Anon—she was released, and then she stray’d
O’er the sharp shingles with her bleeding feet,
And stumbled almost every step she made;
And something roll’d before her in a sheet,
Which she must still pursue howe’er afraid:
’Twas white and indistinct, nor stopp’d to meet
Her glance nor grasp, for still she gazed, and grasp’d,
And ran, but it escaped her as she clasp’d.
The dream changed:—in a cave she stood, its walls
Were hung with marble icicles, the work
Of ages on its water-fretted halls,
Where waves might wash, and seals might breed and lurk;
Her hair was dripping, and the very balls
Of her black eyes seem’d turn’d to tears, and mirk
The sharp rocks look’d below each drop they caught,
Which froze to marble as it fell,—she thought.
And wet, and cold, and lifeless at her feet,
Pale as the foam that froth’d on his dead brow,
Which she essay’d in vain to clear (how sweet
Were once her cares, how idle seem’d they now!),
Lay Juan, nor could aught renew the beat
Of his quench’d heart; and the sea dirges low
Rang in her sad ears like a mermaid’s song,
And that brief dream appear’d a life too long.
And gazing on the dead, she thought his face
Faded, or alter’d into something new—
Like to her father’s features, till each trace—
More like and like to Lambro’s aspect grew—
With all his keen worn look and Grecian grace;
And starting, she awoke, and what to view?
O! Powers of Heaven! what dark eye meets she there?
’Tis—’tis her father’s—fix’d upon the pair!
Then shrieking, she arose, and shrieking fell,
With joy and sorrow, hope and fear, to see
Him whom she deem’d a habitant where dwell
The ocean-buried, risen from death, to be
Perchance the death of one she loved too well:
Dear as her father had been to Haidee,
It was a moment of that awful kind—
I have seen such—but must not call to mind.
Up Juan sprung to Haidee’s bitter shriek,
And caught her falling, and from off the wall
Snatch’d down his sabre, in hot haste to wreak
Vengeance on him who was the cause of all:
Then Lambro, who till now forbore to speak,
Smiled scornfully, and said, ‘Within my call,
A thousand scimitars await the word;
Put up, young man, put up your silly sword.’
And Haidee clung around him; ‘Juan, ’tis—
’Tis Lambro—’tis my father! Kneel with me—
He will forgive us—yes—it must be—yes.
O! dearest father, in this agony
Of pleasure and of pain—even while I kiss
Thy garment’s hem with transport, can it be
That doubt should mingle with my filial joy?
Deal with me as thou wilt, but spare this boy.’
High and inscrutable the old man stood,
Calm in his voice, and calm within his eye—
Not always signs with him of calmest mood:
He look’d upon her, but gave no reply;
Then turn’d to Juan, in whose cheek the blood
Oft came and went, as there resolved to die;
In arms, at least, he stood, in act to spring
On the first foe whom Lambro’s call might bring.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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