"Who brush'd the thousands of the' Assyrian King 130 "To darkness in a moment, that I might "People Hell's chambers with yon host to-night! "With victims' shrieks, and howlings of the slave,- Still left around him, a far different strain : "Glorious Defenders of the sacred Crown : "I bear from Heaven, whose light nor blood shall drown, "Nor shadow of earth eclipse ;-before whose gems "The paly pomp of this world's diadems, "The crown of GERASHID, the pillar'd throne "Of PARVIZ,131 and the heron crest that shone, 132 "Fade like the stars when morn is in the skies : 66 Victory's our own-'tis written in that Book "Upon whose leaves none but the angels look, "That ISLAM'S sceptre shall beneath the power "Of her great foe fall broken in that hour, "When the moon's mighty orb, before all eyes, "From NEKSHEB'S Holy Well portentously shall rise! "Now turn and see!" They turn'd, and, as he spoke, A sudden splendour all around them broke, And they beheld an orb, ample and bright, Rise from the Holy Well,134 and cast its light Round the rich city and the plain for miles, 135. As autumn suns shed round them when they set. A murmur broke-" Miraculous! divine!" "To victory!" is at once the cry of all— Nor stands MOKANNA loitering at that call; But instant the huge gates are flung aside, And forth, like a diminutive mountain-tide Into the boundless sea, they speed their course Right on into the MOSLEM's mighty force. The watchmen of the camp,-who, in their rounds, Had paus'd, and even forgot the punctual sounds Of the small drum with which they count the night, 137 To gaze upon that supernatural light,— Now sink beneath an unexpected arm, And in a death-groan give their last alarm. "On for the lamps, that light yon lofty screen, 138 But Fate's no longer with him-blade for blade Springs up to meet them through the glimmering shade, The mighty camp swarms out in all its strength, Is seen glittering at times, like the white sail And hath not this brought the proud spirit low? Nor dash'd his brow, nor check'd his daring? No. Though half the wretches, whom at night he led To thrones and victory, lie disgrac'd and dead, Yet morning hears him, with unshrinking crest, Still vaunt of thrones and victory to the rest ;— And they believe him !-oh, the lover may Distrust that look which steals his soul away ;The babe may cease to think that it can play With Heaven's rainbow ;-alchymists may doubt The shining gold their crucible gives out; But Faith, fanatic Faith, once wedded fast To some dear falsehood, hugs it to the last. And well the' Impostor knew all lures and arts Against men's souls, is ZELICA forgot. Awake, through half the horrors thou hast seen, Thou never couldst have borne it-Death had come At once, and taken thy wrung spirit home. But 'twas not so--a torpor, a suspense Of thought, almost of life, came o'er the' intense And passionate struggles of that fearful night, When her last hope of peace and heaven took flight: Again, as in MEROU, he had her deck'd Of the fierce NILE, when, deck'd in all the pride Of nuptial pomp, she sinks into his tide. 140 And while the wretched maid hung down her head, Amid that gazing crowd, the fiend would tell |