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The Bride of Abydos[;] Canto the First

  1. 1Know ye the land where the cypress and myrtle
  2. 2Are emblems of deeds that are done in their clime?
  3. 3Where the rage of the vulture, the love of the turtle,
  4. 4Now melt into sorrow, now madden to crime?
  5. 5Know ye the land of the cedar and vine,
  6. 6Where the flowers ever blossom, the beams ever shine;
  7. 7Where the light wings of Zephyr, oppressed with perfume,
  8. 8Wax faint o'er the gardens of Gúl in her bloom;
  9. 9Where the citron and olive are fairest of fruit,
  10. 10And the voice of the nightingale never is mute;
  11. 11Where the tints of the earth, and the hues of the sky,
  12. 12In colour though varied, in beauty may vie,
  13. 13And the purple of Ocean is deepest in dye;
  14. 14Where the virgins are soft as the roses they twine,
  15. 15And all, save the spirit of man, is divine--
  16. 16Tis the clime of the East--'tis the land of the Sun--
  17. 17Can he smile on such deeds as his children have done?
  18. 18Oh! wild as the accents of lovers' farewell
  19. 19Are the hearts which they bear, and the tales which they tell.
  1. 20Begirt with many a gallant slave,
  2. 21Apparelled as becomes the brave,
  3. 22Awaiting each his Lord's behest
  4. 23To guide his steps, or guard his rest,
  5. 24Old Giaffir sate in his Divan:
  6. 25Deep thought was in his agéd eye;
  7. 26And though the face of Mussulman
  8. 27Not oft betrays to standers by
  9. 28The mind within, well skilled to hide
  10. 29All but unconquerable pride,
  11. 30His pensive cheek and pondering brow
  12. 31Did more than he was wont avow.
  1. 32"Let the chamber be cleared."--The train disappeared--
  2. 33"Now call me the chief of the Haram guard"--
  3. 34With Giaffir is none but his only son,
  4. 35And the Nubian awaiting the sire's award.
  5. 36"Haroun--when all the crowd that wait
  6. 37Are passed beyond the outer gate,
  7. 38(Woe to the head whose eye beheld
  8. 39My child Zuleika's face unveiled!)
  9. 40Hence, lead my daughter from her tower--
  10. 41Her fate is fixed this very hour;
  11. 42Yet not to her repeat my thought--
  12. 43By me alone be duty taught!"
  1. 44"Pacha! to hear is to obey."--
  2. 45No more must slave to despot say--
  3. 46Then to the tower had ta'en his way:
  4. 47But here young Selim silence brake,
  5. 48First lowly rendering reverence meet;
  6. 49And downcast looked, and gently spake,
  7. 50Still standing at the Pacha's feet:
  8. 51For son of Moslem must expire,
  9. 52Ere dare to sit before his sire!
  10. 53"Father! for fear that thou shouldst chide
  11. 54My sister, or her sable guide--
  12. 55Know--for the fault, if fault there be,
  13. 56Was mine--then fall thy frowns on me!
  14. 57So lovelily the morning shone,
  15. 58That--let the old and weary sleep--
  16. 59I could not; and to view alone
  17. 60The fairest scenes of land and deep,
  18. 61With none to listen and reply
  19. 62To thoughts with which my heart beat high
  20. 63Were irksome--for whate'er my mood,
  21. 64In sooth I love not solitude;
  22. 65I on Zuleika's slumber broke,
  23. 66And, as thou knowest that for me
  24. 67Soon turns the Haram's grating key,
  25. 68Before the guardian slaves awoke
  26. 69We to the cypress groves had flown,
  27. 70And made earth, main, and heaven our own!
  28. 71There lingered we, beguiled too long
  29. 72With Mejnoun's tale, or Sadi's song;
  30. 73Till I, who heard the deep tambour
  31. 74Beat thy Divan's approaching hour,
  32. 75To thee, and to my duty true,
  33. 76Warned by the sound, to greet thee flew:
  34. 77But there Zuleika wanders yet--
  35. 78Nay, Father, rage not--nor forget
  36. 79That none can pierce that secret bower
  37. 80But those who watch the women's tower."
