But still she feared them; for she did not know How full they feasted and how well they thrive; And 'twas another pang unto her wo The dread of being eaten up alive! And then, the looked-for aid, it came so slow!- And fretfully she chid the long delay; "I wish that they would come; where can they stay?" But still they came not, though the second day Was dragging slowly, since she first awoke From that dread trance, in which so long she lay — Till from its clammy clasp she wildly broke;The second day was come; and wore away; Nor heard she jingling keys, nor mattock stroke, Nor voice of eager friends: and now her mind Was wandering, strangely loose and unconfined. And what she wished to hear she thought she heard; And oft she answered to the voice of men, Though none were near her, and no breath was stirred, Save her own breathing; which was quickened then By fierce excitement: like a frightened bird, Her bosom panted, and she trembled when I said that none were near; but there I erred. In answer to the voice they'd loved to hear, Though oft she called them;- for her weakened mind Was still more wavering, and her senses blind. She would not quit the door; - she knew 't would ope. And let her out as it had let her in: And mid her fancy's strange, deceptive scope, Whole crowds were coming; for she heard the din. Alas! 'twas Falsehood in the garb of Hope For Hope and Falsehood are so near akin! But still she heard; and whilst they seemed to come, She breathed upon her hands they were so numb. The vault was chilly, and she feared she'd freeze, But then came back anew her old disease, And all her system was on fire again: 'T was a consuming heat; her trembling knees Her sinking form: alone she could not stand, By sudden flashes she was wondrous strong,- The passage floor she stretched her weary length; - And now her hunger-pangs increase apace; And raging savagely, they soon erase Her olden terrors for her tortures new. Alas! no food was there within the place, But such from which she loathingly withdrew: Fierce famine forced her; and, in mad despair, She ate her shoulder till the bone was bare! Though Hunger gnawed ner, it was not the worst Of all the pangs by which she was assailed: The burning fever had produced a thirst, Whose craving agonies o'er all prevailed: And she who lately was so kindly nursed, And in the lap of luxury regaled She now was famishing; and her swollen tongue, For want of moisture, to her dry throat clung: And in her misery she longed for death Then changed her longing, with no reason why; She felt unwilling to resign her breath, And hurried from the thought that she must die: Anon she wished again to be beneath Her empty coffin lid; and there to lie, And never, never wake; she asked of Heaven Annihilation!-'t were a glorious boon;— Must all its dread reality be tried: And as our souls are in or out of tune, Or joy or sorrow 't is their doom to bide. No choice is left us; for, poor mortals! we Have no exemption from eternity. She was so sick of life, in any form To change existence was to change her wo; And when her worthless flesh had fed the worm, She wished her spirit with her body low;'T would be for ever free from every storm, Which through the future might with fury blow; Nor heaven nor hell had she desire to see; She only coveted nonentity. There once was war in heaven; and this she knew, Might head his angels, and have battles fought; Rebellious banners might be streaming through The realms of bliss which weary mortals sought; And so she would not seek them, nor be blessed; She only wanted rest she wanted rest! If Death, so dreadful, were a dreamless sleep, Their surging sorrows in some Lethe stream! Whence have we wandered?-to the vault we sweep ;The maid is slumbering, and she dreams a dream: She sees around her, in profusion spread, A sumptuous feast of wine, and oil, and bread. And, oh! she hears the music of a rill; Its gushing gurgle, as it runs to waste; It would not quench her thirst; and, with a sigh, She sprang into the brook-but still her throat was dry! And yet she hungry was, though fast she fed On every eatable that met her sight; Or some sweet savor did her sense invite; But still her thirst remained-her hunger raged, The more she ate and drank, the less were they assuaged: Her dearest friends were near her; they did look And eagerly their trembling hands she took, And that 't was all a vision which she saw Her loving friends, the feast, and running rill And that she yet was shut within the maw Of some drear cave, whose door was fastened still; And with the thought there came the sense of awe A sickening shudder, strangely cold and chill: She started in her sleep-awoke - and knew The worst she dreampt was true!— The seventh day |