x.x.xVIII.
"She"s fall"n to sleep in grief--haply been chid, Or by rude mortal wronged. So let it prove Meet for my purpose: "mid these blossoms hid, I"ll gaze; and when she wakes with all that love
"And art can lend, come forth. He who would gain A fond full heart, in love"s soft surgery skilled Should seek it when "tis sore; allay its pain-- With balm by pity prest "tis all his own, so healed
x.x.xIX.
"She may be mine a little year--ev"n fair And sweet as now--Oh! respite! while possest I lose the dismal sense of my despair-- But then--I will not think upon the rest.
"And wherefore grieve to cloud her little day [FN#15]
Of fleeting life?--What doom from power divine I bear eternal! thoughts of ruth, away!
Wake pretty fly!--and--while thou mayst,--be mine.
"Tho" but an hour--so thou suppli"st thy looms With shining silk, [FN#16] and in the cruel snare See"st the fond bird entrapped, but for his plumes To work thy robes, or twine amidst thy hair."
[FN#15] The ancient Hebrews had no idea of a future state.
[FN#16] I have not been able to discover whether the use of silk was known at so early a period. It is said to have been sold in Rome for its weight in gold, and was considered so luxurious an article that it was considered infamous for a man to appear drest in it. The Roman Pausanias says that it came from the country of the Seres, a people of Asiatic Scythia.
XL.
To wisper softly in her ear he bent, But draws him back restrained: A higher power That loved to watch o"er slumbering innocent, Repelled his evil touch; and, from her bower
To lead the maid, Sephora comes; the sprite Half baffled, followed--hovering on unseen-- Till Meles, fair to see and n.o.bly dight, Received his pensive bride. Gentle of mien
She meekly stood. He fastened round her arm Rings of refulgent ore; low and apart Murmuring, "so beauteous captive, shall thy charms Forever thrall and clasp thy captive"s heart."
The air breathed softer, as she slowly moved In languid resignation: his quick eye Spoke in black glances how she was approved, Who shrunk reluctant from its ardency.
XLI.
"Twas sweet to look upon the goodly pair In their contrasted loveliness: her height Might almost vie with his; but heavenly fair, Of soft proportion she, and sunny hair He cast in manliest mould with ringlets murk as night.
XLII.
All art could give with Nature"s charms was blent, His gorgeous country shone in his attire, And as he moved with tread magnificent She could but look and looking must admire.
XLIII.
And oft her drooping and resigned blue eye She"d wistful raise to read his radiant face, But then--why shrank her heart? a secret sigh Told her it most required what there it could not trace.
XLIV.
Now fair had fall"n the night. The damsel mused At her own window, in the pearly ray Of the full moon; her thoughtful soul infused Thus in her words; left "lone awhile, to pray.
XLV.
"What bliss for her who lives her little day, In blest obedience; like to those divine Who to her loved, her earthly lord, can say "G.o.d is thy law," most just "and _thou_ art mine."
"To every blast she bends in beauty meek-- How can she shrink--his arms her shelter kind?-- And feels no need to blanch her rosy cheek With thoughts befitting his superior mind.
"Who only sorrows when she sees him pained, Then knows to pluck away pain"s fiercest dart; Or, love arresting, ere its gaol is gained Steal half its venom ere it reach his heart.
""Tis the soul"s food--the fervid must adore-- For this the heathen, insufficed with thought Moulds him an idol of the glittering ore Or shines his smiling G.o.ddess, marble-wrought.
"What bliss for her--e"en on this world of woe Oh! sire who mak"st yon orb-strown arch thy throne,-- That sees thee, in thy n.o.bles work below, Shine undefaced!--and calls that work her own!
"This I had hoped: but hope too dear, too great-- Go to thy grave! I feel thee blasted, now-- Give me, fate"s sovereign, well to bear the fate Thy pleasure sends--this, my sole prayer, allow."
XLVI.
Still, fixed on heaven, her earnest eye, all dew, Seemed as it sought amid the lamps of night For him her soul addressed; but other view Far different--sudden from that pensive plight
Recalled her: quick as on primeval gloom Burst the new day-star, when the Eternal bid, Appeared, and glowing filled the dusky room, As "twere a brillant cloud; the form it hid
Modest emerged, as might a youth beseem; Save a slight scarf, his beauty bare, and white As cygnet"s bosom on some silver stream; Or young narcissus, when to woo the light
Of its _first_ morn, that flowret open springs;-- And near the maid he comes with timid gaze And gently fans her, with his full spread wings Transparent as the cooling gush that plays
From ivory fount. Each bright prismatic tint Still vanishing, returning, blending, changing, Glowed, from their fibrous mystic texture glint, Like colours o"er the full-blown bubble ranging
That pretty urchins launch upon the air And laugh to see it vanish; yet, so bright, More like--and even that were faint compare, As shaped from some new rain-bow; rosy light
Like that which pagans say the dewy car Precedes of their Aurora, clipp"d him round Retiring as he mov"d; and evening"s star Shamed not the diamond coronal that bound
His curly locks. And still to teach his face Expression dear to her he wooed he sought; And, in his hand, he held a little vase Of virgin gold in strange devices wrought.
XLVII.
Love toned he spoke, "Fair sister, [FN#17] art thou here With pensive looks, so near thy bridal bed, Fixed on the pale cold moon? Nay! do not fear-- To do thee weal o"er mount and stream I"ve sped.
[FN#17] Sister, was an affectionate appellation, used by the Jews towards all women.
XLVIII.
"Say, doth thy soul in all its sweet excess Rush to this bridegroom, smooth and falsehood-taught.
Ah, now! thou yield"st thee to a loathed caress-- While thy heart tells thee loud it owns him not.