The Sorceress looked and with a smile That kindled to more fiendishness Her hideous features, cried, "Where Hodeirah is thy soul?

"Is it in the [24]Zemzem well?

"Is it in the Eden groves?

"Waits it for the judgement-blast "In the trump of Israfil?

"Is it plumed with silver wings "Underneath the throne of G.o.d?

"Even if beneath his throne "Hodeirah, thou shalt hear, "Thou shalt obey my voice!"

She said, and muttered charms that h.e.l.l in fear And Heaven in horror heard.

Soon the stiff eye-b.a.l.l.s rolled, The muscles with convulsive motion shook, The white lips quivered. Khawla saw, her soul Exulted, and she cried, "Prophet! behold my power!

"Not even death secures "Thy slaves from Khawla's Spell!

"Where Hodeirah is thy child?"

Hodeirah groaned and closed his eyes, As if in the night and the blindness of death He would have hid himself.

"Speak to my question!" she exclaimed, "Or in that mangled body thou shall live "Ages of torture! answer me!

"Where can we find the Boy?"

"G.o.d! G.o.d! Hodeirah cried, "Release me from this life, "From this intolerable agony!"

"Speak!" cried the Sorceress; and she s.n.a.t.c.hed A Viper from the floor, And with the living reptile lashed[25] his neck.

Wreathed, round him with the blow, The Reptile tighter drew her folds And raised her wrathful head, And fixed into his face Her deadly teeth, and shed Poison in every wound.

In vain! for Allah heard Hodeirah's prayer, And Khawla on a corpse Had wrecked her baffled rage.

The fated fire moved on And round the Body wrapt its funeral flames.

The flesh and bones in that portentous pile Consumed; the Sword alone, Circled with fire was left.

Where is the Boy for whose hand it is destined?

Where the Destroyer who one day shall wield The Sword that is circled with fire?

Race accursed, try your charms!

Masters of the mighty Spell, Mutter o'er your words of power!

Ye can shatter the dwellings of man, Ye can open the womb of the rock, Ye can shake the foundations of earth, But not the Word of G.o.d: But not one letter can ye change Of what his Will hath written!

Who shall seek thro' Araby Hodeirah's dreaded son?

They mingle the Arrows[26] of Chance The lot of Abdaldar is drawn.

Thirteen moons must wax and wane Ere the Sorcerer quit his quest.

He must visit every tribe That roam the desert wilderness, Or dwell beside perennial streams; Nor leave a solitary tent unsearched Till he has found the Boy, The hated Boy whose blood alone Can quench that dreaded fire.

A crystal ring Abdaldar bore, The powerful gem[27] condensed Primeval dews that upon Caucasus Felt the first winter's frost.

Ripening there it lay beneath Rock above rock, and mountain ice up-piled On mountain, till the inc.u.mbent ma.s.s a.s.sumed, So huge its bulk, the Ocean's azure hue.

With this he sought the inner den Where burnt the eternal flame.

Like waters gushing from some channelled rock Full thro' a narrow opening, from a chasm The eternal flame streamed up.

No eye beheld the fount Of that up-flowing flame, That blazed self-nurtured, and for ever, there.

It was no mortal element: the Abyss Supplied it, from the fountains at the first Prepared. In the heart of earth it lives and glows Her vital heat, till at the day decreed, The voice of G.o.d shall let its billows loose, To deluge o'er with no abating flood The consummated World; That thenceforth thro' the air must roll, The penal Orb of Fire.

Unturbaned and unsandalled there, Abdaldar stood before the flame, And held the Ring beside, and spake The language that the Elements obey.

The obedient flame detatched a portion forth, That, in the crystal entering, was condensed, Gem of the gem, its living Eye of fire.

When the hand that wears the spell Shall touch the destined Boy, Then shall that Eye be quenched, And the freed Element Fly to its sacred and remembered Spring.

Now go thy way Abdaldar!

Servant of Eblis, Over Arabia Seek the Destroyer!

