Thalaba the Destroyer Part 16

"How then shall we escape?"

"Woe to him!" cried the Appointed, a stern smile Darkening with stronger shades his countenance, "Woe to him! he hath laid his toils "To take the Antelope, "The Lion is come in!"

She shook her head, "a Sorcerer he "And guarded by so many! Thalaba,...

"And thou but one!"

He raised his hand to Heaven, "Is there not G.o.d, Oneiza?

"I have a Talisman, that, whoso bears, "Him, nor the Earthly, nor the Infernal Powers "Of Evil can cast down.

"Remember Destiny "Hath marked me from mankind!

"Now rest in faith, and I will guard thy sleep!"

So on a violet bank The Arabian Maid lay down, Her soft cheek pillowed upon moss and flowers.

She lay in silent prayer, Till prayer had tranquillized her fears, And sleep fell on her. By her side Silent sate Thalaba, And gazed upon the Maid, And as he gazed, drew in New courage and intenser faith, And waited calmly for the eventful day.

Loud sung the Lark, the awakened Maid Beheld him twinkling in the morning light, And wished for wings and liberty like his.

The flush of fear inflamed her cheek, But Thalaba was calm of soul, Collected for the work.

He pondered in his mind How from Lobaba's breast His blunted arrow fell.

Aloadin too might wear Spell perchance of equal power To blunt the weapon's edge!

Beside the river-brink, Rose a young poplar, whose unsteady leaves Varying their verdure to the gale, With silver glitter caught His meditating eye.

Then to Oneiza turned the youth And gave his father's bow, And o'er her shoulders slung The quiver arrow-stored.

"Me other weapon suits;" said he, "Bear thou the Bow: dear Maid!

"The days return upon me, when these shafts, "True to thy guidance, from the lofty palm "Brought down the cl.u.s.ter, and thy gladdened eye "Exulting turned to seek the voice of praise.

"Oh! yet again Oneiza, we shall share "Our desert joys!"

So saying to the bank He moved, and stooping low, With double grasp, hand below hand, he clenched And from its watry soil Uptore the poplar trunk.

Then off he shook the clotted earth, And broke away the head And boughs and lesser roots, And lifting it aloft Wielded with able sway the ma.s.sy club.

"Now for this child of h.e.l.l!" quoth Thalaba, "Belike he shall exchange to day "His dainty Paradise "For other dwelling, and the fruit "Of Zaccoum,[134] cursed tree."

With that the youth and Arab maid Towards the garden centre past.

It chanced that Aloadin had convoked The garden-habitants, And with the a.s.sembled throng Oneiza mingled, and the appointed youth.

Unmarked they mingled, or if one With busier finger to his neighbour notes The quivered Maid, "haply," he says, "Some daughter of the[135] Homerites, "Or one who yet remembers with delight "Her native tents of Himiar!" "Nay!" rejoins His comrade, "a love-pageant! for the man "Mimics with that fierce eye and knotty club "Some savage lion-tamer, she forsooth "Must play the heroine of the years of old!"

Radiant with gems upon his throne of gold Aloadin sate.

O'er the Sorcerer's head Hovered a Bird, and in the fragrant air Waved his winnowing wings, A living canopy.

Large as the plumeless Ca.s.sowar Was that o'ershadowing Bird; So huge his talons, in their grasp The Eagle would have hung a helpless prey.

His beak was iron, and his plumes Glittered like burnished gold, And his eyes glowed, as tho' an inward fire Shone thro' a diamond orb.

The blinded mult.i.tude Adored the Sorcerer, And bent the knee before him, And shouted out his praise, "Mighty art thou, the Bestower of joy, "The Lord of Paradise!"

Aloadin waved his hand, In idolizing reverence Moveless they stood and mute.

"Children of Earth," he cried, "Whom I have guided here "By easier pa.s.sage than the gate of Death, "The infidel Sultan to whose lands "My mountains reach their roots, "Blasphemes and threatens me.

"Strong are his armies, many are his guards, "Yet may a dagger find him.

"Children of Earth, I tempt you not "With the vain promise of a bliss unseen, "With tales of a hereafter Heaven "Whence never Traveller hath returned!

"Have ye not tasted of the cup of joy, "That in these groves of happiness "For ever over-mantling tempts "The ever-thirsty lip?

