loose as thy summer war-cloak guess the pangs


s: Of loathing and self-scorn with which a heart


s: Stubborn as mine is acts the zealot's part--


s: The deep and dire disgust with which I wade


s: Thro' the foul juggling of this holy trade--


s: This mud profound of mystery where the feet


s: Oh! many a time, when, mid the Temple's blaze,


s: O'er prostrate fools the sacred cist I raise,


s: The power this priestcraft gives me o'er mankind--


s: A lever, of more might, in skilful hand,


s: To move this world, than Archimede e'er planned--


s: I should in vengeance of the shame I feel


s: At my own mockery crush the slaves that kneel


s: Besotted round; and--like that kindred breed


s: Of reverend, well-drest crocodiles they feed,


s: At famed Arsinoë--make my keepers bless,


s: With their last throb, my sharp-fanged Holiness.


s: Say, _is_ it to be borne, that scoffers, vain


s: Of their own freedom from the altar's chain,


s: Should mock thus all that thou thy blood hast sold.


s: And I my truth, pride, freedom, to uphold?


s: It must not be:--think'st thou that Christian sect,


s: Whose followers quick as broken waves, erect


s: Their crests anew and swell into a tide,


s: That threats to sweep away our shrines of pride--


s: Think'st thou with all their wondrous spells even they


s: Would triumph thus, had not the constant play


s: Of Wit's resistless archery cleared their way?--


s: That mocking spirit, worst of all the foes,


s: Our solemn fraud, our mystic mummery knows,


s: Whose wounding flash thus ever 'mong the signs


s: Of a fast-falling creed, prelusive shines,


s: Threatening such change as do the awful freaks


s: Of summer lightning ere the tempest breaks.


s: But, to my point--a youth of this vain school,


s: But one, whom Doubt itself hath failed to cool


s: Down to that freezing point where Priests despair


s: Of any spark from the altar catching there--


s: Hath, some nights since--it was, me thinks, the night


s: That followed the full Moon's great annual rite--


s: Thro' the dark, winding ducts that downward stray


s: To these earth--hidden temples, tracked his way,


s: Just at that hour when, round the Shrine, and me,


s: The choir of blooming nymphs thou long'st to see,


s: Sing their last night-hymn in the Sanctuary.


s: The clangor of the marvellous Gate that stands


s: At the Well's lowest depth--which none but hands


s: Of new, untaught adventurers, from above,


s: Who know not the safe path, e'er dare to move--


s: Gave signal that a foot profane was nigh:--


s: 'Twas the Greek youth, who, by that morning's sky,


s: Had been observed, curiously wandering round


s: The mighty fanes of our sepulchral ground.


s: Instant, the Initiate's Trials were prepared,--


s: The Fire, Air, Water; all that Orpheus dared,


s: That Plato, that the bright-haired Samian past,


s: With trembling hope, to come to--_what_, at last?


s: Go, ask the dupes of Priestcraft; question him


s: Who mid terrific sounds and spectres dim


s: Walks at Eleusis; ask of those who brave


s: With its seven starry gates; ask all who keep


s: Those terrible night-mysteries where they weep


s: And howl sad dirges to the answering breeze.


s: O'er their dead Gods, their mortal Deities--


s: Amphibious, hybrid things that died as men,


s: Drowned, hanged, empaled, to rise as gods again;--


s: Ask _them_, what mighty secret lurks below


s: This seven-fold mystery--can they tell thee? No;


s: Gravely they keep that only secret, well


s: And fairly kept--that they have none to tell;


s: And duped themselves console their humbled pride


s: By duping thenceforth all mankind beside.


s: And such the advance in fraud since Orpheus' time--


s: That earliest master of our craft sublime--


s: From the great Orphic Egg have winged abroad,


s: That, still to uphold our Temple's ancient boast,


s: And seem most holy, we must cheat the most;


s: Work the best miracles, wrap nonsense round


s: In pomp and darkness till it seems profound;


s: Play on the hopes, the terrors of mankind,


s: With changeful skill; and make the human mind


s: But by the Priest's permission wins its way--


s: Where thro' the gloom as wave our wizard rods.


s: Monsters at will are conjured into Gods;


s: While Reason like a grave-faced mummy stands


s: With her arms swathed in hieroglyphic bands.


s: But chiefly in that skill with which we use


s: Man's wildest passions for Religion's views,


s: Yoking them to her car like fiery steeds,


s: Lies the main art in which our craft succeeds.


s: And oh be blest, ye men of yore, whose toil


s: This hidden Paradise, this mine of fanes,


s: Gardens and palaces where Pleasure reigns


s: With all earth's luxuries lighting up her throne:--


s: A realm for mystery made, which undermines


s: The Nile itself and, 'neath the Twelve Great Shrines


s: Spreads its long labyrinths of unearthly light.


s: A light that knows no change--its brooks that run


s: Too deep for day, its gardens without sun,


s: Where soul and sense, by turns, are charmed, surprised.


s: And all that bard or prophet e'er devised


s: For man's Elysium, priests have realized.


s: Here, at this moment--all his trials past.


s: And heart and nerve unshrinking to the last--


s: Our new Initiate roves--as yet left free


s: The soul, like mist o'er waterfalls, to wear


s: All shapes and lines at Fancy's varying will,


s: Thro' every shifting aspect, vapor still;--


s: Vague glimpses of the Future, vistas shown.


s: By scenic skill, into that world unknown.


s: Which saints and sinners claim alike their own;


s: And all those other witching, wildering arts,


s: Illusions, terrors, that make human hearts,


s: Ay, even the wisest and the hardiest quail


s: Yes--such the spells shall haunt his eye, his ear,


s: Mix wild his night-dreams, form his atmosphere;


s: Till, if our Sage be not tamed down, at length,


s: His wit, his wisdom, shorn of all their strength,


s: Like Phrygian priests, in honor of the shrine--


s: Draw converts also, lure his brother wits


s: To the dark cage where his own spirit flits.


s: And give us if not saints good hypocrites--


s: The ancient spirit of our craft hath fled,


s: Gone with that serpent-god the Cross hath chased


s: To hiss its soul out in the Theban waste.


s: FADLADEEN was a judge of everything,--from the pencilling of a


s: goldsmith who fell in love with the diamond eyes of the idol of


s: Crishna,--such as he appears to their young imaginations, heroic,


s: The first of Persian lands he shines upon.


s: Where all the loveliest children of his beam,


s: Flowerets and fruits, blush over every stream,


s: And, fairest of all streams, the MURGA roves


s: Among MEROU'S bright palaces and groves;--


s: There on that throne, to which the blind belief


s: Of millions raised him, sat the Prophet-Chief,


s: The Great MOKANNA. O'er his features hung


s: The Veil, the Silver Veil, which he had flung


s: In mercy there, to hide from mortal sight


s: His dazzling brow, till man could bear its light.


s: For, far less luminous, his votaries said,


s: O'er MOUSSA'S cheek, when down the Mount he trod


s: All glowing from the presence of his God!


s: On either side, with ready hearts and hands,


s: His chosen guard of bold Believers stands;


s: Young fire-eyed disputants, who deem their swords,


s: On points of faith, more eloquent than words;


s: And such their zeal, there's not a youth with brand


s: Uplifted there, but at the Chief's command,


s: Would make his own devoted heart its sheath,


s: And bless the lips that doomed so dear a death!


s: Their vesture, helms and all, is snowy white;


s: Their weapons various--some equipt for speed,


s: With javelins of the light Kathaian reed;


s: Or bows of buffalo horn and shining quivers


s: While some, for war's more terrible attacks,


s: Wield the huge mace and ponderous battle-axe;


s: And as they wave aloft in morning's beam


s: The milk-white plumage of their helms, they seem


s: Like a chenar-tree grove when winter throws


s: O'er all its tufted heads his feathery snows.


s: Between the porphyry pillars that uphold


s: The rich moresque-work of the roof of gold,


s: Aloft the Haram's curtained galleries rise,


s: Where thro' the silken net-work, glancing eyes,


s: From time to time, like sudden gleams that glow


s: Thro' autumn clouds, shine o'er the pomp below.--


s: What impious tongue, ye blushing saints, would dare


s: To hint that aught but Heaven hath placed you there?


s: Or that the loves of this light world could bind,


s: In their gross chain, your Prophet's soaring mind?


s: No--wrongful thought!--commissioned from above


s: To people Eden's bowers with shapes of love,


s: (Creatures so bright, that the same lips and eyes


s: They wear on earth will serve in Paradise,)


s: There to recline among Heaven's native maids,


s: And crown the Elect with bliss that never fades--


s: Well hath the Prophet-Chief his bidding done;


s: And every beauteous race beneath the sun,


s: From those who kneel at BRAHMA'S burning fount,


s: To the fresh nymphs bounding o'er YEMEN'S mounts;


s: From PERSIA'S eyes of full and fawnlike ray,


s: To the small, half-shut glances of KATHAY;


s: And GEORGIA'S bloom, and AZAB'S darker smiles,


s: And the gold ringlets of the Western Isles;


s: All, all are there;--each Land its flower hath given,


s: To form that fair young Nursery for Heaven!


s: But why this pageant now? this armed array?


s: What triumph crowds the rich Divan to-day


s: With turbaned heads of every hue and race,


s: Bowing before that veiled and awful face,


s: Like tulip-beds, of different shape and dyes,


s: Bending beneath the invisible West-wind's sighs!


s: What new-made mystery now for Faith to sign


s: And blood to seal, as genuine and divine,


s: What dazzling mimicry of God's own power


s: Hath the bold Prophet planned to grace this hour?


s: Not such the pageant now, tho' not less proud;


s: Yon warrior youth advancing from the crowd


s: With silver bow, with belt of broidered crape


s: And fur-bound bonnet of Bucharian shape.


s: That youth to-day,--a proselyte, worth hordes


s: Of cooler spirits and less practised swords,--


s: Is come to join, all bravery and belief,


s: The creed and standard of the heaven-sent Chief.


s: Tho' few his years, the West already knows


s: Young AZIM'S fame;--beyond the Olympian snows


s: Ere manhood darkened o'er his downy cheek,


s: O'erwhelmed in fight and captive to the Greek,


s: He lingered there, till peace dissolved his chains;--


s: Oh! who could even in bondage tread the plains


s: Of glorious GREECE nor feel his spirit rise


s: Kindling within him? who with heart and eyes


s: Could walk where Liberty had been nor see


s: Nor feel those god-like breathings in the air


s: Which mutely told her spirit had been there?


s: Not he, that youthful warrior,--no, too well


s: For his soul's quiet worked the awakening spell;


s: And now, returning to his own dear land,


s: Full of those dreams of good that, vainly grand,


s: Haunt the young heart,--proud views of human-kind,


s: False views like that horizon's fair deceit


s: Where earth and heaven but _seem_, alas, to meet!--


s: Soon as he heard an Arm Divine was raised


s: To right the nations, and beheld, emblazed


s: On the white flag MOKANNA'S host unfurled,


s: Those words of sunshine, "Freedom to the World,"


s: At once his faith, his sword, his soul obeyed


s: The inspiring summons; every chosen blade


s: That fought beneath that banner's sacred text


s: Seemed doubly edged for this world and the next;


s: And ne'er did Faith with her smooth bandage bind


s: In virtue's cause;--never was soul inspired


s: With livelier trust in what it most desired,


s: Than his, the enthusiast there, who kneeling, pale


s: Believes the form to which he bends his knee


s: This fettered world from every bond and stain,


s: And bring its primal glories back again!


