The stubborn heart! But yesterday I said One Heaven could not contain mine enemy And me; and now I lift my dying voice To say, Forgive me, Lord, as I forgive eyes Him who hath done the wrong!.. He closed his A moment; then with sudden impulse cried,.. Roderick, thy wife is dead,.. the Church hath power To free thee from thy vows, the broken heart
Might yet be healed, the wrong redressed, the throne Rebuilt by that same hand which pulled it down, And these curst Africans... Oh for a month Of that waste life which millions misbestow!.. His voice was passionate, and in his eye With glowing animation while he spake The vehement spirit shone: its effort soon Was past, and painfully with feeble breath In slow and difficult utterance he pursued, .. Vain hope, if all the evil was ordained,
And this wide wreck the will and work of Heaven, We but the poor occasion! Death will make
All clear, and joining us in better worlds, Complete our union there! Do for me now
One friendly office more:...draw forth the spear,
And free me from this pain!... Receive his soul, Saviour! exclaimed the Goth, as he performed The fatal service. Julian cried, O friend!.. True friend!.. and gave to him his dying hand. Then said he to Florinda, I go first,
Thou followest!.. kiss me, child!.. and now good night!
When from her father's body she arose,
Her cheek was flushed, and in her eyes there beamed A wilder brightness. On the Goth she gazed While underneath the emotions of that hour Exhausted life gave way. O God! she said, Lifting her hands, thou hast restored me all,.. All.. in one hour!.. and round his neck she threw Her arms and cried, My Roderick! mine in Heaven! Groaning, he claspt her close, and in that act And agony her happy spirit fled.
EIGHT thousand men had to Asturias marched Beneath Count Julian's banner; the remains Of that brave army which in Africa
So well against the Mussleman made head, Till sense of injuries insupportable,
And raging thirst of vengeance, overthrew Their leader's noble spirit. To revenge His quarrel, twice that number left their bones, Slain in unnatural battle, on the field
Of Xeres, where the sceptre from the Goths By righteous Heaven was reft. Others had fallen Consumed in sieges, alway by the Moor To the front of war opposed. The policy, With whatsoever show of honour cloaked, Was gross, and this surviving band had oft At their carousals of the flagrant wrong
Held such discourse as stirs the mounting blood, The common danger with one discontent Affecting chiefs and men. Nor had the bonds Of rooted discipline and faith attached,
Thus long restrained them, had they not known well That Julian in their just resentment shared,
And fixed their hopes on him. Slight impulse now Sufficed to make these fiery martialists
Break forth in open fury; and though first Count Pedro listened with suspicious ear To Julian's dying errand, deeming it Some new decoy of treason,.. when he found A second legate followed Virimar,
And then a third, and saw the turbulence
Of the camp, and how against the Moors in haste They formed their lines, he knew that Providence This hour had for his country interposed,
And in such faith advanced to use the aid Thus wonderously ordained. The eager Chiefs Hasten to greet him, Cottila and Paul, Basil and Miro, Theudered, Gunderick, Felix, and all who held authority;
The zealous services of their brave host
They proffered, and besought him instantly To lead against the African their force Combined, and in good hour assail a foe Divided, not for such attack prepared.
While thus they communed, Roderick from the church Came forth, and seeing Pedro, bent his way Toward them. Sirs, said he, the Count is dead: He died a Christian, reconciled to Heaven, In faith; and when his daughter had received His dying breath, her spirit too took flight. One sacrament, one death, united them; And I beseech ye, ye who from the work Of blood which lies before us may return, .. If, as I think, it should not be my fate.. That in one grave with Christian ceremonies Ye lay them side by side. In Heaven I ween They are met through mercy:.. ill befall the man Who should in death divide them!... Then he turned His speech to Pedro in an under voice;
The King, said he, I know with noble mind Will judge of the departed; christian-like
He died, and with a manly penitence:
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