Loud rings the ponderous ram against the walls; Now shake the ramparts, now a buttress falls, But still no breach—“Once more, one mighty swing “Of all your beams, together thundering!” There—the wall shakes—the shouting troops exult, “Quick, quick discharge your weightiest catapult “Right on that spot, and NEKSHEB is our own!” ’Tis done—the battlements come crashing down, And the huge wall, by that stroke riven in two, Yawning, like some old crater, rent anew, Shows the dim, desolate city smoking through. But strange! no signs of life—nought living seen Above, below—what can this stillness mean? A minute’s pause suspends all hearts and eyes— “In through the breach,” impetuous AZIM cries; But the cool CALIPH, fearful of some wile In this blank stillness, checks the troops awhile.— Just then, a figure, with slow step, advanc’d Forth from the ruin’d walls, and, as there glanc’d A sunbeam over it, all eyes could see The well-known Silver Veil!—“’Tis He, ’tis He, “MOKANNA, and alone!” they shout around; Young AZIM from his steed springs to the ground— “Mine, Holy Caliph! mine,” he cries, “the task “To crush yon daring wretch—’tis all I ask.” Eager he darts to meet the demon foe, Who still across wide heaps of ruin slow And falteringly comes, till they are near; Then, with a bound, rushes on AZIM’S spear, And, casting off the Veil in falling, shows— Oh!—’tis his ZELICA’S life-blood that flows! “I meant not, AZIM,” soothingly she said, As on his trembling arm she lean’d her head, And, looking in his face, saw anguish there Beyond all wounds the quivering flesh can bear— “I meant not _thou_ shouldst have the pain of this:— “Though death, with thee thus tasted, is a bliss “Thou wouldst not rob me of, didst thou but know “How oft I’ve pray’d to God I might die so! “But the Fiend’s venom was too scant and slow;— “To linger on were maddening—and I thought “If once that Veil—nay, look not on it—caught “The eyes of your fierce soldiery, I should be “Struck by a thousand death-darts instantly. “But this is sweeter—oh! believe me, yes— “I would not change this sad, but dear caress, “This death within thy arms I would not give “For the most smiling life the happiest live! “All, that stood dark and drear before the eye “Of my stray’d soul, is passing swiftly by; “A light comes o’er me from those looks of love, “Like the first dawn of mercy from above; “And if thy lips but tell me I’m forgiven, “Angels will echo the blest words in Heaven! “But live, my AZIM;—oh! to call thee mine “Thus once again! _my_ AZIM—dream divine! “Live, if thou ever lov’dst me, if to meet “Thy ZELICA hereafter would be sweet, “Oh, live to pray for her—to bend the knee “Morning and night before that Deity, “To whom pure lips and hearts without a stain, “As thine are, AZIM, never breath’d in vain,— “And pray that He may pardon her,—may take