  THE FOURTH BOOK.Whose is yon dawning form, That in the darkness meets The delegated youth? Dim as the shadow of a fire at noon, Or pale reflection on the evening brook Of Glow-worm on the bank Kindled to guide her winged paramour. A moment, and the brightening image shaped His Mother’s form and features. “Go,” she cried, “To Babylon, and from the Angels learn “What talisman thy task requires.” The Spirit hung towards him when she ceased, As tho’ with actual lips she would have given A mother’s kiss ... his arms outstretched, His body bending on, His lips unclosed and trembling into speech He prest to meet the blessing,... but the wind Played on his cheek: he looked, and he beheld The darkness close. “Again! again!” he cried, “Let me again behold thee!” from the darkness His Mother’s voice went forth; “Thou shall behold me in the hour of death.” Day dawns, the twilight gleam dilates, The Sun comes forth and like a God Rides thro’ rejoicing heaven. Old Moath and his daughter from their tent Beheld the adventurous youth, Dark moving o’er the sands, A lessening image, trembling thro’ their tears. Visions of high emprize Beguiled his lonely road; And if sometimes to Moath’s tent The involuntary mind recurred, Fancy, impatient of all painful thoughts Pictured the bliss should welcome his return. In dreams like these he went, And still of every dream Oneiza formed a part, And Hope and Memory made a mingled joy. In the eve he arrived at a Well, The Acacia bent over its side, Under whose long light-hanging boughs He chose his night’s abode. There, due ablutions made and prayers performed, The youth his mantle spread, And silently produced His solitary meal. The silence and the solitude recalled Dear recollections, and with folded arms, Thinking of other days, he sate, till thought Had left him, and the Acacia’s moving shade Upon the sunny sand Had caught his idle eye, And his awakened ear Heard the grey Lizard’s chirp, The only sound of life. As thus in vacant quietness he sate, A Traveller on a Camel reached the Well, And courteous greeting gave. The mutual salutation past, He by the cistern too his garment spread, And friendly converse cheered the social meal. The Stranger was an antient man, Yet one whose green old age Bore the fair characters of temperate youth. So much of manhood’s strength his limbs retained, It seemed he needed not the staff he bore. His beard was long, and grey, and crisp; Lively his eyes and quick, And reaching over them The large broad eye-brow curled.... His speech was copious, and his winning words Enriched with knowledge, that the attentive youth Sate listening with a thirsty joy. So in the course of talk The adventurer youth enquired Whither his course was bent; The Old Man answered, “to Bagdad I go.” At that so welcome sound a flash of joy Kindled the eye of Thalaba; “And I too,” he replied, “Am journeying thitherward, “Let me become companion of thy way!” Courteous the Old Man smiled, And willing in assent.... OLD MAN. Son, thou art young for travel. THALABA. Until now I never past the desert boundary. OLD MAN. It is a noble city that we seek. Thou wilt behold magnificent palaces, And lofty obelisks, and high-domed Mosques, And rich Bazars, whither from all the world Industrious merchants meet, and market there The World’s collected wealth. THALABA. Stands not Bagdad Near to the site of ancient Babylon And Nimrod’s impious temple? OLD MAN. From the walls ’Tis but a long day’s distance. THALABA. And the ruins? OLD MAN. A mighty mass remains; enough to tell us How great our Men are not what they were; their crimes and follies Have dwarfed them down from the old hero race To such poor things as we! THALABA. At Babylon I have heard the Angels expiate their guilt, Haruth and Maruth. OLD MAN. ’Tis a history Handed from ages down; the nurses make it A tale to please their children, And as their garrulous ignorance relates We learn it and believe ... but all things feel The power of Time and Change! thistles and grass Usurp the desolate palace, and the weeds Of Falshood root in the aged pile of Truth. How have you heard the tale? THALABA. Thus ... on a time The Angels at the wickedness of man Expressed indignant wonder: that in vain Tokens and signs were given, and Prophets sent,... Strange obstinacy this! a stubborness Of sin, they said, that should for ever bar The gates of mercy on them. Allah heard Their unforgiving pride, and bade that two Of these untempted Spirits should descend, Judges on earth. Haruth and Maruth went, The chosen Sentencers; they fairly heard The appeals of men to their tribunal brought, And rightfully decided. At the length A Woman came before them ... beautiful Zohara was, as yonder Evening star, In the mild lustre Even now