There he was stamped, in liking, or in hate,
If greeted once; however brief the date
That friendship, pity, or aversion knew,
Still there within the inmost thought he grew.
You could not penetrate his soul, but found,
Despite your wonder, to your own he wound;
His presence haunted still; and from the breast
He forced an all-unwilling interest :
Vain was the struggle in that mental net,
His spirit seemed to dare you to forget!
There is a festival, where knights and dames,
And aught that wealth or lofty lineage claims
Appear a highborn and a welcome guest
To Otho's hall came Lara with the rest.
The long carousal shakes the illumined hall,
Well speeds alike the banquet and the ball;
And the gay dance of bounding Beauty's train
Links grace and harmony in happiest chain:
Blest are the early hearts and gentle hands
That mingle there in well according bands;
It is a sight the careful brow might smoothe,
And make Age smile, and dream itself to youth,
And Youth forget such hour was past on earth,
So springs the exulting bosom to that mirth!
And Lara gazed on these, sedately glad,
His brow belied him if his soul was sad ;
And his glance followed fast each fluttering fair,
Whose steps of lightness woke no echo there: 400
He leaned against the lofty pillar nigh,
With folded arms and long attentive eye,
Nor marked a glance so sternly fixed on his,
Ill brooked high Lara scrutiny like this:
At length he caught it, 'tis a face unknown,
But seems as searching his, and his alone;
Prying and dark, a stranger's by his mien,
Who still till now had gazed on him unseen;
At length encountering meets the mutual gaze
Of keen enquiry, and of mute amaze;
On Lara's glance emotion gathering grew,
As if distrusting that the stranger threw ;
Along the stranger's aspect fixed and stern,
Flashed more than thence the vulgar eye could learn.
""Tis he!" the stranger cried, and those that heard, Re-echoed fast and far the whispered word.
""Tis he!"- -""Tis who?" they question far and near,
Till louder accents rung on Lara's ear;
So widely spread, few bosoms well could brook
The general marvel, or that single look ;
But Lara stirred not, changed not, the surprise
That sprung at first to his arrested eyes
Seemed now subsided, neither sunk nor raised
Glanced his eye round, though still the stranger
And drawing nigh, exclaimed, with haughty sneer, ""Tis he!-how came he thence ?what doth he
It were too much for Lara to pass by
Such question, so repeated fierce and high;
With look collected, but with accent cold,
More mildly firm than petulantly bold,
He turned, and met the inquisitorial tone
My name is Lara!-when thine own is known,
"Doubt not my fitting answer to requite
"The unlooked for courtesy of such a knight.
" "Tis Lara!-further wouldst thou mark or ask? "I shun no question, and I wear no mask."
"Thou shun'st no question! Ponder-is there none
"And deem'st thou me unknown too? Gaze again! "At least thy memory was not given in vain. 440
"Oh! never canst thou cancel half her debt,
Eternity forbids thee to forget."
With slow and searching glance upon his face
Grew Lara's eyes, but nothing there could trace
They knew, or chose to know-with dubious look
He deigned no answer, but his head he shook,
And half contemptuous turned to pass away;
But the stern stranger motioned him to stay. 448
"A word!-I charge thee stay, and answer here
"To one, who, wert thou noble, were thy peer,
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