Thalaba the Destroyer Part 20

Exclaimed the sterner Witch.

"Creatures of Allah, they perform his will.

"And with their lying menaces would daunt "Our credulous folly.... Maimuna, "I never liked this uncongenial lore!

"Better befits to make the sacrifice "Of Divination; so shall I "Be mine own Oracle.

"Command the victims thou, O King!

"Male and female they must be, "Thou knowest the needful rites.

"Meanwhile I purify the place."

The Sultan went; the Sorceress rose, And North and South and East and West She faced the points of Heaven, And ever where she turned She laid her hand upon the wall, And up she looked and smote the air, And down she stooped and smote the floor, "To Eblis and his servants "I consecrate the place, "Let none intrude but they!

"Whatever hath the breath of life, "Whatever hath the sap of life, "Let it be blasted and die!"

Now all is prepared; Mohareb returns, The Circle is drawn, The Victims have bled, The Youth and the Maid.

She in the circle holds in either hand Clenched by the hair, a head, The heads of the Youth and the Maid.

"Go out ye lights!" quoth Khawla, And in darkness began the spell.

With spreading arms she whirls around Rapidly, rapidly Ever around and around; And loudly she calls the while "Eblis! Eblis!"

Loudly, incessantly, Still she calls "Eblis! Eblis!"

Giddily, giddily, still she whirls, Loudly, incessantly, still she calls; The motion is ever the same, Ever around and around; The calling is still the same Still it is "Eblis! Eblis!"

And her voice is a shapeless yell, And dizzily rolls her brain, And now she is full of the Fiend.

She stops, she rocks, she reels!

Look! look! she appears in the darkness!

Her flamy hairs curl up All living, like the Meteor's locks of light!

Her eyes are like the sickly Moon!

It is her lips that move, Her tongue that shapes the sound, But whose is the Voice that proceeds?

"Ye may hope and ye may fear, "The danger of his stars is near.

"Sultan! if he perish, woe!

"Fate has written one death-blow "For Mohareb and the Foe?

"Triumph! triumph! only she "That knit his bonds can set him free."

She spake the Oracle, And senselessly she fell.

They knelt in care beside her, Her Sister and the King.

They sprinkled her palms with water, They wetted her nostrils with blood.

She wakes as from a dream, She asks the uttered Voice, But when she heard, an anger and a grief Darkened her wrinkling brow.

"Then let him live in long captivity!"

She answered: but Mohareb's quickened eye Perused her sullen countenance That lied not with the lips.

A miserable man!

What boots it, that, in central caves The Powers of Evil at his Baptism pledged The Sacrament of h.e.l.l?

His death secures them now.

What boots it that they gave Abdaldar's guardian ring, When thro' another's life The blow may reach his own?

He sought the dungeon cell Where Thalaba was laid.

'Twas the grey morning twilight, and the voice Of Thalaba in prayer, With words of hallowed import, smote The King's alarmed sense.

The grating of the heavy hinge Roused not the Arabian youth; Nor lifted he his earthward face At sound of coming feet.

Nor did Mohareb with unholy voice Disturb the duty: silent, spirit-awed, Envious, heart-humbled, he beheld The dungeon-peace of piety Till Thalaba, the perfect rite performed, Raised his calm eye; then spake the Island-Chief.

"Arab! my guidance thro' the dangerous Cave, "Thy service overpaid, "An unintended friend in enmity.

"The hand that caught thy ring "Received and bore me to the scene I sought.

"Now know me grateful. I return "That amulet, thy only safety here."

Artful he spake, with show of grat.i.tude Veiling the selfish deed.

Locked in the magic chain The powerless hand of Thalaba Received again the Spell.

Remembering then with what an ominous faith First he drew on the gem, The Youth repeats his words of augury; "In G.o.d's name and the Prophet's! be its power "Good, let it serve the holy! if for evil "G.o.d and my faith shall hallow it.

"Blindly the wicked work "The righteous will of Heaven!"

So Thalaba received again The written ring of gold.

Thoughtful awhile Mohareb stood And eyed the captive youth.

Then, building skilfully the sophist speech, Thus he began. "Brave art thou, Thalaba!

"And wherefore are we foes!... for I would buy "Thy friends.h.i.+p at a princely price, and make thee "To thine own welfare wise.

"Hear me! in Nature are two hostile G.o.ds, "Makers and Masters of existing things, "Equal in power:... nay hear me patiently!...