s: Low as young AZIM knelt, that motley crowd


s: Of all earth's nations sunk the knee and bowed,


s: With shouts of "ALLA!" echoing long and loud;


s: Which high in air, above the Prophet's head,


s: Hundreds of banners to the sunbeam spread


s: Waved, like the wings of the white birds that fan


s: The flying throne of star-taught SOLIMAN.


s: Then thus he spoke:-"Stranger, tho' new the frame


s: "Thy soul inhabits now. I've trackt its flame


s: "For many an age, in every chance and change


s: "Of that existence, thro' whose varied range,--


s: "As thro' a torch-race where from hand to hand


s: "The flying youths transmit their shining brand,


s: "From frame to frame the unextinguisht soul


s: "Nor think 'tis only the gross Spirits warmed


s: "With duskier fire and for earth's medium formed


s: "That run this course;--Beings the most divine


s: "Thus deign thro' dark mortality to shine.


s: "Such was the Essence that in ADAM dwelt,


s: "To which all Heaven except the Proud One knelt:


s: "Such the refined Intelligence that glowed


s: "In MOUSSA'S frame,--and thence descending flowed


s: "Thro' many a Prophet's breast;--in ISSA shone


s: "And in MOHAMMED burned; till hastening on.


s: "(As a bright river that from fall to fall


s: "In many a maze descending bright thro' all,


s: "Finds some fair region where, each labyrinth past,


s: "In one full lake of light it rests at last)


s: "That Holy Spirit settling calm and free


s: "From lapse or shadow centres all in me!


s: Again throughout the assembly at these words


s: Thousands of voices rung: the warrior's swords


s: Were pointed up at heaven; a sudden wind


s: In the open banners played, and from behind


s: Those Persian hangings that but ill could screen


s: The Harem's loveliness, white hands were seen


s: Waving embroidered scarves whose motion gave


s: A perfume forth--like those the Houris wave


s: When beckoning to their bowers the immortal Brave.


s: "But these," pursued the Chief "are truths sublime,


s: "That claim a holier mood and calmer time


s: "Than earth allows us now;--this sword must first


s: "The darkling prison-house of mankind burst.


s: "Ere Peace can visit them or Truth let in


s: "Her wakening daylight on a world of sin.


s: "But then,--celestial warriors, then when all


s: "Earth's shrines and thrones before our banner fall,


s: "When the glad Slave shall at these feet lay down


s: "His broken chain, the tyrant Lord his crown,


s: "The Priest his book, the Conqueror his wreath,


s: "And from the lips of Truth one mighty breath


s: "Shall like a whirlwind scatter in its breeze


s: "That whole dark pile of human mockeries:--


s: "Then shall the reign of mind commence on earth,


s: "And starting fresh as from a second birth,


s: "Man in the sunshine of the world's new spring


s: "Shall walk transparent like some holy thing!


s: "Then too your Prophet from his angel brow


s: "Shall cast the Veil that hides its splendors now,


s: "And gladdened Earth shall thro' her wide expanse


s: "Bask in the glories of this countenance!


s: "For thee, young warrior, welcome!--thou hast yet


s: "Some tasks to learn, some frailties to forget,


s: "Ere the white war-plume o'er thy brow can wave;--


s: "But, once my own, mine all till in the grave!"


s: The pomp is at an end--the crowds are gone--


s: Each ear and heart still haunted by the tone


s: Of that deep voice, which thrilled like ALLA'S own!


s: The Young all dazzled by the plumes and lances,


s: The glittering throne and Haram's half-caught glances,


s: The Old deep pondering on the promised reign


s: Of peace and truth, and all the female train


s: Ready to risk their eyes could they but gaze


s: A moment on that brow's miraculous blaze!


s: But there was one among the chosen maids


s: Who blushed behind the gallery's silken shades,


s: One, to whose soul the pageant of to-day


s: Has been like death:--you saw her pale dismay,


s: Ye wondering sisterhood, and heard the burst


s: She saw that youth, too well, too dearly known,


s: Silently kneeling at the Prophet's throne.


s: Shone o'er thy heart from every look of his,


s: When but to see him, hear him, breathe the air


s: In which he dwelt was thy soul's fondest prayer;


s: When round him hung such a perpetual spell,


s: Too happy days! when, if he touched a flower


s: Or gem of thine, 'twas sacred from that hour;


s: When thou didst study him till every tone


s: And gesture and dear look became thy own.--


s: Thy voice like his, the changes of his face


s: In thine reflected with still lovelier grace,


s: Like echo, sending back sweet music, fraught


s: With twice the aerial sweetness it had brought!


s: Yet now he comes,--brighter than even he


s: E'er beamed before,--but, ah! not bright for thee;


s: From the other world he comes as if to haunt


s: Thy guilty soul with dreams of lost delight,


s: Long lost to all but memory's aching sight:--


s: Sad dreams! as when the Spirit of our Youth


s: Returns in sleep, sparkling with all the truth


s: And innocence once ours and leads us back,


s: In mournful mockery o'er the shining track


s: Of our young life and points out every ray


s: Of hope and peace we've lost upon the way!


s: Once happy pair!--In proud BOKHARA'S groves,


s: Who had not heard of their first youthful loves?


s: Born by that ancient flood,which from its spring


s: In the dark Mountains swiftly wandering,


s: Enriched by every pilgrim brook that shines


s: And, lending to the CASPIAN half its strength,


s: In the cold Lake of Eagles sinks at length;--


s: There, on the banks of that bright river born,


s: The flowers that hung above its wave at morn


s: Blest not the waters as they murmured by


s: With holier scent and lustre than the sigh


s: And virgin-glance of first affection cast


s: Upon their youth's smooth current as it past!


s: But war disturbed this vision,--far away


s: From her fond eyes summoned to join the array


s: Of PERSIA'S warriors on the hills of THRACE,


s: The youth exchanged his sylvan dwelling-place


s: For the rude tent and war-field's deathful clash;


s: His ZELICA'S sweet glances for the flash


s: Of Grecian wild-fire, and Love's gentle chains


s: For bleeding bondage on BYZANTIUM'S plains.


s: Drooping the maiden saw two summers roll


s: Their suns away--but, ah, how cold and dim


s: Even summer suns when not beheld with him!


s: From time to time ill-omened rumors came


s: Like spirit-tongues muttering the sick man's name


s: Just ere he dies:--at length those sounds of dread


s: Fell withering on her soul, "AZIM is dead!"


s: Oh Grief beyond all other griefs when fate


s: First leaves the young heart lone and desolate


s: For which it loved to live or feared to die;--


s: Lorn as the hung-up lute, that near hath spoken


s: Since the sad day its master-chord was broken!


s: Fond maid, the sorrow of her soul was such,


s: Even reason sunk,--blighted beneath its touch;


s: And tho' ere long her sanguine spirit rose


s: Above the first dead pressure of its woes,


s: Tho' health and bloom returned, the delicate chain


s: Of thought once tangled never cleared again.


s: Warm, lively, soft as in youth's happiest day,


s: The mind was still all there, but turned astray,--


s: A wandering bark upon whose pathway shone


s: All stars of heaven except the guiding one!


s: Again she smiled, nay, much and brightly smiled,


s: But 'twas a lustre, strange, unreal, wild;


s: And when she sung to her lute's touching strain,


s: 'Twas like the notes, half ecstasy, half pain,


s: When, vanquisht by some minstrel's powerful art,


s: She dies upon the lute whose sweetness broke her heart!


s: Such was the mood in which that mission found,


s: Young ZELICA,--that mission which around


s: With woman's smile sought out its loveliest


s: Which the Veiled Prophet destined for the skies:--


s: And such quick welcome as a spark receives


s: Dropt on a bed of Autumn's withered leaves,


s: Did every tale of these enthusiasts find


s: In the wild maiden's sorrow-blighted mind.


s: All fire at once the maddening zeal she caught:--


s: Elect of Paradise! blest, rapturous thought!


s: Predestined bride, in heaven's eternal dome,


s: Of some brave youth--ha! durst they say "of _some_?"


s: In her heart's core too deep to be effaced;


s: The one whose memory, fresh as life, is twined


s: With every broken link of her lost mind;


s: Whose image lives tho' Reason's self be wreckt


s: The fantasy which held thy mind in thrall


s: To see in that gay Haram's glowing maids


s: Or dream that he,--of whose unholy flame


s: Thou wert too soon the victim,--shining came


s: With souls like thine which he hath ruined here!


s: Which would have saved thee from the tempter's art,


s: And kept alive in all its bloom of breath


s: That purity whose fading is love's death!--


s: But lost, inflamed,--a restless zeal took place


s: Of the mild virgin's still and feminine grace;


s: First of the Prophets favorites, proudly first


s: In zeal and charms, too well the Impostor nurst


s: Her soul's delirium in whose active flame,


s: Thus lighting up a young, luxuriant frame,


s: To his dark yoke the spirits of mankind,


s: More subtle chains than hell itself e'er twined.


s: No art was spared, no witchery;--all the skill


s: His demons taught him was employed to fill


s: Her mind with gloom and ecstasy by turns--


s: That gloom, thro' which Frenzy but fiercer burns,


s: That ecstasy which from the depth of sadness


s: Glares like the maniac's moon whose light is madness!


s: 'Twas from a brilliant banquet where the sound


s: The glories of that heaven, her destined sphere,


s: Where all was pure, where every stain that lay


s: Upon the spirit's light should pass away,


s: E'er wisht or dreamed, she should for ever rove


s: Thro' fields of fragrance by her AZIM'S side,


s: His own blest, purified, eternal bride!--


s: T was from a scene, a witching trance like this,


s: He hurried her away, yet breathing bliss,


s: To the dim charnel-house;--thro' all its steams


s: Of damp and death led only by those gleams


s: Which foul Corruption lights, as with design


s: To show the gay and proud _she_ too can shine--


s: And passing on thro' upright ranks of Dead


s: Which to the maiden, doubly crazed by dread,


s: Seemed, thro' the bluish death-light round them cast,


s: To move their lips in mutterings as she past--


s: There in that awful place, when each had quaft


s: And pledged in silence such a fearful draught,


s: Such--oh! the look and taste of that red bowl


s: Will haunt her till she dies--he bound her soul


s: By a dark oath, in hell's own language framed,


s: Never, while earth his mystic presence claimed,


s: While the blue arch of day hung o'er them both,


s: In joy or sorrow from his side to sever.--


s: She swore and the wide charnel echoed "Never, never!"


s: From that dread hour, entirely, wildly given


s: To him and--she believed, lost maid!--to heaven;


s: Her brain, her heart, her passions all inflamed,


s: How proud she stood, when in full Haram named


s: The Priestess of the Faith!--how flasht her eyes


s: With light, alas, that was not of the skies,


s: When round in trances only less than hers


s: She saw the Haram kneel, her prostrate worshippers.


s: Well might MOKANNA think that form alone


s: Had spells enough to make the world his own:--


s: Light, lovely limbs to which the spirit's play


s: When from its stem the small bird wings away;


s: Lips in whose rosy labyrinth when she smiled


s: The soul was lost, and blushes, swift and wild


s: Across the uncalm but beauteous firmament.


s: And then her look--oh! where's the heart so wise


s: Could unbewildered meet those matchless eyes?


s: Quick, restless, strange, but exquisite withal,


s: Like those of angels just before their fall;


s: Now shadowed with the shames of earth--now crost


s: By glimpses of the Heaven her heart had lost;


s: In every glance there broke without control,


s: The flashes of a bright but troubled soul,


s: Like lightning round the ruins it had made!


s: And such was now young ZELICA--so changed


s: From her who some years since delighted ranged


s: The almond groves that shade BOKHARA'S tide


s: All life and bliss with AZIM by her side!


