Billeder på siden
PDF
ePub

"And spread'st it—oh, so quick!—thro' soul and frame "With more than demon's art, till I became

"A loathsome thing, all pestilence, all flame!—

[merged small][ocr errors]

"Hold, fearless maniac, hold,

"Nor tempt my rage-by Heav'n, not half so bold
"The puny bird, that dares with teazing hum
"Within the crocodile's stretch'd jaws to come!*
"And so thou'lt fly, forsooth?-what!-give up all
"Thy chaste dominion in the Haram Hall,
"Where now to Love and now to ALLA given,
"Half mistress and half saint, thou hang'st as even
"As doth MEDINA's tomb, 'twixt hell and heaven!
"Thou'lt fly?-as easily may reptiles run

"The gaunt snake once hath fix'd his eyes upon;
"As easily, when caught, the prey may be
"Pluck'd from his loving folds, as thou from me.
"No, no, 'tis fix'd-let good or ill betide,

"Thou'rt mine till death, till death MOKANNA's bride! "Hast thou forgot thy oath?".

At this dread word, The Maid, whose spirit his rude taunts had stirr'd Through all its depths, and rous'd an anger there, That burst and lighten'd ev'n through her despair!—

* The ancient story concerning the Trochilus, or humming-bird, entering with impunity into the mouth of the crocodile, is firmly believed at Java.-Barrow's Cochin-china.

Shrunk back, as if a blight were in the breath,
That spoke that word, and stagger'd, pale as death.

66 My sworn Bride, let others seek in bowers "Their bridal place—the charnel vault was ours! "Instead of scents and balms, for thee and me "Rose the rich steams of sweet mortality;

"Gay, flickering death-lights shone while we were wed,
"And, for our guests, a row of goodly Dead,
"(Immortal spirits in their time no doubt,)
"From reeking shrouds upon the rite look'd out!
"That oath thou heardst more lips than thine repeat-
"That cup--thou shudderest, Lady-was it sweet?
"That cup we pledg'd, the charnel's choicest wine,
"Hath bound thee--aye--body and soul all mine!
"Bound thee by chains that, whether blest or curst
"No matter now, not hell itself shall burst!
"Hence, woman, to the Haram, and look gay,
"Look wild, look--any thing but sad; yet stay--
"One moment more-from what this night hath pass'd,
"I see thou know'st me, know'st me well at last.
"Ha! ha! and so, fond thing, thou thought'st all true,
"And that I love mankind!-I do, I do

"As victims, love them; as the sea-dog dotes
"Upon the small, sweet fry that round him floats;
"Or, as the Nile-bird loves the slime that gives
"That rank and venomous food on which she lives!*

Circum easdem ripas (Nili, viz.) ales est Ibis. Ea serpentium populatur ova, gratissimamque ex his escam nidis suis refert.-Solinus.

THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY

ASTOR. LENOX

TILDEN FOUNDATION8

[graphic]
[ocr errors]

Drawn by Rich: Westall. RA.

Tanner, Vallance,Kearny & Co.sc.

LALLA ROOKH.

HE HAIS'D HIS VEIL THE MAID TURN'D SLOWLY ROUND,
LOOK'D AT HIM SPREED AND SUNK UPON THE GROUND!

Published by M. Thomas. Philadelphia.

Kirk & Mercein, & C. Wiley & Co.

New York

[graphic]
« ForrigeFortsæt »