Canto XI

Hope, that again from her celestial plume
O'er Huon waves the day-dream of delight
That brings Amanda to his ravish'd sight,
Restores the radiance of his youthful bloom.
The thought that near him breathes th' angelick fair,
The thought, that every breath of fragrant air
Which cools him as it fans the orange groves,
Has lately kist the cheek of her he loves,
And play'd around her lip, and stol'nits fragrance there :

The thought, that those fresh flowers, which rang'd with care,
He wreathes in curious knots, and garlands gay,
To send them to the harem day by day,
May interlace Amanda's braided hair ;
May shadowing o'er her snowy bosom lie,
And there dissolv'd in sweeter fragrance die :
These thoughts, with new delight his spirits fire,
Relume the glow of love, and warm desire,
And paint his roseate cheek, and gem his sparkling eye.

Here sultry day sustains the charge of night,
And" long meridian hours the senses steep,
In lazy visions of luxurious sleep.
When eve awakes the sportive zephyrs light,
Unwearied Huon by sweet hope delay'd,
His Rezia seeks in each sequester'd shade :
The night he knows is past in waking hours ;
And, ah ! amid the harem's guarded bow'rs,
No shape of man is seen when day begins to fade.

Then beauteous nymphs beneath the rosy glance,
When twilight tints with soften'd gleam illume
The night, scarce ever sunk in deeper gloom ;
Now pair by pair, or choir with choir, advance,
And lightly trip along the rustling wood,
And oft with voice and lute, in sportive mood
Shorten the swift-wing'd hours; then crystal waves
Invite the bather to sequester'd caves,
Where not Almansor dares (so custom wills) intrude.

What chance, alas ! was in the lover's power,
What gleam of transient hope to see his bride,
(Who, as Sir Huon thinks, did here reside,)
Save, rash defiance of the sacred hour.
Amid these grounds with fearful fond delight,
Thrice had he watch'd the long unquiet night,
Hid in a thicket near the blooming grove,
Which all must pass who from the harem rove,
Thrice watch'd, and look'd in vain— no trace had blest his sight.

By Fatma, Sherasrain, and Ibrahim won,
(Who falling at his feet, with earnest pray'r
Implore the knight, their lives and his to spare,
Nor dare again such dreadful hazard run,)
He, the fourth eve, when sinks the car of day,
And o'er the groves faint twilight shadows play,
With heart-felt anguish marks the parting hour ;
When, homeward as he winds around a bower,
Almansaris appears, and stops at once his way.

She came soft-leaning on her fav'rite's arm,
She came warm-panting from the sultry hours
To rove mid fragrant shades of orange bow'rs.
A veil, light-shadowing each voluptuous charm,
Fine-spun as if aerial spiders wove
A web to deck, not hide the form of love,
Play'd round her limbs half seen — a wreath of gold
Confin'd her breast, that swell'd its slender fold,
And with impatience sweet to burst its bondage strove.

Never will nature in her loveliest mould
So fine a model for a Venus frame,
As stood the goddess that before him came :
There might th' enlighten'd eye of taste behold
Where o'er her form the flowing outline glides,
Which in soft wave now swells, and now subsides :
There that harmonious grace, so rarely seen,
That wins its way each mark'd extreme between,
And swift to stony hearts the shaft of passion guides.

Perfection reign'd alike in every part :
There all that Attic skill divinely wrought,
What Alcamenes and Lysippus sought,
Th' ideal beauties of illumin'd art
In union met — Alone, she all possest—
Thy lip, Erigone ! and Helen's breast ;
Such Atalanta's knee, and Leda's arm —
Yet never Greece conceiv'd that nameless charm
Which thrill'd the inmost soul when love her wish exprest.

The god of soft voluptuousness imparts,
Mixt with her breath, his spirit to the gale
That blows around her, seeming to exhale
Her glowing passions — love's resistless darts
Beam from her eye — save, save thyself by flight !
Resist, if possible, the fiery light
Of that inviting glance which lures the soul :
How scorn those lips that every heart control ?
Ah ! how behold that smile with unenchanted sight ?

Can Huon these resist? — peace! trembler, peace!
Nor dread the shipwreck that resistless seems !
The storm may pass — yet, sure, in such extremes,
Nought from perdition can the wretch release
But instant flight — but now, what hope of flight,
When the fair siren stood before his sight ? —
A gard'ner would have fled in Huon's place.
The flow'rets that by luck his basket grace,
If chance. she deign enquire, may aid the answ'ring knight.

