No matter now, not hell itself shall burst! Hence, woman, to the Haram, and look gay, Ha ha! and so, fond thing, thou thought'st all true, As victims, love them; as the sea-dog doats. "And, now thou see'st my soul's angelic hue, 'Tis time these features were uncurtain'd too; This brow, whose light—oh rare celestial light! Hath been reserv'd to bless thy favor'd sight; These dazzling eyes, before whose shrouded might Thou'st seen immortal Man kneel down and quake Would that they were heaven's lightnings for his sake! But turn and look-then wonder, if thou wilt, That I should hate, should take revenge, by guilt, Upon the hand, whose mischief or whose mirth Sent me thus maim'd and monstrous upon earth; And on that race who, though more vile they be Than mowing apes, are demi-gods to me! Here-judge if hell, with all its power to damn, Can add one curse to the foul thing I am!" He rais'd his veil the Maid turn'd slowly round, Look'd at him-shriek'd-and sunk upon the ground! On their arrival, next night, at the place of encampment, they were surprised and delighted to find the groves all around illuminated; some artists of Yamtcheou 58 having been sent on previously for the purpose. On each side. of the green alley, which led to the Royal Pavilion, artificial sceneries of bamboo-work 59 were erected, representing arches, minarets, and towers, from which hung thousands of silken lanterns, painted by the most delicate pencils of Canton. -Nothing could be more beautiful than the leaves of the mango-trees and acacias, shining in the light of the bamboo-scenery, which shed a lustre round as soft as that of the nights of Peristan. LALLA ROOKH, however, who was too much occupied by the sad story of ZELICA and her lover, to give a thought to anything else, except, perhaps, him who related it, hurried on through this scene of splendor to her pavilion, greatly to the mortification of the poor artists of Yamtcheou, and was followed with equal rapidity by the Great Chamberlain, cursing, as he went, that ancient Mandarin, whose parental anxiety in lighting up the shores of the lake, where his beloved daughter had wandered and been lost, was the origin of these fantastic Chinese illuminations.60 Without a moment's delay, young FERAMORZ was introduced, and FADLADEEN, who could never make up his mind as to the merits of a poet, till he knew the religious sect to which he belonged, was about to ask him whether he was a Shia or a Sooni, when LALLA ROOKн impatiently clapped her hands for silence, and the youth, being seated upon the musnud near her, proceeded: PREPARE thy soul, young AzIM!-thou hast brav'd Like swords half-sheath'd, beneath the downcast lid: Now led against thee; and, let conquerors boast Now, through the Haram chambers, moving lights And busy shapes proclaim the toilet's rites;From room to room the ready handmaids hie, Some skill'd to wreathe the turban tastefully, Or hang the veil, in negligence of shade, O'er the warm blushes of the youthful maid, Who, if between the folds but one eye shone, Like SEBA's Queen could vanquish with that one: 61While some bring leaves of Henna, to imbue The fingers' ends with a bright roseate hue," So bright, that in the mirror's depth they seem 62 Like tips of coral branches in the stream; To give that long, dark languish to the eye,6 Which makes the maids, whom kings are proud to cull All is in motion; rings and plumes and pearls In her full lap the Champac's leaves of gold,** 66 Meanwhile, through vast illuminated halls, Silent and bright, where nothing but the falls. Of fragrant waters, gushing with cool sound From many a jasper fount, is heard around, Young AZIM roams bewilder'd, -nor can guess What means this maze of light and loneliness. Here, the way leads, o'er tesselated floors 7 54 LALLA ROOKH. Or mats of CAIRO, through long corridors, The bowers of TIBET,67 send forth odorous light, Bursts on his sight, boundless and bright as noon; Here too he traces the kind visitings |