s: So altered was she now, this festal day,


s: When, mid the proud Divan's dazzling array,


s: The vision of that Youth whom she had loved,


s: Had wept as dead, before her breathed and moved;--


s: When--bright, she thought, as if from Eden's track


s: But half-way trodden, he had wandered back


s: Again to earth, glistening with Eden's light--


s: Her beauteous AZIM shone before her sight.


s: O Reason! who shall say what spells renew,


s: When least we look for it, thy broken clew!


s: Thro' what small vistas o'er the darkened brain


s: And how like forts to which beleaguerers win


s: Unhoped-for entrance thro' some friend within,


s: By memory's magic, lets in all the rest.


s: Would it were thus, unhappy girl, with thee!


s: But tho' light came, it came but partially;


s: Enough to show the maze, in which thy sense


s: Wandered about,--but not to guide it thence;


s: Enough to glimmer o'er the yawning wave,


s: But not to point the harbor which might save.


s: Hours of delight and peace, long left behind,


s: With that dear form came rushing o'er her mind;


s: But, oh! to think how deep her soul had gone


s: In shame and falsehood since those moments shone;


s: And then her oath--_there_ madness lay again,


s: And shuddering, back she sunk into her chain


s: From light whose every glimpse was agony!


s: Yet _one_ relief this glance of former years


s: Brought mingled with its pain,--tears, floods of tears,


s: Long frozen at her heart, but now like rills


s: Let loose in spring-time from the snowy hills,


s: And gushing warm after a sleep of frost,


s: Thro' valleys where their flow had long been lost.


s: Sad and subdued, for the first time her frame


s: Trembled with horror when the summons came


s: (A summons proud and rare, which all but she,


s: And she, till now, had heard with ecstasy,)


s: By the stream's side, where still at close of day


s: The Prophet of the Veil retired to pray,


s: Sometimes alone--but oftener far with one,


s: Of late none found such favor in his sight


s: As the young Priestess; and tho', since that night


s: When the death-cavorns echoed every tone


s: Of the dire oath that made her all his own,


s: The Impostor sure of his infatuate prize


s: Had more than once thrown off his soul's disguise,


s: And uttered such unheavenly, monstrous things,


s: Of a weak intellect, whose lamp was out,


s: Threw startling shadows of dismay and doubt;--


s: The thought, still haunting her, of that bright brow,


s: Whose blaze, as yet from mortal eye concealed,


s: Would soon, proud triumph! be to her revealed,


s: To her alone;--and then the hope, most dear,


s: Most wild of all, that her transgression here


s: Was but a passage thro' earth's grosser fire,


s: From which the spirit would at last aspire,


s: Even purer than before,--as perfumes rise


s: Thro' flame and smoke, most welcome to the skies--


s: And that when AZIM's fond, divine embrace


s: Should circle her in heaven, no darkening trace


s: Would on that bosom he once loved remain.


s: But all be bright, be pure, be _his_ again!--


s: These were the wildering dreams, whose curst deceit


s: Had chained her soul beneath the tempter's feet,


s: And made her think even damning falsehood sweet.


s: But now that Shape, which had appalled her view,


s: That Semblance--oh how terrible, if true!


s: Which came across her frenzy's full career


s: With shock of consciousness, cold, deep, severe.


s: As when in northern seas at midnight dark


s: An isle of ice encounters some swift bark,


s: And startling all its wretches from their sleep


s: By one cold impulse hurls them to the deep;--


s: So came that shock not frenzy's self could bear,


s: And waking up each long-lulled image there,


s: But checkt her headlong soul to sink it in despair!


s: Wan and dejected, thro' the evening dusk,


s: She now went slowly to that small kiosk,


s: Where, pondering alone his impious schemes,


s: Of the fair-ripening future's rich success,


s: To heed the sorrow, pale and spiritless,


s: That sat upon his victim's downcast brow,


s: Or mark how slow her step, how altered now


s: From the quick, ardent Priestess, whose light bound


s: Came like a spirit's o'er the unechoing ground,--


s: From that wild ZELICA whose every glance


s: Was thrilling fire, whose every thought a trance!


s: While lamps around--not such as lend their ray,


s: Glimmering and cold, to those who nightly pray


s: But brilliant, soft, such lights as lovely maids.


s: Look loveliest in, shed their luxurious glow


s: Upon his mystic Veil's white glittering flow.


s: Beside him, 'stead of beads and books of prayer,


s: Which the world fondly thought he mused on there,


s: Stood Vases, filled with KISIIMEE'S golden wine,


s: And the red weepings of the SHIRAZ vine;


s: Of which his curtained lips full many a draught


s: Took zealously, as if each drop they quaft


s: Like ZEMZEM'S Spring of Holiness had power


s: To freshen the soul's virtues into flower!


s: And still he drank and pondered--nor could see


s: The approaching maid, so deep his revery;


s: At length with fiendish laugh like that which broke


s: From EBLIS at the Fall of Man he spoke:--


s: "Yes, ye vile race, for hell's amusement given,


s: "Too mean for earth, yet claiming kin with heaven;


s: "God's images, forsooth!--such gods as he


s: "Ye creatures of a breath, proud things of clay,


s: "Refused tho' at the forfeit of heaven's light


s: "Soon shall I plant this foot upon the neck


s: "Of your foul race and without fear or check,


s: "My deep-felt, long-nurst loathing of man's name!--


s: "Soon at the head of myriads, blind and fierce


s: "I'll sweep my darkening, desolating way,


s: "Weak man my instrument, curst man my prey!


s: "Ye wise, ye learned, who grope your dull way on


s: "By the dim twinkling gleams of ages gone,


s: "Like superstitious thieves who think the light


s: "From dead men's marrow guides them best at night--


s: "Ye shall have honors--wealth--yes, Sages, yes--


s: "I know, grave fools, your wisdom's nothingness;


s: "Undazzled it can track yon starry sphere,


s: "But a gilt stick, a bauble blinds it here.


s: "How I shall laugh, when trumpeted along


s: "In lying speech and still more lying song,


s: "By these learned slaves, the meanest of the throng;


s: "Their wits brought up, their wisdom shrunk so small,


s: "A sceptre's puny point can wield it all!


s: "Ye too, believers of incredible creeds,


s: "Whose faith enshrines the monsters which it breeds;


s: "Who, bolder even than NEMROD, think to rise


s: "By nonsense heapt on nonsense to the skies;


s: "Ye shall have miracles, ay, sound ones too,


s: "Seen, heard, attested, everything--but true.


s: "Your preaching zealots too inspired to seek


s: "One grace of meaning for the things they speak:


s: "Your martyrs ready to shed out their blood,


s: "For truths too heavenly to be understood;


s: "And your State Priests, sole venders of the lore,


s: "That works salvation;--as, on AVA'S shore,


s: "Where none _but_ priests are privileged to trade


s: "In that best marble of which Gods are made;


s: "They shall have mysteries--ay precious stuff


s: "For knaves to thrive by--mysteries enough;


s: "Dark, tangled doctrines, dark as fraud can weave,


s: "Which simple votaries shall on trust receive,


s: "While craftier feign belief till they believe.


s: "A Heaven too ye must have, ye lords of dust,--


s: "A splendid Paradise,--pure souls, ye must:


s: "That Prophet ill sustains his holy call,


s: "Who finds not heavens to suit the tastes of all;


s: "Houris for boys, omniscience for sages,


s: "And wings and glories for all ranks and ages.


s: "Vain things!--as lust or vanity inspires,


s: "The heaven of each is but what each desires,


s: "And, soul or sense, whate'er the object be,


s: "So let him--EBLIS! grant this crowning curse,


s: "But keep him what he is, no Hell were worse."


s: "Oh my lost soul!" exclaimed the shuddering maid,


s: Whose ears had drunk like poison all he said:


s: He knew no more of fear than one who dwells


s: But in those dismal words that reached his ear,


s: "Oh my lost soul!" there was a sound so drear,


s: So like that voice among the sinful dead


s: In which the legend o'er Hell's Gate is read,


s: That, new as 'twas from her whom naught could dim


s: "Ha, my fair Priestess!"--thus, with ready wile,


s: The impostor turned to greet her--"thou whose smile


s: "Beyond the Enthusiast's hope or Prophet's dream,


s: "Light of the Faith! who twin'st religion's zeal


s: "So close with love's, men know not which they feel,


s: "Nor which to sigh for, in their trance of heart,


s: "The heaven thou preachest or the heaven thou art!


s: "What should I be without thee? without thee


s: "How dull were power, how joyless victory!


s: "Tho' borne by angels, if that smile of thine


s: "Blest not my banner 'twere but half divine.


s: "But--why so mournful, child? those eyes that shone


s: "All life last night--what!--is their glory gone?


s: "Come, come--this morn's fatigue hath made them pale,


s: "They want rekindling--suns themselves would fail


s: "Did not their comets bring, as I to thee,


s: "From light's own fount supplies of brilliancy.


s: "Thou seest this cup--no juice of earth is here,


s: "But the pure waters of that upper sphere,


s: "Whose rills o'er ruby beds and topaz flow,


s: "Catching the gem's bright color as they go.


s: "Nightly my Genii come and fill these urns--


s: "Nay, drink--in every drop life's essence burns;


s: "'Twill make that soul all fire, those eyes all light--


s: "Come, come, I want thy loveliest smiles to-night:


s: "There is a youth--why start?--thou saw'st him then;


s: "Lookt he not nobly? such the godlike men,


s: "Thou'lt have to woo thee in the bowers above;--


s: "Tho' _he_, I fear, hath thoughts too stern for love,


s: "The world calls virtue--we must conquer this;


s: "Nay, shrink not, pretty sage! 'tis not for thee


s: "The steel must pass thro' fire, ere it can yield


s: "Fit instruments for mighty hands to wield.


s: "Of powerful beauty on that warrior's heart.


s: "All that my Haram boasts of bloom and wit,


s: "Of skill and charms, most rare and exquisite,


s: "Shall tempt the boy;--young MIRZALA'S blue eyes


s: "Whose sleepy lid like snow on violets lies;


s: "AROUYA'S cheeks warm as a spring-day sun


s: "Have magic in their pressure; ZEBA'S lute,


s: "And LILLA'S dancing feet that gleam and shoot


s: "Rapid and white as sea-birds o'er the deep--


s: "All shall combine their witching powers to steep


s: "My convert's spirit in that softening trance,


s: "From which to heaven is but the next advance;--


s: "That glowing, yielding fusion of the breast.


s: "On which Religion stamps her image best.


s: "But hear me, Priestess!--tho' each nymph of these


s: "Hath some peculiar, practised power to please,


s: "Some glance or step which at the mirror tried


s: "First charms herself, then all the world beside:


s: "There still wants _one_ to make the victory sure,


s: "One who in every look joins every lure,


s: "Thro' whom all beauty's beams concentred pass,


s: "Dazzling and warm as thro' love's burning glass;


s: "Whose gentle lips persuade without a word,


s: "Whose words, even when unmeaning, are adored.


s: "Like inarticulate breathings from a shrine,


s: "Which our faith takes for granted are divine!


s: "Such is the nymph we want, all warmth and light,


s: "To crown the rich temptations of to-night;


s: "Such the refined enchantress that must be


s: "This hero's vanquisher,--and thou art she!"


s: With her hands claspt, her lips apart and pale,


s: From which these words like south winds thro' a fence


s: Of Kerzrah flowers, came filled with pestilence;


s: Of frowns from her, of virtuous frowns, were fled,


s: And the wretch felt assured that once plunged in,


s: Her woman's soul would know no pause in sin!


s: At first, tho' mute she listened, like a dream


s: Seemed all he said: nor could her mind whose beam


s: As yet was weak penetrate half his scheme.


s: But when at length he uttered, "Thou art she!"


