Page images
PDF
EPUB

The faithful maiden not more wistfully

Looks for the day that brings her lover home; ..
Scarce more impatiently the horse endures

The rein, when loud and shrill the hunter's horn
Rings in his joyous ears, than at their post
The Mountaineers await their certain prey.
Yet mindful of their Prince's order, oft
And solemnly enforced, with eagerness
Subdued by minds well-mastered, they expect
The appointed signal.

Hand must not be raised,

Foot stirred, nor voice be uttered, said the Chief, Till the word pass: impatience would mar all. God hath delivered over to your hands

His enemies and ours, so we but use

The occasion wisely. Not till the word pass
From man to man transmitted, "In the name
"Of God, for Spain and vengeance," let a hand
Be lifted; on obedience all depends.

Their march below with noise of horse and foot,
And haply with the clang of instruments,
Might drown all other signal; this is sure.
But wait it calmly; it will not be given

Till the whole line hath entered in the toils.
Comrades, be patient, so shall none escape
Who once set foot within these straits of death.
Thus had Pelayo on the Mountaineers

With frequent and impressive charge enforced
The needful exhortation. This alone

He doubted, that the Musslemen might see
The perils of the vale, and warily

Forbear to enter. But they thought to find,
As Guisla told, the main Asturian force
Seeking concealment there, no other aid
Soliciting from these their native hills;

And that the babes and women having fallen
In thraldom, they would lay their weapons down,
And supplicate forgiveness for their sake.

Nor did the Moors perceive in what a strait

They entered; for the morn had risen o'ercast,
And when the Sun had reached the height of heaven,
Dimly his pale and beamless orb was seen

Moving through mist. A soft and gentle rain,
Scarce heavier than the summer's evening dew,
Descended,.. through so still an atmosphere,

That every

leaf upon the moveless trees

Was studded o'er with rain-drops, bright and full, None falling till from its own weight o'erswoln

The motion came.

Low on the mountain side

The fleecy vapour hung, and in its veil
With all their dreadful preparations wrapt
The Mountaineers:

in breathless hope they lay,

Some blessing God in silence for the power
This day vouchsafed; others with fervency
Of prayer and vow invoked the Mother-Maid,
Beseeching her that in this favouring hour
She would be strongly with them. From below
Meantime distinct they heard the passing tramp
Of horse and foot, continuous as the sound

Of Deva's stream, and barbarous tongues commixt
With laughter, and with frequent shouts, . . for all
Exultant came, expecting sure success;

Blind wretches, over whom the ruin hung!

They say, quoth one, that though the Prophet's soul
Doth with the black-eyed Houris bathe in bliss,
Life hath not left his body, which bears up
By its miraculous power the holy tomb,

And holds it at Medina in the air

Buoyant between the temple's floor and roof:
And there the Angels fly to him with news
From East, West, North, and South, of what befalls
His faithful people. If when he shall hear
The tale of this day's work, he should for joy
Forget that he is dead, and walk abroad,..
It were as good a miracle as when

He sliced the moon! Sir Angel hear me now,
Whoe'er thou be'st who art about to speed
From Spain to Araby! when thou hast got
The Prophet's ear, be sure thou tellëst him
How bravely Ghauleb did his part to-day,
And with what special reverence he alone
Desired thee to commend him to his grace!..
Fie on thee, scoffer that thou art! replied
His comrade; thou wilt never leave these gibes
Till some commissioned arrow through the teeth
Shall nail the offending tongue. Hast thou not heard
How when our clay is leavened first with life,
The ministering Angel brings it from that spot
Whereon 'tis written in the eternal book

That soul and body must their parting take,

And earth to earth return? How knowest thou

But that the spirit who compounded thee,
To distant Syria from this very vale

Bore thy component dust, and Azrael here
Awaits thee at this hour?.. Little thought he
Who spake, that in that valley at that hour
One death awaited both!

Thus they pursued

Toward the cave their inauspicious way.
Weak childhood there and ineffective age
In the chambers of the rock were placed secure ;
But of the women, all whom with the babes
Maternal care detained not, were aloft
To aid in the destruction; by the side
Of fathers, brethren, husbands, stationed there
They watch and pray. Pelayo in the cave
With the venerable primate took his post.
Ranged on the rising cliffs on either hand,
Vigilant sentinels with eye intent

Observe his movements, when to take the word
And pass it forward. He in arms complete
Stands in the portal: a stern majesty

Reigned in his countenance severe that hour,

« PreviousContinue »