her beauty shines. They gazed on her With fleshly eyes, they tempted her to sin. The wily woman listened, and required A previous price, the knowledge of the name Of God. She learnt the wonder-working name And gave it utterance, and its virtue bore her Up to the glorious Presence, and she told Before the aweful Judgement-Seat, her tale. OLD MAN. I know the rest, the accused Spirits were called: Unable of defence, and penitent, They owned their crime and heard the doom deserved. Then they besought the Lord that not for ever His wrath might be upon them; and implored That penal ages might at length restore them Clean from offence, since then by Babylon In the cavern of their punishment they dwell, Runs the conclusion so? THALABA. So I am taught. OLD MAN. The common tale! and likely thou hast heard How that the bold and bad, with impious rites Intrude upon their penitence, and force, Albeit from loathing and reluctant lips, The sorcery-secret? THALABA. Is it not the truth? OLD MAN. Son, thou hast seen the Traveller in the sands Move in the dizzy light of the hot noon, Huge And his Camel, than the monstrous Elephant, Seem of a vaster bulk. THALABA. A frequent sight. OLD MAN. And hast thou never in the twilight, fancied Familiar object into some strange shape And form uncouth? THALABA. Aye! many a time. OLD MAN. Even so Things viewed at distance thro’ the mist of fear, In their distortion terrify and shock The abused sight. THALABA. But of these Angels fate Thus in the uncreated Book is written. OLD MAN. Wisely from legendary fables, Heaven Inculcates wisdom. THALABA. How then is the truth? Is not the dungeon of their punishment By ruined Babylon? OLD MAN. By Babylon Haruth and Maruth may be found. THALABA. And there Magician learn their impious sorcery? OLD MAN. Son what thou sayest is true, and it is false. But night approaches fast; I have travelled far And my old lids are heavy ... on our way We shall have hours for converse, let us now Turn to our due repose. Son, peace be with thee! So in his loosened cloak The Old Man wrapt And laid his limbs at length: And Thalaba in silence laid him down. Awhile he lay and watched the lovely Moon, O’er whose broad orb the boughs A mazy fretting framed, Or with a pale transparent green Lighting the restless leaves, The thin Acacia leaves that played above. The murmuring wind, the moving leaves Lulled him to sleep with mingled lullabies. Not so the dark Magician by his side, Lobaba, who from the Domdaniel caves Had sought the dreaded youth. Silent he lay, and simulating sleep, Till by the long and regular breath he knew The youth beside him slept. Carefully then he rose, And bending over him, surveyed him near And secretly he cursed The dead Abdaldar’s ring, Armed by whose amulet He slept from danger safe. Wrapped in his mantle Thalaba reposed, His loose right arm pillowing his head. The Moon was on the Ring, Whose crystal gem returned A quiet, moveless light. Vainly the Wizard vile put forth his hand And strove to reach the gem, Charms strong as hell could make them, made it safe. He called his servant fiends, He bade the Genii rob the sleeping youth. By the virtue of the Ring, By Mohammed’s holier power, By the holiest name of God, Had Thalaba disarmed the evil race. Baffled and weary, and convinced at length, Anger, and fear, and rancour gnawing him, The accursed Sorcerer ceased his vain attempts. Content perforce to wait Temptations likelier aid. Restless he lay, and brooding many a wile, And tortured with impatient hope, And envying with the bitterness of hate The innocent youth, who slept so sweetly by. The ray of morning on his eye lids fell, And Thalaba awoke And folded his mantle around him, And girded his loins for the day; Then the due rites of holiness observed. His comrade too arose, And with the outward forms Of righteousness and prayer insulted God. They filled their water skin, they gave The Camel his full draught. Then on their road while yet the morn was young And the air was fresh with dew, Forward the travellers went, With various talk beguiling the long way. But soon the youth, whose busy mind Dwelt on Lobaba’s wonder-stirring words, Renewed the unfinished converse of the night. THALABA. Thou saidest that it is true, and yet is false, That men accurst, attain at Babylon Forbidden knowledge from the Angel pair.... How mean you? LOBABA. All things have a double power, Alike for good and evil, the same fire That on the comfortable hearth at eve Warmed the good man, flames o’er the house at night Should we for this forego The needful element? Because the scorching summer Sun Darts fever, wouldst thou quench the orb of day? Or deemest thou that Heaven in anger formed Iron to till the field, because when man Had tipt