"Hold, fearless maniac, hold, "Nor tempt my rage-by Heaven not half so bold "The puny bird that dares with teazing hum "Within the crocodile's stretch'd jaws to come!* "And so thou'lt fly, forsooth ?-what !—give up Thy chaste dominion in the Haram Hall, "Where now to Love and now to ALLA given,

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all

Half mistress and half saint, thou hang'st as even "As doth MEDINA's tomb, 'twixt hell and heaven! "Thou❜lt fly?—as easily may reptiles run "The gaunt snake once hath fix'd his eyes upon ; “As easily, when caught, the prey may be "Pluck'd from his loving folds, as thou from me. “No, no, 'tis fix'd-let good or ill betide,

"Thou'rt mine till death, till death MOKANNA'S bride! "Hast thou forgot thy oath?"—

At this dread word,

The Maid, whose spirit his rude taunts had stirr'd Through all its depths, and roused an anger there, That burst and lighten'd even through her despair!—

* The ancient story concerning the Trochilus, or hummingbird, entering with impunity into the mouth of the crocodile, is firmly believed at Java.—BARROW's Cochin-china.

Shrunk back, as if a blight were in the breath
That spoke that word, and stagger'd, pale as death.

"Yes, my sworn Bride, let others seek in bowers "Their bridal place-the charnel-vault was ours! "Instead of scents and balms, for thee and me "Rose the rich steams of sweet mortality ;

--

"Gay, flickering 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 heards't more lips than thine repeat"That cup-thou shudderest, Lady-was it sweet? "That cup we pledged, the charnel's choicest wine, "Hath bound thee-aye-body and soul all mine: "Bound thee by chains that, whether bless'd or curst "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 doats "Upon the small, sweet fry that round him floats; “Or, as the Nile-bird loves the slime that gives “That rank and venomous food on which she lives! *

"And, now thou see'st my soul's angelic hue, ""Tis time these features were uncurtain❜d too;— "This brow, whose light-oh, rare celestial light! "Hath been reserved to bless thy favour'd sight; "These dazzling eyes, before whose shrouded might "Thou'st seen immortal Man kneel down and quake"Would that they were Heaven's lightnings for his sake!

But turn and look-then wonder, if thou wilt, "That I should hate, should take revenge, by guilt,

Upon the hand, whose mischief or whose mirth "Sent me thus maim'd and monstrous upon earth; "And on that race who, though more vile they be "Than mowing apes, are demi-gods to me!

* Circum easdem ripas (Nili, viz.) ales est Ibis. Ea serpentium populatur ova, gratissimamque ex his escam nidis suis refert.-SOLINus.

VOL. I.

3

“Here—judge if Hell, with all its power to damn,

“ Can add one curse to the foul thing I am !”—

He raised his veil—the Maid turn'd slowly round, Look'd at him-shriek'd-and sunk upon the ground!

On their arrival, next night, at the place of encampment, they were surprised and delighted to find the groves all round illuminated; some artists of Yamtcheou 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 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 mangotrees and acacias, shining in the light of the bamboo scenery, 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 splendour to her pavilion,-greatly to the mortification of the poor artists of Yam