The fair sultana naturally starts
To see a man, a stranger in her way —
" What dost thou here ?" while passion's fiery ray
Flash'd from her eye, and shot indignant darts
Of pow'r to strike with death each timid slave-
But Huon dar'd th' impending danger brave,
Dar'd with sunk eyelid near the goddess draw,
And lowly bending down, with noble awe,
The fruits and fragrant flowers a graceful offering gave.

' Tis true — for her he had transgressed the time,
' To cull for her an offering had presum'd,
' Fruits of fair growth, and flowers that freshly bloom'd ;
' Had he too rashly dar'd, too great the crime,
' His life must expiate the zealous deed,' —
Yet her soft look a milder death decreed,
While at her feet the beauteous gard'ner lies :
Fixt on his charms she feasts her ravish'd eyes,
And seems with tardy pace unwilling to proceed.

A youth most beauteous in his form and mien,
A hero crown'd with majesty and grace,
Of fair and foreign colour in that place,
And as a gard'ner clad — discordant scene !
Fain would the queen more curiously enquire,
But decency restrain'd the warm desire —
At length she waves him from the spot away :
Yet as he goes, a look that bids him stay,
Shot forth a side-long glance deep fraught with inward fire.

In pensive silence wrapt she paces slow,
Bends her fair neck stretch'd back in fond presage,
And feels her bosom throb with sudden rage,
That he at once obey'd, as glad to go.
Was he too coy to read her look aright ?
Fails that heroick form in inward light ?
Deceives it, then, that mien so nobly bold ?
Did peril turn his life-blood icy cold ?
Or came he, daring youth ! to seek some form less bright ?

Another form ! — that doubt at once unveils
What to herself she blushes to reveal.
Where'er she strays his shade is seen to steal,
In grove or glade that image never fails.
She roves the livelong night — to every breeze
Lists as it softly sighs amid the trees :
Starts, if a leaf against a leaf is heard —
" Still !" cries she to her fav'rite— " there it stirr'd !
" Hark ! mid yon hedge it mov'd — O say, what fancy sees!"

" Perhaps the beauteous gard'ner,' — sly replies
The cunning maid — ' if all deceive me not,
' The daring youth, amid that covert spot,
' Death, tenfold death, without a fear, defies,
' Once more in ambush, in this sacred place,
' To feast in silence on each Houri grace
' That wings to Paradise his blissful soul —
' What if we softly to surprise him stole,
' And seize him in the fact, and charge him face to face ?'

" Hush! — silence, madcap !" cries the harem queen,
" Thou prattlest nonsense, child ! in idle trance?" —
Yet all the time her noiseless feet advance
Where the light branches were in motion seen :
'Twas but a lizard that had chanc'd to slide
From the green bush, and cross the pathway glide.
A sigh half utter'd, while it heav'd her breast,
And, mid the fragrant nosegay half-supprest,
Confirms what in her look Nadina's glance descry'd.

She turns away, and with herself displeas'd,
Now bites her glowing lip, now deeply sighs,
Mutters strange sounds, and to herself replies :
Says something, nothing — bids, each moment teas'd,
Nadina answer what she can't divine —
What need we more ? — irrefragable sign !
Our fair sultana is o'erwhelm'd with love—
Her flowers are doom'd, indeed, the fact to prove,
Nipt, scatter'd leaf by leaf, and tost without design.

Three days already had the pang endur'd,
That ever by resistance fiercer grew,
And each succeeding day fresh nurture drew.
Whene'er eve's grateful beams her step allur'd,
Painting the windows streak'd with many a ray,
Nymph-like with half-bound hair she winds her way
With restless motion through each dark alcove,
Along the shadowy lawn, and silent grove,
Where'er the gard'ner youth, like her, may lonely stray.

In vain she watches, while impatient wo
Throbs in her breast — no more through glade or grove,
Or o'er the lawn the youth is seen to rove.
Ah ! lost Almansaris I thy pride forego—
Resistless love subdues imperial pride —
" Why rack thy soul," she thinks, " from one so try'd,
" From kind Nadina idly to conceal,
" What to thyself her lip might sure reveal ?
" Ah ! canst thou heal the wound thou striv'st in vain to hide?"

