Giaour 3

= The Giaour Part 3 =
a fragment of a Turkish tale
Part 3 Lines 501 - 1000
Text from the 11th Print Edition, 1814 
Printed by T. Davison for J. Murray
=== Lines 1001-1100 ===
# "Than bear a life of lingering woes 
# "My spirit shrunk not to sustain 
# "The searching throes of ceaseless pain; 
# "Nor sought the self-accorded grave 
# "Of ancient fool, and modern knave: 
# "Yet death I have not fear'd to meet, 
# "And in the field it had been sweet 
# "Had danger wooed me on to move
# "The slave of glory, not of love. 
# "I've brav'd it not for honour's boast; 
# "I smile at laurels won or lost. 
# "To such let others carve their way, 
# "For high renown, or hireling pay; 
# "But place again before my eyes 
# "Aught that I deem a worthy prize; 
# "The maid I love the man I hate 
# "And I will hunt the steps of fate, 
# "(To save or slay as these require)
# "Through rending steel, and rolling fire; 
# "Nor need'st thou doubt this speech from one 
# "Who would but do what he hath done. 
# "Death is but what the haughty brave 
# "The weak must bear the wretch must crave
# "Then let Life go to him who gave; 
# "I have not quailed to danger's brow 
# "When high and happy need I now? 
# "I lov'd her, friar! nay, adored 
# "But these are words that all can use
# "I prov'd it more in deed than word 
# "If There's blood upon that dinted sword 
# "A stain it's steel can never lose: 
# " 'Twas shed for her, who died for me, 
# "It warmed the heart of one abhorred:
# "Nay, start not no nor bend thy knee, 
# "Nor midst my sins such act record, 
# "Thou wilt absolve me from the deed, 
# "For he was hostile to thy creed ! 
# "The very name of Nazarene 
# "Was wormwood to his Paynim spleen, 
# "Ungrateful fool! since but for brands, 
# "Well wielded in some hardy hands; 
# "And wounds by Galileans given, 
# "The surest pass to Turkish heav'n;
# "For him his Houris still might wait 
# "Impatient at the prophet's gate. 
# "I lov'd her love will find its way 
# 'Through paths where wolves would fear to prey, 
# "And if it dares enough, 'twere hard 
# "If passion met not some reward 
# "No matter how or where or why, 
# "I did not vainly seek nor sigh: 
# "Yet sometimes with remorse in vain 
# "I wish she had not love again.
# "She died I dare not tell thee how, 
# "But look 'tis written on my brow! 
# "There read of Cain the curse and crime, 
# "In characters unworn by time: 
# "Still, ere thou dost condemn me pause 
# "Not mine the act, though I the cause; 
# "Yet did he but what I had done 
# "Had she been false to more than one; 
# "Faithless to him he gave the blow, 
# "But true to me I laid him low; 
# "Howe'er deserv'd her doom might be, 
# "Her treachery was truth to me; 
# "To me she gave her heart, that all 
# "Which tyranny can ne'er enthrall; 
# "And I, alas! too late to save,
# " Yet all I then could give I gave 
# " 'Twas some relief our foe a grave. 
# "His death sits lightly ; but her fate 
# "Has made me what thou well may'st hate. 
# "His doom was seaPd he knew it well, 
# "Warn'd by the voice of stern Taheer, 
# "Deep in whose darkly boding ear 
# "The deathshot peal'd of murder near 
# "As filed the troop to where they fell! 
# "He died too in the battle broil 
# "A time that heeds nor pain nor toil 
# "One cry to Mahomet for aid, 
# "One prayer to Alil all he made: 
# "He knew and crossed me in the fray 
# "I gazed upon him where he lay, 
# "And watched his spirit ebb away; 
# "Though pierced like Pard by hunters' steel, 
# "He felt not half that now I feel. 
# "I search'd, but vainly search'd to find, 
# "The workings of a wounded mind; 
# "Each feature of that sullen corse 
# "Betrayed his rage, but no remorse. 
# "Oh, what had Vengeance given to trace 
# "Despair upon his dying face ! 
# "The late repentance of that hour, 
# "When Penitence hath lost her power 
# "To tear one terror from the grave 
# "And will not soothe, and can not save
# "The cold in clime are cold in blood, 
# "Their love can scarce deserve the name;
# "But mine was like the lava flood 
# "That boils in ^Etna's breast of flame, 
=== Lines 1101-1200 ===