  1. 81"Son of a slave"--the Pacha said--
  2. 82"From unbelieving mother bred,
  3. 83Vain were a father's hope to see
  4. 84Aught that beseems a man in thee.
  5. 85Thou, when thine arm should bend the bow,
  6. 86And hurl the dart, and curb the steed,
  7. 87Thou, Greek in soul if not in creed,
  8. 88Must pore where babbling waters flow,
  9. 89And watch unfolding roses blow.
  10. 90Would that yon Orb, whose matin glow
  11. 91Thy listless eyes so much admire,
  12. 92Would lend thee something of his fire!
  13. 93Thou, who woulds't see this battlement
  14. 94By Christian cannon piecemeal rent;
  15. 95Nay, tamely view old Stambol's wall
  16. 96Before the dogs of Moscow fall,
  17. 97Nor strike one stroke for life and death
  18. 98Against the curs of Nazareth!
  19. 99Go--let thy less than woman's hand
  20. 100Assume the distaff--not the brand.
  21. 101But, Haroun!--to my daughter speed:
  22. 102And hark--of thine own head take heed--
  23. 103If thus Zuleika oft takes wing--
  24. 104Thou see'st yon bow--it hath a string!"
  1. 105No sound from Selim's lip was heard,
  2. 106At least that met old Giaffir's ear,
  3. 107But every frown and every word
  4. 108Pierced keener than a Christian's sword.
  5. 109"Son of a slave!--reproached with fear!
  6. 110Those gibes had cost another dear.
  7. 111Son of a slave!--and who my Sire?"
  8. 112Thus held his thoughts their dark career;
  9. 113And glances ev'n of more than ire
  10. 114Flash forth, then faintly disappear.
  11. 115Old Giaffir gazed upon his son
  12. 116And started; for within his eye
  13. 117He read how much his wrath had done;
  14. 118He saw rebellion there begun:
  15. 119"Come hither, boy--what, no reply?
  16. 120I mark thee--and I know thee too;
  17. 121But there be deeds thou dar'st not do:
  18. 122But if thy beard had manlier length,
  19. 123And if thy hand had skill and strength,
  20. 124I'd joy to see thee break a lance,
  21. 125Albeit against my own perchance."
  22. 126As sneeringly these accents fell,
  23. 127On Selim's eye he fiercely gazed:
  24. 128That eye returned him glance for glance,
  25. 129And proudly to his Sire's was raised ,
  26. 130Till Giaffir's quailed and shrunk askance--
  27. 131And why--he felt, but durst not tell.
  28. 132"Much I misdoubt this wayward boy
  29. 133Will one day work me more annoy:
  30. 134I never loved him from his birth,
  31. 135And--but his arm is little worth,
  32. 136And scarcely in the chase could cope
  33. 137With timid fawn or antelope,
  34. 138Far less would venture into strife
  35. 139Where man contends for fame and life--
  36. 140I would not trust that look or tone:
  37. 141No--nor the blood so near my own.
  38. 142That blood--he hath not heard--no more--
  39. 143I'll watch him closer than before.
  40. 144He is an Arab to my sight,
  41. 145Or Christian crouching in the fight--
  42. 146But hark!--I hear Zuleika's voice;
  43. 147Like Houris' hymn it meets mine ear:
  44. 148She is the offspring of my choice;
  45. 149Oh! more than ev'n her mother dear,
  46. 150With all to hope, and nought to fear--
  47. 151My Peri! ever welcome here!
  48. 152Sweet, as the desert fountain's wave
  49. 153To lips just cooled in time to save--
  50. 154Such to my longing sight art thou;
  51. 155Nor can they waft to Mecca's shrine
  52. 156More thanks for life, than I for thine,
  53. 157Who blest thy birth and bless thee now."
