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« With all to hope, and nought to fear-
My Peri! ever welcome here!

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« Sweet as the desart-fountain's wave
<< To lips just cooled in time to save—

« Such to my longing sight art thou;
« Nor can they waft to Mecca's shrine
« More thanks for life, than I for thine
"Who blest thy birth, and bless thee now.»

VI.

Fair, as the first that fell of womankind,
When on that dread yet lovely serpent smiling,
Whose image then was stamped upon her mind-
But once beguiled-and ever more beguiling;
Dazzling, as that, oh! too transcendant vision

To Sorrow's phantom-peopled slumber given, When heart meets heart again in dreams Elysian,

And paints the lost on Earth revived in Heaven; Soft, as the memory of buried love;

Pure, as the prayer which Childhood wafts above; Was she-the daughter of that rude old Chief, Who met the maid with tears—but not of grief.

Who hath not proved how feebly words essay
To fix one spark of Beauty's heavenly ray?
Who doth not feel, until his failing sight
Faints into dimness with its own delight,
His changing cheek, his sinking heart confess
The might-the majesty of Loveliness?
Such was Zuleika-such around her shone
The nameless charms unmarked by her alone;
The light of love, the purity of grace,

The mind, the music breathing from her face,6

The heart whose softness harmonized the wholeAnd, oh! that eye was in itself a Soul!

Her graceful arms in meekness bending
Across her gently-budding breast;
At one kind word those arms extending
To clasp the neck of him who blest
His child caressing and carest,
Zuleika came—and Giassir felt

His

purpose half within him melt:
Not that against her fancied weal
His heart though stern could ever feel;
Affection chained her to that heart;
Ambition tore the links apart.

VII.

Zuleika! child of gentleness! « How dear this very day must tell, . When I forget my own distress, « In losing what I love so well, «To bid thee with another dwell: « Another! and a braver man

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« Was never seen in battle's van. "We Moslem reck not much of blood; « But yet the line of Carasman7 Unchanged, unchangeable hath stood First of the bold Timariot bands

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That won and well can keep their lands
Enough that he who comes to woo

« Is kinsman of the Bey Oglou :

« His years need scarce a thought employ;
« I would not have thee wed a boy.
« And thou shalt have a noble dower :
«And his and my united power

"Will laugh to scorn the death-firman, « Which others tremble but to scan,

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«And teach the messenger what fate << The bearer of such boon may wait. And now thou know'st thy father's will; « All that thy sex hath need to know: << "Twas mine to teach obedience still"The way to love, thy lord may show. »

VIII.

In silence bowed the virgin's head;
And if her eye was filled with tears
That stifled feeling dare not shed,
And changed her cheek from pale to red,
And red to pale, as through her ears
Those winged words like arrows sped,
What could such be but maiden fears?
So bright the tear in Beauty's eye,
Love half regrets to kiss it dry;
So sweet the blush of Bashfulness,
Even Pity scarce can wish it less!
Whate'er it was the sire forgot;
Or, if remembered, marked it not;

Thrice clapped his hands, and called his steed,

Resigned his gem-adorned Chibouque,

And mounting featly for the mead,

With Maugrabee" and Mamaluke

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With sabre keen, or blunt jereed.
The Kislar only and his Moors
Watch well the Haram's massy doors.

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IX.

His head was leant upon his hand,

His eye looked o'er the dark blue water That swiftly glides and gently swells Between the winding Dardanelles ; But yet he saw nor sea nor strand, Nor even his Pacha's turbaned band

Mix in the game of mimic slaughter, Careering cleave the folded felt 13 With sabre stroke right sharply dealt; Nor marked the javelin-darting crowd, Nor heard their Ollahs 14 wild and loudHe thought but of old Giaffir's daughter!

X.

No word from Selim's bosom broke;
One sigh Zuleika's thought bespoke:
Still gazed he through the lattice grate,
Pale, mute, and mournfully sedate.
To him Zuleika's eye was turned,
But little from his aspect learned:
Equal her grief, yet not the same;
Her heart confessed a gentler flame :
But yet that heart alarmed or weak,
She knew not why, forbade to speak.
Yet speak she must-but when essay?

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How strange he thus should turn away! «Not thus we e'er before have met;

« Nor thus shall be our parting yet. »
Thrice paced she slowly through the room,
And watched his eye-it still was fixed :
She snatched the urn wherein was mixed
The Persian Atar-gul's 15 perfume,

And sprinkled all its odours o'er

The pictured roof16 and marble floor:
The drops, that through his glittering vest
The playful girl's appeal addrest,
Unheeded o'er his bosom flew,

As if that breast were marble too.

« What sullen yet? it must not be—

O! gentle Selim, this from thee! >>

She saw in curious order set

The fairest flowers of Eastern land

« He loved them once; may touch them yet, « If offered by Zuleika's hand. »

The childish thought was hardly breathed
Before the rose was plucked and wreathed;
The next fond moment saw her seat
Her fairy form at Selim's feet:

<< This rose to calm my brother's cares
« A message from the Bulbul 7 bears;
"It says to-night he will prolong
« For Selim's ear his sweetest song;
« And though his note is somewhat sad,
He'll try for once a strain more glad,

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« With some faint hope his altered lay

May sing these gloomy thoughts away.

<< What! not receive my

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XI.

foolish flower?

Nay then I am indeed unblest:

« On me can thus thy forehead lower?

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And know'st thou not who loves thee best?

Oh, Selim dear! Oh, more than dearest!

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Say, is it me thou hat'st or fearest?

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Come, lay thy head upon my breast,

And I will kiss thee into rest,

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