Or stand with smiles unmurmuring by,
And lighten half thy poverty;
Do all but close thy dying eye,
For that I could not live to try;
To these alone my thoughts aspire:
More can I do? or thou require?
But, Selim, thou must answer why
We need so much of mystery?
The cause I cannot dream nor tell,
But be it, since thou say'st 't is well;

Yet what thou mean'st by 'arms' and 'friends,'
Beyond my weaker sense extends.

I meant that Giaffir should have heard

The very vow I plighted thee;
His wrath would not revoke my word:
But surely he would leave me free.
Can this fond wish seem strange in me,

To be what I have ever been?

What other hath Zuleika seen

From simple childhood's earliest hour?
What other can she seek to see
Than thee, companion of her bower,
The partner of her infancy?

These cherish'd thoughts with life begun,
Say, why must I no more avow?

What change is wrought to make me shun
The truth; my pride, and thine till now?
To meet the gaze of stranger's eyes
Our law, our creed, our God denies;
Nor shall one wandering thought of mine
At such, our Prophet's will, repine:

No! happier made by that decree!
He left me all in leaving thee.

Deep were my anguish, thus compell'd
To wed with one I ne'er beheld:
This wherefore should I not reveal?
Why wilt thou urge me to conceal?
I know the pacha's haughty mood
To thee hath never boded good;
And he so often storms at nought,
Alla! forbid that e'er he ought!
And why I know not, but within
My heart concealment weighs like sin.
If then such secrecy be crime,

And such it feels while lurking here;
Oh, Selim! tell me yet in time,

Nor leave me thus to thoughts of fear. Ah! yonder see the tchocadar,'

22

My father leaves the mimic war;
I tremble now to meet his eye-
Say, Selim, canst thou tell me why?»

་

XIV.

Zuleika―to thy tower's retreat Betake thee-Giaffir I can greet:

And now with him I fain must prate

Of firmans, imposts, levies, state.

There's fearful news from Danube's banks,

Our vizier nobly thins his ranks,

For which the Giaour may give him thanks!

Our sultan hath a shorter way

Such costly triumph to repay.

But, mark me, when the twilight drum
Hath warn'd the troops to food and sleep,
Unto thy cell will Selim come:

Then softly from the haram creep,
Where we may wander by the deep:
Our garden-battlements are steep;
Nor these will rash intruder climb
To list our words, or stint our time;
And if he doth, I want not steel

Which some have felt, and more may feel.
Then shalt thou learn of Selim more
Than thou hast heard or thought before;
Zuleika-fear not me!,

Trust me,

Thou know'st I hold a haram-key.»

<< Fear thee, my Selim! ne'er till now

"

Did word like this->

<< Delay not thou; I keep the key—and Haroun's guard Have some, and hope of more reward. To-night, Zuleika, thou shalt hear My tale, my purpose, and my fear: I am not, love! what I appear.»

NOTES TO CANTO I.

Note 1, page 137, line 9.

Wax faint o'er the gardens of gul in her bloom; etc.
« Gul," the rose.

Note 2, page 138, line 2.

Can he smile on such deeds as his children have done?

Note 3, page 139, line 29.

With Mejnoun's tale, or Sadi's song; etc.

Mejnoun and Leila, the Romeo and Juliet of the east. Sadi, the moral poet of Persia.

Note 4, page 139, line 30.

Till I, who heard the deep tambour etc.

Tambour, Turkish drum, which sounds at sunrise, noon, and twilight.

Note 5, page 142, line 11.

He is an Arab to my sight, etc.

The Turks abhor the Arabs (who return the compliment a hundredfold) even more than they hate the Christians.