And sure she wants a friend's consoling breast : —
No — 'tis a flatterer that the woman needs —
Nadina in this art her sex exceeds —
Not all the juice from every plantain prest
On Afric's soil, had so refresh'd the frame,
Or sooth'd the fierceness of th' internal flame,
In this resistless siren's glowing veins,
As good Nadina's kind unwearied pains
Within her amorous net to lure the lovely game.

Through ev'ry bolted door, at night unseen,
To bring him to the court where, unrestrain'd,
Almansaris without a witness reign'd,
And place the youth before the longing queen,
Seem'd little arduous to her subtile mind ;
Since that the king had openly resign'd
To Zoradine the empire of his breast.
For thus the lovely stranger was addrest,
Who landed there, heav'n-sent, the wonder of her kind.

No dream deceiv'd gay Fat ma's glowing thought :
It was Amanda, whom the viewless pow'r
Of kind Titania, at the stormy hour
Safe from the pirate crew by lightning brought,
And blew her, as in triumph, to the strand —
'Tis known what happen'd when she came to land ;
How soon Almansor lost his fickle heart,
How well Almansaris perform'd her part,
And with pretended love reach'd forth her guileful hand.

The sultan was, perhaps, of all mankind,
The loveliest mortal eye had ever seen ;
Triumphant beauty in his matchless mien,
Whene'er he sued, each female heart inclin'd.
A sultan, and thus grac'd, ah ! who can shun ?
But now he lost all former glory won :
For Zoradine there lives but one on earth ;
She sees not, hears not, feels no other worth,
Has eyes, and sense, and soul, for him, and him alone.

Grace without guile, decorum without pride,
The native dignity that virtue knows,
The calm indifference, the serene repose,
And coldness that the soul disdains to hide;
These, which to winning loveliness impart
Resistless pow'r to sway the human heart,
And at her will the wretched king constrain
To go without a look that dares complain —
These, the sultana deems the masterpiece of art.

Long us'd to wind the sultan at command,
To lord it o'er the harem uncontrol'd,
Can proud Almansaris the change behold ?
Nor mourn the sceptre wheedled from her hand ?
She greets her rival with delusive smile ;
Fraud masks her face, and flatters to beguile ;
Her dearest friend, fair Zoradine she calls,
She doubts her not! — but, ah! the harem walls
Are full of viewless eyes, that watch her all the while.

But since her bosom glow'd with other fires,
By Hassan pierc'd with passion's venom'd dart,
Love leaves no place for envy in her heart.
Ambition yields to far more sweet desires,
To feast unsated on his matchless charms-
Coy Hassan's pride alone her pride alarms.
Almansor, and the world itself, may fall
Before the stranger's feet— she scorns them all,
If love but lead the youth to her triumphant arms.

For this the queen promotes her lord's design,
With royal splendour, far from her apart,
To lodge the rival that enslaves his heart—
Their mutual wishes mutually combine —
There uncontrol'd fair Zoradine remains,
And honours suited to her birth obtains ;
Though both her rank and birth are yet unknown—
Yet instant in her look 'tis plainly shown
Such awe-commanding grace o'er all superiour reigns.

While fair Almansaris with seeming grace
Removes, by artful courtesy polite,
A rival and a witness from her sight,
Whose eye each secret plan might closely trace ;
Almansor wholly to his love resign'd
Leaves the sultana free and unconfin'd
To pass her time and leisure as she can,
And weave at liberty each secret plan,
Where slaves at will start up to serve her subtile mind.

Meantime with grief the beauteous gard'ner dies —
With unsuccessful toil, sev'n tedious days,
Around the harem's wall the lover strays,
Where Rezia, sure, with equal misery sighs —
Too well his feelings, what she feels declare :
Yet not a ray had gleam'd on dark despair :
Not through a lattice had he seen his bride ;
His search no traces of her steps descried,
Trace known wherever seen, tho' thousand others there.

Bow'd down with grief, before his friends he falls —
" And cannot, then, your love procure," he said,
" At least one harem slave my cause to aid ?
To whisper but my name amid yon walls,
" That I am nigh to whisper in her ear ? "-
A sudden thought now strikes me — yes — 'tis clear —
Fatma replies, ' a selam quickly send —
' Go, cull the flow'rets destin'd for that end.
Sir, in that language view no mean proficient here.'

