His blood in temperate seeming now would flow: XIX. With all that chilling mystery of mien, It was not love perchance nor hate nor aught That words can image to express the thought; But they who saw him did not see in vain, And once beheld, would ask of him again: And those to whom he spake remembered well, And on the words, however light, would dwell: 370 None knew, nor how, nor why, but he entwined Himself perforce around the hearer's mind; There he was stamped, in liking, or in hate, If greet once; however brief the date That friendship, pity, or aversion knew, VOL. III. I Still there within the inmost thought he grew. Vain was the struggle in that mental net, XX. 380 There is a festival, where knights and dames, XXI. And Lara gazed on these, sedately glad, And his glance followed fast each fluttering fair, With folded arms and long attentive eye, 410 On Lara's glance emotion gathering grew, XXII. ""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. 430 It were too much for Lara to pass by Such question, so repeated fierce and high; With look collected, but with accent cold, More mildly firm than petulantly bold, 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 shun'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 -- 450 peer, "But as thou wast and art - nay, frown not, lord, "If false, 'tis easy to disprove the word. "But, as thou wast and art, on thee looks down, "Distrusts thy smiles, but shakes not at thy frown. "Art thou not he? whose deeds "" "Whate'er I be, "Words wild as these, accusers like to thee "I list no further; those with whom they weigh "May hear the rest, nor venture to gainsay "The wondrous tale no doubt thy tongue can tell, "Which thus begins so courteously and well. "Let Otho cherish here his polished guest, "To him my thanks and thoughts shall be exprest." 460 |