  1. 158Fair, as the first that fell of womankind,
  2. 159When on that dread yet lovely serpent smiling,
  3. 160Whose Image then was stamped upon her mind--
  4. 161But once beguiled--and ever more beguiling;
  5. 162Dazzling, as that, oh! too transcendent vision
  6. 163To Sorrow's phantom-peopled slumber given,
  7. 164When heart meets heart again in dreams Elysian,
  8. 165And paints the lost on Earth revived in Heaven;
  9. 166Soft, as the memory of buried love;
  10. 167Pure, as the prayer which Childhood wafts above;
  11. 168Was she--the daughter of that rude old Chief,
  12. 169Who met the maid with tears--but not of grief.
  1. 170Who hath not proved how feebly words essay
  2. 171To fix one spark of Beauty's heavenly ray?
  3. 172Who doth not feel, until his failing sight
  4. 173Faints into dimness with its own delight,
  5. 174His changing cheek, his sinking heart confess
  6. 175The might--the majesty of Loveliness?
  7. 176Such was Zuleika--such around her shone
  8. 177The nameless charms unmarked by her alone--
  9. 178The light of Love, the purity of Grace,
  10. 179The mind, the Music breathing from her face,
  11. 180The heart whose softness harmonized the whole,
  12. 181And oh! that eye was in itself a Soul!
  1. 182Her graceful arms in meekness bending
  2. 183Across her gently-budding breast;
  3. 184At one kind word those arms extending
  4. 185To clasp the neck of him who blest
  5. 186His child caressing and carest,
  6. 187Zuleika came--and Giaffir felt
  7. 188His purpose half within him melt:
  8. 189Not that against her fancied weal
  9. 190His heart though stern could ever feel;
  10. 191Affection chained her to that heart;
  11. 192Ambition tore the links apart.
  1. 193"Zuleika! child of Gentleness!
  2. 194How dear this very day must tell,
  3. 195When I forget my own distress,
  4. 196In losing what I love so well,
  5. 197To bid thee with another dwell:
  6. 198Another! and a braver man
  7. 199Was never seen in battle's van.
  8. 200We Moslem reck not much of blood:
  9. 201But yet the line of Carasman
  10. 202Unchanged, unchangeable hath stood
  11. 203First of the bold Timariot bands
  12. 204That won and well can keep their lands.
  13. 205Enough that he who comes to woo
  14. 206Is kinsman of the Bey Oglou:
  15. 207His years need scarce a thought employ;
  16. 208I would not have thee wed a boy.
  17. 209And thou shalt have a noble dower:
  18. 210And his and my united power
  19. 211Will laugh to scorn the death-firman,
  20. 212Which others tremble but to scan,
  21. 213And teach the messenger what fate
  22. 214The bearer of such boon may wait.
  23. 215And now thou know'st thy father's will;
  24. 216All that thy sex hath need to know:
  25. 217'Twas mine to teach obedience still--
  26. 218The way to love, thy Lord may show."
  1. 219In silence bowed the virgin's head;
  2. 220And if her eye was filled with tears
  3. 221That stifled feeling dare not shed,
  4. 222And changed her cheek from pale to red,
  5. 223And red to pale, as through her ears
  6. 224Those wingéd words like arrows sped,
  7. 225What could such be but maiden fears?
  8. 226So bright the tear in Beauty's eye,
  9. 227Love half regrets to kiss it dry;
  10. 228So sweet the blush of Bashfulness,
  11. 229Even Pity scarce can wish it less!
  1. 230Whate'er it was the sire forgot:
  2. 231Or if remembered, marked it not;
  3. 232Thrice clapped his hands, and called his steed,
  4. 233Resigned his gem-adorned chibouque,
  5. 234And mounting featly for the mead,
  6. 235With Maugrabeel and Mamaluke,
  7. 236His way amid his Delis took,
  8. 237To witness many an active deed
  9. 238With sabre keen, or blunt jerreed.
