And his glance followed fast each fluttering fair,"
Whose steps of lightness woke no echo there: 400
He lean'd against the lofty pillar nigh

With folded arms and long attentive eye,
Nor mark'd a glance so sternly fix'd on his,
Ill brook'd 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 gaz'd on him unseen;
At length encountering meets the mutual gaze
Of keen inquiry, and of mute amaze;

On Lara's glance emotion gathering grew,
As if distrusting that the stranger threw ;

Along the stranger's aspect fix'd and stern

410

Flash'd more than thence the vulgar eye could

learn.

XXII.

"Tis he !" the stranger cried, and those that heard Re-echo'd fast and far the whisper'd word.

""Tis he !"""Tis who ?" they question far and

near,

Till louder accents rung on Lara's ear

420

So widely spread, few bosoms well could brook
The general marvel, or that single look;
But Lara stirr'd not, changed not, the surprise
That sprung at first to his arrested eyes
Seem'd now subsided, neither sunk nor rais'd
Glanc'd his eye round, tho' still the stranger gaz'd;
And drawing nigh, exclaim'd, with haughty sneer,
"Tis he !-how came he thence ?-what doth
he here?"

XXIII.

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 turn'd, and met the inquisitorial tone

430

"My name is Lara !—when thine own is known, "Doubt not my fitting answer to requite

"The unlook'd for courtesy of such a knight. "Tis Lara!-further wouldst thou mark or ask? "I shun no question, and I wear no mask."

"Thou shunn'st no question! Ponder-is there none "Thy heart must answer, tho' thine ear would shun?

"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 deign'd no answer, but his head he shook, And half contemptuous turn'd 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, "But as thou wast and art-nay, frown not, lord, "If false, 'tis easy to disprove the word

"But, as thou wast and art, on thee looks down, "Distrusts thy smiles, but shakes not at thy frown.. "Art thou not he? whose deeds-"

"Whate'er I be,

"Words wild as these, accusers like to thee "I list no further; those with whom they weigh "May hear the rest, nor venture to gainsay "The wondrous tale no doubt thy tongue can tell, "Which thus begins so courteously and well. 460) "Let Otho cherish here his polish'd guest,,

"To him my thanks and thoughts shall be ex

pressed."

And here their wondering host hath interposed"Whate'er there be between you undisclosed,

"This is no time nor fitting place to mar "The mirthful meeting with a wordy war. "If thou, Sir Ezzelin, hast ought to show "Which it befits Count Lara's ear to know, "To-morrow, here, or elsewhere, as may best "Beseem your mutual judgment, speak the rest;

I pledge myself for thee, as not unknown, 471 "Though like Count Lara now return'd alone "From other lands, almost a stranger grown; "And if from Lara's blood and gentle birth "I augur right of courage and of worth,

"He will not that untainted line belie,

"Nor aught that knighthood may accord deny."

"To-morrow be it," Ezzelin replied,

"And here our several worth and truth be tried;

"I gage my life, my falchion to attest

My words, so may I mingle with the blest!"
What answers Lara? to its centre shrunk
His soul, in deep abstraction sudden sunk;
The words of many, and the eyes of all

480

That there were gather'd seem'd on him to fall;

But his were silent, his appear'd to stray

In far forgetfulness away-away-

Alas! that heedlessness of all around

Bespoke remembrance only too profound.

XXIV.

"To-morrow!-ay, to-morrow!" further word
Than those repeated none from Lara heard; 491
Upon his brow no outward passion spoke,
From his large eye no flashing anger broke;

Yet there was something fix'd in that low tone Which show'd resolve, determined, though unknown.

He seiz'd his cloak-his head he slightly bow'd, And passing Ezzelin he left the crowd;

And, as he pass'd him, smiling met the frown

With which that chieftain's brow would bear him

down:

It was nor smile of mirth, nor struggling pride That curbs to scorn the wrath it cannot hide; 501

But that of one in his own heart secure

Of all that he would do, or could endure.