Call'd back the stoic to his eyes, which shone CXXII. Gulbeyaz, for the first time in her days, Was much embarrass'd, never having met Him whom she meant to tutor in love's ways To lose the hour would make her quite a martyr, CXXIII. I also would suggest the fitting time, With us there is more law given to the chase, But here a small delay forms a great crime: So recollect that the extremest grace Is just two minutes for your declaration A moment more would hurt your reputation. CXXIV. Juan's was good; and might have been still better, But he had got Haidée into his head: However strange, he could not yet forget her, Which made him seem exceedingly ill-bred. Gulbeyaz, who look'd on him as her debtor CXXV. At length, in an imperial way, she laid Her hand on his, and bending on him eyes, Which needed not an empire to persuade, Look'd into his for love, where none replies: Her brow grew black, but she would not upbraid, That being the last thing a proud woman tries; She rose, and pausing one chaste moment, threw Herself upon his breast, and there she grew. CXXVI. This was an awkward test, as Juan found, But he was steel'd by sorrow, wrath, and pride: With gentle force her white arms he unwound, And seated her all drooping by his side, Then rising haughtily he glanced around, And looking coldly in her face, he cried, "The prison'd eagle will not pair, nor I Serve a sultana's sensual phantasy. CXXVII. "Thou ask'st, if I can love? be this the proof How much I have loved-that I love not thee! In this vile garb, the distaff, web, and woof, Were fitter for me: Love is for the free! I am not dazzled by this splendid roof; Whate'er thy power, and great it seems to be, Heads bow, knees bend, eyes watch around a throne, And hands obey—our hearts are still our own." CXXVIII. This was a truth to us extremely trite; Not so to her, who ne'er had heard such things: She hardly knew, to such perfection brings CXXIX. Besides, as has been said, she was so fair And also, as may be presumed, she laid CXXX. Remember, or (if you can not) imagine, Ye! who have kept your chastity when young, While some more desperate dowager has been waging Love with you, and been in the dog-days stung (') (1) [MS." War with your heart-whom you, ingrates! have stung By a refusal," &c.] By your refusal, recollect her raging! CXXXI. Suppose, but you already have supposed, To educate-ye youth of Europe-you by ! CXXXII. A tigress robb'd of young, a lioness, Of ladies who can not have their own way; (1) [In Fielding's novel of Joseph Andrews.] (2) ["But if my boy with virtue be endued, What harm will beauty do him? Nay, what good? The stern resolve? what to Bellerophon? - O, then did Phædra redden, then her pride Took fire, to be so stedfastly denied! Then, too, did Sthenobæa glow with shame, And both burst forth with unextinguish'd flame!"—Juv. The adventures of Hippolitus, the son of Theseus, and Bellerophon are well known. They were accused of incontinence, by the women whose inordinate passions they had refused to gratify at the expense of their duty, and sacrificed to the fatal credulity of the husbands of the disappointed fair ones. It is very probable that both the stories are founded on the Scripture account of Joseph and Potiphar's wife. — GIFFORD.] But though my turn will not be served with less, CXXXIII. The love of offspring's nature's general law, From tigresses and cubs to ducks and ducklings; There's nothing whets the beak, or arms the claw Like an invasion of their babes and sucklings; And all who have seen a human nursery, saw How mothers love their children's squalls and chucklings; This strong extreme effect (to tire no longer Your patience) shows the cause must still be stronger. (1) CXXXIV. If I said fire flash'd from Gulbeyaz' eyes, 'Twere nothing-for her eyes flash'd always fire; Or said her cheeks assumed the deepest dyes, I should but bring disgrace upon the dyer, So supernatural was her passion's rise; : For ne'er till now she knew a check'd desire Even ye who know what a check'd woman is (Enough, God knows!) would much fall short of this. CXXXV. Her rage was but a minute's, and 'twas well— (1) [MS." And this strong second cause (to tire no longer Your patience) shows the first must be still stronger."] |