  10. 239The Kislar only and his Moors
  11. 240Watch well the Haram's massy doors.
  1. 241His head was leant upon his hand,
  2. 242His eye looked o'er the dark blue water
  3. 243That swiftly glides and gently swells
  4. 244Between the winding Dardanelles;
  5. 245But yet he saw nor sea nor strand,
  6. 246Nor even his Pacha's turbaned band
  7. 247Mix in the game of mimic slaughter,
  8. 248Careering cleave the folded felt
  9. 249With sabre stroke right sharply dealt;
  10. 250Nor marked the javelin-darting crowd,
  11. 251Nor heard their Ollahs wild and loud--
  12. 252He thought but of old Giaffir's daughter!
  1. 253No word from Selim's bosom broke;
  2. 254One sigh Zuleika's thought bespoke:
  3. 255Still gazed he through the lattice grate,
  4. 256Pale, mute, and mournfully sedate.
  5. 257To him Zuleika's eye was turned,
  6. 258But little from his aspect learned:
  7. 259Equal her grief, yet not the same;
  8. 260Her heart confessed a gentler flame:
  9. 261But yet that heart, alarmed or weak,
  10. 262She knew not why, forbade to speak.
  11. 263Yet speak she must--but when essay?
  12. 264"How strange he thus should turn away!
  13. 265Not thus we e'er before have met;
  14. 266Not thus shall be our parting yet."
  15. 267Thrice paced she slowly through the room,
  16. 268And watched his eye--it still was fixed:
  17. 269She snatched the urn wherein was mixed
  18. 270The Persian Atar-gul's perfume,
  19. 271And sprinkled all its odours o'er
  20. 272The pictured roof and marble floor:
  21. 273The drops, that through his glittering vest
  22. 274The playful girl's appeal addressed,
  23. 275Unheeded o'er his bosom flew,
  24. 276As if that breast were marble too.
  25. 277"What, sullen yet? it must not be--
  26. 278Oh! gentle Selim, this from thee!"
  27. 279She saw in curious order set
  28. 280The fairest flowers of Eastern land--
  29. 281"He loved them once; may touch them yet,
  30. 282If offered by Zuleika's hand."
  31. 283The childish thought was hardly breathed
  32. 284Before the rose was plucked and wreathed;
  33. 285The next fond moment saw her seat
  34. 286Her fairy form at Selim's feet:
  35. 287"This rose to calm my brother's cares
  36. 288A message from the Bulbul bears;
  37. 289It says to-night he will prolong
  38. 290For Selim's ear his sweetest song;
  39. 291And though his note is somewhat sad,
  40. 292He'll try for once a strain more glad,
  41. 293With some faint hope his altered lay
  42. 294May sing these gloomy thoughts away.
  1. 295"What! not receive my foolish flower?
  2. 296Nay then I am indeed unblest:
  3. 297On me can thus thy forehead lower?
  4. 298And know'st thou not who loves thee best?
  5. 299Oh, Selim dear! oh, more than dearest!
  6. 300Say, is it me thou hat'st or fearest?
  7. 301Come, lay thy head upon my breast,
  8. 302And I will kiss thee into rest,
  9. 303Since words of mine, and songs must fail,
  10. 304Ev'n from my fabled nightingale.
  11. 305I knew our sire at times was stern,
  12. 306But this from thee had yet to learn:
  13. 307Too well I know he loves thee not;
  14. 308But is Zuleika's love forgot?
  15. 309Ah! deem I right? the Pacha's plan--
  16. 310This kinsman Bey of Carasman
  17. 311Perhaps may prove some foe of thine.
  18. 312If so, I swear by Mecca's shrine,--
  19. 313If shrines that ne'er approach allow
  20. 314To woman's step admit her vow,--
  21. 315Without thy free consent--command--
  22. 316The Sultan should not have my hand!
  23. 317Think'st thou that I could bear to part
  24. 318With thee, and learn to halve my heart?