s: All flasht at once and shrieking piteously,


s: "Oh not for worlds! "she cried--"Great God! to whom


s: "I once knelt innocent, is this my doom?


s: "Are all my dreams, my hopes of heavenly bliss,


s: "My purity, my pride, then come to this,--


s: "And sunk myself as low as hell can steep


s: "In its hot flood, drag others down as deep!


s: "Others--ha! yes--that youth who came to-day--


s: "_Not_ him I loved--not him--oh! do but say,


s: "But swear to me this moment 'tis not he,


s: "And I will serve, dark fiend, will worship even thee!"


s: "Beware, young raving thing!--in time beware,


s: "Nor utter what I can not, must not bear,


s: "Even from _thy_ lips. Go--try thy lute, thy voice,


s: "The boy must feel their magic;--I rejoice


s: "To see those fires, no matter whence they rise,


s: "Once more illuming my fait Priestess' eyes;


s: "And should the youth whom soon those eyes shall warm,


s: "So much the happier wilt thou find thy doom,


s: "As one warm lover full of life and bloom


s: "Excels ten thousand cold ones in the tomb.


s: "Nay, nay, no frowning, sweet!--those eyes were made


s: "For love, not anger--I must be obeyed."


s: "Obeyed!--'tis well--yes, I deserve it all--


s: "On me, on me Heaven's vengeance can not fall


s: "And beautiful--must _he_ be ruined too?


s: "Must _he_ too, glorious as he is, be driven


s: "A renegade like me from Love and Heaven?


s: "Like me?--weak wretch, I wrong him--not like me;


s: "No--he's all truth and strength and purity!


s: "Fill up your maddening hell-cup to the brim,


s: "Its witchery, fiends, will have no charm for him.


s: "Let loose your glowing wantons from their bowers,


s: "He loves, he loves, and can defy their powers!


s: "Wretch as I am, in his heart still I reign


s: "Pure as when first we met, without a stain!


s: "Tho' ruined--lost--my memory like a charm


s: "Left by the dead still keeps his soul from harm.


s: "Oh! never let him know how deep the brow


s: "He kist at parting is dishonored now;--


s: "Ne'er tell him how debased, how sunk is she.


s: "Whom once he loved--once!--_still_ loves dotingly.


s: "Thou laugh'st, tormentor,--what!--thou it brand my name?


s: "Do, do--in vain--he'll not believe my shame--


s: "He thinks me true, that naught beneath God's sky


s: "Could tempt or change me, and--so once thought I.


s: "But this is past--tho' worse than death my lot,


s: "Than hell--'tis nothing while _he_ knows it not.


s: "Far off to some benighted land I'll fly,


s: "Where sunbeam ne'er shall enter till I die;


s: "Where none will ask the lost one whence she came,


s: "But I may fade and fall without a name.


s: "And thou--curst man or fiend, whate'er thou art,


s: "Who found'st this burning plague-spot in my heart,


s: "And spread'st it--oh, so quick!--thro' soul and frame,


s: "With more than demon's art, till I became


s: "A loathsome thing, all pestilence, all flame!--


s: "If, when I'm gone"--"Hold, fearless maniac, hold,


s: "Nor tempt my rage--by Heaven, not half so bold


s: "The puny bird that dares with teasing hum


s: "Within the crocodile's stretched jaws to come!


s: "And so thou'lt fly, forsooth?--what!--give up all


s: "Where now to Love and now to ALLA given,


s: "Half mistress and half saint, thou hang'st as even


s: "As doth MEDINA'S tomb, 'twixt hell and heaven!


s: "Thou'lt fly?--as easily may reptiles run,


s: "The gaunt snake once hath fixt his eyes upon;


s: "As easily, when caught, the prey may be


s: "Pluckt from his loving folds, as thou from me.


s: "No, no, 'tis fixt--let good or ill betide,


s: "Thou'rt mine till death, till death MOKANNA'S bride!


s: The Maid whose spirit his rude taunts had stirred


s: Thro' all its depths and roused an anger there,


s: That burst and lightened even thro' her despair--


s: Shrunk back as if a blight were in the breath


s: That spoke that word and staggered pale as death.


s: "Yes, my sworn bride, let others seek in bowers


s: "Their bridal place--the charnel vault was ours!


s: "Instead of scents and balms, for thee and me


s: "Rose the rich steams of sweet mortality,


s: "Gay, flickering death-lights shone while we were wed.


s: "And for our guests a row of goodly Dead,


s: "(Immortal spirits in their time, no doubt,)


s: "From reeking shrouds upon the rite looked out!


s: "That oath thou heard'st more lips than thine repeat--


s: "That cup--thou shudderest, Lady,--was it sweet?


s: "That cup we pledged, the charnel's choicest wine,


s: "Hath bound thee--ay--body and soul all mine;


s: "Bound thee by chains that, whether blest or curst


s: "No matter now, not hell itself shall burst!


s: "Hence, woman, to the Haram, and look gay,


s: "Look wild, look--anything but sad; yet stay--


s: "One moment more--from what this night hath past,


s: "I see thou know'st me, know'st me _well_ at last.


s: "Ha! ha! and so, fond thing, thou thought'st all true,


s: "As victims, love them; as the sea-dog dotes


s: "Upon the small, sweet fry that round him floats;


s: "Or, as the Nile-bird loves the slime that gives


s: "That rank and venomous food on which she lives!--


s: "And, now thou seest my _soul's_ angelic hue,


s: "'Tis time these _features_ were uncurtained too;--


s: "This brow, whose light--oh rare celestial light!


s: "Hath been reserved to bless thy favored sight;


s: "These dazzling eyes before whose shrouded might


s: "Thou'st seen immortal Man kneel down and quake--


s: "Would that they _were_ heaven's lightnings for his sake!


s: "But turn and look--then wonder, if thou wilt,


s: "That I should hate, should take revenge, by guilt,


s: "Upon the hand whose mischief or whose mirth


s: "Sent me thus mained and monstrous upon earth;


s: "And on that race who, tho' more vile they be


s: "Here--judge if hell, with all its power to damn,


s: "Can add one curse to the foul thing I am!"--


s: He raised his veil--the Maid turned slowly round,


s: Looked at him--shrieked--and sunk upon the ground!


s: pavilion,--greatly to the mortification of the poor artists of


s: Prepare thy soul, young AZIM!--thou hast braved


s: The bands of GREECE, still mighty tho' enslaved;


s: Hast faced her phalanx armed with all its fame,--


s: Her Macedonian pikes and globes of fame,


s: All this hast fronted with firm heart and brow,


s: But a more perilous trial waits thee now,--


s: Woman's bright eyes, a dazzling host of eyes


s: From every land where woman smiles or sighs;


s: Of every hue, as Love may chance to raise


s: His black or azure banner in their blaze;


s: And each sweet mode of warfare, from the flash


s: That lightens boldly thro' the shadowy lash,


s: To the sly, stealing splendors almost hid


s: Like swords half-sheathed beneath the downcast lid;--


s: Such, AZIM, is the lovely, luminous host


s: Now led against thee; and let conquerors boast


s: Their fields of fame, he who in virtue arms


s: A young, warm spirit against beauty's charms,


s: Who feels her brightness, yet defies her thrall,


s: Is the best, bravest conqueror of them all.


s: Now, thro' the Haram chambers, moving lights


s: And busy shapes proclaim the toilet's rites;--


s: From room to room the ready handmaids hie,


s: Some skilled to wreath the turban tastefully,


s: O'er the warm blushes of the youthful maid,


s: Who, if between the folds but one eye shone,


s: Like SEBA'S Queen could vanquish with that one:--


s: While some bring leaves of Henna to imbue


s: The fingers' ends with a bright roseate hue,


s: So bright that in the mirror's depth they seem


s: Like tips of coral branches in the stream:


s: To give that long, dark languish to the eye,


s: Which makes the maids whom kings are proud to call


s: From fair Circassia's vales, so beautiful.


s: All is in motion; rings and plumes and pearls


s: Are shining everywhere:--some younger girls


s: Are gone by moonlight to the garden-beds,


s: To gather fresh, cool chaplets for their heads;--


s: Gay creatures! sweet, tho' mournful, 'tis to see


s: How each prefers a garland from that tree


s: Which brings to mind her childhood's innocent day


s: And the dear fields and friendships far away.


s: In her full lap the Champac's leaves of gold,


s: Thinks of the time when, by the GANGES' flood,


s: Her little playmates scattered many a bud


s: Upon her long black hair with glossy gleam


s: Just dripping from the consecrated stream;


s: While the young Arab haunted by the smell


s: Of her own mountain flowers as by a spell,--


s: The sweet Alcaya and that courteous tree


s: Sees called up round her by these magic scents


s: The well, the camels, and her father's tents;


s: Sighs for the home she left with little pain,


s: Silent and bright, where nothing but the falls


s: Of fragrant waters gushing with cool sound


s: From many a jasper fount is heard around,


s: Young AZIM roams bewildered,--nor can guess


s: What means this maze of light and loneliness.


s: Here the way leads o'er tesselated floors


s: Where ranged in cassolets and silver urns


s: The bowers of TIBET send forth odorous light,


s: Like Peris' wands, when pointing out the road


s: For some pure Spirit to its blest abode:--


s: Bursts on his sight, boundless and bright as noon;


s: Where in the midst reflecting back the rays


s: In broken rainbows a fresh fountain plays


s: High as the enamelled cupola which towers


s: All rich with Arabesques of gold and flowers:


s: And the mosaic floor beneath shines thro'


s: The sprinkling of that fountain's silvery dew,


s: Like the wet, glistening shells of every dye


s: Of woman's love in those fair, living things


s: Of land and wave, whose fate--in bondage thrown


s: For their weak loveliness--is like her own!


s: On one side gleaming with a sudden grace


s: Thro' water brilliant as the crystal vase


s: In which it undulates, small fishes shine


s: While, on the other, latticed lightly in


s: Each brilliant bird that wings the air is seen;--


s: Gay, sparkling loories such as gleam between


s: Mecca's blue sacred pigeon, and the thrush


s: At evening from the tall pagoda's top;--


s: Those golden birds that in the spice time drop


s: About the gardens, drunk with that sweet food


s: Whose scent hath lured them o'er the summer flood;


s: Build their high nests of budding cinnamon;


s: In short, all rare and beauteous things that fly


s: Sleeping in light, like the green birds that dwell


s: More like the luxuries of that impious King,


s: Whom Death's dark Angel with his lightning torch


s: Struck down and blasted even in Pleasure's porch,


s: Than the pure dwelling of a Prophet sent


s: Armed with Heaven's sword for man's enfranchisement--


s: Young AZIM wandered, looking sternly round,


s: His simple garb and war-boots clanking sound


s: But ill according with the pomp and grace


s: And silent lull of that voluptuous place.


s: "Is this, then," thought the youth, "is this the way


s: "To free man's spirit from the deadening sway


s: "Of worldly sloth,--to teach him while he lives


s: "To know no bliss but that which virtue gives,


s: "And when he dies to leave his lofty name


s: "A light, a landmark on the cliffs of fame?


s: "It was not so, Land of the generous thought


s: "And daring deed, thy god-like sages taught;


s: "It was not thus in bowers of wanton ease


s: "Oh! not beneath the enfeebling, withering glow


s: "Of such dull luxury did those myrtles grow


s: "With which she wreathed her sword when she would dare


s: "Of toil,--of temperance,--of that high, rare,


s: "Ethereal virtue, which alone can breathe


s: "Life, health, and lustre into Freedom's wreath.


s: "Who that surveys this span of earth we press.--


s: "This speck of life in time's great wilderness,


s: "This narrow isthmus 'twixt two boundless seas,


s: "The past, the future, two eternities!--


s: "Would sully the bright spot, or leave it bare,


s: "When he might build him a proud temple there,


s: "A name that long shall hallow all its space,


s: "And be each purer soul's high resting-place.


