"Thus hath her Father will'd, that so "The admiring people say of this "Through Cappadocia far and wide "The robes are ready, rich with gold, Even like a bridal dress, Which at the altar she will wear When self-devoted she stands there 3 "And that coarse habit too, which she "This night,.. this precious night is ours,.. Late, late, I come to you; But all that must be dared, or done, Prepared to dare and do." "Thou hast hesitated long!" said Abibas, In praying to Him whom I name not, "But thou hast chosen thy part, and here thou art; And thou shalt have thy desire; And tho' at the eleventh hour Thou hast come to serve our Prince of Power, He will give thee in full thine hire. "These Tablets take;" (he wrote as he spake,) "My letters, which thou art to bear, Wherein I shall commend thee To the Prince of the Powers of the Air. "Go from the North Gate out, and take "And call the Spirits of the Air, "The passage will be swift and safe, Thou wilt only have now to sign and seal, II. SHUNNING human sight, like a thief in the night, But went unto a Pagan's tomb Inclosed with barren elms it stood, And thrice ten years those barren trees, Had grown and flourish'd, while the dead Long had they overtopt the tomb ; There on that unblest monument In his uplifted hand. A courage not his own he felt, Wherewith bad influences unseen The rising Moon grew pale in heaven At that unhappy sight; And all the blessed Stars seem'd then To close their twinkling light; And a shuddering in the elms was heard, Tho' winds were still that night. 3 He call'd the Spirits of the Air, A strong hand which he could not see He felt a strong arm circle him, A whirr of unseen wings he heard Which onward with a mighty force, Fast through the middle sky and far The Hurrican is not so swift, The Torrent not so strong; The Lightning travels not so fast, And now behind him he hath left And still erect as on the tomb ... Is he rapt onward . . . onward . . . still In that fix'd attitude. But as he from the living world Shapeless, and scarce to be descried In darkness where they flew; But still as they advanced, the more And more distinct they grew: And when their way fast-speeding they Thro' their own region went, Then were they in their substance seen, The angelic form, the fiendish mien, Face, look and lineament. Behold where dawns before them now, Sole daylight of that frozen zone, |