And there he is in face of Heaven! How rapidly the Child is driven! The fourth part of a mile I ween He thus had gone, ere he was seen By any human eye. 130 But when he was first seen, oh me! What shrieking and what misery! For many saw; among the rest His Mother, she who loved him best, She saw her poor blind Boy. But for the Child, the sightless Boy, It is the triumph of his joy! The bravest Traveller in balloon, Mounting as if to reach the moon, Was never half so bless'd. 140 And let him, let him go his way, Alone, and innocent, and gay! For, if good Angels love to wait On the forlorn unfortunate, This Child will take no harm. But now the passionate lament, Which from the crowd on shore was sent, The cries which broke from old and young In Gaelic, or the English tongue, Are stifled--all is still. 150 And quickly with a silent crew A Boat is ready to pursue; And from the shore their course they take, And swiftly down the running Lake They follow the blind Boy. With sound the least that can be made They follow, more and more afraid, More cautious as they draw more near; But in his darkness he can hear, And guesses their intent. 160 "_Lei-gha--Lei-gha_"--then did he cry "_Lei-gha--Lei-gha_"--most eagerly; Thus did he cry, and thus did pray, And what he meant was, "Keep away, And leave me to myself!" Alas! and when he felt their hands-- You've often heard of magic Wands, That with a motion overthrow A palace of the proudest shew, Or melt it into air. 170 So all his dreams, that inward light With which his soul had shone so bright, All vanish'd;--'twas a heartfelt cross To him, a heavy, bitter loss, As he had ever known. But hark! a gratulating voice With which the very hills rejoice: 'Tis from the crowd, who tremblingly Had watch'd the event, and now can see That he is safe at last. 180 And then, when he was brought to land, Full sure they were a happy band, Which gathering round did on the banks Of that great Water give God thanks, And welcom'd the poor Child. And in the general joy of heart The blind Boy's little Dog took part; He leapt about, and oft did kiss His master's hands in sign of bliss, With sound like lamentation. 190 But most of all, his Mother dear, She who had fainted with her fear, Rejoiced when waking she espies The Child; when she can trust her eyes, And touches the blind Boy. She led him home, and wept amain, When he was in the house again: Tears flow'd in torrents from her eyes, She could not blame him, or chastise: She was too happy far. 200