And there, unseen of all but ALLA, sit But morn is up, and a fresh warfare stirs Throughout the camp of the beleaguerers. Their globes of fire, (the dread artillery, lent By GREECE to conquering MAHADI,) are spent ; And now the scorpion's shaft, the quarry sent From high balistas, and the shielded throng Of soldiers swinging the huge ram along, All speak th' impatient Islamite's intent To try, at length, if tower and battlement And bastion'd wall be not less hard to win, Less tough to break down than the hearts within. First in impatience and in toil is he, The burning AZIM-oh! could he but see Th' Impostor once alive within his grasp, Not the gaunt lion's hug, nor Boa's clasp, Loud rings the ponderous ram against the walls; Now shake the ramparts, now a buttress falls, But still no breach 66 once more, one mighty swing "Of all your beams, together thundering !" There the wall shakes the shouting troops exult "Quick, quick discharge your weightiest catapult 66 Right on that spot, and NEKSHEB is our own!". 'Tis done the battlements come crashing down, And the huge wall, by that stroke riv'n in two, But strange! no signs of life Above, below nought living seen what can this stillness mean ? A minute's pause suspends all hearts and eyes- In this blank stillness, checks the troops awhile. - The well-known Silver Veil!" "Tis He, 'tis He, “MOKANNA, and alone!" they shout around; Young AZIM from his steed springs to the ground "Mine, Holy Caliph! mine," he cries, "the task "To crush yon daring wretch-'tis all I ask." Eager he darts to meet the demon foe, "I meant not, Azım," soothingly she said, As on his trembling arm she lean'd her head, And, looking in his face, saw anguish there Beyond all wounds the quivering flesh can bear "I meant not thou should'st have the pain of this; Though death, with thee thus tasted, is a bliss "Thou would'st not rob me of, did'st thou but know "How oft I've pray'd to God I might die so! "But the Fiend's venom was too scant and slow; "To linger on were maddening—and I thought "If once that Veil nay, look not on it - caught. "The eyes of your fierce soldiery, I should be "Struck by a thousand death-darts instantly. "But this is sweeter- -oh! believe me, yes "I would not change this sad, but dear caress, "This death within thy arms I would not give "A light comes o'er me from those looks of love, 66 Thy ZELICA hereafter would be sweet, "Oh live to 66 Morning and night before that Deity, "To whom pure lips and hearts without a stain, "As thine are, Azıм, never breath'd in vain, "And pray that He may pardon her, — may take 66 Compassion on her soul for thy dear sake, "And, nought remembering but her love to thee, "Make her all thine, all His, eternally! "Go to those happy fields where first we twin'd "Our youthful hearts together — every wind "That meets thee there, fresh from the well-known flowers, "Will bring the sweetness of those innocent hours "Back to thy soul, and thou may'st feel again "For thy poor ZELICA as thou did'st then. "So shall thy orisons, like dew that flies "To Heav'n upon the morning's sunshine, rise "With all love's earliest ardour to the skies! "Oh for one minute! - should thy prayers prevail "If pardon'd souls may from that World of Bliss "Reveal their joy to those they love in this, "I'll come to thee in some sweet dream-and tell "Oh Heaven- I diedear love! farewel, farewel." Time fleeted-years on years had pass'd away, Were living still when, by a rustic grave Beside the swift Amoo's transparent wave, An aged man, who had grown aged there |