5. The will of Heaven be done, Ladurlad cried, But placed his daughter in the etherial bark, There was no word at parting, no adieu. Down from that empyreal height they flew : One groan Ladurlad breathed, yet utter'd not, When, to his heart and brain, The fiery Curse again like lightning shot. And now on earth the Sire and Child alight, Up soar'd the Ship of Heaven, and sail'd away from sight. 6. O ye immortal Bowers, Where hitherto the Hours Have led their dance of happiness for aye, With what a sense of woe Do ye expect the blow, And see your heavenly dwellers driven away Lo! where the aunnay-birds of graceful mien, Whose milk-white forms were seen, Lovely as Nymphs, your ancient trees between, And by your silent springs, With melancholy cry Now spread unwilling wings; Their stately necks reluctant they protend, To other worlds, their mournful progress bend. 7. The affrighted gales to-day O'er their beloved streams no longer play, The streams of Paradise have ceased to flow; The Fountain-Tree withholds its diamond shower, In this portentous hour, .. ... This dolorous hour,... this universal woe. Where is the Palace, whose far-flashing beams, With streaks and streams of ever-varying light, Brighten'd the polar night Around the frozen North's extremest shore? Gone like a morning rainbow,... like a dream,. A star that shoots and falls, and then is seen no more. 8. Now! now!... Before the Golden Palaces, That over Earth and Heaven That roam the World about, The Asuras and the Giants join the cry; The damn'd in Padalon acclaim Their hoped Deliverer's name; ... Heaven trembles with the thunder-drowning sound; Up rose the Rajah through the conquer'd sky, To seize the Swerga for his proud abode; Myriads of evil Genii round him fly, As royally on wings of winds he rode, And scaled high Heaven, triumphant like a God. 103 XIII. THE RETREAT. 1. AROUND her Father's neck the Maiden lock'd Her arms, when that portentous blow was given; Clinging to him she heard the dread uproar, And felt the shuddering shock which ran through Heaven; Earth underneath them rock'd, Her strong foundations heaving in commotion, Such as wild winds upraise in raving Ocean, As though the solid base were rent asunder. And lo! where, storming the astonish'd sky, Kehama and his evil host ascend! Before them rolls the thunder, Ten thousand thousand lightnings round them fly, Upward the lengthening pageantries aspire, Leaving from Earth to Heaven a widening wake of fire. 2. When the wild uproar was at length allay'd, And Earth recovering from the shock was still, Thus to her father spake the imploring Maid: Oh! by the love which we so long have borne Each other, and we ne'er shall cease to bear,... And must not cease to share,.. Thou wilt not, Father, sure refuse me now 3. O dearest, dearest Kailyal! with a smile Ne'er will I leave thee wilfully again. 4. The Maiden, at those welcome words, imprest A passionate kiss upon her father's cheek: They look'd around them then as if to seek Where they should turn, North, South, or East or West, Wherever to their vagrant feet seem'd best. But, turning from the view her mournful eyes, Oh, whither should we wander, Kailyal cries, Or wherefore seek in vain a place of rest? Have we not here the Earth beneath our tread Heaven overhead, |