# "I cannot prate in puling strain 
# "Of ladye-love, and beauty's chain; 
# "If changing cheek, and scorching vein-
# "Lips taught to writhe, but not complain 
# "If bursting heart, and mad'ning brain 
# "And daring deed, and vengeful steel 
# "And all that I have felt and feel 
# "Betoken love that love was mine, 
# "And shewn by many a bitter sign. 
# " 'Tis true, I could not whine nor sigh, 
# "I knew but to obtain or die. 
# "I die but first I have possest, 
# "And come what may, I have been blest;
# "Shall I the doom I sought upbraid? 
# "No reft of all yet undismayed 
# "But for the thought of Leila slain, 
# "Give me the pleasure with the pain, 
# "So would I live and love again.
# "I grieve, but not, my holy guide! 
# "For him who dies, but her who died; 
# "She sleeps beneath the wandering wave, 
# "Ah! had she but an earthly grave, 
# "This breaking heart and throbbing head 
# "Should seek and share her narrow bed. 
# "She was a form of life and light 
# "That seen became a part of sight, 
# "And rose where'er I turned mine eye 
# "The Morning-star of Memory!
# "Yes, Love indeed is light from heaven 
# "A spark of that immortal fire 
# "With angels shar'd by Alia given, 
# "To lift from earth our low desire. 
# "Devotion wafts the mind above,
# "But Heaven itself descends in love 
# "A feeling from the Godhead caught, 
# "To wean from self each sordid thought 
# "A Ray of him who form'd the whole 
# "A Glory circling round the soul!
# "I grant my love imperfect all 
# "That mortals by the name miscall 
# "Then deem it evil what thou wilt 
# "But say, oh say, hers was not guilt! 
# "She was my life's unerring light
# "That quench'd what beam shall break my night? 
# "Oh ! would it shone to lead me still, 
# "Although to death or deadliest ill! 
# "Why marvel ye? if they who lose 
# " 'This present joy, this future hope,  
# "No more with sorrow meekly cope 
# "In phrenzy then their fate accuse 
# "In madness do those fearful deeds 
# "That seem to add but guilt to woe, 
# "Alas! the breast that inly bleeds 
# "Hath nought to dread from outward blow 
# "Who falls from all he knows of bliss, 
# "Cares little into what abyss. 
# "Fierce as the gloomy vulture's now 
# "To thee, old man, my deeds appear  
# "I read abhorrence on thy brow, 
# "And this too was I bom to bear! 
# " "Vis true, that, like that bird of prey, 
# "With havock have I mark'd my way 
# "But this was taught rue by the dove
# "To die and know no second love. 
# "This lesson yet hath man to learn, 
# "Taught by the thing he dares to spurn 
# "The bird that sings within the brake, 
# "The swan that swims upon the lake, 
# "One mate, and one alone, will take. 
# "And let the fool still prone to range, 
# "And sneer on all who cannot change 
# "Partake his jest with boasting boys, 
# "I envy not his varied joys
# "But deem such feeble, heartless man, 
# "Less than yon solitary swan 
# "Far far beneath the shallow maid 
# "He left believing and betray'd. 
# "Such shame at least was never mine 
# "Leila each thought was only thine! 
# "My good, my guilt, my weal, my woe, 
# "My hope on high my all below. 
# "Earth holds no other like to thee, 
# "Or if it doth, in vain for me
# "For worlds I dare not view the dame 
# "Resembling thee, yet not the same. 
# "The very crimes that mar my youth 
# "This bed of death attest my truth 
# " 'Tis all too late thou wert thou art 
# "The cherished madness of my heart! 
# "And she was lost and yet I breathed, 
# "But not the breath of human life 
# "A serpent round my heart was wreathed, 
# "And stung my every thought to strife.
# "Alike all time abhorred all place, 
# "Shuddering I shrunk from Nature's face, 
# "Where every hue that charmed before 
# "The blackness of my bosom wore: 
# "The rest thou do'st already know,
# "And all my sins and half my woe 
# "But talk no more of penitence, 
=== Lines 1201-1300 ===
# "Thou see'st I soon shall part from hence 
# "And if thy holy tale were true 
# "The deed that's done can'st thou undo?  
# Think me not thankless but this grief 
# Looks not to priesthood for relief.
# My soul's estate in secret guess 
# But vvoulcTst thou pity more say less 
# When thou can'st bid my Leila live, 
# Then'will I sue thee to forgive; 
# Then plead my cause in that high place 
# Where purchased masses proffer grace 
# Go when the hunter's hand hath wrung 
# From forest-cave her shrieking young, 
# And calm the lonely lioness 
# But soothe not mock not my distress! 
# "In earlier days, and calmer hours, 
# "When heart with heart delights to blend, 
# "Where bloom my native valley's bowers 
# "I had Ah! have I now? a friend! 
# "To him this pledge I charge thee send 
# "Memorial of a youthful vow; 
# "I would remind him of my end, 
# "Though souls absorbed like mine allow 
# "Brief thought to distant friendship's claim, 
# "Yet dear to him my blighted name. 
