Chapter XVI: The Ancient Sepulchres

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1. When the broad Ocean on Ladurlad's head Had clos'd and arch'd him o'er, With steady tread he held his way Adown the sloping shore. The dark-green waves, with emerald hue, Imbue the beams of day, And on the wrinkled sand below, Rolling their mazy network to and fro, Light shadows shift and play. The hungry Shark, at scent of prey, Toward Ladurlad darted; Beholding then that human form erect, {39} How like a God the depths he trod, Appall'd the monster started, And in his fear departed. Onward Ladurlad went with heart elate, And now hath reach'd the Ancient City's gate.

2. Wondering, he stood awhile to gaze Upon the works of elder days. The brazen portals open stood, Even as the fearful multitude Had left them, when they fled Before the rising flood. High over-head, sublime, The mighty gateway's storied roof was spread, Dwarfing the puny piles of younger time. With the deeds of days of yore That ample roof was sculptur'd o'er, And many a godlike form there met his eye, And many an emblem dark of mystery. Through these wide portals oft had Baly rode Triumphant from his proud abode, When, in his greatness, he bestrode The Aullay, hugest of four-footed kind, {40} The Aullay-Horse, that in his force, With elephantine trunk, could bind And lift the elephant, and on the wind Whirl him away, with sway and swing, Even like a pebble from the practis'd sling.

3. Those streets which never, since the days of yore, By human footstep had been visited; Those streets; which never more A human foot shall tread, Ladurlad trod. In sun-light, and sea-green, The thousand palaces were seen Of that proud city, whose superb abodes Seem'd rear'd by Giants for the immortal Gods. How silent and how beautiful they stand, Like things of Nature! the eternal rocks Themselves not firmer. Neither hath the sand Drifted within their gates, and choak'd their doors, Nor slime defil'd their pavements and their floors. Did then the Ocean wage His war for love and envy, not in rage, O thou fair City, that he spares thee thus? Art thou Varounin's capital and court, {41} Where all the Sea-Gods for delight resort, A place too godlike to be held by us, The poor degenerate children of the Earth? So thought Ladurlad, as he look'd around, Weening to hear the sound Of Mermaid's shell, and song Of choral throng from some imperial hall, Wherein the Immortal Powers, at festival, Their high carousals keep. But all is silence dread, Silence profound and dead, The everlasting stillness of the Deep.

4. Through many a solitary street, And silent market-place, and lonely square, Arm'd with the mighty Curse, behold him fare. And now his feet attain that royal fane Where Baly held of old his awful reign. What once had been the Garden spread around, Fair Gardens, once which wore perpetual green, Where all sweet flowers through all the year were found, And all fair fruits were through all seasons seen; A place of Paradise, where each device {42} Of emulous Art with Nature strove to vie; And Nature, on her part, Call'd forth new powers wherewith to vanquish Art. The Swerga-God himself, with envious eye, Survey'd those peerless gardens in their prime; Nor ever did the Lord of Light, Who circles Earth and Heaven upon his way, Behold from eldest time a goodlier sight Than were the groves which Baly, in his might, Made for his chosen place of solace and delight.

5. It was a Garden still beyond all price, Even yet it was a place of Paradise; For where the mighty Ocean could not spare, There had he, with his own creation, Sought to repair his work of devastation. And here were coral bowers, And grots of madrepores, And banks of spunge, as soft and fair to eye As e'er was mossy bed Whereon the Wood Nymphs lie With languid limbs in summer's sultry hours. Here, too, were living flowers {43} Which, like a bud compacted, Their purple cups contracted, And now in open blossom spread, Stretch'd like green anthers many a seeking head. And arborets of jointed stone were there, And plants of fibres fine, as silkworm's thread; Yea, beautiful as Mermaid's golden hair Upon the waves dispread: Others that, like the broad banana growing, Rais'd their long wrinkled leaves of purple hue, Like streamers wide out-flowing. And whatsoe'er the depths of Ocean hide From human eyes, Ladurlad there espied, Trees of the deep, and shrubs and fruits and flowers, As fair as ours, Wherewith the Sea-Nymphs love their locks to braid, When to their father's hall, at festival Repairing, they, in emulous array, Their charms display, To grace the banquet, and the solemn day.