s: "But no--it cannot be, that one whom God


s: "Has sent to break the wizard Falsehood's rod,--


s: "A Prophet of the Truth, whose mission draws


s: "Its rights from Heaven, should thus profane its cause


s: "With the world's vulgar pomps;--no, no,--I see--


s: "He thinks me weak--this glare of luxury


s: "Is but to tempt, to try the eaglet gaze


s: "Of my young soul--shine on, 'twill stand the blaze!"


s: So thought the youth;--but even while he defied


s: This witching scene he felt its witchery glide


s: Thro' every sense. The perfume breathing round,


s: Like a pervading spirit;--the still sound


s: Of Indian bees at sunset when they throng


s: In its blue blossoms hum themselves to sleep;


s: And music, too--dear music! that can touch


s: Beyond all else the soul that loves it much--


s: Now heard far off, so far as but to seem


s: Like the faint, exquisite music of a dream;


s: All was too much for him, too full of bliss,


s: The heart could nothing feel, that felt not this;


s: His soul up to sweet thoughts like wave on wave


s: Succeeding in smooth seas when storms are laid;


s: He thought of ZELICA, his own dear maid,


s: And of the time when full of blissful sighs


s: They sat and lookt into each other's eyes,


s: Naught else worth looking at on this side heaven.


s: "Oh, my loved mistress, thou whose spirit still


s: "Is with me, round me, wander where I will--


s: "The paths of glory; to light up thy cheek


s: "With warm approval--in that gentle look


s: "To read my praise as in an angel's book,


s: "And think all toils rewarded when from thee


s: "How shall I bear the moment, when restored


s: "To that young heart where I alone am Lord.


s: "Tho' of such bliss unworthy,--since the best


s: "When from those lips unbreathed upon for years


s: "I shall again kiss off the soul-felt tears,


s: "And find those tears warm as when last they started,


s: "Those sacred kisses pure as when we parted.


s: "O my own life!--why should a single day,


s: "A moment keep me from those arms away?"


s: While thus he thinks, still nearer on the breeze


s: Come those delicious, dream-like harmonies,


s: Each note of which but adds new, downy links


s: To the soft chain in which his spirit sinks.


s: He turns him toward the sound, and far away


s: Thro' a long vista sparkling with the play


s: Of countless lamps,--like the rich track which Day


s: Leaves on the waters, when he sinks from us,


s: So long the path, its light so tremulous;--


s: He sees a group of female forms advance,


s: By fetters forged in the green sunny bowers,


s: As they were captives to the King of Flowers;


s: And some disporting round, unlinkt and free,


s: Who seemed to mock their sisters' slavery;


s: And round and round them still in wheeling flight


s: Went like gay moths about a lamp at night;


s: Their feet kept time, the very soul of song


s: From psaltery, pipe, and lutes of heavenly thrill,


s: Or their own youthful voices heavenlier still.


s: And now they come, now pass before his eye,


s: Forms such as Nature moulds when she would vie


s: With Fancy's pencil and give birth to things


s: Awhile they dance before him, then divide,


s: Thro' many a path that from the chamber leads


s: To gardens, terraces and moonlight meads,


s: Their distant laughter comes upon the wind,


s: And but one trembling nymph remains behind,--


s: Beckoning them back in vain--for they are gone


s: And she is left in all that light alone;


s: No veil to curtain o'er her beauteous brow,


s: In its young bashfulness more beauteous now;


s: But a light golden chain-work round her hair,


s: Such as the maids of YEZD and SHIRAS wear,


s: From which on either side gracefully hung


s: From Holy Writ or bard scarce less divine;


s: While her left hand, as shrinkingly she stood,


s: Held a small lute of gold and sandal-wood,


s: Which once or twice she touched with hurried strain,


s: Then took her trembling fingers off again.


s: But when at length a timid glance she stole


s: She saw thro' all his features calmed her fear,


s: And like a half-tamed antelope more near,


s: Tho' shrinking still, she came;--then sat her down


s: Upon a musnud's edge, and, bolder grown.


s: Touched a preluding strain and thus began:--


s: There's a bower of roses by BENDEMEER's stream,


s: And the nightingale sings round it all the day long;


s: In the time of my childhood 'twas like a sweet dream,


s: To sit in the roses and hear the bird's song.


s: That bower and its music, I never forget,


s: But oft when alone in the bloom of the year


s: I think--is the nightingale singing there yet?


s: Are the roses still bright by the calm BENDEMEER?


s: No, the roses soon withered that hung o'er the wave,


s: But some blossoms were gathered while freshly they shone.


s: And a dew was distilled from their flowers that gave


s: All the fragrance of summer when summer was gone.


s: Thus memory draws from delight ere it dies


s: An essence that breathes of it many a year;


s: Thus bright to my soul, as 'twas then to my eyes,


s: Is that bower on the banks of the calm BENDEMEER!


s: "Poor maiden!" thought the youth, "if thou wert sent


s: "With thy soft lute and beauty's blandishment


s: "Or tempt its truth, thou little know'st the art.


s: "For tho' thy lips should sweetly counsel wrong,


s: "Those vestal eyes would disavow its song.


s: "But thou hast breathed such purity, thy lay


s: "Returns so fondly to youth's virtuous day,


s: "And leads thy soul--if e'er it wandered thence--


s: "That I would sooner stop the unchained dove,


s: "When swift returning to its home of love,


s: "And round its snowy wing new fetters twine.


s: "Than turn from virtue one pure wish of thine!"


s: Scarce had this feeling past, when sparkling thro'


s: The gently open'd curtains of light blue


s: That veiled the breezy casement, countless eyes


s: Peeping like stars thro' the blue evening skies,


s: Looked laughing in as if to mock the pair


s: That sat so still and melancholy there:--


s: From the cool air mid showers of jessamine


s: Which those without fling after them in play,


s: Two lightsome maidens spring,--lightsome as they


s: Who live in the air on odors,--and around


s: The bright saloon, scarce conscious of the ground,


s: Of mirth and languor, coyness and advance,


s: Too eloquently like love's warm pursuit:--


s: While she who sung so gently to the lute


s: Shrinking as violets do in summer's ray,--


s: But takes with her from AZIM'S heart that sigh


s: We sometimes give to forms that pass us by


s: In the world's crowd, too lovely to remain,


s: Around the white necks of the nymphs who danced


s: Hung carcanets of orient gems that glanced


s: More brilliant than the sea-glass glittering o'er


s: The hills of crystal on the Caspian shore;


s: While from their long, dark tresses, in a fall


s: As those that on the golden-shafted trees


s: Rung round their steps, at every bound more sweet.


s: As 'twere the ecstatic language of their feet.


s: At length the chase was o'er, and they stood wreathed


s: Within each other's arms; while soft there breathed


s: Thro' the cool casement, mingled with the sighs


s: Of moonlight flowers, music that seemed to rise


s: From some still lake, so liquidly it rose;


s: And as it swelled again at each faint close


s: The ear could track thro' all that maze of chords


s: And young sweet voices these impassioned words:--


s: Where cheeks are blushing the Spirit is nigh,


s: Where lips are meeting the Spirit is there!


s: His breath is the soul of flowers like these,


s: And his floating eyes--oh! they resemble


s: Is making the stream around them tremble.


s: Hail to thee, hail to thee, kindling power!


s: And there never was moonlight so sweet as this.


s: Impatient of a scene whose luxuries stole,


s: Spite of himself, too deep into his soul,


s: And where, midst all that the young heart loves most,


s: Flowers, music, smiles, to yield was to be lost,


s: The youth had started up and turned away


s: From the light nymphs and their luxurious lay


s: To muse upon the pictures that hung round,--


s: Bright images, that spoke without a sound,


s: And views like vistas into fairy ground.


s: But here again new spells came o'er his sense:--


s: Could call up into life, of soft and fair,


s: Of fond and passionate, was glowing there;


s: Nor yet too warm, but touched with that fine art


s: Which paints of pleasure but the purer part;


s: Which knows even Beauty when half-veiled is best,--


s: Like her own radiant planet of the west,


s: Whose orb when half retired looks loveliest.


s: _There_ hung the history of the Genii-King,


s: Traced thro' each gay, voluptuous wandering


s: With her from SABA'S bowers, in whose bright eyes


s: He read that to be blest is to be wise;--


s: The Hebrew boy who flies from her young charms,


s: Yet flying turns to gaze and half undone


s: Wishes that Heaven and she could _both_ be won;


s: And here MOHAMMED born for love and guile


s: Forgets the Koran in his MARY'S smile;--


s: With a new text to consecrate their love.


s: With rapid step, yet pleased and lingering eye,


s: Did the youth pass these pictured stories by,


s: And hastened to a casement where the light


s: Of the calm moon came in and freshly bright


s: The fields without were seen sleeping as still


s: As if no life remained in breeze or rill.


s: Here paused he while the music now less near


s: Breathed with a holier language on his ear,


s: As tho' the distance and that heavenly ray


s: Thro' which the sounds came floating took away


s: All that had been too earthly in the lay.


s: Oh! could he listen to such sounds unmoved,


s: And by that light--nor dream of her he loved?


s: Dream on, unconscious boy! while yet thou may'st;


s: 'Tis the last bliss thy soul shall ever taste.


s: Clasp yet awhile her image to thy heart,


s: Ere all the light that made it dear depart.


s: Think of her smiles as when thou saw'st them last,


s: Clear, beautiful, by naught of earth o'ercast;


s: Recall her tears to thee at parting given,


s: Pure as they weep, _if_ angels weep in Heaven.


s: Think in her own still bower she waits thee now


s: With the same glow of heart and bloom of brow,


s: Yet shrined in solitude--thine all, thine only,


s: Like the one star above thee, bright and lonely.


s: Oh! that a dream so sweet, so long enjoyed,


s: The song is husht, the laughing nymphs are flown,


s: That sob of grief which broke from some one nigh--


s: Whose could it be?--alas! is misery found


s: Here, even here, on this enchanted ground?


s: He turns and sees a female form close veiled,


s: Leaning, as if both heart and strength had failed,


s: Against a pillar near;--not glittering o'er


s: With gems and wreaths such as the others wore,


s: But in that deep-blue, melancholy dress.


s: Of friends or kindred, dead or far away;--


s: He left her--when with heart too full to speak


s: He took away her last warm tears upon his cheek.


s: A strange emotion stirs within him,--more


s: Unconsciously he opes his arms while she


s: Springs forward as with life's last energy,


s: But, swooning in that one convulsive bound,


s: Sinks ere she reach his arms upon the ground;--


s: Her veil falls off--her faint hands clasp his knees--


s: 'Tis she herself!--it is ZELICA he sees!


s: But, ah, so pale, so changed--none but a lover


s: Could in that wreck of beauty's shrine discover


s: Stood for some moments mute, and doubtingly


s: Put back the ringlets from her brow, and gazed


s: Upon those lids where once such lustre blazed,


s: Ere he could think she was _indeed_ his own,


s: Own darling maid whom he so long had known


s: Who, even when grief was heaviest--when loath


s: He left her for the wars--in that worst hour


s: Sat in her sorrow like the sweet night-flower,


s: When darkness brings its weeping glories out,


s: And spreads its sighs like frankincense about.


s: "Those gentle eyes to me that I may know


s: "Thy life, thy loveliness is not all gone,


s: "But _there_ at least shines as it ever shone.


s: "Come, look upon thy AZIM--one dear glance,


s: "Like those of old, were heaven! whatever chance


s: "Hath brought thee here, oh, 'twas a blessed one!


