That spends itself and leaves the wretch at rest,

But lasting long revenge.

KEHAMA.

What, boy? is that cup sweet? then take thy fill! So as he spake, a glow of dreadful pride Inflam'd his cheek: with quick and angry stride He mov'd toward the pile,

And rais'd his hand to hush the crowd, and cried, Bring forth the murderer! At the Rajah's voice, Calmly, and like a man whom fear had stunn❜d, Ladurlad came, obedient to the call.

But Kailyal started at the sound,

And gave a womanly shriek, and back she drew,
And eagerly she roll'd her eyes around,
As if to seek for aid, albeit she knew
No aid could there be found.

It chanced that near her on the river-brink,
The sculptur'd form of Marriataly stood;
It was an idol roughly hewn of wood,

Artless, and poor, and rude.

The Goddess of the poor was she;

None else regarded her with piety. But when that holy image Kailyal view'd, To that she sprung, to that she clung, On her own goddess with close-clasping arms, For life the maiden hung.

They seiz'd the maid; with unrelenting grasp They bruis'd her tender limbs ;

She, nothing yielding, to this only hope Clings with the strength of frenzy and despair. She screams not now, she breathes not now, She sends not up one vow,

She forms not in her soul one secret prayer, All thought, all feeling, and all powers of life In the one effort centering. Wrathful they With tug and strain would force the maid away; . Didst thou, O Marriataly, see their strife? In pity didst thou see the suffering maid? Or was thine anger kindled, that rude hands Assail'd thy holy image?... for behold

The holy image shakes!

Irreverently bold, they deem the maid

Relax'd her stubborn hold,

And now with force redoubled drag their prey; And now the rooted idol to their sway

Bends,... yields,... and now it falls. But then they

scream,

For lo! they feel the crumbling bank give way,
And all are plunged into the stream.

She hath escap'd my will, Kehama cried,
She hath escap'd,... but thou art here,
I have thee still,

The worser criminal!

And on Ladurlad, while he spake, severe
He fix'd his dreadful frown.

The strong reflection of the pile

Lit his dark lineaments,

Lit the protruded brow, the gathered front,
The steady eye of wrath.

But while the fearful silence yet endur'd,

Ladurlad rous'd his soul;

Ere yet the voice of destiny

Which trembled on the Rajah's lips was loos'd,
Eager he interpos'd,

As if despair had waken'd him to hope;
Mercy! oh mercy! only in defence...
Only instinctively,...

Only to save my child, I smote the Prince.

King of the world, be merciful!

Crush me,... but torture not!

The Man-Almighty deign'd him no reply, Still he stood silent; in no human mood

Of mercy, in no hesitating thought Of right and justice. At the length he rais'd His brow yet unrelax'd,... his lips unclos'd, And utter'd from the heart,

With the whole feeling of his soul enforced, The gather'd vengeance came.

I charm thy life

From the weapons of strife,

From stone and from wood,

From fire and from flood,

From the serpent's tooth,

And the beasts of blood:

From Sickness I charm thee,

And Time shall not harm thee,

But Earth which is mine,

Its fruits shall deny thee;

And Water shall hear me,

And know thee and fly thee;

And the Winds shall not touch thee

When they pass by thee,

And the Dews shall not wet thee,
When they fall nigh thee:

And thou shalt seek Death
To release thee, in vain ;

Thou shalt live in thy pain,

While Kehama shall reign,

With a fire in thy heart,

And a fire in thy brain;

And sleep shall obey me,