His mind abhorring this had fix'd her throne
Far from the world, in regions of her own:
Thus coldly passing all that pass'd below,

355

His blood in temperate seeming now would flow:
Ah! happier if it ne'er with guilt had glow'd,
But ever in that icy smoothness flow'd!

356

'Tis true, with other men their path he walk'd,
And like the rest in seeming did and talk'd,
Nor outraged Reason's rules by flaw nor start,
His madness was not of the head, but heart;
And rarely wander'd in his speech, or drew
His thoughts so forth as to offend the view.

XIX.

With all that chilling mystery of mien,
And seeming gladness to remain unseen;
He had (if 'twere not nature's boon) an art
Of fixing memory on another's heart:

360

It was not love perchance-nor hate-nor aught
That words can image to express the thought; 366
But they who saw him did not see in vain,
And once beheld, would ask of him again:
And those to whom he spake remember'd well,

And on the words, however light, would dwell: 370

375

None knew, nor how, nor why, but he entwined
Himself perforce around the hearer's mind;
There he was stamp'd in liking, or in hate,
If greeted once; however brief the date
That friendship, pity, or aversion knew,
Still there within the inmost thought he grew.
You could not penetrate his soul, but found,
Despite your wonder, to your own he wound;
His presence haunted still; and from the breast
He forced an all-unwilling interest:

Vain was the struggle in that mental net,
His spirits seem'd to dare you to forget!

XX.

380

385

There is a festival, where knights and dames,
And aught that wealth or lofty lineage claims
Appear a highborn and a welcome guest
To Otho's hall came Lara with the rest.
The long carousal shakes the illumined hall,
Well speeds alike the banquet and the ball;
And the gay dance of bounding Beauty's train
Links grace and harmony in happiest chain: 390
Blest are the early hearts and gentle hands

That mingle there in well according bands;

It is a sight the careful brow might smoothe,
And make Age smile, and dream itself to youth,
And Youth forget such hour was past on earth,
So springs the exulting bosom to that mirth! 396

XXI.

And Lara gazed on these, sedately glad,

His brow belied him if his soul was sad;

And his glance follow'd fast each fluttering fair,
Whose steps of lightness woke no echo there: 400
He lean'd against the lofty pillar nigh,

With folded arms and long attentive eye,
Nor mark'd a glance so sternly fix'd on his,
Ill brook'd high Lara scrutiny like this :
At length he caught it, 'tis a face unknown,
But seems as searching his, and his alone;
Prying and dark, a stranger's by his mien,
Who still till now had gazed on him unseen;
At length encountering meets the mutual gaze
Of keen inquiry, and of mute amaze;
On Lara's glance emotion gathering grew,
As if distrusting that the stranger threw ;

Along the stranger's aspect fix'd and stern,

405

410

Flash'd more than thence the vulgar eye could learn.

XXII.

""Tis he!" the stranger cried, and those that heard, Re-echoed fast and far the whisper'd word. 416 ""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 ;
But Lara stirr'd not, changed not, the surprise
That sprung at first to his arrested eyes

420

Seem'd now subsided, neither sunk nor raised Glanced his eye round, though still the stranger

gazed;

And drawing nigh, exclaim'd, with haughty sneer, ""Tis he!-how came he thence?-what doth he

here?"

XXIII.

426

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,

430

He turn'd, and met the inquisitorial tone“My name is Lara !-when thine own is known,

"Doubt not my fitting answer to requite

"The unlook'd for courtesy of such a knight. ""Tis Lara!-further wouldst thou mark or ask? "I shun no question and I wear no mask.”

436

"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 Grew Lara's eyes, but nothing there could trace They knew, or chose to know-with dubious look He deign'd no answer, but his head he shook, 446 And half contemptuous turn'd to pass away; But the stern stranger motion'd him to stay. "A word!-I charge thee stay, and answer here "To one, who, wert thou noble, were thy 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,

452

"Distrusts thy smiles, but shakes not at thy frown.