s: "There--my loved lips--they move--that kiss hath run


s: "Like the first shoot of life thro' every vein,


s: "And now I clasp her, mine, all mine again.


s: "Oh the delight--now, in this very hour,


s: "When had the whole rich world been in my power,


s: "I should have singled out thee only thee,


s: "From the whole world's collected treasury--


s: "To have thee here--to hang thus fondly o'er


s: "My own, best, purest ZELICA once more!"


s: It was indeed the touch of those fond lips


s: Upon her eyes that chased their short eclipse.


s: And gradual as the snow at Heaven's breath


s: Melts off and shows the azure flowers beneath,


s: Her lids unclosed and the bright eyes were seen


s: Gazing on his--not, as they late had been,


s: Quick, restless, wild, but mournfully serene;


s: As if to lie even for that tranced minute


s: So near his heart had consolation in it;


s: Took from her soul one half its wretchedness.


s: But, when she heard him call her good and pure,


s: Oh! 'twas too much--too dreadful to endure!


s: Shuddering she broke away from his embrace.


s: And hiding with both hands her guilty face


s: Said in a tone whose anguish would have riven


s: A heart of very marble, "Pure!--oh Heaven!"--


s: That tone--those looks so changed--the withering blight,


s: That sin and sorrow leave where'er they light:


s: The dead despondency of those sunk eyes,


s: Where once, had he thus met her by surprise,


s: He would have seen himself, too happy boy,


s: And then the place,--that bright, unholy place,


s: Where vice lay hid beneath each winning grace


s: Its wily covering of sweet balsam leaves,--


s: All struck upon his heart, sudden and cold


s: As death itself;--it needs not to be told--


s: No, no--he sees it all plain as the brand


s: Of burning shame can mark--whate'er the hand,


s: That could from Heaven and him such brightness sever,


s: 'Tis done--to Heaven and him she's lost for ever!


s: It was a dreadful moment; not the tears,


s: Could match that minute's anguish--all the worst


s: Broke o'er his soul and with one crash of fate


s: Laid the whole hopes of his life desolate.


s: "Oh! curse me not," she cried, as wild he tost


s: His desperate hand towards Heav'n--"tho' I am lost,


s: "Think not that guilt, that falsehood made me fall,


s: "No, no--'twas grief, 'twas madness did it all!


s: "Nay, doubt me not--tho' all thy love hath ceased--


s: "I know it hath--yet, yet believe, at least,


s: "That every spark of reason's light must be


s: "Quenched in this brain ere I could stray from thee.


s: "They told me thou wert dead--why, AZIM, why


s: "Did we not, both of us, that instant die


s: "When we were parted? oh! couldst thou but know


s: "I wept thy absence--o'er and o'er again


s: "Thinking of thee, still thee, till thought grew pain,


s: "And memory like a drop that night and day


s: "Falls cold and ceaseless wore my heart away.


s: "Didst thou but know how pale I sat at home,


s: "My eyes still turned the way thou wert to come,


s: "And, all the long, long night of hope and fear,


s: "Thy voice and step still sounding in my ear--


s: "Oh God! thou wouldst not wonder that at last,


s: "When every hope was all at once o'ercast,


s: "When I heard frightful voices round me say


s: "_Azim is dead_!--this wretched brain gave way,


s: "And I became a wreck, at random driven,


s: "Without one glimpse of reason or of Heaven--


s: "All wild--and even this quenchless love within


s: "Turned to foul fires to light me into sin!--


s: "Thou pitiest me--I knew thou wouldst--that sky


s: "Hath naught beneath it half so lorn as I.


s: "The fiend, who lured me hither--hist! come near.


s: "Or thou too, _thou_ art lost, if he should hear--


s: "Told me such things--oh! with such devilish art.


s: "As would have ruined even a holier heart--


s: "Of thee, and of that ever-radiant sphere,


s: "Where blest at length, if I but served him here,


s: "I should for ever live in thy dear sight.


s: "And drink from those pure eyes eternal light.


s: "Think, think how lost, how maddened I must be,


s: "To hope that guilt could lead to God or thee!


s: "Thou weep'st for me--do weep--oh, that I durst


s: "Kiss off that tear! but, no--these lips are curst,


s: "They must not touch thee;--one divine caress,


s: "I've had within those arms and _that_ shall lie


s: "Shrined in my soul's deep memory till I die;


s: "The last of joy's last relics here below,


s: "The one sweet drop, in all this waste of woe,


s: "My heart has treasured from affection's spring,


s: "To soothe and cool its deadly withering!


s: "But thou--yes, thou must go--for ever go;


s: "This place is not for thee--for thee! oh no,


s: "Did I but tell thee half, thy tortured brain


s: "Would burn like mine, and mine go wild again!


s: "Enough that Guilt reigns here--that hearts once good


s: "Now tainted, chilled and broken are his food.--


s: "Enough that we are parted--that there rolls


s: "A flood of headlong fate between our souls,


s: "Whose darkness severs me as wide from thee


s: Almost to madness--"by that sacred Heaven,


s: "Where yet, if prayers can move, thou'lt be forgiven,


s: "As thou art here--here, in this writhing heart,


s: "All sinful, wild, and ruined as thou art!


s: "By the remembrance of our once pure love,


s: "Which like a church-yard light still burns above


s: "The grave of our lost souls--which guilt in thee


s: "I do conjure, implore thee to fly hence--


s: "If thou hast yet one spark of innocence,


s: "'Tis worth whole years of torment to hear this.


s: "What! take the lost one with thee?--let her rove


s: "By thy dear side, as in those days of love,


s: "When we were both so happy, both so pure--


s: "Too heavenly dream! if there's on earth a cure


s: "For the sunk heart, 'tis this--day after day


s: "Those virtuous eyes for ever turned on me;


s: "And in their light re-chastened silently,


s: "Like the stained web that whitens in the sun,


s: "And thou wilt pray for me--I know thou wilt--


s: "At the dim vesper hour when thoughts of guilt


s: "Come heaviest o'er the heart thou'lt lift thine eyes


s: "Full of sweet tears unto the darkening skies


s: "And plead for me with Heaven till I can dare


s: "To fix my own weak, sinful glances there;


s: "Till the good angels when they see me cling


s: "For ever near thee, pale and sorrowing,


s: "Shall for thy sake pronounce my soul forgiven,


s: "And bid thee take thy weeping slave to Heaven!


s: These breathless words when a voice deep and dread


s: From their first sleep--so startling 'twas to both--


s: Rang thro' the casement near, "Thy oath! thy oath!"


s: Oh Heaven, the ghastliness of that Maid's look!--


s: "'Tis he," faintly she cried, while terror shook


s: Her inmost core, nor durst she lift her eyes,


s: Tho' thro' the casement, now naught but the skies


s: And moonlight fields were seen, calm as before--


s: "'Tis he, and I am his--all, all is o'er--


s: "Go--fly this instant, or thou'rt ruin'd too--


s: "My oath, my oath, oh God! 'tis all too true,


s: "True as the worm in this cold heart it is--


s: "The Dead stood round us while I spoke that vow,


s: "Their blue lips echoed it--I hear them now!


s: "Their eyes glared on me, while I pledged that bowl,


s: "'Twas burning blood--I feel it in my soul!


s: "And the Veiled Bridegroom--hist! I've seen to-night


s: "What angels know not of--so foul a sight.


s: "What _there_ lies hid from all but hell and me!


s: "But I must hence--off, off--I am not thine,


s: "Nor Heaven's, nor Love's, nor aught that is divine--


s: "Hold me not--ha! think'st thou the fiends that sever


s: "Hearts cannot sunder hands?--thus, then--for ever!"


s: With all that strength which madness lends the weak


s: She flung away his arm; and with a shriek


s: Whose sound tho' be should linger out more years


s: Than wretch e'er told can never leave his ears--


s: Flew up thro' that long avenue of light,


s: Fleetly as some dark, ominous bird of night,


s: Across the sun; and soon was out of sight!


s: Whose are the gilded tents that crowd the way,


s: Where all was waste and silent yesterday?


s: This City of War which, in a few short hours,


s: Hath sprung up here, as if the magic powers


s: Built the high pillared halls of CHILMINAR,


s: Had conjur'd up, far as the eye can see,


s: This world of tents and domes and sunbright armory:--


s: Princely pavilions screened by many a fold


s: Of crimson cloth and topt with balls of gold:--


s: Steeds with their housings of rich silver spun,


s: Their chains and poitrels glittering in the sun;


s: And camels tufted o'er with Yemen's shells


s: Shaking in every breeze their light-toned bells!


s: So mute was this wide plain that not a sound


s: Hunting among thickets could be heard;--


s: Yet hark! what discords now of every kind,


s: Shouts, laughs, and screams are revelling in the wind;


s: The neigh of cavalry;--the tinkling throngs


s: Of laden camels and their drivers' songs;--


s: Ringing of arms, and flapping in the breeze


s: Of streamers from ten thousand canopies;--


s: War-music bursting out from time to time


s: With gong and tymbalon's tremendous chime;--


s: Or in the pause when harsher sounds are mute,


s: The mellow breathings of some horn or flute,


s: Of the Abyssinian trumpet, swell and float.


s: Who leads this mighty army?--ask ye "who?"


s: And mark ye not those banners of dark hue,


s: The Night and Shadow, over yonder tent?--


s: Roused in his Palace by the dread alarms,


s: That hourly came, of the false Prophet's arms,


s: Tho' worn with Grecian warfare, and behind


s: The veils of his bright Palace calm reclined,


s: Yet brooked he not such blasphemy should stain,


s: Thus unrevenged, the evening of his reign;


s: His shadowy banners proudly to the breeze,


s: Here stands to crush the rebels that o'errun


s: His blest and beauteous Province of the Sun.


s: Such pomp before;--not even when on his way


s: To MECCA'S Temple, when both land and sea


s: Were spoiled to feed the Pilgrim's luxury;


s: When round him mid the burning sands he saw


s: Fruits of the North in icy freshness thaw,


s: And cooled his thirsty lip beneath the glow


s: Of MECCA'S sun with urns of Persian snow:--


s: Nor e'er did armament more grand than that


s: First, in the van, the People of the Rock


s: On their light mountain steeds of royal stock:


s: Then chieftains of DAMASCUS proud to see


s: The flashing of their swords' rich marquetry;--


s: Men from the regions near the VOLGA'S mouth


s: Mixt with the rude, black archers of the South;


s: And Indian lancers in white-turbaned ranks


s: From the far SINDE or ATTOCK'S sacred banks,


s: With dusky legions from the Land of Myrrh,


s: And many a mace-armed Moor and Midsea islander.


s: Nor less in number tho' more new and rude


s: In warfare's school was the vast multitude


s: That, fired by zeal or by oppression wronged,


s: Round the white standard of the impostor thronged.


s: Beside his thousands of Believers--blind,


s: Burning and headlong as the Samiel wind--


s: Many who felt and more who feared to feel


s: Flockt to his banner;--Chiefs of the UZBEK race,


s: Waving their heron crests with martial grace;


s: TURKOMANS, countless as their flocks, led forth


s: From the aromatic pastures of the North;


s: Wild warriors of the turquoise hills,--and those


s: Their fort the rock, their camp the torrent's bed.


s: But none of all who owned the Chief's command


s: Rushed to that battle-field with bolder hand


s: Or sterner hate than IRAN'S outlawed men,


s: Her Worshippers of Fire--all panting then


s: Vengeance at last for their dear country spurned,


s: Her throne usurpt, and her bright shrines o'erturned.


s: Where aged saints in dreams of Heaven expire:


s: From BADKU and those fountains of blue flame


s: That burn into the CASPIAN, fierce they came,


s: Careless for what or whom the blow was sped,


s: So vengeance triumpht and their tyrants bled.


