,,From off the scorch'd and blackening roof, ,,Whose thickness was not vengeance-proof.

,,They little thought that day of pain,

,,When lanch'd, as on the lightning's flash, ,,They bade me to destruction dash,

That one day I should come again,

,,With twice five thousand horse, to thank

The Count for his uncourteous ride. ,,They play'd me then a bitter prank,

,,When, with the wild horse for my guide, ,,They bound me to his foaming flank:

,,At length I play'd them one as frank
„For time at last sets all things even →→
,,And if we do but watch the hour,

There never yet was human power

,,Which could evade, if unforgiven, ,,The patient search and vigil long ,,Of him who treasures up a wrong,

XI.

,,Away, away, my steed and I,

410

420

,,Upon the pinions of the wind,

„All human dwellings left behind;

,,A moment from tha

,,With sudden wra!!

,,And snapp'd th

,,Had bound r

,,And, writhing

,,Howl'd back

,,The thund:

,,Perchance they It vexes me

"Have paid t

,,I paid it wi

There is

,,Its draw

Stone

"Nor

ww

swerved as from a blow;

ing to each accent, sprang a sudden trumpet's clang:

e my cords were wet with gore,

, oozing through my limbs, ran o'er;

1 my tongue the thirst became

ething fierier far than flame.

XII.

e neard the wild wood

'twas so widej

aw no bounds on either side;

was studded with old sturdy trees, hat bent not to the roughest breeze

450

460

,,We sped like meteors through the sky,
,,When with its crackling sound the night
,,Is chequer'd with the northern light:

„Town

village · none were on our track,

,,But a wild plain of far extent,

And bounded by a forest black;

„And, save the scarce seen battlement „On distant heights of some strong hold, ,,Against the Tartars built of old, ,,No trace of man. The year before

„A Turkish army had march'd o'er;

,,And where the Spahi's hoof hath trod, ,,The verdure flies the bloody sod:

:

,,The sky was dull, and dim, and gray,
,,And a low breeze crept moaning by -
„I could have answer'd with a sigh
,,But fast we fled, away, away
,,And I could neither sigh nor pray;
,,And my cold sweat-drops fell like rain
,,Upon the courser's bristling mane;
,,But, snorting still with rage and fear,
,,He flew upon his far career:

430

440

,,At times I almost thought, indeed,
„He must have slacken'd in his speed;
,,But no- - my bound and slender frame

,,Was nothing to his angry might,
,,And merely like a spur became :
,,Each motion which I made to free
,,My swoln limbs from their agony
,,Increased his fury and affright:

,,I tried my voice, 'twas faint and lows
,,But yet he swerved as from a blow;
,,And, starting to each accent, sprang
,,As from a sudden trumpet's clang:
,,Meantime my cords were wet with gore,

,,Which, oozing through my limbs, ran o'er;

,,And in my tongue the thirst became

"A something fierier far than flame.

450

460

XII.

'twas so widej

,,We neard the wild wood

,,I saw no bounds on either side;
,,'Twas studded with old sturdy trees,

,,That bent not to the roughest breeze