Amongst the beauteous consorts of my throne, "Traversed my will. I gave thee to a prince, “Burgundia's pride, of Nibelungian hoards "The famed inheritor. But thou art cursed "To whosoe'er possesses thee, and death "Has been his meed; event well born of thee, "And well conceived!

Sage counsellor of good!

175

"Sure guide and safe!" Add to oppression scorn,” Hilda rejoin'd, “but still expect the end,

"Which, mid the glory of thy boundless sway,

May fling thee from thy greatness. This hand, chaste "Save by thy treason, with no other hand

"Shall e'er make union. Thine, unto the death

“I still am thine; and hate, though dark and deep, 185 Shall ne'er dissever us. The while, secure,

March to thy destiny! Add bride to bride, "And from thy transient joys draw perilous fruit "To thy retirement, the mind's canker, keen "Self judgment, loneliness of heart and soul! • And, when thou fall'st, as signs prophetic bode,

"Erelong, it shall be noted, that of those

"Fate gave thee, none were link'd to thine embrace

190

By the soul's tie, save she who hates thee most,
“And hating loves." This said, with stately port 195
The queen departed. He nor spake, nor stirr'd;
Wrathful, in lone disquietude, he thought

Of the weird woman, who had warn'd him back
Thrice waving high her hand, and his good horse
Gone with her to the wil lerness; and now

Anticipations strange and gloomy cares
Involve his spirit; Bleda's haggard form
Seems present to his sight, and kindred shapes,

200

Mama and* Atakam, with all who died

Nail'd on the cross, weak obstacles o'erwhelm'd

205

Upon his path to power. Hilda pass'd on

To yellow-hair'd Mycoltha's bower, where pale
From anguish, her blue eyes' ethereal beam
Suffused by the heart's mournfulness, she sat
A lonely captive, midst the glittering pomp
Of bridal mockery. The sapphire wreath

In Bactriant fashion round her forehead bound
Excell'd not the eye's lustre, so obscured;

And golden chains of finest texture hung

210

Twined round her graceful neck, lovelier perchance 215
Without adornment; and of gorgeous breadth

A gold-chased belt of emerald confined
The snowy robe of silk, beneath her breast
Moulded luxuriantly; and perfumes rare
Of spiritual essence, choice delight
To Ariaspe's sisterhood, diffused
Voluptuous odour round. But her regard
Turn'd, from those vain appliances, to two
Dear gifts by Digna given, the scroll of truth,
And a small silver cross. Them, long with zeal
Secreted, darkling, she had cherish'd, thence

Extracting joy in wo, and in despair

Hope, other hope, than o'er her infant mind

From Buddha's Orient shrine or the untouch'd flame

220

225

See Hist. Treat. § 19.

+ The Bactrian women used splendid apparel, perfumes, and much of gold ornaments and jewels.-Pliny. Emeralds were worn by the most worthy.-Q. Curt.

The ancient name of Bactriana.-Pliny.

Of high Cophantus dawn'd. With no mi
On her the queen majestically bent

Her dark-brow'd gaze, illumined by such char
As vice illusive wears; and thus, “Fair maid,
"Too fair perhaps, if beauty, else secure,

Gather'd by violence must droop with wo

"In joy's first blossoming, awake! arise!

Hast thou the strength to dare?" "Small pri le of

strength

240

"Has Heaven's high bounty on these limbs bestow d,”
Gently she made reply." May He, who shaped
"And breathed His breath into this body, form'd
"Not for dishonor, by His mercy grant
"Daring to endure, and in my weakness make
"His own strength perfect!" On that maiden form
So fragile, by despair of human help

Nothing abased, long look'd with thoughts intent
The soul-distemper'd queen; and would have spelt
What power sustain'd her, and have dragg'd to light
The characters, by God's own finger writ
Upon the heart within; but little she,

245

Though learn'd in dangerous lore, was school'd to know That wisdom from on high, whose paths are peace; And from her robe she drew a dagger forth, Strong, keen, and small, with venom'd point, imbued By her own hellish knowledge. "Darest thou strike?" (And, with that word, the present fraught with death 255 She tender'd, "strike, and be the child of bliss, "Even as yestermorn? strike him, whose might "Subdues thy will, and mars the blessed hope

"Of thy heart's joy?" Scarce knowing what she did And paler than a bloodless spectre, she

260

"He sleeps,"

The deadly weapon took; strange lustre flash'd,
As grew the thought within, from her still eye
Lit with new energy; and, giving voice
To the deep yearning of her soul, she said
Low whispering, "Does Andages live?"
As low, the queen replied. So quickly pass'd
That gleam of passion from the virgin's face,
And her lip quiver'd, and the shining blade
Dropp'd from her hand. With look in agony

Upraised to heaven, " Vengeance is Thine!" she said, 270 "Thou wilt repay." Silent and wondering

The tempter, in whose bosom vengeance reign'd
Sole arbitress, survey'd her; nor divined,

How that afflicted heart beat once again

Slow as before, and, to its Saviour turn'd,

Drew comfort born of meek humility

275

From glowing faith. "Vengeance indeed is mine,"

At length the enchantress said, " and wo betide,
"If I repay not!" Scornful, forth she fared
Unto her dark designs. Alone, unseen,

Mycoltha pray'd. "Teach me to do Thy will,
Almighty Father, and to suffer what

66

Thy mercy shall inflict! My earthly hopes "Are in the grave, and vast eternity,

66

66

By thee reveal'd, before my dazzled eye

Spreads as a vision. O bow down from heaven

"In majesty, Thou source of light and life!

"Instruct my weakness! What thou wilt is just! "I know Thou canst deliver me, if so

"Seems to Thy wisdom good.

280

285

All else is wrong." 290

From that appeal she rose calm, fortified,

And wiped from her fringed lids the tremulous drops
Just springing to their brink; then turn'd again

To that blest page of solace, which had given
To earth, and heaven, and all the things thereof

295

A new aspect, opening the darksome eye
Of her untaught intelligence: and, fill'd
With thoughts of praise, and resignation built
On trust in the Almighty will, she drank
Therefrom the promise of eternal life.