Billeder på siden
PDF
ePub

And rot to dust beneath the taunting eyes

Of slaves, exclaiming, 'There his Godship lies !'

No; cursed race, since first my soul drew

breath,

They've been my dupes, and shall be, even in

death.

Thou see'st yon cistern in the shade, 'tis

fill'd

With burning drugs, for this last hour distill'd; There will I plunge me in that liquid flame, Fit bath to lave a dying prophet's frame ! There perish, all, - -ere pulse of thine shall

[blocks in formation]

Nor leave one limb to tell mankind the tale.
So shall my votaries, wheresoe'er they rave,
Proclaim that Heaven took back the saint

it gave;

That I've but vanish'd from this earth awhile,

To come again with bright unshrouded smile!
So shall they build me altars in their zeal,

Where knaves shall minister and fools shall kneel;
Where Faith may mutter o'er her mystic spell,
Written in blood, and Bigotry may swell

The sail he spreads for heaven with blasts from hell!
So shall my banner through long ages be
The rallying sign of fraud and anarchy;
Kings yet unborn shall rue Mokanna's name,
And, though I die, my spirit, still the same,
Shall walk abroad in all the stormy strife,
And guilt, and blood, that were its bliss in life!
But, hark! their battering-engine shakes the wall
Why, let it shake — thus I can brave them all.

[ocr errors]

No trace of me shall greet them, when they come,
And I can trust thy faith, for- - thou'lt be dumb.
Now mark how readily a wretch like me,

In one bold plunge, commences Deity!"

He sprung and sunk, as the last words were said: Quick closed the burning waters o'er his head, And Zelica was left- within the ring

Of those wide walls the only living thing;

The only wretched one, still cursed with breath,

In all that frightful wilderness of death!

More like some bloodless ghost, such as, they tell,
In the lone Cities of the Silent dwell,
And there, unseen by all but Alla, sit
Each by its own pale carcass, watching it.

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

[merged small][graphic][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

Could match that gripe of vengeance, or keep pace
With the fell heartiness of hate's embrace!

Loud rings the ponderous ram against the walls; Now shake the ramparts, now a buttress falls, But still no breach- "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

Right on that spot, and Neksheb is our own!"
'Tis done, the battlements come crashing down;
And the huge wall, by that stroke riven in two,
Yawning like some old crater, rent anew,
Shows the dim, desolate city smoking through!
But strange no signs of life, nought living seen

[ocr errors]

Above, below, I what can this stillness mean?
A minute's pause suspends all hearts and eyes
"In through the breach," impetuous Azim cries;
But the cool Caliph, fearful of some wile

In this blank stillness, checks the troops awhile.
Just then a figure, with slow step, advanced
Forth from the ruin'd walls, and, as there glanced
A sunbeam over it, all eyes could see

[ocr errors]

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,
Who, still across wide heaps of ruin, slow
And falteringly comes, till they are near;

Then, with a bound, rushes on Azim's spear,
And casting off the Veil in falling, shows —
Oh! 'tis his Zelica's life-blood that flows!

"I meant not, Azim,” 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 shouldst have the pain of this ; Though death, with thee thus tasted, is a bliss Thou wouldst not rob me of, didst 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 For the most smiling life the happiest live! All, that stood dark and drear before the eye Of my stray'd soul, is passing swiftly by: A light comes o'er me from those looks of love, Like the first dawn of mercy from above; And if thy lips but tell me I'm forgiven, Angels will echo the blest words in heaven! But live, my Azim; · oh! to call thee mine

Thus once again! my Azim dream divine!
Live, if thou ever lovedst me, if to meet

Thy Zelica hereafter would be sweet,

« ForrigeFortsæt »