Withering with age, branch'd there its naked roots, And there the melancholy cypress rear'd 49 Its head; the earth was heaved with many a mound, And here and there a half-demolish'd tomb. amid the ruin's darkest shade, 55 And now, The Virgin's eye beheld where pale blue flames Rose wavering, now just gleaming from the earth, And now in darkness drown'd. An aged man Sate near, seated on what in long-past days Had been some sculptured monument, now fallen And half-obscured by moss, and gather'd heaps Of wither'd yew-leaves and earth-mouldering bones. His eye was large and rayless, and fix'd full Upon the Maid; the tomb-fires on his face Shed a blue light; his face was of the hue Of death; his limbs were mantled in a shroud. Then with a deep heart-terrifying voice, Exclaim'd the spectre, "Welcome to these realms, 60 64 These regions of Despair, O thou whose steps Sorrow hath guided to my sad abodes! Welcome to my drear empire, to this gloom Eternal, to this everlasting night, Where never morning darts the enlivening ray, 70 Where never shines the sun, but all is dark, So saying, he arose, and drawing on, Her to the abbey's inner ruin led, Resisting not his guidance. Through the roof, 75 Once fretted and emblazed, but broken now In part, elsewhere all open to the sky, 80 The moon-beams enter'd, chequer'd here, and here Roar'd the loud blast, and from the tower the owl He dragg'd her on Through a low iron door, down broken stairs; 84 90 "Look here!" he cried, "Damsel, look here! survey this house of death; O soon to tenant it; soon to increase These trophies of mortality,.. for hence Is no return. Gaze here; behold this skull, 96 These eyeless sockets, and these unflesh'd jaws, Must moulder. Child of grief! shrinks not thy soul, With the cold clod? thing horrible to think,.. 105 Yet in thought only, for reality grave. 110 Is none of suffering here; here all is peace; 115 So spake Despair. The vaulted roof echoed his hollow voice, And all again was silence. Quick her heart Panted. He placed a dagger in her hand, And cried again, "Oh wherefore then delay! One blow, and rest for ever!" On the fiend, Dark scowl'd the Virgin with indignant eye, And threw the dagger down. He next his heart Replaced the murderous steel, and drew the Maid Along the downward vault. 120 The damp earth gave A dim sound as they pass'd: the tainted air Was cold, and heavy with unwholesome dews. 125 "Behold!" the fiend exclaim'd," how loathsomely The fleshly remnant of mortality Moulders to clay !" then fixing his broad eye 130 "Look here!" Despair pursued, "this loathsome mass Was once as lovely, and as full of life As, Damsel, thou art now. Those deep-sunk eyes Once beam'd the mild light of intelligence, 135 And where thou seest the pamper'd flesh-worm trail, 140 Cast on her nuptial evening: earth to earth Fearfully The Maid look'd down, and saw the well-known face Convulsed with horror, o'er her face she clasp'd 150 "Gaze on!" and unrelentingly he grasp'd Her quivering arm :" this lifeless mouldering clay, That feed on heroes. Though long years were thine, Yet never more would life reanimate 160 This slaughter'd youth; slaughter'd for thee! for thou In thy defence he died: strike then! destroy 164 The Maid stood motionless, And, wistless what she did, with trembling hand Alike design'd; and shall the creature cry, 170 Why hast thou done this?' and with impious pride Destroy the life God gave?" 175 The fiend rejoin'd, "And thou dost deem it impious to destroy The life God gave? What, Maiden, is the lot Assign'd to mortal man? born but to drag, Through life's long pilgrimage, the wearying load Of being; care-corroded at the heart; Assail'd by all the numerous train of ills That flesh inherits; till at length worn out, This is his consummation !- Think again! 180 What, Maiden, canst thou hope from lengthen'd life, Stretch out their languid length, oh think what thoughts, What agonizing feelings, in that hour, 185 Assail the sinking heart! slow beats the pulse, Seizes the throbbing heart; the faltering lips 194 |