"Intoxicate with joy and pride "He heard their blasphemies, "And in his wantonness of heart he bade "The Prophet Houd be brought, "And o'er the marble courts, "And o'er the gorgeous rooms "Glittering with gems and gold, "He led the Man of G.o.d.

"Is not this a stately pile?"

"Cried the Monarch in his joy.

"Hath ever eye beheld, "Hath ever thought conceived, "Place more magnificent?

"Houd, they saw that Heaven imparted "To thy lips the words of wisdom!

"Look at the riches round "And value them aright, "If so thy wisdom can."

"The Prophet heard his vaunt "And answered with an aweful smile, "Costly thy palace King!

"But only in the hour[17] of death "Man learns to value things like these aright.

"Hast thou a fault to find "In all thine eyes have seen?

"Again the King exclaimed.

"Yes!" said the man of G.o.d; "The walls are weak, the building ill secured.

"Azrael can enter in!

"The Sarsar can pierce thro', "The Icy Wind of Death.

"I was beside the Monarch when he spake....

"Gentle the Prophet spake, "But in his eye there dwelt "A sorrow that disturbed me while I gazed, "The countenance of Shedad fell, "And anger sate upon his paler lips.

"He to the high tower top the Prophet led, "And pointed to the mult.i.tude, "And as again they shouted out "Great is the King! a G.o.d upon the Earth!"

"Turned with a threatful smile to Houd, "Say they aright, O Prophet? is the King "Great upon earth, a G.o.d among mankind?"

"The Prophet answered not, "His eye rolled round the infinite mult.i.tude, "And into tears he burst.

"Sudden an uproar rose, "A cry of joy below, "The Messenger is come!

"Kail from Mecca comes, "He brings the boon obtained!"

"Forth as we went we saw where overhead "There hung a deep black cloud, "On which the mult.i.tude "With joyful eyes looked up "And blest the coming rain.

"The Messenger addrest the King "And told his tale of joy.

"To Mecca I repaired, "By the Red Hillock knelt "And called on G.o.d for rain.

"My prayer ascended and was heard; "Three clouds appeared in heaven.

"One white, and like the flying cloud of noon, "One red as it had drunk the evening beams, "One black and heavy with its load of rain.

"A voice went forth from heaven "Chuse Kail of the three!"

"I thanked the gracious Power, "And chose the black cloud, heavy with its wealth."

"Right! right! a thousand tongues exclaimed, "And all was merriment and joy.

"Then stood the Prophet up and cried aloud, "Woe, woe, to Irem! woe to Ad!

"DEATH is gone up into her palaces!

"Woe! woe! a day of guilt and punishment, "A day of desolation!"

"As he spake "His large eye rolled in horror, and so deep "His tone, it seemed some Spirit from within "Breathed thro' his moveless lips[18] the unearthly voice.

"All looks were turned to him. "O Ad!" he cried, "Dear native land, by all rememberances "Of childhood, by all joys of manhood dear; "O Vale of many Waters! morn and night "My age must groan for you, and to the grave "Go down in sorrow. Thou wilt give thy fruits, "But who shall gather them? thy grapes will ripen, "But who shall tread the wine-press? Fly the wrath, "Ye who would live and save your souls alive!

"For strong is his right hand that bends the Bow, "The Arrows that he shoots are sharp, "And err not from their aim!"[19]

"With that, a faithful few "Prest thro' the throng to join him. Then arose "Mockery and mirth; "go bald head!" and they mixed "Curses with laughter. He set forth, yet once "Looked back,--his eye fell on me, and he called "Aswad!"... it startled me,... it terrified,...

"Aswad!" again he called,... and I almost "Had followed him. O moment fled too soon!

"O moment irrecoverably lost!

"The shouts of mockery made a coward of me; "He went, and I remained, in fear of MAN!"

"He went, and darker grew "The deepening cloud above.

"At length it opened, and.... O G.o.d! O G.o.d!

"There were no waters there!

"There fell no kindly rain!

"The Sarsar from its womb went forth, "The Icy Wind of Death."

"They fell around me, thousands fell around, "The King and all his People fell.

"All! all! they perished all!

"I ... only I ... was left.

"There came a Voice to me and said, "In the Day of Visitation, "In the fearful Hour of Judgement, "G.o.d hath remembered thee."

"When from an agony of prayer I rose "And from the scene of death "Attempted to go forth, "The way was open, I beheld "No barrier to my steps.

"But round these bowers the Arm of G.o.d "Had drawn a mighty chain, "A barrier that no human force might break.

"Twice I essayed to pa.s.s.

"With that the voice was heard, "O Aswad be content, and bless the Lord!

"One righteous deed hath saved "Thy soul from utter death.

"O Aswad, sinful man!

"When by long penitence "Thou feelest thy soul prepared, "Breathe up the wish to die, "And Azrael comes, obedient to the prayer."

"A miserable man "From Earth and Heaven shut out, "I heard the dreadful voice.

"I looked around my prison place, "The bodies of the dead were there, "Where'er I looked they lay.

"They mouldered, mouldered here,...

"Their very bones have crumbled into dust, "So many years have past!

"So many weary ages have gone by!

"And still I linger here!

"Still groaning with the burthen of my sins "Have never dared to breathe "The prayer to be released."

"Oh! who can tell the unspeakable misery "Of solitude like this!

"No sound hath ever reached my ear "Save of the pa.s.sing wind....

"The fountain's everlasting flow; "The forest in the gale, "The pattering of the shower, "Sounds dead and mournful all.

"No bird hath ever closed her wing "Upon these solitary bowers, "No insect sweetly buzzed amid these groves, "From all things that have life, "Save only me, concealed.

"This Tree alone that o'er my head "Hangs, down its hospitable boughs, "And bends its whispering leaves "As tho' to welcome me, "Seems to partake[20] of life; "I love it as my friend, my only friend!

"I know not for what ages I have dragged "This miserable life, "How often I have seen "These antient trees renewed, "What countless generations of mankind "Have risen and fallen asleep, "And I remain the same!

"My garment hath not waxed old, "Nor the sole of my shoe hath worn.

"I dare not breathe the prayer to die, "O merciful Lord G.o.d!...

"But when it is thy will, "But when I have atoned "For mine iniquities, "And sufferings have made pure "My soul with sin defiled, "Release me in thine own good time,...

"I will not cease to praise thee, O my G.o.d!"

Silence ensued awhile, Then Zeinab answered him.

"Blessed art thou, O Aswad! for the Lord "Who saved thy soul from h.e.l.l, "Will call thee to him in his own good time.

"And would that when my heart "Breathed up the wish to die, "Azrael might visit me!

"Then would I follow where my babes are gone, "And join Hodeirah now!"

She ceased, and the rushing of wings Was heard in the stillness of night, And Azrael, the Death-Angel stood before them.

His countenance was dark, Solemn, but not severe, It awed but struck no terror to the heart.

"Zeinab, thy wish is heard!

"Aswad, thy hour is come!"

They fell upon the ground and blest the voice, And Azrael from his sword Let drop[21] the drops of bitterness and death.

"Me too! me too!" young Thalaba exclaimed: As wild with grief he kissed His Mother's livid hand, His Mother's quivering lips, "O Angel! take me too!