As Fatma bids, he culls fresh lilies fair,
A lid myrtle blooming on the flow'ry spray,
The rose, the jasmin, and the jonquil gay :
Then from his ringlets draws a yellow hair —
With wire of gold her artful fingers wind
The intermingled braids that closely bind
The nosegay rang'd in love-expressive rows ;
And on a laurel which the flow'rs enclose,
An A and H are mark'd, in amorous cipher join'd.

' Now if I sprinkle o'er this wreath the dew
' Of fragrant cinnamon, the flow'rs will prove
' The fairest letter ever sent by love —
' Shall I unfold the meaning — give the clue ?
' And, word by word, the mystick nosegay read ?' —
" Oh ! lose no time ! — a thousand thanks ! — speed ! speed !
" You cannot quick enough the answer bring—
" Love guard and waft you with auspicious wing —
" We wait you on this turf — adieu! — may all succeed !"

Good Fatma hastens at her lord's command ;
And since no chamber of the inner court
Was open to a menial of her sort,
The nosegay circles round from hand to hand,
And is by Chance (who comes without a call,
And tosses at her will this earthly ball)
Seiz'd by Nadina in ill-omen'd hour-
She for her mistress claims the love-wreath'd flow'r,
And many a question asks, to sift the truth of all.

Since Fatma, slave of Ibrahim, brought it there,
How could conjecture other thoughts conceive,
Than, that young Hassan did the nosegay weave,
And sent it to the fairest of the fair ?
That, sure, is truth indisputably clear.
All that had happen'd drew the thing more near—
What could the A and H, twin-cipher, say ?
Almansaris and Hassan, clear as day—
Lo ! wreath'd by love's own hand, their wedded names appear.

And had she (though it cannot be believ'd)
A rival, to her matchless beauty blind,
What greater glory to her haughty mind,
Than, while the wretch in pining silence griev'd,
By force to take the booty from her foe —
Keen jealous pangs which in her bosom glow,
With thoughts of melting tenderness unite,
And urge her not to leave a second night
The triumph incomplete that flattering hopes foreshow.

Meanwhile transported with assur'd success,
Of errour and deceit suspecting nought,
Her cheek warm-glowing from extatic thought,
Flies Fatma back — her looks from far express
The stream of rapture that her breast o'erflows :
Gaily they shine as bright the sun-beam glows,
When from the golden orb the vapouis clear —
" Name my reward" (she whispers in his ear)
" For you, this very day, the gates of heaven unclose.

" This day my lord beholds again his bride :
" Beneath the midnight silence softly move,
" The door is open of the myrtle grove,
" Watch'd by the slave who waits thy step to guide :
" Follow where'er she leads, nor fear a snare,
" Safe shall she guide thee to th' impatient fair." —
Poor simple Fatma, who no fraud suspects,
All fear and caution equally rejects,
And decks with golden hues her castle in the air.

' How am I ever to my Fatma bound !
' I shall again that angel face behold —
' This night again, ere morn's new beams unfold !
' Ah ! if I knew that death with terrours crown'd
' Should strike, on my return, my hapless head,
' Yet not the less delight thy words had shed.' —
" My best, my dearest master ! have good heart !
" The stars look kindly down, they take our part:
" Soon will you free the bride," his happy liegeman said.

" Give me three days in secrecy to hire
" A little pinnace in a shelter'd bay,
" Which, not far distant, safe at anchor lay :
" And all prepar'd, and ready at desire,
" Whene'er a fav'ring moment we behold
" To waft us at our pleasure uncontrol'd,
The casket, Sir, soon makes the thing complete :
" But gold enough, the world is at your feet !
" All locks at once fly back when touch'd by key of gold !"

While on his pulse, where throbbing passions beat,
The youth computes the period of his bliss,
Still over-reckons it, and tells amiss ;
As every instant wild impetuous heat
New quickens, stroke on stroke, the countless tide;
Not less the queen's wing'd thoughts each moment chide :
Array'd for victory she calls the night.
Kind fortune aids her vision of delight,
All obstacles removes, and smiles on every side.

A feast beneath the sultan's golden roof,
In honour of fair Zoradine prepared,
Where every odalisc the labour shar'd,
From fair Almansaris kept all aloof.
That, at the banquet, the sultana queen
Should think superfluous her unwelcome mien,
Each cunning courtier, sure, no wonder deems :
The sudden sickness not unnatural seems.
It comes a bidden guest, and shuts her from the scene.

