“Whose gentle lips persuade without a word, “Whose words, ev’n when unmeaning, are ador’d, “Like inarticulate breathings from a shrine, “Which our faith takes for granted are divine! “Such is the nymph we want, all warmth and light, “To crown the rich temptations of to-night; “Such the refin’d enchantress that must be “This hero’s vanquisher,—and thou art she!” With her hands clasp’d, her lips apart and pale, The maid had stood, gazing upon the Veil From which these words, like south winds through a fence Of Kerzrah flowers, came fill’d with pestilence;[55] So boldly utter’d too! as if all dread Of frowns from her, of virtuous frowns, were fled, And the wretch felt assur’d that, once plung’d in, Her woman’s soul would know no pause in sin! At first, though mute she listen’d, like a dream Seem’d all he said: nor could her mind, whose beam As yet was weak, penetrate half his scheme. But when, at length, he utter’d, “Thou art she!” All flash’d at once, and shrieking piteously, “Oh not for worlds!” she cried—“Great God! to whom “I once knelt innocent, is this my doom? “Are all my dreams, my hopes of heavenly bliss, “My purity, my pride, then come to this,— “To live, the wanton of a fiend! to be “The pander of his guilt—oh infamy! “And sunk, myself, as low as hell can steep “In its hot flood, drag others down as deep! “Others—ha! yes—that youth who came to-day— “_Not_ him I lov’d—not him—oh! do but say, “But swear to me this moment ’tis not he, “And I will serve, dark fiend, will worship even thee!” “Beware, young raving thing!—in time beware, “Nor utter what I cannot, must not bear, “Even from _thy_ lips. Go—try thy lute, thy voice, “The boy must feel their magic;—I rejoice “To see those fires, no matter whence they rise, “Once more illuming my fair Priestess’ eyes; “And should the youth, whom soon those eyes shall warm, “_Indeed_ resemble thy dead lover’s form, “So much the happier wilt thou find thy doom, “As one warm lover, full of life and bloom, “Excels ten thousand cold ones in the tomb. “Nay, nay, no frowning, sweet!—those eyes were made “For love, not anger—I must be obey’d.”