6. The golden fountains had not ceas'd to flow, And, where they mingled with the briny Sea, {44} There was a sight of wonder and delight, To see the fish, like birds in air, Above Ladurlad flying. Round those strange waters they repair, Their scarlet fins outspread and plying, They float with gentle hovering there; And now upon those little wings, As if to dare forbidden things, With wilful purpose bent, Swift as an arrow from a bow They dash across, and to and fro, In rapid glance, like lightning go Through that unwonted element. Almost in scenes so wonderous fair, Ladurlad had forgot The mighty cause which led him there; His busy eye was every where, His mind had lost all thought; His heart, surrendered to the joys Of sight, was happy as a boy's. But soon the awakening thought recurs Of him who, in the Sepulchres, Hopeless of human aid, in chains is laid; And her who, on the solitary shore, {45} By night and day her weary watch will keep, Till she shall see them issuing from the deep.

7. Now hath Ladurlad reach'd the Court Of the great Palace of the King; its floor Was of the marble rock; and there before The imperial door, A mighty Image on the steps was seen, Of stature huge, of countenance serene. A crown and sceptre at his feet were laid; One hand a scroll display'd, The other pointed there, that all might see; My name is Death, it said, In mercy have the Gods appointed me. Two brazen gates beneath him, night and day Stood open; and within them you behold Descending steps, which in the living stone Were hewn, a spacious way Down to the Chambers of the Kings of old.

8. Trembling with hope, the adventurous man descended The sea-green light of day {46} Not far along the vault extended; But where the slant reflection ended, Another light was seen Of red and fiery hue, That with the water blended, And gave the secrets of the Tombs to view.

9. Deep in the marble rock, the Hall Of Death was hollowed out, a chamber wide, Low-roof'd, and long; on either side, Each in his own alcove, and on his throne, The Kings of old were seated: in his hand Each held the sceptre of command, From whence, across that scene of endless night, A carbuncle diffused its everlasting light.

10. So well had the embalmers done their part With spice and precious unguents, to imbue The perfect corpse, that each had still the hue Of living man, and every limb was still Supple and firm and full, as when of yore Its motion answered to the moving will. {47} The robes of royalty which once they wore, Long since had mouldered off and left them bare: Naked upon their thrones behold them there, Statues of actual flesh, . . a fearful sight! Their large and rayless eyes Dimly reflecting to that gem-born light, Glaz'd, fix'd, and meaningless, . . . yet, open wide, Their ghastly balls belied The mockery of life in all beside.

11. But if, amid these Chambers drear, Death were a sight of shuddering and of fear, Life was a thing of stranger horror here. For at the farther end, in yon alcove, Where Baly should have lain, had he obey'd Man's common lot, behold Ereenia laid. Strong fetters link him to the rock; his eye Now rolls and widens, as with effort vain He strives to break the chain, Now seems to brood upon his misery. Before him couch'd there lay One of the mighty monsters of the deep, Whom Lorrinite encountering on the way, {48} There station'd, his perpetual guard to keep; In the sport of wanton power, she charm'd him there, As if to mock the Glendoveer's despair. Upward his form was human, save that here The skin was cover'd o'er with scale on scale Compact, a panoply of natural mail. His mouth, from ear to ear, Weapon'd with triple teeth, extended wide, And tusks on either side; A double snake below, he roll'd His supple lengths behind in many a sinuous fold.

12. With red and kindling eye, the Beast beholds A living man draw nigh, And, rising on his folds, In hungry joy awaits the expected feast, His mouth half-open, and his teeth unsheath'd. Then on he sprung, and in his scaly arms Seiz'd him, and fasten'd on his neck, to suck, With greedy lips, the warm life-blood: and sure But for the mighty power of magic charms, As easily as, in the blithesome hour Of spring, a child doth crop the meadow flower, {49} Piecemeal those claws Had rent their victim, and those armed jaws Snapt him in twain. Naked Ladurlad stood, Yet fearless and unharm'd in this dread strife, So well Kehama's Curse had charm'd his fated life.

