By time, or mountain lightning, riven From summits clad in mists of heaven; For where is he that hath beheld
The peak of Liakura unveil'd?
They reach the grove of pine at last : "Bismillah! (26) now the peril's past; "For yonder view the opening plain,
"And there we'll prick our steeds amain :" The Chiaus spake, and as he said,
A bullet whistled o'er his head; The foremost Tartar bites the ground! Scarce had they time to check the rein, Swift from their steeds the riders bound; But three shall never mount again: Unseen the foes that gave the wound,
The dying ask revenge in vain.
With steel unsheath'd, and carbine bent,
Some o'er their courser's harness leant,
Half shelter'd by the steed;
Some fly behind the nearest rock, And there await the coming shock,
Nor tamely stand to bleed
Have well secured the only way
Could now avail the promised prey;
Then curl'd his very beard (27) with ire,
And glared his eye with fiercer fire :
"Though far and near the bullets hiss,
"I've scaped a bloodier hour than this."
Nor raised the craven cry, Amaun! (28) In fuller sight, more near and near, The lately ambush'd foes appear, And, issuing from the grove, advance Some who on battle-charger prance. Who leads them on with foreign brand, Far flashing in his red right hand? ""Tis he! 'tis he! I know him now; "I know him by his pallid brow; "I know him by the evil eye (29) "That aids his envious treachery: "I know him by his jet-black barb : "Though now array'd in Arnaut garb, "Apostate from his own vile faith, "It shall not save him from the death: ""Tis he! well met in any hour, "Lost Leila's love, accursed Giaour!" VOL. II.
As rolls the river into ocean, In sable torrent wildly streaming;
As the sea-tide's opposing motion, In azure column proudly gleaming, Beats back the current many a rood, In curling foam and mingling flood, While eddying whirl, and breaking wave, Roused by the blast of winter rave;
Through sparkling spray, in thundering clash, The lightnings of the waters flash
In awful whiteness o'er the shore,
That shines and shakes beneath the roar; Thus-as the stream and ocean greet,
With waves that madden as they meet- Thus join the bands, whom mutual wrong,
And fate, and fury, drive along.
The bickering sabre's shivering jar;
And pealing wide or ringing near
It echoes on the throbbing ear,
The deathshot hissing f afar;
The shock, the shout, the groan of war, Reverberate along that vale,
More suited to the shepherd's tale:
Though few the number-theirs the strife, That neither spares nor speaks for life! Ah! fondly youthful hearts can press, To seize and share the dear caress; But Love itself could never pant For all that Beauty sighs to grant
HIS BACK TO. EARTH, HIS FACE TO HEAVEN,
FALL'N HASSAN LIES HIS UNCLOSED EYE
YET LOWERING ON HIS ENEMY.
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