Above their heads she held the lamp, And still the light which there it threw, On Chang's dark brow the feverish damp Was slowly gathering; and the hue Upon his cheek flush'd rich and brightly, And his clos'd lips just quivered slightly. But Ching sleeps sound and calm as death; And half inclined to each-(to thee, But still the hand of one was clos'd, Like his, whom pain and anger gall And still the other's hand repos'd, ; Like one who sleeps at peace with all. The maiden look'd, and kindly drew The curtain round the feverish brother; And wiped from off his brows the dew. -Just then as if some dream or other Had stung the troubled soul-he started, Cool drink that fever best relieved, Gave one look more, and gently smiled, Well pleased to think that she perceived It was a fair and summer night, The moon had clombe her weary height : As quiet as the heart of Sorrow;— Whose sleep will wake in storm to-morrow. Pale through the half-clos'd window strays His cheek-the sterner one's—you saw; "Out, out-" he muttered, " on this curst, "This loathly and unnatural tie! "Oh! would that it one hour were burst, 66 Though with the next hour doom'd to die! "Am I not cut off from the joys, "The proud life of the glorious earth? "Who comes to eye the monster boys, "Nor feels his wonder brand our birth? "But, he can sleep, and sport, and laugh; "I, I alone this base cup quaff. "O Light! sweet daughter of the Sun, "When thou didst first behold me born, "Say, did these eyes thy glory shun, 66 "And feel thine eyes were Why was I fated to inherit -scorn! "This vast desire, this mounting spirit? 66 Why doom'd to burn for knowledge, power, "Fame; and whate'er our mortal dower "Upon the lap of life bestows "Poor balance for our mortal woes! "Why doom'd to bear within my breast "A god-like, but self-scorching fire; "Thoughts, that like young birds in their nest "Deserted, and unfledged, expire; "Yearning, nay struggling for the skies, "Which made their real destinies ? "And love, fair love! each other thing, "Earth, air, sea-yea, the leaves that fall, "That is to me denied! "Am I not formed as others? Are "The sense, sight, sound-delight and fire "Of beauty bann'd me—can I bar "And thou, oh, thou! at whose least look My heart leaps up, as at the voice 66 "Of the west wind-the enamoured brook "Leaps up to revel and rejoice: "Beneath thy touch, how can I thrill, "Yet bid my bounding veins be still?"And when thou smilest on another, "How can my soul its fury smother— "Ev'n though that smile be on my brother?" Here broke his thoughts into a dark, And wild, and warring tide; And silently he stoop'd, to mark The sleeper by his side. At first his look was dread and stern, As if to hate all love could turn. And terrible it was to see The contrast of the pair; But o'er the waker's features slowly, And shade by shade, a soft change stole, As memories dear, and fond and holy, Broke forth like moonbeams on his soul: As moonbeams, when they gradual fall Some dim and lonely churchyard o'er ; And make but soft and sacred all That rous'd the wanderer's awe before. END OF CHAPTER I. OF BOOK II. |