He saw more potent sorceries to bind To his dark yoke the spirits of mankind, That gloom, through which Frenzy but fiercer burns; That ecstasy, which from the depth of sadness Glares like the maniac's moon, whose light is madness! Of 'Twas from a brilliant banquet, where the sound poesy and music breath'd around, Together picturing to her mind and ear The glories of that heav'n, her destin'd sphere, And, realizing more than youthful love 'Twas from a scene, a witching trance like this, To the dim charnel-house ;-through all its steams cast, To move their lips in mutterings as she pass'd— There, in that awful place, when each had quaff'd And pledg'd in silence such a fearful draught, Such-oh! the look and taste of that red bowl Will haunt her till she dies-he bound her soul By a dark oath, in hell's own language fram'd, Never, while earth his mystic presence claim'd, While the blue arch of day hung o'er them both, Never, by that all-imprecating oath, In joy or sorrow from his side to sever. She swore, and the wide charnel echoed, " Never, never!" From that dread hour, entirely, wildly given To him and-she believ'd, lost maid!-to heaven; Her brain, her heart, her passions all inflam'd, Across the' uncalm, but beauteous firmament. And then her look-oh! where's the heart so wise Could unbewilder'd meet those matchless eyes? Quick, restless, strange, but exquisite withal, Like those of angels, just before their fall; Now shadow'd with the shames of earth -now crost Where sensibility still wildly play'd, Like lightning, round the ruins it had made! And such was now young ZELICA- so chang'd From her who, some years since, delighted rang'd The almond groves that shade BOKHARA's tide, All life and bliss, with Azim by her side! So alter'd was she now, this festal day, When, 'mid the proud Divan's dazzling array, The vision of that Youth whom she had lov'd, Had wept as dead, before her breath'd and mov'd;— When-bright, she thought, as if from Eden's track But half-way trodden, he had wander'd back Again to earth, glistening with Eden's light— Her beauteous Azıм shone before her sight. O Reason! who shall say what spells renew, When least we look for it, thy broken clew! Through what small vistas o'er the darken'd brain Thy intellectual day-beam bursts again; And how, like forts, to which beleaguerers win Unhop'd-for entrance through some friend within, One clear idea, wakened in the breast By memory's magic, lets in all the rest. Would it were thus, unhappy girl, with thee! From light, whose every glimpse was agony! Brought, mingled with its pain, tears, floods of tears, Long frozen at her heart, but now like rills Sad and subdued, for the first time her frame Trembled with horror, when the summons came |