Thalaba the Destroyer Part 9

Son, thou hast seen the Traveller in the sands Move in the dizzy light of the hot noon, Huge[73] as the giant race of elder times, And his Camel, than the monstrous Elephant, Seem of a vaster bulk.

THALABA.

A frequent sight.

OLD MAN.

And hast thou never in the twilight, fancied Familiar object into some strange shape And form uncouth?

THALABA.

Aye! many a time.

OLD MAN.

Even so Things viewed at distance thro' the mist of fear, In their distortion terrify and shock The abused sight.

THALABA.

But of these Angels fate Thus in the uncreated Book is written.

OLD MAN.

Wisely from legendary fables, Heaven Inculcates wisdom.

THALABA.

How then is the truth?

Is not the dungeon of their punishment By ruined Babylon?

OLD MAN.

By Babylon Haruth and Maruth may be found.

THALABA.

And there Magician learn their impious sorcery?

OLD MAN.

Son what thou sayest is true, and it is false.

But night approaches fast; I have travelled far And my old lids are heavy ... on our way We shall have hours for converse, let us now Turn to our due repose. Son, peace be with thee!

So in his loosened cloak The Old Man wrapt[74] himself And laid his limbs at length: And Thalaba in silence laid him down.

Awhile he lay and watched the lovely Moon, O'er whose broad orb the boughs A mazy fretting framed, Or with a pale transparent green Lighting the restless leaves, The thin Acacia leaves that played above.

The murmuring wind, the moving leaves Lulled him to sleep with mingled lullabies.

Not so the dark Magician by his side, Lobaba, who from the Domdaniel caves Had sought the dreaded youth.

Silent he lay, and simulating sleep, Till by the long and regular breath he knew The youth beside him slept.

Carefully then he rose, And bending over him, surveyed him near And secretly he cursed The dead Abdaldar's ring, Armed by whose amulet He slept from danger safe.

Wrapped in his mantle Thalaba reposed, His loose right arm pillowing his head.

The Moon was on the Ring, Whose crystal gem returned A quiet, moveless light.

Vainly the Wizard vile put forth his hand And strove to reach the gem, Charms strong as h.e.l.l could make them, made it safe.

He called his servant fiends, He bade the Genii rob the sleeping youth.

By the virtue of the Ring, By Mohammed's holier power, By the holiest name of G.o.d, Had Thalaba disarmed the evil race.

Baffled and weary, and convinced at length, Anger, and fear, and rancour gnawing him, The accursed Sorcerer ceased his vain attempts.

Content perforce to wait Temptations likelier aid.

Restless he lay, and brooding many a wile, And tortured with impatient hope, And envying with the bitterness of hate The innocent youth, who slept so sweetly by.

The ray of morning on his eye lids fell, And Thalaba awoke And folded his mantle around him, And girded his loins for the day; Then the due rites of holiness observed.

His comrade too arose, And with the outward forms Of righteousness and prayer insulted G.o.d.

They filled their water skin, they gave The Camel his full draught.

Then on their road while yet the morn was young And the air was fresh with dew, Forward the travellers went, With various talk beguiling the long way.

But soon the youth, whose busy mind Dwelt on Lobaba's wonder-stirring words, Renewed the unfinished converse of the night.

THALABA.

Thou saidest that it is true, and yet is false, That men accurst, attain at Babylon Forbidden knowledge from the Angel pair....

How mean you?

LOBABA.

All things have a double power, Alike for good and evil, the same fire That on the comfortable hearth at eve Warmed the good man, flames o'er the house at night Should we for this forego The needful element?

Because the scorching summer Sun Darts fever, wouldst thou quench the orb of day?

Or deemest thou that Heaven in anger formed Iron to till the field, because when man Had tipt his arrows for the chase, he rushed A murderer to the war?

THALABA.

What follows hence?

LOBABA.

That nothing in itself is good or evil, But only in its use. Think you the man Praiseworthy who by painful study learns The knowledge of all simples, and their power Healing or harmful?

THALABA.

All men hold in honour The skilful Leech. From land to land he goes Safe in his privilege; the sword of war Spares him, Kings welcome him with costly gifts, And he who late had from the couch of pain Lifted a languid look to him for aid, Views him with brightened eyes, and blesses him In his first thankful prayer.

LOBABA.

Yet some there are Who to the purposes of wickedness, Apply this knowledge, and from herbs distil Poison to mix it in the trusted draught.

THALABA.

Allah shall cast them in the fire Whose fuel is the cursed! there shall they Endure the ever-burning agony Consuming[75] still in flames, and still renewed.

LOBABA.