Classic Poem

And now, expectant of the murderous flame,
In sable pomp the Lovely Victim came:
On her, all looks, and centering hearts were fix'd,
Love, grief, and awe, with soft compassion mix'd;
To Heaven, the voice of wide affliction cries;
Earth drinks the tribute of ten thousand eyes —
Such sighs, as from the dying breast expire,
And tears, as meant to quench a world on fire.
To the tall pyre, in sad procession led,
The Tranquil Maid ascends her sylvan bed;
And fearless on the funeral summit placed,
Her seat of fearful preparation graced.
Hence, with wide gaze, she threw her eyes around,
Nor A LLA , cruel, lovely A LLA , found.

" Ah, " soft she said, " where's this heroic youth,
" So famed for clemency, so famed for truth;
" So sage, so cautious in the casuist's chair,
" Too firm to deviate, and too just to spare;
" To strangers cruel, tho' to subjects kind;
" In law discerning, yet to mercy blind?
" Why comes not he to feast his savage eyes,
" And view the pains he can so well devise?
" Heaven framed thee, A LLA , with exterior art,
" Soften'd thy form, but left a flinty heart;
" Too perfect else had been the beauteous plan,
" And A LLA had been something more than man! "

Thus while she spoke, a distant murmur rose,
As when the wind thro' rustling forest blows;
And gathering now still louder and more near,
To mute attention turn'd each listening ear.
Distinctly heard along the listed ground,
To trumpets, now, shrill answering trumpets sound;
A clamorous cheer from rank to rank extends,
And sudden shout the deafen'd welkin rends.
Straight, usher'd to the field with loud acclaim,
A knight unknown, and unattended came:
No trophied boast, no outward shine of arms,
Nor love device, with quaint attraction charms;
Unplumed the motion of his sable crest,
And black the guardian corselet on his breast;
Black was the steed that bore him to the field,
And black the terror of his ample shield.

As when, to slake Ierne's feverish plain,
And check the Dog-star's short but sultry reign,
A cloud, full-freighted with the coming storm,
Black brow'd o'er ocean lifts its cumberous form,
Dread, to the shore its gloomy progress bends,
And charged with Heaven's avenging bolt suspends —
So to the field the gloomy champion show'd;
So charged with mercy, as with vengeance rode.

Where the Bright Victim blest the circling view,
Close to the pyre the sable warrior drew:
" Guilty, " aloud, " or innocent? " he cried —
" Ah guiltless — so help Heaven! " the Maid replied;
" So by this arm, " he said, " may Heaven for thee decide! "

Surprised Rodolphus stood; abash'd the bold,
And like a torrent in mid course controll'd;
Abash'd to find, that any mortal wight
Could singly dare to match his matchless might.
But soon, of conscious force, and scorn, and pride,
With two-fold fury swelled the impetuous tide:
Resistless, dreadful, in his wrath he rose;
For courage still with opposition grows.

Attending heralds straight divide the field,
And the dire interval for combat yield.
To either goal retired each threatful knight,
Fierce thro' restraint, and trembling for the fight,
On each by turns was every look intent,
Now here, now there, with swift emotion bent:
Perch'd on the summit of the Stranger's crest,
Here conquest seem'd to every eye confest;
Not long confest, for from his rival, there,
Again the varying judgment learns despair;
For every wish assumed the Stranger's part,
And quick expectance throbb'd in every heart.