XXI. Stretch'd on the ground when lewd Aftolpho view'â But Ulfinore not wounds or blood could tame; 85 And Sigebert his friend, with courage warm'd, When at that inftant Elfinore wav'd high XXV. 95 Thefe flain, the knightsholdftraighttheir onward road XXVI. Faft on a couch befide him Dalga fate, Volume II, And round about the neat-hand damsels wait, Whom now the bids prepare the sumptuous feast. For gray-ey'd Twilight o'er the world had spread 105 And dipp'd their mantle in a deeper dye. XXVIII. Straight in the hall a thousand glitt’ring fires XXIX. Ev'n now the forc'refs rears a massy bowl, Which hides beneath fell drugs and poisons foul, Mix'd with the fpirit of the gen'rous wine. XXX. Unheeding Goltho to his lips had rear'd Seiz'd the fell Dalga, and disclos'd her guile, XXXI. 110 136 120 The bowl they wrefted from their wond'ring friend, To his vile mistress instant they preferr'd, Who tells them death does on the draught attend, And owns that death she has herself incurr'd. XXXII. For long Aftolpho's coming did the wait, 125 On Goltho's head who fhould have wreck'd his ire, But when no fuch approach'd her open gate, She doom'd the youth by poifon to expire. XXXIII. And by that draught (fo Heav'n divinely wrought) Which for her guest she foully did intend, 130 By that fame draught her own fall now is wrought,` Her wicked damfels ftraightway fled amain, XXXV. But no fuch bawbles charm their longing eyes: Not wealth they seek, but quit the house of Guile, Nor wish to make the golden hoards their prize, Gain'd by the triumphs of an harlot's fmile. XXXVI. With hafte the hated manfion did they leave, And o'er the lawn, and thro' the forest sped, Where mazy paths their wand'ring steps deceive, By the faint glimm'ring of the starlight led. XXXVI. 140 While thus perplex'd and unresolv'd they food, 145 Seeking in vain fome human track t' explore, The fouth winds whiftled wildly thro' the wood, And diftant thunders roll'd with folemn roar. diasat 9/XXXVIII. T Meteors, foreboding ftorms, with horrid glare And nearer ftill as the rude tempest drew, XL... "Yet here, faid. Ulfinore, "let not our hearts d "Sink in defpair, which erst amidst alarms "Have never fail'd, while show'rs of hostile darts Thus while he spoke, thick globes of hail descend, From either pole, and blaze along the sky, XLII. To the loud winds the louder thunders roar, 165 XLIII. And swelling waters bursting from each rill, "Methinks the Pow'rs above," faid Goltho, then, XLV. 176 "Elfe why these pealing sounds, these sheets of flame, For as he spoke the rending glebe gave way, XLVII. "Brave Goltho," then faid Ulfinore the fage, "The philofophick foul may fit ferene. XLVIII. "What if the jarring feeds of Nature, pent "In hollow caves, thefe dreadful shocks supply, O j 184 188 |