s: Such was the wild and miscellaneous host


s: That high in air their motley banners tost


s: Around the Prophet-Chief--all eyes still bent


s: Upon that glittering Veil, where'er it went,


s: That beacon thro' the battle's stormy flood,


s: That rainbow of the field whose showers were blood!


s: Twice hath the sun upon their conflict set


s: And risen again and found them grappling yet;


s: While streams of carnage in his noontide blaze,


s: Smoke up to Heaven--hot as that crimson haze


s: In the red Desert when the wind's abroad.


s: "Oh, Swords of God!" the panting CALIPH calls,--


s: "Thrones for the living--Heaven for him who falls!"--


s: "On, brave avengers, on," MOKANNA cries,


s: "And EBLIS blast the recreant slave that flies!"


s: Now comes the brunt, the crisis of the day--


s: They clash--they strive--the CALIPH'S troops give way!


s: MOKANNA'S self plucks the black Banner down,


s: And now the Orient World's Imperial crown


s: Is just within his grasp--when, hark, that shout!


s: Some hand hath checkt the flying Moslem's rout;


s: And now they turn, they rally--at their head


s: A warrior, (like those angel youths who led,


s: In glorious panoply of Heaven's own mail,


s: The Champions of the Faith thro BEDER'S vale,)


s: Bold as if gifted with ten thousand lives,


s: Turns on the fierce pursuers' blades, and drives


s: At once the multitudinous torrent back--


s: While hope and courage kindle in his track;


s: And at each step his bloody falchion makes


s: Terrible vistas thro' which victory breaks!


s: In vain MOKANNA, midst the general flight,


s: Stands like the red moon on some stormy night


s: Among the fugitive clouds that hurrying by


s: In vain he yells his desperate curses out,


s: To foes that charge and coward friends that fly,


s: The panic spreads--"A miracle!" throughout


s: The Moslem ranks, "a miracle!" they shout,


s: All gazing on that youth whose coming seems


s: A light, a glory, such as breaks in dreams;


s: And every sword, true as o'er billows dim


s: The needle tracks the lode-star, following him!


s: Right towards MOKANNA now he cleaves his path,


s: Impatient cleaves as tho' the bolt of wrath


s: He bears from Heaven withheld its awful burst


s: From weaker heads and souls but half way curst,


s: To break o'er Him, the mightiest and the worst!


s: But vain his speed--tho', in that hour of blood,


s: Had all God's seraphs round MOKANNA stood


s: With swords o'fire ready like fate to fall,


s: MOKANNA'S soul would have defied them all;


s: Yet now, the rush of fugitives, too strong


s: For human force, hurries even _him_ along;


s: In vain he struggles mid the wedged array


s: And the sole joy his baffled spirit knows,


s: In this forced flight, is--murdering as he goes!


s: As a grim tiger whom the torrent's might


s: Surprises in some parched ravine at night,


s: Turns even in drowning on the wretched flocks


s: Swept with him in that snow-flood from the rocks,


s: Bloodies the stream lie hath not power to stay.


s: "Alla illa Alla!"--the glad shout renew--


s: Hang out your gilded tapestry in the streets,


s: And light your shrines and chant your ziraleets.


s: The swords of God have triumpht--on his throne


s: Your Caliph sits and the veiled Chief hath flown.


s: Who does not envy that young warrior now


s: To whom the Lord of Islam bends his brow,


s: For his throne's safety in that perilous hour?


s: Who doth not wonder, when, amidst the acclaim


s: Of thousands heralding to heaven his name--


s: Which sound along the path of virtuous souls,


s: Like music round a planet as it rolls,--


s: Hung o'er his heart no triumphs can illume;--


s: Some sightless grief upon whose blasted gaze


s: Tho' glory's light may play, in vain it plays.


s: Yes, wretched AZIM! thine is such a grief,


s: Beyond all hope, all terror, all relief!


s: A dark, cold calm, which nothing now can break.


s: Or warm or brighten,--Like that Syrian Lake


s: Their smiles in vain, for all beneath is dead!--


s: Hearts there have been o'er which this weight of woe


s: Came by long use of suffering, tame and slow;


s: But thine, lost youth! was sudden--over thee


s: It broke at once, when all seemed ecstasy;


s: When Hope lookt up and saw the gloomy Past


s: Melt into splendor and Bliss dawn at last--


s: 'Twas then, even then, o'er joys so freshly blown


s: Even then, the full, warm gushings of thy heart


s: Were checkt--like fount-drops, frozen as they start--


s: And there like them cold, sunless relics hang,


s: Each fixt and chilled into a lasting pang.


s: One sole desire, one passion now remains


s: To keep life's fever still within his veins,


s: Vengeance!--dire vengeance on the wretch who cast


s: O'er him and all he loved that ruinous blast.


s: For this, when rumors reached him in his flight


s: Far, far away, after that fatal night,--


s: Rumors of armies thronging to the attack


s: Of the Veiled Chief,--for this he winged him back,


s: Fleet as the Vulture speeds to flags unfurled,


s: And when all hope seemed desperate, wildly hurled


s: Himself into the scale and saved a world.


s: For this he still lives on, careless of all


s: The wreaths that Glory on his path lets fall;


s: For this alone exists--like lightning-fire,


s: To speed one bolt of vengeance and expire!


s: But safe as yet that Spirit of Evil lives;


s: With a small band of desperate fugitives,


s: The last sole stubborn fragment left unriven


s: Of the proud host that late stood fronting Heaven,


s: He gained MEROU--breathed a short curse of blood


s: O'er his lost throne--then past the JIHON'S flood,


s: And gathering all whose madness of belief


s: Still saw a Saviour in their down-fallen Chief,


s: Raised the white banner within NEKSHEB'S gates,


s: And there, untamed, the approaching conqueror waits.


s: With music and with sweets sparkling alive,


s: He took but one, the partner of his flight,


s: One--not for love--not for her beauty's light--


s: No, ZELICA stood withering midst the gay.


s: From the Alma tree and dies, while overhead


s: To-day's young flower is springing in its stead.


s: Oh, not for love--the deepest Damned must be


s: Touched with Heaven's glory ere such fiends as he


s: Can feel one glimpse of Love's divinity.


s: But no, she is his victim; _there_ lie all


s: Her charms for him-charms that can never pall,


s: As long as hell within his heart can stir,


s: Or one faint trace of Heaven is left in her.


s: Of damning sins, sealed with a burning soul--


s: This is his triumph; this the joy accurst,


s: That ranks him among demons all but first:


s: This gives the victim that before him lies


s: A light like that with which hellfire illumes


s: The ghastly, writhing wretch whom it consumes!


s: But other tasks now wait him--tasks that need


s: All the deep daringness of thought and deed


s: With which the Divs have gifted him--for mark,


s: Over yon plains which night had else made dark,


s: Those lanterns countless as the winged lights


s: That spangle INDIA'S field on showery nights,--


s: Far as their formidable gleams they shed,


s: The mighty tents of the beleaguerer spread,


s: Glimmering along the horizon's dusky line


s: And thence in nearer circles till they shine


s: Among the founts and groves o'er which the town


s: In all its armed magnificence looks down.


s: Yet, fearless, from his lofty battlements


s: Nay, smiles to think that, tho' entoiled, beset,


s: Not less than myriads dare to front him yet;--


s: That friendless, throneless, he thus stands at bay,


s: Even thus a match for myriads such as they.


s: "Oh, for a sweep of that dark Angel's wing,


s: "Who brushed the thousands of the Assyrian King


s: "People Hell's chambers with yon host to-night!


s: "But come what may, let who will grasp the throne,


s: "Caliph or Prophet, Man alike shall groan;


s: "Let who will torture him, Priest--Caliph--King--


s: "Alike this loathsome world of his shall ring


s: "With victims' shrieks and howlings of the slave,--


s: "Sounds that shall glad me even within my grave!"


s: Thus, to himself--but to the scanty train


s: Still left around him, a far different strain:--


s: "I bear from Heaven whose light nor blood shall drown


s: "Nor shadow of earth eclipse;--before whose gems


s: "The crown of GERASHID. the pillared throne


s: "Of PARVIZ and the heron crest that shone


s: "Fade like the stars when morn is in the skies:


s: "Warriors, rejoice--the port to which we've past


s: "O'er Destiny's dark wave beams out at last!


s: "Victory's our own--'tis written in that Book


s: "Upon whose leaves none but the angels look,


s: "That ISLAM'S sceptre shall beneath the power


s: "Of her great foe fall broken in that hour


s: "When the moon's mighty orb before all eyes


s: "From NEKSHEB'S Holy Well portentously shall rise!


s: "Now turn and see!"--They turned, and, as he spoke,


s: A sudden splendor all around them broke,


s: And they beheld an orb, ample and bright,


s: Rise from the Holy Well and cast its light


s: Round the rich city and the plain for miles,--


s: Flinging such radiance o'er the gilded tiles


s: As autumn suns shed round them when they set.


s: Instant from all who saw the illusive sign


s: The Gheber bowed, thinking his idol star


s: Had waked, and burst impatient thro' the bar


s: While he of MOUSSA'S creed saw in that ray


s: The glorious Light which in his freedom's day


s: Shone out to bless the breaking of his chain.


s: "To victory!" is at once the cry of all--


s: Nor stands MOKANNA loitering at that call;


s: But instant the huge gates are flung aside,


s: And forth like a diminutive mountain-tide


s: Into the boundless sea they speed their course


s: Right on into the MOSLEM'S mighty force.


s: The watchmen of the camp,--who in their rounds


s: Had paused and even forgot the punctual sounds


s: Of the small drum with which they count the night,


s: And in a death-groan give their last alarm.


s: "On for the lamps that light yon lofty screen


s: "Nor blunt your blades with massacre so mean;


s: "_There_ rests the CALIPH--speed--one lucky lance


s: "May now achieve mankind's deliverance."


s: Desperate the die--such as they only cast


s: Who venture for a world and stake their last.


s: But Fate's no longer with him--blade for blade


s: Springs up to meet them thro' the glimmering shade,


s: And as the clash is heard new legions soon


s: Pour to the spot, like bees of KAUZEROON


s: To the shrill timbrel's summons,--till at length


s: The mighty camp swarms out in all its strength.


s: And back to NEKSHEB'S gates covering the plain


s: With random slaughter drives the adventurous train;


s: Is seen glittering at times, like the white sail


s: And hath not this brought the proud spirit low!


s: Nor dashed his brow nor checkt his daring? No.


s: Tho' half the wretches whom at night he led


s: To thrones and victory lie disgraced and dead,


s: Yet morning hears him with unshrinking crest.


s: Still vaunt of thrones and victory to the rest;--


s: And they believe him!--oh, the lover may


s: Distrust that look which steals his soul away;--


s: The babe may cease to think that it can play


s: With Heaven's rainbow;--alchymists may doubt


s: The shining gold their crucible gives out;


s: But Faith, fanatic Faith, once wedded fast


s: To some dear falsehood hugs it to the last.


s: And well the Impostor knew all lures and arts,


s: That LUCIFER e'er taught to tangle hearts;


s: Nor, mid these last bold workings of his plot


s: Awake, thro' half the horrors thou hast seen,


s: Thou never couldst have borne it--Death had come


s: At once and taken thy wrung spirit home.


s: Of thought, almost of life, came o'er the intense


s: And passionate struggles of that fearful night,


s: When her last hope of peace and heaven took flight:


s: And tho' at times a gleam of frenzy broke,--


s: As thro' some dull volcano's veil of smoke


s: Ominous flashings now and then will start,


s: Which show the fire's still busy at its heart;


s: Yet was she mostly wrapt in solemn gloom,--


s: Not such as AZIM'S, brooding o'er its doom


s: And calm without as is the brow of death


s: While busy worms are gnawing underneath--


s: But in a blank and pulseless torpor free


s: From thought or pain, a sealed-up apathy


s: Which left her oft with scarce one living thrill


s: The cold, pale victim of her torturer's will.


