And think its steeps, though dark and dread, 5 She flung him down her long black hair, The hero ZAL in that fond hour, 5 In one of the books of the Shâh Nâmeh, when Zal (a celebrated hero of Persia, remarkable for his white hair) comes to the terrace of his mistress Rodahver at night, she lets down her long tresses to assist him in his ascent; - he, however, manages it in a less romantic way by fixing his crook in a projecting beam. v. Champion's Ferdosi. Than wings the youth who fleet and bold See light as up their granite steeps The rock-goats of ARABIA clamber, " Fearless from crag to crag he leaps, And now is in the maiden's chamber. She loves but knows not whom she loves, Some beauteous bird, without a name, As fair as this, while singing over Some ditty to her soft Kanoon, " cr 7 6" On the lofty hills of Arabia Petræa are rock-goats."— Niebuhr, 7 Canun, espèce de psalterion, avec des cordes de boyaux; les dames en touchent dans le serrail, avec des décailles armées de pointes de coco." Toderini, translated by De Cournand. Alone, at this same witching hour, Gleam through the lattice of the bower, Where nightly now they mix their sighs; Was pausing on his moonlight way This fancy ne'er hath left her mind: And though, when terror's swoon had past, She saw a youth, of mortal kind, Before her in obeisance cast, Yet often since, when he hath spoken Strange, awful words, and gleams have broken From his dark eyes, too bright to bear, To some unhallow'd child of air, Some erring Spirit, cast from heaven, And lost their heaven for woman's eyes! Fond girl! nor fiend nor angel he, But quench'd to-night that ardour seems, Never before, but in her dreams, Had she beheld him pale as now: And those were dreams of troubled sleep, But sadden every waking scene, Like warning ghosts, that leave the spot "How sweetly," said the trembling maid, "How sweetly does the moonbeam smile "To-night upon yon leafy isle! "Oft, in my fancy's wanderings, "I've wish'd that little isle had wings, "Where the bright eyes of angels only His eyes met hers, that smile was gone; And, bursting into heart-felt tears, "Yes, yes," she cried, " my hourly fears, 66 My dreams have boded all too right "We part for ever part-to-night! "I knew, I knew it could not last " 'Twas bright, 'twas heavenly, but 'tis past! |