Lone as the widowed Chacraváci mourns,' 163
Her faithful memory to her husband turns,
And sad, and silent, shalt thou find my wife,
Half of my soul, and partner of my life ;'
Nipped by chill sorrow as the flowers enfold165
Their shrinking petals from the withering cold.

164

166

540

544

I view her now! long weeping swells her eyes,
And those dear lips are dried by parching sighs;
Sad on her hand her pallid cheek declines,
And half unseen through veiling tresses shines;
As when a darkling night the moon enshrouds,
A few faint rays break straggling through the clouds. 548

Now at thy sight I mark fresh sorrows flow,

.167

And sacred sacrifice augments her woe;'
I mark her now, with fancy's aid, retrace
This wasted figure and this haggard face;
Now from her favourite bird she seeks relief,
And tells the tuneful Sáricá168 her grief,

552

Mourns o'er the feathered prisoner's kindred fate,

And fondly questions of its absent mate.

556

In vain the lute for harmony is strung,'

And round the robe-neglected shoulder slung;170
And faltering accents strive to catch, in vain,

But wakes a sad wild warbling of its own.

At times such solace animates her mind,

As widowed wives in cheerless absence find;"

172

568

She counts the flowers now faded on the floor,
That graced with monthly piety the door,173

Thence reckons up the period since from home,

And far from her, was I compelled to roam;

572

And deeming fond my term of exile run,
Conceives my homeward journey is begun.

Lightened by tasks like these the day proceeds,

But much I dread a bitterer night succeeds :174

When thou shalt view her on the earth's cold breast,

576

Or lonely couch of separation rest,

Disturbed by tears those pallid cheeks that burn,

580

And visions of her dearer half's return.

Now seeking sleep, a husband to restore,
And waking now, his absence to deplore;175
Deprived of slumber by returning woes,
Or mocked by idle phantoms of repose;

584

Till her slight form, consumed by ceaseless pain,

Shews like the moon, fast hastening to its wane.

Crisp from the purifying wave, her hair.

Conceals the charms, no more her pleasing care;

And with neglected nails her fingers chase,
Fatigued, the tresses wandering o'er her face,

588

Firm winds the fillet, as it first was wove, 176

When fate relentless forced me from my love;

592

And never flowery wreathes, nor costly pearls,
Must hope to decorate the fettered curls;
Loosed by no hand, until the law divine

Accomplished, that delighted hand is mine.

596

Dull as the flower when clouds through ether sweep,

Not wholly waking, nor resigned to sleep,

Her heavy eyelids languidly unclose

To where the moon its silvery radiance throws

600

Mild through the chamber; once a welcome light,

Avoided now, and hateful to her sight.

Those charms that glittering ornaments oppress,

Those restless slumbers that proclaim distress,

604

That slender figure worn by grief severe,

Shall surely gain thy sympathizing tear ;
For the soft breast is swift to overflow,'

In moist compassion, at the claims of woe.

608

The same fond wife as when compelled to part,
Her love was mine, I still possess her heart:
Her well known faith this confidence affords,
Nor vain conceit suggests unmeaning words;
No boaster I! and time shall quickly teach,
With observation joined, how just my speech.

O'er her left limbs shall glad pulsations play,'
And signs auspicious indicate thy way;

And like the lotus trembling on the tide,

While its deep roots the sportive fish divide,

So tremulous throbs the eye's enchanting ball,
Loose o'er whose lids neglected tresses fall.

178

612

616

620

Soothed by expected bliss should gentle sleep
O'er her soft limbs and frame exhausted creep,
Delay thy tidings, and suspend thy flight,

And watch in silent patience through the night;
Withhold thy thunders, lest the awful sound
Her slumber banish, and her dreams confound,