s: Gorgeously out, the Priestess of the sect;


s: And led her glittering forth before the eyes


s: Of the fierce NILE, when, deckt in all the pride


s: Of nuptial pomp, she sinks into his tide.


s: And while the wretched maid hung down her head,


s: And stood as one just risen from the dead


s: Amid that gazing crowd, the fiend would tell


s: His credulous slaves it was some charm or spell


s: Possest her now,--and from that darkened trance


s: Should dawn ere long their Faith's deliverance.


s: Her soul was roused and words of wildness came,


s: Instant the bold blasphemer would translate


s: Would hail Heaven's signals in her flashing eyes


s: And call her shrieks the language of the skies!


s: But vain at length his arts--despair is seen


s: Gathering around; and famine comes to glean


s: All that the sword had left unreaped;--in vain


s: At morn and eve across the northern plain


s: He looks impatient for the promised spears


s: Of the wild Hordes and TARTAR mountaineers;


s: They come not--while his fierce beleaguerers pour


s: And horrible as new;--javelins, that fly


s: Enwreathed with smoky flames thro' the dark sky,


s: And red-hot globes that opening as they mount


s: Discharge as from a kindled Naphtha fount


s: Showers of consuming fire o'er all below;


s: Looking as thro' the illumined night they go


s: Like those wild birds that by the Magians oft


s: To their huge wings, scattering combustion wide.


s: All night the groans of wretches who expire


s: Ring thro' the city--while descending o'er


s: Its shrines and domes and streets of sycamore,--


s: Its lone bazars, with their bright cloths of gold,


s: Since the last peaceful pageant left unrolled,--


s: Its beauteous marble baths whose idle jets.


s: Now gush with blood,--and its tall minarets


s: That late have stood up in the evening glare


s: Of the red sun, unhallowed by a prayer;--


s: O'er each in turn the dreadful flame-bolts fall,


s: And death and conflagration throughout all


s: MOKANNA sees the world is his no more;--


s: One sting at parting and his grasp is o'er,


s: "What! drooping now?"--thus, with unblushing cheek,


s: He hails the few who yet can hear him speak,


s: Of all those famished slaves around him lying,


s: And by the light of blazing temples dying;


s: "What!--drooping now!--now, when at length we press


s: "Home o'er the very threshold of success;


s: "When ALLA from our ranks hath thinned away


s: "Those grosser branches that kept out his ray


s: "Of favor from us and we stand at length


s: "Heirs of his light and children of his strength,


s: "The chosen few who shall survive the fall


s: "Of Kings and Thrones, triumphant over all!


s: "Have you then lost, weak murmurers as you are,


s: "All faith in him who was your Light, your Star?


s: "Beneath this Veil, the flashing of whose lid


s: "Could like a sun-stroke of the desert wither


s: "Millions of such as yonder Chief brings hither?


s: "Long have its lightnings slept--too long--but now


s: "All earth shall feel the unveiling of this brow!


s: "To-night--yes, sainted men! this very night,


s: "Where--having deep refreshed each weary limb


s: "With viands such as feast Heaven's cherubim


s: "And kindled up your souls now sunk and dim


s: "With that pure wine the Dark-eyed Maids above


s: "Keep, sealed with precious musk, for those they love,--


s: "The wonders of this brow's ineffable light;


s: "Then lead you forth and with a wink disperse


s: "Yon myriads howling thro' the universe!"


s: Eager they listen--while each accent darts


s: New life into their chilled and hope-sick hearts;


s: Such treacherous life as the cool draught supplies


s: To him upon the stake who drinks and dies!


s: Wildly they point their lances to the light


s: Of the fast sinking sun, and shout "To-night!"--


s: "To-night," their Chief re-echoes in a voice


s: Of fiend-like mockery that bids hell rejoice.


s: Seen mourning half so mournful as their mirth.


s: _Here_, to the few whose iron frames had stood


s: This racking waste of famine and of blood,


s: Faint, dying wretches clung, from whom the shout


s: Of triumph like a maniac's laugh broke out:--


s: _There_, others, lighted by the smouldering fire,


s: Danced like wan ghosts about a funeral pyre


s: Among the dead and dying strewed around;--


s: While some pale wretch lookt on and from his wound


s: Plucking the fiery dart by which he bled,


s: In ghastly transport waved it o'er his head!


s: 'Twas more than midnight now--a fearful pause


s: Had followed the long shouts, the wild applause,


s: That lately from those Royal Gardens burst,


s: Where the veiled demon held his feast accurst,


s: In every horror doomed to bear its part!--


s: Who, while his quivering lip the summons gave,


s: Grew black, as tho' the shadows of the grave


s: Compast him round and ere he could repeat


s: His message thro', fell lifeless at her feet!


s: Shuddering she went--a soul-felt pang of fear


s: A presage that her own dark doom was near,


s: Roused every feeling and brought Reason back


s: Once more to writhe her last upon the rack.


s: All round seemed tranquil even the foe had ceased


s: His fiery bolts; and tho' the heavens looked red,


s: 'Twas but some distant conflagration's spread.


s: But hark--she stops--she listens--dreadful tone!


s: 'Tis her Tormentor's laugh--and now, a groan,


s: A long death-groan comes with it--can this be


s: The place of mirth, the bower of revelry?


s: Was there before her! By the glimmering light


s: Of the pale dawn, mixt with the flare of brands


s: That round lay burning dropt from lifeless hands,


s: She saw the board in splendid mockery spread,


s: Rich censers breathing--garlands overhead--


s: The urns, the cups, from which they late had quaft


s: All gold and gems, but--what had been the draught?


s: Oh! who need ask that saw those livid guests,


s: With their swollen heads sunk blackening on their breasts,


s: Or looking pale to Heaven with glassy glare,


s: As if they sought but saw no mercy there;


s: As if they felt, tho' poison racked them thro',


s: Remorse the deadlier torment of the two!


s: While some, the bravest, hardiest in the train


s: Of their false Chief, who on the battle-plain


s: Would have met death with transport by his side,


s: Here mute and helpless gasped;--but as they died


s: Lookt horrible vengeance with their eyes' last strain,


s: And clenched the slackening hand at him in vain.


s: Dreadful it was to see the ghastly stare,


s: Which some of these expiring victims cast


s: Upon their souls' tormentor to the last;


s: Upon that mocking Fiend whose Veil now raised,


s: Showed them as in death's agony they gazed,


s: Not the long promised light, the brow whose beaming


s: Was to come forth, all conquering, all redeeming,


s: But features horribler than Hell e'er traced


s: On its own brood;--no Demon of the Waste,


s: No church-yard Ghoul caught lingering in the light


s: Of the blest sun, e'er blasted human sight


s: With lineaments so foul, so fierce as those


s: The Impostor now in grinning mockery shows:--


s: "There, ye wise Saints, behold your Light, your Star--


s: "Ye _would_ be dupes and victims and ye _are_.


s: "Is it enough? or must I, while a thrill


s: "Lives in your sapient bosoms, cheat you still?


s: "Swear that the burning death ye feel within


s: "Is but the trance with which Heaven's joys begin:


s: "That this foul visage, foul as e'er disgraced


s: "Even monstrous men, is--after God's own taste;


s: "And that--but see!--ere I have half-way said


s: "My greetings thro', the uncourteous souls are fled.


s: "Farewell, sweet spirits! not in vain ye die,


s: "If EBLIS loves you half so well as I.--


s: "Ha, my young bride!--'tis well--take thou thy seat;


s: "Nay come--no shuddering--didst thou never meet


s: "The Dead before?--they graced our wedding, sweet;


s: "And these, my guests to-night, have brimmed so true


s: "Their parting cups, that _thou_ shalt pledge one too.


s: "But--how is this?--all empty? all drunk up?


s: "Hot lips have been before thee in the cup,


s: "Young bride,--yet stay--one precious drop remains,


s: "Enough to warm a gentle Priestess' veins;--


s: "Here, drink--and should thy lover's conquering arms


s: "Speed hither ere thy lip lose all its charms,


s: "Give him but half this venom in thy kiss,


s: "And I'll forgive my haughty rival's bliss!


s: "For, _me_--I too must die--but not like these


s: "Vile rankling things to fester in the breeze;


s: "To have this brow in ruffian triumph shown,


s: "With all death's grimness added to its own,


s: "And rot to dust beneath the taunting eyes


s: "Of slaves, exclaiming, 'There his Godship lies!'


s: "No--cursed race--since first my soul drew breath,


s: "They've been my dupes and _shall_ be even in death.


s: "Thou seest yon cistern in the shade--'tis filled


s: "With burning drugs for this last hour distilled;


s: "There will I plunge me, in that liquid flame--


s: "Fit bath to lave a dying Prophet's frame!--


s: "There perish, all--ere pulse of thine shall fail--


s: "Nor leave one limb to tell mankind the tale.


s: "So shall my votaries, wheresoe'er they rave,


s: "Proclaim that Heaven took back the Saint it gave;--


s: "That I've but vanished from this earth awhile,


s: "To come again with bright, unshrouded smile!


s: "So shall they build me altars in their zeal,


s: "Where knaves shall minister and fools shall kneel;


s: "Where Faith may mutter o'er her mystic spell,


s: "Written in blood--and Bigotry may swell


s: "The sail he spreads for Heaven with blasts from hell!


s: "The rallying sign of fraud and anarchy;--


s: "Kings yet unborn shall rue MOKANNA'S name,


s: "And tho' I die my spirit still the same


s: "Shall walk abroad in all the stormy strife,


s: "And guilt and blood that were its bliss in life.


s: "But hark! their battering engine shakes the wall--


s: "Why, _let_ it shake--thus I can brave them all.


s: "No trace of me shall greet them when they come,


s: He sprung and sunk as the last words were said--


s: Quick closed the burning waters o'er his head,


s: Of those wide walls the only living thing;


s: The only wretched one still curst with breath


s: In all that frightful wilderness of death!


s: More like some bloodless ghost--such as they tell,


s: Each by its own pale carcass watching it.


s: But morn is up and a fresh warfare stirs


s: Throughout the camp of the beleaguerers.


s: Their globes of fire (the dread artillery lent


s: By GREECE to conquering MAHADI) are spent;


s: And now the scorpion's shaft, the quarry sent


s: From high balistas and the shielded throng


s: Of soldiers swinging the huge ram along,


s: All speak the impatient Islamite's intent


s: To try, at length, if tower and battlement


s: And bastioned wall be not less hard to win,


s: Less tough to break down than the hearts within.


s: The impostor once alive within his grasp,


s: Not the gaunt lion's hug nor boa's clasp


s: Could match thy gripe of vengeance or keep pace


s: With the fell heartiness of Hate's embrace!


s: Loud rings the ponderous ram against the walls;


s: Now shake the ramparts, now a buttress falls,


s: But, still no breach--"Once more one mighty swing


s: "Of all your beams, together thundering!"


s: There--the wall shakes--the shouting troops exult,


s: "Quick, quick discharge your weightiest catapult


s: "Right on that spot and NEKSHEB is our own!"


s: 'Tis done--the battlements come crashing down,


s: And the huge wall by that stroke riven in two


s: Shows the dim, desolate city smoking thro'.


s: But strange! no sign of life--naught living seen


s: Above, below--what can this stillness mean?


s: A minute's pause suspends all hearts and eyes--


s: "In thro' the breach," impetuous AZIM cries;