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XXXVI.

Then shrieking, she arose, and shrieking fell,
With joy and sorrow, hope and fear, to see
Him whom she deem'd a habitant where dwell
The ocean-buried, risen from death, to be
Perchance the death of one she loved too well:
Dear as her father had been to Haidée,
It was a moment of that awful kind

I have seen such—but must not call to mind. (1)

XXXVII.

Up Juan sprung to Haidée's bitter shriek,
And caught her falling, and from off the wall
Snatch'd down his sabre, in hot haste to wreak
Vengeance on him who was the cause of all:
Then Lambro, who till now forbore to speak,
Smiled scornfully, and said, "Within my call,
A thousand scimitars await the word; (2)
Put up, young man, put up your silly sword."

XXXVIII.

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And Haidée clung around him; "Juan, 'tis-
'Tis Lambro-'tis my father! Kneel with me-
He will forgive us— yes-it must be
Oh dearest father, in this agony
Of pleasure and of pain-even while I kiss
Thy garment's hem with transport, can it be
That doubt should mingle with my filial joy?
Deal with me as thou wilt, but spare this boy."

(1) [MS." I have seen such

but they o'erthrew my mind."]

(2) [MS." A thousand sharper sabres wait the word."]

XXXIX.

High and inscrutable the old man stood,
Calm in his voice, and calm within his eye-
Not always signs with him of calmest mood:

He look'd upon her, but gave no reply;
Then turn'd to Juan, in whose cheek the blood
Oft came and went, as there resolved to die;
In arms, at least, he stood, in act to spring
On the first foe whom Lambro's call might bring.

66

XL.

'Young man, your sword;" so Lambro once more

said:

Juan replied, "Not while this arm is free." The old man's cheek grew pale, but not with dread, And drawing from his belt a pistol, he

Replied, "Your blood be then on your own head." Then look'd close at the flint, as if to see

'Twas fresh-for he had lately used the lockAnd next proceeded quietly to cock.

XLI.

It has a strange quick jar upon

the ear,

That cocking of a pistol, when you know
A moment more will bring the sight to bear
Upon your person, twelve yards off, or so;
A gentlemanly distance, not too near,

If you have got a former friend for foe;
But after being fired at once or twice,
The ear becomes more Irish, and less nice.

XLII.

Lambro presented, and one instant more

Had stopp'd this Canto, and Don Juan's breath, When Haidée threw herself her boy before;

Stern as her sire: "On me," she cried, "let death Descend-the fault is mine; this fatal shore He found-but sought not. I have pledged my

I love him-I will die with him: I knew [faith; Your nature's firmness-know your daughter's too."

XLIII.

A minute past, and she had been all tears, (1)
And tenderness, and infancy; but now
She stood as one who champion'd human fears-
Pale, statue-like, and stern, she woo'd the blow;
And tall beyond her sex, and their compeers,
She drew up to her height, as if to show
A fairer mark; and with a fix'd eye scann'd
Her father's face-but never stopp'd his hand.

XLIV.

He gazed on her, and she on him; 'twas strange
How like they look'd! the expression was the
Serenely savage, with a little change [same;

In the large dark eye's mutual-darted flame;
For she, too, was as one who could avenge,
If cause should be- —a lioness, though tame,
Her father's blood before her father's face
Boil'd up, and proved her truly of his race.

(1) [MS." But a few moments—she had been all tears."]

XLV.

I said they were alike, their features and

Their stature, differing but in sex and years; Even to the delicacy of their hand (1)

There was resemblance, such as true blood wears; And now to see them, thus divided, stand

In fix'd ferocity, when joyous tears,

And sweet sensations, should have welcomed both, Show what the passions are in their full growth.

XLVI.

The father paused a moment, then withdrew
His weapon, and replaced it; but stood still,
And looking on her, as to look her through,

[ill;

"Not I," he said, "have sought this stranger's Not I have made this desolation: few

Would bear such outrage, and forbear to kill;
But I must do my duty-how thou hast
Done thine, the present vouches for the past. (2)

XLVII.

"Let him disarm; or, by my father's head,
His own shall roll before you like a ball!"
He raised his whistle, as the word he said,
And blew, another answer'd to the call,

(1) [The reader will observe a curious mark of propinquity which the poet notices, with respect to the hands of the father and daughter. Lord Byron, we suspect, is indebted for the first hint of this to Ali Pacha, who, by the bye, is the original of Lambro; for, when his lordship was introduced, with his friend Hobhouse, to that agreeable-mannered tyrant, the vizier said that he knew he was the Megalos Anthropos (i. e. the Great Man), by the smallness of his ears and hands. - GALT.]

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"And if I did my duty as thou hast,

This hour were thine, and thy young minion's last."]

And rushing in disorderly, though led,

And arm'd from boot to turban, one and all, Some twenty of his train came, rank on rank; He gave the word," Arrest or slay the Frank."

XLVIII.

Then, with a sudden movement, he withdrew His daughter; while compress'd within his clasp, 'Twixt her and Juan interposed the crew;

In vain she struggled in her father's graspHis arms were like a serpent's coil: then flew (1) Upon their prey, as darts an angry asp, The file of pirates; save the foremost, who Had fallen, with his right shoulder half cut through. (2)

XLIX.

The second had his cheek laid open; but
The third, a wary, cool old sworder, took
The blows upon his cutlass, and then put

His own well in; so well, ere you could look,
His man was floor'd, and helpless at his foot, (3)
With the blood running like a little brook
From two smart sabre gashes, deep and red-
One on the arm, the other on the head.

(1) [MS." He held her like a serpent's folds: then flew
Upon her prey," &c.]

(2) [MS." Received a sabre cut, his turban through."]
(3) [MS.—“His man was prostrate, bleeding at his foot
With blood running," &c.]

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