The hour now calls— obedient to command
The beauteous gard'ner hastens, still as death.
At the low door arriv'd, how fails his breath,
When in the darkness felt, a female hand
Catches his arm, and forward softly leads :
Mute to her silent step his step succeeds :
The guide, now up, now down, through narrow rows,
Dark intermingling vaulted alleys goes :
Then slips at once away — a door his path impedes.

" Where are we?" Huon says, and softly taps—
At once the door expands— a tender gleam,
(Faint as through myrtle groves the soften'd beam
Dies gradually away, where ivy wraps
Its glossy mantle round the vernal sprays,)
Soft on a suit of endless chambers plays,
And imperceptibly the tender light
At every step becomes more bright and bright,
Till mingling flames on flames with highest lustre blaze.

He startles at the pomp, which far outshines
Each brilliant scene his eye had e'er survey'd :
There gold and lazuli the walls o'erlaid :
There Siam and Golconda's rifled mines
Seem'd to have center'd their exhausted store,
By wanton luxury lavish'd o'er and o'er :
Yet still unsatisfied, his vacant eye
Seeks her — Where is she? — as he breathes the sigh,
A curtain flies away that play'd his eye before.

On either side back flies th' embroider'd gold —
A scene celestial fascinates his gaze !
On throne of gold a dame in beauty's blaze,
Glows like the form that thoughts entranc'd behold,
When by the warmth of youthful fancy won,
A Venus smiles in airy texture spun.
Twelve nymphs, love's sisters, young and full of charms,
In groups around her weave their floating arms,
Like twilight, to exalt the triumph of the sun.

Each lightly shaded by a roseate veil,
Before their sovereign's feet the sister's seem
Like little clouds, that in the poet's dream
Around the car of Cytherea sail.
The queen in brilliancy of art array'd,
Jewels and pearls in many a curious braid,
Shows that th' unnotic'd diamond's sun-like rays
Fail to eclipse the self-resplendent blaze
Which round th' unrivall'd charms of native beauty play'd.

Sir Huon, (now the gard'ner Hassan call'd)
Soon as he views the goddess face to face,
And knows Almansaris, with falt'ring pace
Starts back, like one bewilder'd and appal'd.
This sweet enchanting visionary sight,
Ah ? what to him ? — a dream without delight —
'Tis not Amanda — sense, heart, soul is hers —
Almansaris, who pardonably errs,
Thinks that her blazing charms alone the youth affright.

She, smiling pleasure, from her throne descends,
And takes him by the hand, and ready seems
To lay aside that pomp whose dazzling beams
O'erpow'r the slave, who back confus'dly bends.
She wishes no advantage but her charms.
Now bolder grown, to stifle his alarms,
Swift darting glance on glance, enamour'd rays,
While in his breast the spark electric plays,
She fondly clasps his hand — ' Oh! smile, nor fear these arms !"

Half unresolv'd his look a sense conveys :
She winks the nymphs away — his courage dies —
He seems too timid e'en to lift his eyes.
Another part the fair seducer plays.
A second veil flies back by magick call —
Th' enchantress summons to a splendid hall
Her coy mute swain — in gay festoons around
Bloom'd many a wreath with rose and myrtle crown'd,
That grac'd a godlike feast, whose taste might life recall.

Gay song and shout their entrance loud proclaim,
And wire and voice announce the god of joy ;
And Hassan sits (avails it to be coy ?)
There where she points, and fronts th' inviting dame—
Now warm desire, now passion unallay'd,
And wild impatience, furtively betray'd
Young Hassan's triumph — yet in vain they speak,
Mark'd in her swimming glance, and glowing cheek —
Pale gleams his ray less eye thro' sorrow's gloomy shade.

Indeed, no longer coy, his fearless view
Free wanders o'er her charms from part to part,
Yet from his eye no gleams of passion dart :
No look of answering love her glances drew.
He seems contrasted beauties to compare ;
While artful graces opening like a snare
With livelier colours picture in his mind
Amanda's loveliness of angel kind.
Before her modest charms the wanton melts in air.

In vain she reaches him the cup of gold,
With looks wherein her soul such fire exprest
As pours at once love's quiver in his breast —
Not at the gayest feast the heavens behold,
With lovelier smile enchanting Hebe young
Presents to Hercules, the gods among,
The nectar bowl — in vain — his frosty lip
Loaths the sweet juice the goddess deigns to sip,
And tastes as if he fell infection on his tongue.