Over the sands of the scorching Tchama, Over the waterless mountains of Nad, In Arud pursue him; and Yemen the happy, And Hejaz, the country beloved by believers.

Over Arabia Servant of Eblis, Seek the Destroyer.

From tribe to tribe, from town to town, From tent to tent, Abdaldar past.

Him every morn the all-beholding Eye Saw from his couch, unhallowed by a prayer, Rise to the scent of blood, And every night lie down.

That rankling hope within him, that by day Goaded his steps, still stinging him in sleep, And startling him with vain accomplishment From visions still the same.

Many a time his wary hand To many a youth applied the Ring, And still the dagger in his mantle hid Was ready for the deed.

At length to the cords of a tent That were stretched by an Island of Palms In the desolate sea of the sands, The weary traveller came.

Under a shapely palm, Herself as shapely, there a Damsel stood.

She held her ready robe And looked towards a Boy, Who from the tree above With one hand clinging to its trunk, Cast with the other down the cl.u.s.tered dates.

The Wizard approached the Tree, He leaned on his staff, like a way-faring man, And the sweat of his travel was seen on his brow.

He asks for food, and lo!

The Damsel proffers him her lap of dates.

And the Stripling descends, and runs into the tent And brings him forth water, the draught of delight.

Anon the Master of the tent, The Father of the family Came forth, a man in years, of aspect mild.

To the stranger approaching he gave The friendly saluting of peace, And bade the skin be spread.

Before the tent they spread the[28] skin, Under a Tamarind's shade, That bending forward, stretched Its boughs of beauty far.

They brought the Traveller rice, With no false colours[29] tinged to tempt the eye, But white as the new-fallen snow, When never yet the sullying Sun Hath seen its purity, Nor the warm Zephyr touched and tainted it.

The dates of the grove before their guest They laid, and the luscious fig, And water from the well.

The Damsel from the Tamarind tree Had plucked its acid fruit And steeped it in water long; And whoso drank of the cooling[30] draught He would not wish for wine.

This to the guest the Damsel brought, And a modest pleasure kindled her cheek, When raising from the cup his moistened lips The Stranger smiled, and praised, and drank again.

Whither is gone the Boy?

He had pierced the Melon's pulp And closed with wax the wound, And he had duly gone at morn And watched its ripening rind, And now all joyfully he brings The treasure now matured.

His dark eyes sparkle with a boy's delight.

As he pours out its liquid[31] lusciousness And proffers to the guest.

Abdaldar ate, and he was satisfied: And now his tongue discoursed Of regions far remote, As one whose busy feet had travelled long.

The Father of the family, With a calm eye and quiet smile, Sate pleased to hearken him.

The Damsel who removed the meal, She loitered on the way And listened with full [32]hands A moment motionless.

All eagerly the Boy Watches the Traveller's lips, And still the wily man With seemly kindness to the eager Boy Directs his winning tale.

Ah, cursed man! if this be he, If thou hast found the object of thy search, Thy hate, thy b.l.o.o.d.y aim, Into what deep d.a.m.nation wilt thou plunge Thy miserable soul!

Look! how his eye delighted watches thine!

Look! how his open lips Gasp at the winning tale!

And nearer now he comes To lose no word of that delightful talk.

Then, as in familiar mood, Upon the Stripling's arm The Sorcerer laid his hand, And the fire of the Crystal fled.

Whilst the sudden shoot of joy Made pale Abdaldar's cheek, The Master's voice was heard: "It is the hour[33] of prayer,...

"My children, let us purify ourselves "And praise the Lord our G.o.d!"

The Boy the water brought, After the law[34] they purified themselves, And bent their faces to the earth in prayer.

All, save Abdaldar; over Thalaba He stands, and lifts the dagger to destroy.

Before his lifted arm received Its impulse to descend, The Blast of the Desert came.

Prostrate in prayer, the pious family Felt not the Simoom[35] pa.s.s.

They rose, and lo! the Sorcerer lying dead, Holding the dagger in his blasted hand.