"Who is there here that by a deed "Of danger will deserve "The eternal joys of actual Paradise?

"I!" Thalaba exclaimed, And springing forward, on the Sorcerer's head He dashed the knotty club.

He fell not, tho' the force Shattered his skull; nor flowed the blood.

For by some h.e.l.lish talisman His life imprisoned still Dwelt in the body. The astonished crowd Stand motionless with fear, and wait Immediate vengeance from the wrath of Heaven.

And lo! the Bird ... the monster Bird Soars up ... then pounces down To seize on Thalaba!

Now Oneiza, bend the bow, Now draw the arrow home!

It fled, the arrow from Oneiza's hand, It pierced the monster Bird, It broke the Talisman.

Then darkness covered all,...

Earth shook, Heaven thundered, and amid the yells Of Spirits accursed, destroyed The Paradise[136] of Sin.

At last the earth was still; The yelling of the Demons ceased; Opening the wreck and ruin to their sight The darkness rolled away. Alone in life Amid the desolation and the dead Stood the Destroyer and the Arabian Maid.

They looked around, the rocks were rent, The path was open, late by magic closed.

Awe-struck and silent down the stony glen They wound their thoughtful way.

Amid the vale below Tents rose, and streamers played And javelins sparkled in the sun, And mult.i.tudes encamped Swarmed, far as eye could follow, o'er the plain.

There in his war pavilion sate In council with his Chiefs The Sultan of the Land.

Before his presence there a Captain led Oneiza and the appointed Youth.

"Obedient to our Lord's command," said he, "We past towards the mountains, and began "The ascending strait; when suddenly Earth shook, "And darkness like the midnight fell around, "And fire and thunder came from Heaven "As tho' the Retribution day were come.

"After the terror ceased, and when with hearts "Somewhat a.s.sured, again we ventured on, "This youth and woman met us on the way.

"They told us that from Aloadin's haunt "They came on whom the judgement-stroke has fallen; "He and his sinful Paradise at once "Destroyed by them, the agents they of Heaven.

"Therefore I brought them hither, to repeat "The tale before thy presence; that as search "Shall prove it false or faithful, to their merit "Thou mayest reward them."

"Be it done to us,"

Thalaba answered, "as the truth shall prove!"

The Sultan while he spake "Fixed on him the proud eye of sovereignty; "If thou hast played with us, "By Allah and by Ali, Death shall seal "The lying lips for ever! if the thing "Be as thou sayest it, Arab, thou shalt stand "Next to ourself!"...

And hark! the cry The lengthening cry, the increasing shout Of joyful mult.i.tudes!

Breathless and panting to the tent The bearer of good tidings comes, "O Sultan, live for ever! be thy foes "Like Aloadin all!

"The wrath of G.o.d hath smitten him."

Joy at the welcome tale Shone in the Sultan's cheek "Array the Arab in the robe "Of honour," he exclaimed, "And place a chain of gold around his neck, "And bind around his brow the diadem, "And mount him on my steed of state, "And lead him thro' the camp, "And let the Heralds go before and cry "Thus shall the Sultan reward "The man[137] who serves him well!"

Then in the purple robe They vested Thalaba.

And hung around his neck the golden chain, And bound his forehead with the diadem, And on the royal steed They led him thro' the camp, And Heralds went before and cried "Thus shall the Sultan reward "The man who serves him well!"

When from the pomp of triumph And presence of the King Thalaba sought the tent allotted him, Thoughtful the Arabian Maid beheld His animated eye, His cheek inflamed with pride.

"Oneiza!" cried the youth, "The King hath done according to his word, "And made me in the land "Next to himself be named!...

"But why that serious melancholy smile?

"Oneiza when I heard the voice that gave me "Honour, and wealth, and fame, the instant thought "Arose to fill my joy, that thou wouldest hear "The tidings, and be happy."

ONEIZA.

Thalaba Thou wouldest not have me mirthful! am I not An orphan,... among strangers?

THALABA.

But with me.

ONEIZA.

My Father,...

THALABA.

Nay be comforted! last night To what wert thou exposed! in what a peril The morning found us! safety, honour, wealth These now are ours. This instant who thou wert The Sultan asked. I told him from our childhood We had been plighted;... was I wrong Oneiza?

And when he said with bounties he would heap Our nuptials,... wilt thou blame me if I blest His will, that bade me fix the marriage day!