She winks, and swift the sister bands advance,
The nymphs who late encompassing their queen,
Round her bright throne like hov'ring clouds were seen,
And range themselves to wind the magick dance ;
The magick dance, of pow'r the dead to raise,
Or draw embodied spirits down to gaze.
Now, pair by pair, now group by group unite
The loveliest forms in thousand folded light
That twinkle to and fro; and wreathe the wanton maze.

The noble youth unwillingly betray'd,
Feels nature melt in this forbidden glow :
Yet turns, half-tempted, from the siren show,
And calls Amanda's image to his aid,
Calls from that happy hour, when first carest,
Warm on his mouth her virgin kiss imprest,
His soul in ecstacy of ardent youth,
Before th' attested god of love and truth,
The vow of love and truth with pious lip addrest.

He swears the vow anew in holy thought,
Swears on his knee that heavenly form before :
Soon as his soul the vow in secret swore,
At once it seems as if an angel brought
A shield from heaven — unfelt at distance glance
The arrows darted in her amorous trance —
The queen his speaking features understands,
I leads his chang'd soul, and as she clasps her hands,
Swift ceases in a wink the soft seductive dance.

And, though she scarce upon herself prevail
Not to embrace him with resistless charms,
And force the stone to feel within her arms,
She tries another proof that cannot fail —
Her winning lute she suffers to be brought,
Then on a pillowy throne for pleasure wrought,
Softly reclines — and while love's radiant fire
Darts from her charms the magick of desire,
Who can resist the muse that paints th' enamour'd - thought ?

Sweet was the melody, its language plain :
It spoke the sufferings of a female slave,
Who long had brooded silent as the grave,
O'er love that rack'd her soul with ceaseless pain :
Th' all-pow'rful -passion conquers fear and shame :
Her speaking blushes to the youth proclaim
Alike his triumph, and her thrilling smart—
The lay was in a book — 'twas in her heart !
Sings no one as she sung, who feels not equal flame.

At last, in overpowering feelings tranc'd,
Th' unnotic'd lute falls silent from her hand :
But, at the instant that her arms expand,
Huon, whose eye with scornful virtue glanc'd,
Grasps with enthusiast haste the falling wire,
And thunders from the strings with prophet fire :
The hero on its bold responsive tone
Dares faith and feeling for another own,
And vows that heaven and earth can wake no new desire.

Firm was his tone, his high heroick look
Glow'd like a god. — Th' enchantress, 'gainst her will,
Feels his superiour force — tears wildly fill
Her eye indignant — pride and passion shook
Her soul with pangs, she cannot, wretch ! disguise —
To veil her shame from sight away she flies :
I'd is the light — too close the spacious hall,
While with a look that might his soul appal,
She winks her slaves to bear the rebel from her eyes.

Already in the morning's purple light
The mountains gleam, when sunk in deep despair
Sad Huon hastens back — his gloomy air
Alarms his friends, who heartless at the sight,
Read, ere he speaks, the tenour of his tale —
" Ah ! luckless wretch!" he cries— while Fatma, pale,
Sinks to the earth before his feet for shame —
" Where were thy senses? — yet, not thee I blame :
" Thou wert thyself deceiv'd — my evil stars prevail."

And when he tells what past, in high disdain
Sudden he grasps the old man on the breast,
And bids him witness vows to heaven addrest :
He swears not hostile Africk shall restrain
His firm resolve, with conqu'ring sword and shield,
As fits a warriour bred in glory's field,
To force the palace gates without delay,
And bear Amanda from the king away —
How artifice avails, thyself hast seen reveal'd.

But at his feet his trusty liegeman prays
The fiery knight; long prays, indeed, in vain,
That he would yet, a little time, restrain
His rash impatience but for three short days —
For three short days his rank and purpose hide :
And not at once, without a hope to guide,
His life and Rezia's madly fling away :
He only asks, he says, this short delay,
That for their flight his zeal may all in time provide.

And on her bended knee poor Fatma pleads,
Proffers her willing neck to meet the blow,
If in this interval she fail to show
The way that to his lov'd Amanda leads.
Might she but once again in search be sent,
No errour, sure, should frustrate her intent.
The knight by sober counsel cools his brain,
Gives them his word, and patiently again
Submits to daily toil, and waits the wish'd event.