"'Tis he!" the stranger cried, and those that heard Re-echoed fast and far the whispered word. "'Tis he!"--"'Tis who?" they question far and near, Till louder accents rung on Lara's ear; So widely spread, few bosoms well could brook The general marvel, or that single look: 420 But Lara stirred not, changed not, the surprise That sprung at first to his arrested eyes Seemed now subsided--neither sunk nor raised Glanced his eye round, though still the stranger gazed; And drawing nigh, exclaimed, with haughty sneer, "'Tis he!--how came he thence?--what doth he here?" XXIII. It were too much for Lara to pass by Such questions, so repeated fierce and high;[jw] With look collected, but with accent cold, More mildly firm than petulantly bold, 430 He turned, and met the inquisitorial tone-- "My name is Lara--when thine own is known, Doubt not my fitting answer to requite The unlooked for courtesy of such a knight. 'Tis Lara!--further wouldst thou mark or ask? I shun no question, and I wear no mask." "Thou _shunn'st_ no question! Ponder--is there none Thy heart must answer, though thine ear would shun? And deem'st thou me unknown too? Gaze again! At least thy memory was not given in vain. 440 Oh! never canst thou cancel half her debt-- Eternity forbids thee to forget." With slow and searching glance upon his face Grew Lara's eyes, but nothing there could trace They knew, or chose to know--with dubious look He deigned no answer, but his head he shook, And half contemptuous turned to pass away; But the stern stranger motioned him to stay.