13. He too, . . . for anger, rising at the sight Of him he sought, in such strange thrall confin'd. With desperate courage fir'd Ladurlad's mind, . . . He, too, unto the fight himself addrest, And grappling breast to breast, With foot firm-planted stands, And seiz'd the monster's throat with both his hands. Vainly, with throttling grasp, he prest The impenetrable scales; And lo! the guard rose up, and round his foe, With gliding motion, wreath'd his lengthening coils, Then tighten'd all their folds with stress and strain. Nought would the raging Tyger's strength avail If once involv'd within those mighty toils; The arm'd Rhinoceros, so clasp'd, in vain Had trusted to his hide of rugged mail, His bones all broken, and the breath of life {50} Crush'd from the lungs, in that unequal strife. Again, and yet again, he sought to break The impassive limbs; but when the monster found His utmost power was vain, A moment he relax'd in every round, Then knit his coils again with closer strain, And, bearing forward, forced him to the ground.

14. Ereenia groan'd in anguish at the sight Of this dread fight: once more the Glendoveer Essay'd to break his bonds, and fear For that brave spirit who had sought him here, Stung him to wilder strugglings. From the rock He rais'd himself half up, . . with might and main Pluck'd at the adamantine chain; And now, with long and unrelaxing strain, In obstinate effort of indignant strength, Labour'd and strove in vain; Till his immortal sinews fail'd at length; And yielding, with an inward groan, to fate, Despairingly, he let himself again Fall prostrate on his prison-bed of stone, Body and chain alike with lifeless weight.

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15. Struggling they lay in mortal fray All day, while day was in our upper sphere, For light of day, And natural darkness never entered here; All night, with unabated might, They waged the unremitting fight. A second day, a second night, With furious will they wrestled still. The third came on, the fourth is gone; Another comes, another goes, And yet no respite, no repose; But day and night, and night and day, Involv'd in mortal strife they lay; Six days and nights have past away, And still they wage, with mutual rage, The unremitting fray. With mutual rage their war they wage, But not with mutual will; For when the seventh morning came, The monster's worn and wearied frame In this strange contest fails; And weaker, weaker, every hour He yields beneath strong Nature's power, {52} For now the Curse prevails.

16. Sometimes the Beast sprung up to bear His foe aloft; and, trusting there To shake him from his hold, Relax'd the rings that wreath'd him round; But on his throat Ladurlad hung, And weigh'd him to the ground; And if they sink, or if they float, Alike with stubborn clasp he clung, Tenacious of his grasp; For well he knew with what a power, Exempt from Nature's laws, The Curse had arm'd him for this hour; And in the monster's gasping jaws, And in his hollow eye, Well could Ladurlad now descry The certain signs of victory.

17. And now the guard no more can keep His painful watch; his eyes, opprest, Are fainting for their natural sleep; {53} His living flesh and blood must rest, The Beast must sleep or die. Then he, full faint and languidly, Unwreathes his rings and strives to fly, And still retreating, slowly trails His stiff and heavy length of scales. But that unweariable foe, With will relentless, follows still; No breathing time, no pause of fight He gives, but presses on his flight; Along the vaulted chambers, and the ascent Up to the emerald-tinted light of day, He harasses his way, Till lifeless, underneath his grasp, The huge Sea-Monster lay.

18. That obstinate work is done! Ladurlad cried, One labour yet remains! And thoughtfully he eyed Ereenia's ponderous chains; And with vain effort, half-despairing, tried The rivets deep in-driven. Instinctively, As if in search of aid, he look'd around: {54} Oh, then, how gladly, in the near alcove, Fallen on the ground its lifeless Lord beside, The crescent scymitar he spied, Whose cloudy blade, with potent spells imbued, Had lain so many an age unhurt in solitude.

19. Joyfully springing there He seiz'd the weapon, and with eager stroke Hew'd at the chain; the force was dealt in vain, For not as if through yielding air Past the descending scymitar, Its deaden'd way the heavy water broke; Yet it bit deep. Again, with both his hands, He wields the blade, and dealt a surer blow. The baser metal yields To that fine edge, and lo! the Glendoveer Rises and snaps the half-sever'd links, and stands Freed from his broken bands.