"Equal ... for look around thee! the same Earth "Bears fruit and poison; where the Camel finds "His fragrant[145] food, the horned Viper there "Sucks in the juice of death; the Elements "Now serve the use of man, and now a.s.sert "Dominion o'er his weakness; dost thou hear "The sound of merriment and nuptial song?

"From the next house proceeds the mourner's cry "Lamenting o'er the dead. Sayest thou that Sin "Entered the world of Allah? that the Fiend "Permitted for a season, prowls for prey?

"When to thy tent the venomous serpent creeps "Dost thou not crush the reptile? even so, "Besure, had Allah crushed his Enemy, "But that the power was wanting. From the first, "Eternal as themselves their warfare is, "To the end it must endure. Evil and Good....

"What are they Thalaba but words? in the strife "Of Angels, as of men, the weak are guilty; "Power must decide. The Spirits of the Dead "Quitting their mortal mansion, enter not, "As falsely ye are preached, their final seat "Of bliss, or bale; nor in the sepulchre "Sleep they the long long sleep: each joins the host "Of his great Leader, aiding in the war "Whose fate involves his own.

"Woe to the vanquished then!

"Woe to the sons of man who followed him!

"They with their Leader, thro' eternity, "Must howl in central fires.

"Thou Thalaba hast chosen ill thy part, "If choice it may be called, where will was not, "Nor searching doubt, nor judgement wise to weigh.

"Hard is the service of the Power beneath "Whose banners thou wert born; his discipline "Severe, yea cruel; and his wages, rich "Only in promise; who has seen the pay?

"For us ... the pleasures of the world are ours, "Riches and rule, the kingdoms of the Earth.

"We met in Babylon adventurers both, "Each zealous for the hostile Power he served: "We meet again; thou feelest what thou art, "Thou seest what I am, the Sultan here, "The Lord of Life and Death.

"Abandon him who has abandoned thee, "And be as I am, great among mankind!"

The Captive did not, hasty to confute Break of that subtle speech, But when the expectant silence of the King Looked for his answer, then spake Thalaba.

"And this then is thy faith! this monstrous creed!

"This lie against the Sun and Moon and Stars "And Earth and Heaven! blind man who canst not see "How all things work the best! who wilt not know "That in the Manhood of the World, whate'er "Of folly marked its Infancy, of vice "Sullied its Youth, ripe Wisdom shall cast off, "Stablished in good, and knowing evil safe.

"Sultan Mohareb, yes, ye have me here "In chains; but not forsaken, tho' opprest: "Cast down, but not destroyed. Shall danger daunt, "Shall death dismay his soul, whose life is given "For G.o.d and for his brethren of mankind?

"Alike rewarded, in that n.o.ble cause, "The Conquerors and the Martyrs palm above "Beam with one glory. Hope ye that my blood "Can quench the dreaded flame? and know ye not "That leagued against you are the Just and Wise, "And all Good Actions of all ages past, "Yea your own Crimes, and Truth, and G.o.d in Heaven!"

"Slave!" quoth Mohareb, and his lips Quivered with eager wrath.

"I have thee! thou shalt feel my power, "And in thy dungeon loathsomeness "Rot piece-meal, limb from limb!"

And out the Tyrant rushes, And all impatient of the thoughts That cankered in his heart, Seeks in the giddiness of boisterous sport Short respite from the avenging power within.

What Woman is she So wrinkled and old, That goes to the wood?

She leans on her staff With a tottering step, She tells her bead-strings slow Thro' fingers dulled by age.

The wanton boys bemock her.

The babe in arms that meets her Turns round with quick affright And clings to his nurse's neck.

Hark! hark! the hunter's cry Mohareb gone to the chase!

The dogs with eager yell Are struggling to be free; The hawks in frequent stoop Token their haste for flight; And couchant on the saddle-bow, With tranquil eyes and talons sheathed The ounce expects his liberty.

Propt on the staff that shakes Beneath her trembling weight, The Old Woman sees them pa.s.s.

Halloa! halloa!

The game is up!

The dogs are loosed The deer bounds over the plain, The lagging dogs behind Follow from afar!

But lo! the Falcon o'er his head.

Hovers with hostile[146] wings, And buffets him with blinding strokes!

Dizzy with the deafening strokes In blind and interrupted course, Poor beast be struggles on; And now the dogs are nigh!

How his heart pants! you see The panting of his heart; And tears like human tears Roll down, along the big veins, fever-swoln; And now the death-sweat[147] darkens his dun hide!

His fear, his groans, his agony, his death, Are the sport and the joy and the triumph!