But other tasks now wait him—tasks that need All the deep daringness of thought and deed With which the Dives[128] have gifted him—for mark, Over yon plains, which night had else made dark, Those lanterns, countless as the winged lights That spangle INDIA’S fields on showery nights,[129]— Far as their formidable gleams they shed, The mighty tents of the beleaguerer spread, Glimmering along the’ horizon’s dusky line, And thence in nearer circles, till they shine Among the founts and groves, o’er which the town In all its arm’d magnificence looks down. Yet, fearless, from his lofty battlements MOKANNA views that multitude of tents; Nay, smiles to think that, though entoil’d, beset, Not less than myriads dare to front him yet;— That friendless, throneless, he thus stands at bay, Even thus a match for myriads such as they. “Oh, for a sweep of that dark Angel’s wing, “Who brush’d the thousands of the’ Assyrian King[130] “To darkness in a moment, that I might “People Hell’s chambers with yon host to-night! “But, come what may, let who will grasp the throne, “Caliph or Prophet, Man alike shall groan “Let who will torture him, Priest—Caliph—King— “Alike this loathsome world of his shall ring “With victims’ shrieks, and howlings of the slave,— “Sounds, that shall glad me even within my grave!” Thus, to himself—but to the scanty train Still left around him, a far different strain:— “Glorious Defenders of the sacred Crown “I bear from Heaven, whose light nor blood shall drown, “Nor shadow of earth eclipse;—before whose gems “The paly pomp of this world’s diadems, “The crown of GERASHID, the pillar’d throne “Of PARVIZ,[131] and the heron crest that shone,[132] “Magnificent, o’er ALI’S beauteous eyes,[133] “Fade like the stars when morn is in the skies: “Warriors, rejoice—the port to which we’ve pass’d “O’er Destiny’s dark wave, beams out at last! “Victory’s our own—’tis written in that Book “Upon whose leaves none but the angels look, “That ISLAM’S sceptre shall beneath the power “Of her great foe fall broken in that hour, “When the moon’s mighty orb, before all eyes, “From NEKSHEB’S Holy Well portentously shall rise! “Now turn and see!”⸺ They turn’d, and, as he spoke, A sudden splendour all around them broke, And they beheld an orb, ample and bright, Rise from the Holy Well,[134] and cast its light Round the rich city and the plain for miles,[135]— Flinging such radiance o’er the gilded tiles Of many a dome and fair-roof’d minaret As autumn suns shed round them when they set. Instant from all who saw the’ illusive sign A murmur broke—“Miraculous! divine!” The Gheber bow’d, thinking his idol star Had wak’d, and burst impatient through the bar Of midnight, to inflame him to the war; While he of MOUSSA’S creed saw, in that ray, The glorious Light which, in his freedom’s day,