  25. 319Ah! were I severed from thy side,
  26. 320Where were thy friend--and who my guide?
  27. 321Years have not seen, Time shall not see,
  28. 322The hour that tears my soul from thee:
  29. 323Ev'n Azrael, from his deadly quiver
  30. 324When flies that shaft, and fly it must,
  31. 325That parts all else, shall doom for ever
  32. 326Our hearts to undivided dust!"
  1. 327He lived--he breathed--he moved--he felt;
  2. 328He raised the maid from where she knelt;
  3. 329His trance was gone, his keen eye shone
  4. 330With thoughts that long in darkness dwelt;
  5. 331With thoughts that burn--in rays that melt.
  6. 332As the stream late concealed
  7. 333By the fringe of its willows,
  8. 334When it rushes reveal'd
  9. 335In the light of its billows;
  10. 336As the bolt bursts on high
  11. 337From the black cloud that bound it,
  12. 338Flashed the soul of that eye
  13. 339Through the long lashes round it.
  14. 340A war-horse at the trumpet's sound,
  15. 341A lion roused by heedless hound,
  16. 342A tyrant waked to sudden strife
  17. 343By graze of ill-directed knife,
  18. 344Starts not to more convulsive life
  19. 345Than he, who heard that vow, displayed,
  20. 346And all, before repressed, betrayed:
  21. 347"Now thou art mine, for ever mine,
  22. 348With life to keep, and scarce with life resign;
  23. 349Now thou art mine, that sacred oath,
  24. 350Though sworn by one, hath bound us both.
  25. 351Yes, fondly, wisely hast thou done;
  26. 352That vow hath saved more heads than one:
  27. 353But blench not thou--thy simplest tress
  28. 354Claims more from me than tenderness;
  29. 355I would not wrong the slenderest hair
  30. 356That clusters round thy forehead fair,
  31. 357For all the treasures buried far
  32. 358Within the caves of Istakar.
  33. 359This morning clouds upon me lowered,
  34. 360Reproaches on my head were showered,
  35. 361And Giaffir almost called me coward!
  36. 362Now I have motive to be brave;
  37. 363The son of his neglected slave,
  38. 364Nay, start not,'twas the term he gave,
  39. 365May show, though little apt to vaunt,
  40. 366A heart his words nor deeds can daunt.
  41. 367His son, indeed!--yet, thanks to thee,
  42. 368Perchance I am, at least shall be;
  43. 369But let our plighted secret vow
  44. 370Be only known to us as now.
  45. 371I know the wretch who dares demand
  46. 372From Giaffir thy reluctant hand;
  47. 373More ill-got wealth, a meaner soul
  48. 374Holds not a Musselim's control;
  49. 375Was he not bred in Egripo?
  50. 376A viler race let Israel show!
  51. 377But let that pass--to none be told
  52. 378Our oath; the rest shall time unfold.
  53. 379To me and mine leave Osman Bey!
  54. 380I've partisans for Peril's day:
  55. 381Think not I am what I appear;
  56. 382I've arms--and friends--and vengeance near."
  1. 383"Think not thou art what thou appearest!
  2. 384My Selim, thou art sadly changed:
  3. 385This morn I saw thee gentlest--dearest--
  4. 386But now thou'rt from thyself estranged.
  5. 387My love thou surely knew'st before,
  6. 388It ne'er was less--nor can be more.
  7. 389To see thee--hear thee--near thee stay--
  8. 390And hate the night--I know not why,
  9. 391Save that we meet not but by day;
  10. 392With thee to live, with thee to die,
  11. 393I dare not to my hope deny:
  12. 394Thy cheek--thine eyes--thy lips to kiss--
  13. 395Like this--and this--no more than this;
  14. 396For, Allah! sure thy lips are flame:
  15. 397What fever in thy veins is flushing?
  16. 398My own have nearly caught the same,
  17. 399At least I feel my cheek, too, blushing.