his arrows for the chase, he rushed A murderer to the war? THALABA. What follows hence? LOBABA. That nothing in itself is good or evil, But only in its use. Think you the man Praiseworthy who by painful study learns The knowledge of all simples, and their power Healing or harmful? THALABA. All men hold in honour The skilful Leech. From land to land he goes Safe in his privilege; the sword of war Spares him, Kings welcome him with costly gifts, And he who late had from the couch of pain Lifted a languid look to him for aid, Views him with brightened eyes, and blesses him In his first thankful prayer. LOBABA. Yet some there are Who to the purposes of wickedness, Apply this knowledge, and from herbs distil Poison to mix it in the trusted draught. THALABA. Allah shall cast them in the fire Whose fuel is the cursed! there shall they Endure the ever-burning agony Consuming LOBABA. But is their knowledge therefore in itself Unlawful? THALABA. That were foolishness to think. LOBABA. O what a glorious animal were Man, Knew he but his own powers! and knowing gave them Room for their growth and spread! the Horse obeys His guiding will, the patient Camel bears him Over these wastes of sand, the Pigeon wafts His bidding thro’ the sky: and with these triumphs He rests contented! with these ministers, When he might awe the Elements, and make Myriads of Spirits serve him! THALABA. But as how! By a league with Hell, a covenant that binds The soul to utter death! LOBABA. Was Solomon Accurst of God? yet to his talismans Obedient, o’er his throne the birds of Heaven Their waving wings The motionless air of noon: from place to place, As his will reined the viewless Element He rode the Wind: the Genii reared his temple, And ceaselessly in fear while his dead eye O’erlooked them, day and night pursued their toil, So dreadful was his power. THALABA. But ’twas from Heaven His wisdom came; God’s special gift ... the guerdon Of early virtue. LOBABA. Learn thou, O young man! God hath appointed Wisdom the reward Of study! ’tis a spring of living waters, Whose inexhaustible bounties all might drink But few dig deep enough. Son! thou art silent,... Perhaps I say too much,... perhaps offend thee. THALABA. Nay, I am young, and willingly as becomes me, Hear the wise words of age. LOBABA. Is it a crime To mount the horse, because forsooth thy feet Can serve thee for the journey? is it sin Because the Hern soars upward in the sky Above the arrow’s flight, to train the Falcon Whose beak shall pierce him there? the powers which All Granted to man, were granted for his use; All knowledge that befits not human weakness Is placed beyond its reach.... They who repair To Babylon, and from the Angels learn Mysterious wisdom, sin not in the deed. THALABA. Know you these secrets? LOBABA. I? alas my Son My age just knows enough to understand How little all its knowledge! later years Sacred to study, teach me to regret Youth’s unforeseeing indolence, and hours That cannot be recalled! something I know: The properties of herbs, and have sometimes Brought to the afflicted comfort and relief By the secrets of my art; under His blessing Without whom all had failed! Also of Gems I have some knowledge, and the characters That tell beneath what aspect they were set. THALABA. Belike you can interpret then the graving Around this Ring? LOBABA. My sight is feeble, Son, And I must view it closer, let me try! The unsuspecting Youth Held forth his linger to draw off the spell. Even whilst he held it forth, There settled there a Wasp, And just above the Gem infixed its dart. All purple swoln the hot and painful flesh Rose round the tightened Ring. The baffled Sorcerer knew the hand of Heaven, And inwardly blasphemed. Ere long Lobaba’s heart, Fruitful in wiles, devised new stratagem. A mist arose at noon; Like the loose hanging skirts Of some low cloud that, by the breeze impelled, Sweeps o’er the mountain side. With joy the thoughtless youth That grateful shadowing hailed; For grateful was the shade, While thro’ the silver-lighted haze Guiding their way, appeared the beamless Sun. But soon that beacon failed; A heavier mass of cloud Impenetrably deep, Hung o’er the wilderness. “Knowest thou the track?” quoth Thalaba, “Or should we pause, and wait the wind “To scatter this bewildering fog?” The Sorcerer answered him “Now let us hold right on,... for if we stray “The Sun tomorrow will direct our course.” So saying, he towards the desert depths Misleads the youth deceived. Earlier the night came on, Nor moon, nor stars, were visible in Heaven; And when at morn the youth unclosed his eyes He knew not where to turn his face in prayer. “What shall we do?” Lobaba cried, “The lights of Heaven have ceased “To guide us on our way. “Should