# " 'Tis strange he prophesied my doom, 
# "And I have smil'd (I then could smile ) 
# "When Prudence would his voice assume, 
# "And warn I reck'd not what the while 
# "But now remembrance whispers o'er 
# "Those accents scarcely mark'd before. 
# "ay that his bodings came to pass, 
# "And he will start to hear their truth,
# "And wish his words had not been sooth, 
# "Tell him unheeding as I was 
# "Through many a busy bitter scene 
# "Of all our golden youth had been 
# "In pain, rny faultering tongue had tried
# "To bless his memory ere I died ; 
# "But heaven in wrath would turn away, 
# "If Guilt should for the guiltless pray. 
# "I do not ask him not to blame 
# "Too gentle he to wound my name; 
# "And what have I to do with fame? 
# "I do not ask him not to mourn, 
# "Such cold request might sound like scorn; 
# "And what than friendship's manly tear 
# "May better grace a brother's bier? 
# "But bear this ring his own of old 
# "And tell him what thou dost behold ! 
# "The wither'd frame, the ruined mind, 
# "The wrack by passion left behind 
# "A shrivelled scroll, a scattered leaf, 
# "Sear'd by the autumn blast of grief! 
# "Tell me no more of fancy's gleam, 
# "No, father, no, 'twas not a dream; 
# "Alas ! the dreamer first must sleep, 
# "I only watch'd, and wish'd to weep; 
# "But could not, for my burning brow 
# "Throbb'd to the very brain as now. 
# "I wish'd but for a single tear, 
# "As something welcome, new, and dear; 
# "I wish'd it then I wish it still, 
# "Despair is stronger than my will. 
# "Waste not thine orison despair 
# "Is mightier than thy pious prayer; 
# "I would not, if I might, be blest, 
# "I want no paradise but rest.
# " 'Twas then, I tell thee, father! then 
# "I saw her yes she liv'd again; 
# "And shining in her white symar, 4 * 
# "As through yon pale grey cloud the star 
# "Which now I gaze on, as on her
# "Who look'd and looks far lovelier; 
# "Dimly I view its trembling spark 
# "To-morrow's night shall be more dark 
# "And I before its rays appear,
# "That lifeless thing the living fear.
# "I wander, father! for my soul 
# "Is fleeting towards the final goal; 
# "I saw her, friar ! and I rose, 
# "Forgetful of our former woes; 
# "And rushing from my couch, I dart,
# "And clasp her to my desperate heart; 
# "I clasp what is it that I clasp? 
# "No breathing form within my grasp, 
# "No heart that beats reply to mine, 
# "Yet, Leila ! vet the form is thine!
# " ' And art thou, dearest, chang'd so much, 
# "As meet my eye, yet mock my touch? 
# "Ah! were thy beauties e'er so cold, 
# " I care not so my arms enfold 
# "The all they ever wish'd to hold.
# "Alas! around a shadow prest, 
# "They shrink upon my lonely breast; 
# "Yet still 'tis there in silence stands, 
# "And beckons with beseeching hands! 
# "With braided hair, and bright-black eye
# "I knew 'twas false she could not die! 
# "But he is dead within the deli 
=== Lines 1301-1332 ===
# "I saw him buried where he fell; 
#  He comes not for he cannot break 
# "From earth why then art thou awake?
# "They told me, wild waves rolld above 
# "The face I view, the form I love; 
# "They told me 'twas a hideous tale! 
# "I'd tell it but my tougue would fail 
# "If true and from thine ocean-cave
# "Thou com'st to claim a calmer grave; 
# "Oh ! pass thy dewy fingers o'er 
# "This brow that then will burn no more; 
# "Or place them on my hopeless heart 
# "But, shape or shade! whute'er thou art,
# "In mercy, ne'er again depart 
# "Or farther with thee bear my soul, 
# "Than winds can waft or waters roll! 
# "Such is my name, and such my tale, 
# "Confessor to thy secret ear,  
# "I breathe the sorrows I bewail, 
# "And thank thee for the generous tear 
# "This glazing eye could never shed, 
# "Then lay me with the humblest dead, 
# "And save the cross above my head,  
# "Be neither name nor emblem spread 
# "By prying stranger to be read, 
# "Or stay the passing pilgrim's tread." 
# He pass'd nor of his name and race 
# Hath left a token or a trace, 
# Save what the father must not say 
# Who shrived him on his dying day; 
# This broken tale was all we knew 
# Of her he lov'd, or him he slew.
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Category:The Giaour
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Category:Fiction
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Category:Horror short stories
Category:Public Domain Gothic Fiction
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