47. Beside the fountain in the market-place Dismounting, I beheld those corpses stare And on the earth, and on the vacant air, Soon as she heard my steps, she leaped on me, And glued her burning lips to mine, and laughed With a loud, long, and frantic laugh of glee, And cried, "Now, mortal, thou hast deeply quaffed The Plague's blue kisses—soon millions shall pledge the draught! 49. "My name is Pestilence. This bosom dry Once fed two babes-a sister and a brother. When I came home, one in the blood did lie Of three death-wounds-the flames had ate the other! But I am Pestilence ;-hither and thither I flit about, that I may slay and smother ;All lips which I have kissed must surely wither, But Death's-if thou art he, we'll go to work together! 50. "What seek'st thou here? the moonlight comes in flashes,—. The dew is rising dankly from the dell ; 'Twill moisten her! and thou shalt see the gashes In my sweet boy-now full of worms-But tell First what thou seek'st."- "I seek for food."—"Tis well, Thou shalt have food; Famine, my paramour, Waits for us at the feast-cruel and fell Is Famine, but he drives not from his door Those whom these lips have kissed, alone. No more, no more!” 51. As thus she spake, she grasped me with the strength Had piled three heaps of loaves, making a dearth Her mad looks to the lightning, and cried: “Eat! And then she spurned the loaves with her pale feet, Towards her bloodless guests. That sight to meet, Mine eyes and my heart ached, and, but that she Who loved me did with absent looks defeat Despair, I might have raved in sympathy; But now I took the food that woman offered me; 53. And, vainly having with her madness striven If I might win her to return with me, Departed. In the eastern beams of heaven The lightning now grew pallid-rapidly As by the shore of the tempestuous sea The dark steed bore me: and the mountain grey Soon echoed to his hoofs, and I could see Cythna among the rocks, where she alway Had sate with anxious eyes fixed on the lingering day. 54. And joy was ours to meet. She was most pale, Famished, and wet, and weary; so I cast My arms around her, lest her steps should fail As to our home we went,-and, thus embraced, Her full heart seemed a deeper joy to taste Than e'er the prosperous know. The steed behind Trod peacefully along the mountain waste. We reached our home ere morning could unbind Night's latest veil, and on our bridal couch reclined. 55. Her chilled heart having cherished in my bosom, And sweetest kisses passed, we two did share Our peaceful meal. As an autumnal blossom Which spreads its shrunk leaves in the sunny air After cold showers, like rainbows woven there, — Thus in her lips and cheeks the vital spirit Mantled, and in her eyes an atmosphere Of health and hope; and sorrow languished near it, And fear, and all that dark despondence doth inherit. CANTO VII. 1. So we sate joyous as the morning ray Which fed upon the wrecks of night and storm Now lingering on the winds; light airs did play Among the dewy weeds, the sun was warm, And we sate linked in the inwoven charm Of converse and caresses sweet and deep,Speechless caresses, talk that might disarm Time, though he wield the darts of death and sleep, And those thrice mortal barbs in his own poison steep. 2. I told her of my sufferings and my madness; And how, awakened from that dreamy mood And all that now I was; while tears pursued Fast as the thoughts which fed them, like a flood Woven into one; to which no firm assurance, From the swoln brain, and that her thoughts were firm, A wild and sad and spirit-thrilling lay, Like winds that die in wastes-one moment mute The evil thoughts it made which did his breast pollute. 5. Even when he saw her wondrous loveliness, One moment to great Nature's sacred power And mightier looks availed not; then he bore A king, a heartless beast, a pageant and a name. Is that when selfishness mocks love's delight, That night All torture, fear, or horror, made seem light Which the soul dreams or knows; and, when the day 7. Her madness was a beam of light, a power Which dawned through the rent soul; and words it gave, Gestures, and looks, such as in whirlwinds bore, Which might not be withstood, whence none could save And sympathy made each attendant slave 8. The King felt pale upon his noonday throne. Of all things ill-distorted, bowed, and bent :— Made dumb by poison, who nought knew or meant A diver lean and strong, of Oman's coral sea. 9. They bore her to a bark, and the swift stroke Of silent rowers clove the blue moonlight seas, They anchored then where, be there calm or breeze, Shakes with the sleepless surge;-the Ethiop there IO. Of morning light into some shadowy wood, As from the roots of the sea, raging and bubbling: Through which there shone the emerald beams of heaven, [fell. Was pierced with one round cleft through which the sunbeams 13. "Below, the fountain's brink was richly paven With the deep's wealth, coral and pearl, and sand Like spangling gold, and purple shells engraven |