we remain and wait “More favourable skies? “Soon would our food and water fail us here! “And if we venture on, “There are the dangers of the wilderness!” “Sure it were best proceed!” The chosen youth replies. “So haply we may reach some tent, or grove “Of dates, or stationed tribe. “But idly to remain “Were yielding effortless, and waiting death.” The wily Sorcerer willingly assents, And farther in the sands, Elate of heart, he leads the credulous youth. Still o’er the wilderness Settled the moveless mist. The timid Antelope that heard their steps Stood doubtful where to turn in that dim light, The Ostrich, blindly hastening, met them full. At night again in hope, Young Thalaba laid down; The mor ning came, and not one guiding ray Thro’ the thick mist was visible, The same deep moveless mist that mantled all. Oh for the Vulture’s scream That haunts for prey the abode of humankind! Oh for the Plover’s To tell of water near! Oh for the Camel-driver’s For now the water-skin grows light, Tho’ of the draught, more eagerly desired, Imperious prudence took with sparing thirst. Oft from the third night’s broken sleep, As in his dreams he heard The sound of rushing winds, Started the anxious youth, and looked abroad, In vain! for still the deadly calm endured. Another day past on, The water-skin was drained, But then one hope arrived For there was motion in the air! The sound of the wind arose anon That scattered the thick mist, And lo! at length the lovely face of Heaven! Alas ... a wretched scene Was opened on their view. They looked around, no wells were near, No tent, no human aid! Flat on the Camel lay the water-skin, And their dumb servant difficultly now, Over hot sands and under the hot sun, Dragged on with patient pain. But oh the joy! the blessed sight! When in the burning waste the Travellers Saw a green meadow, fair with flowers besprent, Azure and yellow, like the beautiful fields Of England, when amid the growing grass The blue-bell bends, the golden king-cup shines, In the merry month of May! Oh joy! the Travellers Gaze on each other with hope-brightened eyes, For sure thro’ that green meadow flows The living stream! and lo! their famished beast Sees the restoring sight! Hope gives his feeble limbs a sudden strength, He hurries on! The herbs so fair to eye Were Senna, and the Gentian’s blossom blue, And kindred plants that with unwatered root Fed in the burning sand, whose bitter leaves Even frantic In uncommunicating misery Silent they stood. At length Lobaba cried, “Son we must slay the Camel, or we die “For lack of water! thy young hand is firm, “Draw forth the knife and pierce him!” Wretch accurst, Who that beheld thy venerable face, Thy features fixed with suffering, the dry lips, The feverish eyes, could deem that all within Was magic ease, and fearlessness secure, And wiles of hellish import? the young man Paused with reluctant pity: but he saw His comrade’s red and painful countenance, And his own burning breath came short and quick, And at his feet the gasping beast Lies, over-worn with want. Then from his With stern compassion, and from side to side Across Drew deep the crooked blade. Servant of man, that merciful deed For ever ends thy suffering, but what doom Waits thy deliverer! “little will thy death “Avail us!” thought the youth, As in the water-skin he poured The Camel’s hoarded draught: It gave a scant supply, The poor allowance of one prudent day. Son of Hodeirah, tho’ thy steady soul Despaired not, firm in faith, Yet not the less did suffering Nature feel Her pangs and trials, long their craving thirst Struggled with fear, by fear itself inflamed; But drop by drop, that poor, That last supply is drained! Still the same burning sun! no cloud in heaven! The hot air quivers, and the sultry mist Floats o’er the desert, with a show Of distant The youth’s parched lips were black, His tongue was His eye-balls red with heat. His comrade gazed on him with looks That seemed to speak of pity, and he said “Let me behold thy Ring, “It may have virtue that can save us yet!” With that he took his hand And viewed the writing close, Then cried with sudden joy “It is a stone that whoso bears “The Genii must obey! “Now raise thy voice, my Son, “And bid them in his name that here is written “Preserve us in our need.” “Nay!” answered Thalaba, “Shall I distrust the providence of God? “Is it not He must save? “If Allah wills it not “Vain were the Genii’s aid.” Whilst he spake Lobaba’s eye Full on the distance fixed, Attended not his speech. Its fearful meaning drew The looks of Thalaba. Columns of sand came moving on, Red in the burning ray Like obelisks of fire They rushed before the driving wind. Vain were all |
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