  18. 400To soothe thy sickness, watch thy health,
  19. 401Partake, but never waste thy wealth,
  20. 402Or stand with smiles unmurmuring by,
  21. 403And lighten half thy poverty;
  22. 404Do all but close thy dying eye,
  23. 405For that I could not live to try;
  24. 406To these alone my thoughts aspire:
  25. 407More can I do? or thou require?
  26. 408But, Selim, thou must answer why
  27. 409We need so much of mystery?
  28. 410The cause I cannot dream nor tell,
  29. 411But be it, since thou say'st 'tis well;
  30. 412Yet what thou mean'st by 'arms' and 'friends,'
  31. 413Beyond my weaker sense extends.
  32. 414I meant that Giaffir should have heard
  33. 415The very vow I plighted thee;
  34. 416His wrath would not revoke my word:
  35. 417But surely he would leave me free.
  36. 418Can this fond wish seem strange in me,
  37. 419To be what I have ever been?
  38. 420What other hath Zuleika seen
  39. 421From simple childhood's earliest hour?
  40. 422What other can she seek to see
  41. 423Than thee, companion of her bower,
  42. 424The partner of her infancy?
  43. 425These cherished thoughts with life begun,
  44. 426Say, why must I no more avow?
  45. 427What change is wrought to make me shun
  46. 428The truth--my pride, and thine till now?
  47. 429To meet the gaze of stranger's eyes
  48. 430Our law--our creed--our God denies;
  49. 431Nor shall one wandering thought of mine
  50. 432At such, our Prophet's will, repine:
  51. 433No! happier made by that decree,
  52. 434He left me all in leaving thee.
  53. 435Deep were my anguish, thus compelled
  54. 436To wed with one I ne'er beheld:
  55. 437This wherefore should I not reveal?
  56. 438Why wilt thou urge me to conceal?
  57. 439I know the Pacha's haughty mood
  58. 440To thee hath never boded good;
  59. 441And he so often storms at nought,
  60. 442Allah! forbid that e'er he ought!
  61. 443And why I know not, but within
  62. 444My heart concealment weighs like sin.
  63. 445If then such secrecy be crime,
  64. 446And such it feels while lurking here;
  65. 447Oh, Selim! tell me yet in time,
  66. 448Nor leave me thus to thoughts of fear.
  67. 449Ah! yonder see the Tchocadar,
  68. 450My father leaves the mimic war;
  69. 451I tremble now to meet his eye--
  70. 452Say, Selim, canst thou tell me why?"
  1. 453"Zuleika--to thy tower's retreat
  2. 454Betake thee--Giaffir I can greet:
  3. 455And now with him I fain must prate
  4. 456Of firmans, imposts, levies, state.
  5. 457There's fearful news from Danube's banks,
  6. 458Our Vizier nobly thins his ranks
  7. 459For which the Giaour may give him thanks!
  8. 460Our Sultan hath a shorter way
  9. 461Such costly triumph to repay.
  10. 462But, mark me, when the twilight drum
  11. 463Hath warned the troops to food and sleep,
  12. 464Unto thy cell with Selim come;
  13. 465Then softly from the Haram creep
  14. 466Where we may wander by the deep:
  15. 467Our garden battlements are steep;
  16. 468Nor these will rash intruder climb
  17. 469To list our words, or stint our time;
  18. 470And if he doth, I want not steel
  19. 471Which some have felt, and more may feel.
  20. 472Then shalt thou learn of Selim more
  21. 473Than thou hast heard or thought before:
  22. 474Trust me, Zuleika--fear not me!
  23. 475Thou know'st I hold a Haram key."
  1. 476"Fear thee, my Selim! ne'er till now
  2. 477Did words like this----"
  1. 478"Delay not thou;
  2. 479I keep the key--and Haroun's guard
  3. 480Have some, and hope of more reward.
  4. 481To-night, Zuleika, thou shalt hear
  5. 482My tale, my purpose, and my fear:
  6. 483I am not, love! what I appear."