In danger's hour to guard us both,
As I preserve that awful oath!

The name in which thy heart hath prided
Must change; but, my Zuleika, know,
That tie is widened, not divided,

Although thy Sire 's my deadliest foe.
My father was to Giaffir all

That Selim late was deemed to thee;
That brother wrought a brother's fall,
But spared, at least, my infancy;
And lulled me with a vain deceit
That yet a like return may meet.
He reared me, not with tender help,

But like the nephew of a Cain;
He watched me like a lion's whelp,

*

That gnaws and yet may break his chain.

It is to be observed, that every allusion to any thing or per sonage in the Old Testament, such as the Ark, or Cain, is equally the privilege of Mussulman and Jew: indeed, the former profess to be much better acquainted with the lives, true and fabulous, of the patriarchs, than is warranted by our own sacred writ; and not content with Adam, they have a biography of Pre-Adamites. Solomon is the monarch of all necromancy, and Moses a prophet inferior only to Christ and Mahomet. Zuleika is the Persian name of Potiphar's wife; and her amour with Joseph constitutes one of the finest poems in their language. It is, therefore, no violation of costume to put the names of Cain, or Noah, into the mouth of a Moslem. - [Some doubt having been expressed by Mr. Murray, as to the propriety of putting the name of Cain into the mouth of a Mussulman, Byron sent him the preceding note-" for the benefit of the ignorant." "I don't care one lump of sugar," he says, "for my poetry; for my costume, and my correctness on those points, I will com. bat lustily."]

but

vein

My father's blood in every
Is boiling; but for thy dear sake
No present vengeance will I take ;
Though here I must no more remain.
But first, beloved Zuleika! hear

How Giaffir wrought this deed of fear.

XIII.

"How first their strife to rancor grew,
If love or envy made them foes,
It matters little if I knew ;
In fiery spirits, slights, though few
And thoughtless, will disturb repose.
In war Abdallah's arm was strong,
Remembered yet in Bosniac song,
And Paswan's* rebel hordes attest
How little love they bore such guest:
His death is all I need relate,
The stern effect of Giaffir's hate;

And how my birth disclosed to me,

Whate'er beside it makes, hath made me free.

XIV.

"When Paswan, after years of strife,
At last for power, but first for life,
In Widin's walls too proudly sate,
Our Pachas rallied round the state;
Nor last nor least in high command,
Each brother led a separate band;

Paswan Oglou, the rebel of Widin; who, for the last years of his life, set the whole power of the Porte at defiance.

They gave their horse-tails* to the wind,

And mustering in Sophia's plain

Their tents were pitched, their post assigned;
To one, alas! assigned in vain!

What need of words? the deadly bowl,

By Giaffir's order drugged and given, With venom subtle as his soul,

Dismissed Abdallah's hence to heaven.
Reclined and feverish in the bath,

He, when the hunter's sport was up,
But little deemed a brother's wrath
To quench his thirst had such a cup:
The bowl a bribed attendant bore;

He drank one draught † nor needed more!
If thou my tale, Zuleika, doubt,

"The deed once done, and Paswan's feud
In part suppressed, though ne'er subdued,
Abdallah's Pachalick was gained: :-
Thou know'st not what in our Divan
Can wealth procure for worse than man—
Abdallah's honors were obtained

"Horse-tail." the standard of a Pacha.

Giaffir, Pacha of Argyro Castro, or Scutari, I am not sure which, was actually taken off by the Albanian Ali, in the manher described in the text. Ali Pacha, while I was in the country, married the daughter of his victim, some years after the event had taken place at a bath in Sophia, or Adrianople. The poison was mixed in the cup of coffee, which is presented before the sherbet by the bath-keeper, after dressing.

By him a brother's murder stained;
'Tis true, the purchase nearly drained
His ill got treasure, soon replaced.

Would'st question whence? Survey the waste,
And ask the squalid peasant how
His gains repay his broiling brow!
Why me the stern usurper spared,
Why thus with me his palace shared,
I know not. Shame, regret, remorse,
And little fear from infant's force;
Besides, adoption as a son

By him whom Heaven accorded none,
Or some unknown cabal, caprice,
Preserved me thus ; - but not in peace:
He cannot curb his haughty mood,
Nor I forgive a father's blood.

XVI.

"Within thy father's house are foes;
Not all who break his bread are true:
To these should I my birth disclose,
His days, his very hours were few:
They only want a heart to lead,

A hand to point them to the deed.
But Haroun only knows or knew

This tale, whose close is almost nigh:

He in Abdallah's palace grew,
And held that post in his Serai

Which holds he here he saw him die.

But what could single slavery do?

Avenge his lord? alas! too late;
Or save his son from such a fate?
He chose the last, and when elate

With foes subdued, or friends betrayed,
Proud Giaffir in high triumph sate,
He led me helpless to his gate,

And not in vain it seems essayed

To save the life for which he prayed. The knowledge of my birth secured From all and each, but most from me; Thus Giaffir's safety was insured.

Removed he too from Roumelie

To this our Asiatic side,

Far from our seats by Danube's tide,
With none but Haroun, who retains
Such knowledge and that Nubian feels
A tyrant's secrets are but chains,
From which the captive gladly steals,
And this and more to me reveals:
Such still to guilt just Alla sends
Slaves, tools, accomplices-no friends!

XVII.

"All this, Zuleika, harshly sounds;
But harsher still my tale must be:
Howe'er my tongue thy softness wounds,
Yet I must prove all truth to thee.
I saw thee start this garb to see,
Yet is it one I oft have worn,

And long must wear: this Galiongée, To whom thy plighted vow is sworn,