XXI.

And while he listens, the mysterious song,
Woven with timid particles of speech,
Twines into passionate words that grieve along
The melancholy notes, and softly teach

The secrets of true love,-that trembling reach
His earnest ear, and through the shadows dun
He missions like replies, and each to each
Their silver voices mingle into one,

Like blended streams that make one music as they

run.

XXII.

"Ah! Love, my hope is swooning in my heart,Aye, sweet, my cage is strong and hung full highAlas! our lips are held so far apart,

Thy words come faint, they have so far to fly !— If I may only shun that serpent-eye,

Ah me! that serpent-eye doth never sleep ;Then, nearer thee, Love's martyr, I will die!— Alas, alas! that word has made me weep! For pity's sake remain safe in thy marble keep!

XXIII.

My marble keep! it is my marble tomb-
Nay, sweet! but thou hast there thy living
breath-

Aye to expend in sighs for this hard doom;-
But I will come to thee and sing beneath,
And nightly so beguile this serpent wreath ;-
Nay, I will find a path from these despairs.
Ah, needs then thou must tread the back of
Death,

Making his stony ribs thy stony stairs.—
Behold his ruby eye, how fearfully it glares!"

XXIV.

Full sudden at these words, the princely youth Leaps on the scaly back that slumbers, still

Unconscious of his foot, yet not for ruth, But numb'd to dulness by the fairy skill Of that sweet music (all more wild and shrill For intense fear) that charm'd him as he layMeanwhile the lover nerves his desperate will, Held some short throbs by natural dismay, Then down, down the serpent-track begins his darksome way.

XXV.

Now dimly seen-now toiling out of sight, Eclipsed and cover'd by the envious wall; Now fair and spangled in the sudden light, And clinging with wide arms for fear of fall; Now dark and shelter'd by a kindly pall Of dusky shadow from his wakeful foe; Slowly he winds adown-dimly and small, Watch'd by the gentle Swan that sings below, Her hope increasing, still, the larger he doth grow

XXVI.

But nine times nine the serpent folds embrace
The marble walls about-which he must tread
Before his anxious foot may touch the base :
Long is the dreary path, and must be sped!
But Love, that holds the mastery of dread,
Braces his spirit, and with constant toil
He wins his
and now,

spread,

way,

with arms out

Impatient plunges from the last long coil: So may all gentle Love ungentle Malice foil.

XXVII.

The song is hush'd, the charm is all complete, And two fair Swans are swimming on the lake: But scarce their tender bills have time to meet, When fiercely drops adown that cruel SnakeHis steely scales a fearful rustling make,

Like autumn leaves that tremble and foretell

The sable storm;—the plumy lovers quake— And feel the troubled waters pant and swell, Heaved by the giant bulk of their pursuer fell.

XXVIII.

His jaws, wide yawning like the gates of Death,
Hiss horrible pursuit-his red eyes glare
The waters into blood-his eager breath
Grows hot upon their plumes:-now, minstrel

fair!

She drops her ring into the waves, and there
It widens all around, a fairy ring

Wrought of the silver light-the fearful pair
Swim in the very midst, and pant and cling
The closer for their fears, and tremble wing to
wing.

XXIX.

Bending their course over the pale gray lake,
Against the pallid East, wherein light play'd
In tender flushes, still the baffled Snake
Circled them round continually, and bay'd
Hoarsely and loud, forbidden to invade
The sanctuary ring-his sable mail

Roll'd darkly through the flood, and writhed and made

A shining track over the waters pale, Lash'd into boiling foam by his enormous tail.

XXX.

And so they sail'd into the distance dim, Into the very distance-small and white, Like snowy blossoms of the spring that swim Over the brooklets-follow'd by the spite Of that huge Serpent, that with wild affright Worried them on their course, and sore annoy, Till on the grassy marge I saw them 'light, And change, anon, a gentle girl and boy, Lock'd in embrace of sweet unutterable joy!

XXXI.

Then came the Morn, and with her pearly showers

Wept on them, like a mother, in whose eyes
Tears are no grief; and from his rosy bowers
The Oriental sun began to rise,

Chasing the darksome shadows from the skies;
Wherewith that sable Serpent far away

Fled, like a part of night delicious sighs From waking blossoms purified the day, And little birds were singing sweetly from each spray.

THE DREAM OF EUGENE ARAM.

'Twas in the prime of summer time, An evening calm and cool,

And four-and-twenty happy boys

Came bounding out of school:

There were some that ran and some that leapt, Like troutlets in a pool.

Away they sped with gamesome minds,
And souls untouch'd by sin;

To a level mead they came, and there
They drave the wickets in:
Pleasantly shone the setting sun
Over the town of Lynn.

Like sportive deer they coursed about,
And shouted as they ran,-

Turning to mirth all things of earth,
As only boyhood can;

But the Usher sat remote from all,
A melancholy man !

His hat was off, his vest apart,

To catch heaven's blessed breeze; For a burning thought was in his brow, And his bosom ill at ease:

So he lean'd his head on his hands, and read The book between his knees!

Leaf after leaf he turn'd it o'er,
Nor ever glanced aside,

For the peace of his soul he read that book
In the golden eventide :
Much study had made him very lean,
And pale, and leaden-eyed.

At last he shut the ponderous tome,
With a fast and fervent grasp
He strain'd the dusky covers close,
And fix'd the brazen hasp:
"Oh, God! could I so close my mind,
And clasp it with a clasp ["

Then leaping on his feet upright,
Some moody turns he took,-
Now up the mead, then down the mead,
And past a shady nook,-

And, lo! he saw a little boy

That pored upon a book!

"My gentle lad, what is 't you readRomance or fairy fable?

Or is it some historic page,

Of kings and crowns unstable ?" The young boy gave an upward glance,— "It is The Death of Abel.""

The Usher took six hasty strides,
As smit with sudden pain,-

Six hasty strides beyond the place,
Then slowly back again;