At first, though mute she listen'd, like a dream, Seem'd all he said: nor could her mind, whose beam As yet was weak, penetrate half his scheme. But when, at length, he utter'd, "Thou art she!" All flash'd at once, and shrieking piteously, "Oh not for worlds!" she cried-" Great God! to 'whom "I once knelt innocent, is this my doom? "Are all my dreams, my hopes of heavenly bliss, “My purity, my pride, then come to this,— "To live, the wanton of a fiend! to be "The pander of his guilt-oh infamy! "And sunk, myself, as low as hell can steep "In its hot flood, drag others down as deep! "Others-ha! yes-that youth who came to-day"Not him I loved-not him-oh! do but say, "But swear to me this moment 'tis not he, "And I will serve, dark fiend, will worship even thee!" “No-he's all truth and strength and purity! "Fill up your madd'ning hell-cup to the brim, "Its witch'ry, fiends, will have no charm for him. "Let loose your glowing wantons from their bow'rs, "He loves, he loves, and can defy their powers! "Wretch as I am, in his heart still I reign "Pure as when first we met, without a stain! Though ruin'd-lost-my mem'ry, like a charm "Left by the dead, still keeps his soul from harm. "Oh! never let him know how deep the brow "He kiss'd at parting, is dishonor'd now; "Ne'er tell him how debased, how sunk is she, "Whom once he loved-once!-still loves dotingly. "Thou laugh'st, tormentor,-what!-thou'lt brand my name? “Do, do—in vain—he'll not believe my shame— "He thinks me true, that naught beneath God'e sky "Could tempt or change me, and—so once thought I. "But this is past-though worse than death my lot, "Than hell-'tis nothing while he knows it not. "Far off to some benighted land I'll fly, "Where sunbeam ne'er shall enter till I die; "Where none will ask the lost one whence she came, "But I may fade and fall without a name. "And thou-cursed man or fiend, whate'er thou "Yes, my sworn bride, let others seek in bow'rs "Their bridal place-the charnel-vault was ours! "Instead of scents and balms, for thee and me "Rose the rich steams of sweet mortality; 66 Gay, flick'ring 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 heard'st more lips than thine repeat "That cup-thou shudd'rest, Lady,-was it sweet? "That cup we pledged, the charnel's choicest wine, "Hath bound thee-ay-body and soul all mine; "Bound thee by chains that, whether bless'd or cursed "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 ON their arrival, next night, at the place of encampment, they were surprised and delighted to find the groves all around illuminated; some artists of Yamtcheous having been sent on previously for the purpose. On each side of the green alley which led to the Royal Pavilion, artificial sceneries of bamboo-work 59 were erected, representing arches, minarets, and towers, from which hung thousands of silken lanterns, painted by the most delicate pencils of Canton.-Nothing could be more beautiful than the leaves of the mango-trees and acacias, shining in the light of the bambooscenery, which shed a lustre round as soft as that of the nights of Peristan. LALLA ROOKH, however, who was too much occupied by the sad story of ZELICA and her lover, to give a thought to any thing else, except, perhaps, him who related it, hurried on through this scene of splendor to her pavilion,-greatly to the mortification of the poor artists of Yamtcheou,-and was followed with equal rapidity by the Great Chamberlain, cursing, as he went, that ancient Mandarin, whose parental anxiety in lighting up the shores of the lake, where his beloved daughter had wandered and been lost, was the origin of these fantastic Chinese illuminations." Without a moment's delay, young FERAMORZ was introduced, and FADLADEEN, who could never make up his mind as to the merits of a poet, till he knew the religious sect to which he belonged, was about to ask him whether he was a Shia or a Sooni, when LALLA ROоKн impatiently clapped her hands for silence, and the youth, being seated upon the musnud near her, proceeded: PREPARE thy soul, young Azım!—thou hast braved "Sent me thus maim'd and monstrous upon earth; The bands of GREECE, still mighty though en He raised his veil the Maid turn'd slowly Woman's bright eyes, a dazzling host of eyes round, From every land where woman smiles or sighs; Look'd at him-shriek'd--and sunk upon the Of every hue, as Love may chance to raise ground! His black or azure banner in their blaze; To the sly, stealing splendors, almost hid, lid ; Such, AZIM, is the lovely, luminous host Now led against thee; and, let conqu❜rors boast Of fragrant waters, gushing with cool sound The bow'rs of TIBET," send forth odorous light, Now, through the Haram chambers, moving Like Peris' wands, when pointing out the road lights And busy shapes proclaim the toilet's rites;— While some bring leaves of Henna, to imbue To give that long, dark languish to the eye," From fair Circassia's vales, so beautiful. All is in motion; rings, and plumes, and pearls see How each prefers a garland from that tree Which brings to mind her childhood's innocent day 66 Meanwhile, through vast illuminated halls, Silent and bright, where nothing but the falls For some pure Spirit to its blest abode: And here, at once, the glittering saloon Bursts on his sight, boundless and bright as noon, Here too he traces the kind visitings And those that under Araby's soft sun So on, through scenes past all imagining, 66 66 Life, health, and lustre into Freedom's wreath. "Who, that surveys this span of earth we press,- eause "With the world's vulgar pomps;-no, no,—I see— While thus he thinks, still nearer on the breeze "Of my young soul-shine on, 'twill stand the Leaves on the waters, when he sinks from us, blaze!" So thought the youth;-but, ev'n while he defied This witching scene, he felt its witch'ry glide So long the path, its light so tremulous;— Through ev'ry sense. The perfume breathing | As they were captives to the King of Flow'rs;" round, Like a pervading spirit;-the still sound Of falling waters, lulling as the song Of Indian bees at sunset, when they throng In its blue blossoms hum themselves to sleep :" And some disporting round, unlink'd and free, From psalt'ry, pipe, and lutes of heav'nly thrill, Through many a path, that from the chamber leads Then took her trembling fingers off again. She saw through all his features calm'd her fear, And a dew was distill'd from their flowers, that gave All the fragrance of summer, when summer was gone. Thus memory draws from delight, ere it dies, Is that bower on the banks of the calm BENDE- "Poor maiden!" thought the youth, “if thou wert sent, "With thy soft lute and beauty's blandishment, "To wake unholy wishes in this heart, "Or tempt its troth, thou little know'st the art. "For though thy lip should sweetly counsel wrong, "Those vestal eyes would disavow its song. "But thou hast breathed such purity, thy lay "Returns so fondly to youth's virtuous day, "And leads thy soul-if e'er it wandered thence"So gently back to its first innocence, "That I would sooner stop the unchain'd dove, "When swift returning to its home of love, "And round its snowy wing new fetters twine, "Than turn from virtue one pure wish of thine!" Scarce had this feeling pass'd, when, sparkling through The gently open'd curtains of light blue Though shrinking still, she came ;-then sat her Look'd laughing in, as if to mock the pair down That sat so still and melancholy there:- Around the white necks of the nymphs who danced Hung carcanets of orient gems, that glanced |