XXXII

Bidding adieu to all her sparks—the stars,
That erst had woo'd and worshipp'd in her train,
Saturn and Hesperus, and gallant Mars—
Never to flirt with heavenly eyes again.
Meanwhile, remindful of the convent bars,
Bianca did not watch these signs in vain,
But turn'd to Julio at the dark eclipse,
With words, like verbal kisses, on her lips.

XXXIII

He took the hint full speedily, and, back'd

By love, and night, and the occasion's meetness,
Bestow'd a something on her cheek that smack'd
(Tho' quite in silence) of ambrosial sweetness;
That made her think all other kisses lack'd

Till then, but what she knew not, of completeness: Being used but sisterly salutes to feel,

Insipid things-like sandwiches of veal.

XXXIV

He took her hand, and soon she felt him wring
The pretty fingers all instead of one;
Anon his stealthy arm began to cling

About her waist that had been clasp'd by none;

Their dear confessions I forbear to sing,

Since cold description would but be outrun ;
For bliss and Irish watches have the pow'r,
In twenty minutes, to lose half an hour!

THE DEMON-SHIP

'TWAS off the Wash-the sun went down look'd black and grim,

For stormy clouds, with murky fleece, were having at the brim ;

Titanic shades! enormous gloom as if the wad ngja
Of Erebus rose suddenly to seize upon tre ZA

It was a time for mariners to bear a wary sys
With such a dark conspiracy between the

Down went my helm-close red tin tark hold freely in my hand

With ballast snug-I put about, and soused for the

land.

Loud hiss'd the sea beneath her lee- my his boat, flow

fast,

But faster still the rushing storm cams borns, upon tue

blast.

Lord! what a roaring hurricane beset the straining wall! What furious sleet, with level drift, and fierce assaute of hail !

What darksome caverns yawn'd before! what jagged steeps behind!

Like battle-steeds, with foamy mauer, wild tossing in the wind.

Each after each sank down astern, exhausted in the

chase,

But where it sank another rose and gallop'd in its place; As black as night-they turned to white, and cast against the cloud

A snowy sheet, as if each surge upturned a sailor's shroud :-

boat; aias ! alas! her course was nearly run! tal billow rise-ten billows heap'd in one!

With fearful speed the dreary mass came rolling, rolling,

fast,

As if the scooping sea contain'd one only wave at last!
Still on it came, with horrid roar, a swift pursuing grave;
It seem'd as though some cloud had turned its hugeness
to a wave!

Its briny sleet began to beat beforehand in my face-
I felt the rearward keel begin to climb its swelling base!
I saw its alpine hoary head impending over mine!
Another pulse-and down it rush'd—an avalanche of
brine!

Brief pause had I, on God to cry, or think of wife and home;

The waters clos'd-and when I shriek'd, I shriek'd below the foam!

Beyond that rush I have no hint of any after deed— For I was tossing on the waste, as senseless as a weed.

*

*

*

*

*

"Where am I? in the breathing world, or in the world

of death?"

With sharp and sudden pang I drew another birth of

breath;

My eyes drank in a doubtful light, my ears a doubtful

sound

And was that ship a real ship whose tackle seem'd around?

A moon, as if the earthly moon, was shining up aloft; But were those beams the very beams that I had seen

so oft?

A face, that mock'd the human face, before me watch'd

alone;

But were those eyes the eyes of man that look'd against my own?

Oh! never may the moon again disclose me such a

sight

As met my gaze, when first I look'd, on that accursed

I've seen a thousand horrid shapes begot of fierce

extremes

Of fever; and most frightful things have haunted in my dreams

Hyenas-cats-blood-loving bats—and apes with hateful stare,

Pernicious snakes, and shaggy bulls-the lion, and shebear

Strong enemies, with Judas looks, of treachery and spite

Detested features, hardly dimm'd and banish'd by the light!

Pale-sheeted ghosts, with gory locks, upstarting from their tombs-

All phantasies and images that flit in midnight gloomsHags, goblins, demons, lemures, have made me all aghast,

But nothing like that GRIMLY ONE who stood beside the mast!

His cheek was black-his brow was black-his eyes and hair as dark:

His hand was black, and where it touch'd, it left a sable mark;

His throat was black, his vest the same, and when I look'd beneath,

His breast was black-all, all, was black, except his grinning teeth.

His sooty crew were like in hue, as black as Afric slaves !

Oh, horror! e'en the ship was black that plough'd the inky waves!

"Alas!

I cried, "for love of truth and blessed mercy's sake,

Where am I? in what dreadful ship? upon what dread

ful lake?

What shape is that, so very grim, and black as any

coal?

It is Mahound, the Evil One, and he has gain'd my soul !

Oh, mother dear! my tender nurse! dear meadows that beguil❜d

My happy days, when I was yet a little sinless child,— My mother dear-my native fields, I never more shall

see:

I'm sailing in the Devil's Ship, upon the Devil's Sea!"

Loud laugh'd that SABLE MARINER, and loudly in return

His sooty crew sent forth a laugh that rang from stem to stern

A dozen pair of grimly cheeks were crumpled on the

nonce

As many sets of grinning teeth came shining out at

once :

A dozen gloomy shapes at once enjoy'd the merry fit, With shriek and yell, and oaths as well, like Demons of the Pit.

They crow'd their fill, and then the Chief made answer for the whole ;—

"Our skins," said he, "are black, ye see, because we carry coal;

You'll find your mother sure enough, and see your native fields

For this here ship has pick'd you up-the Mary Ann of Shields!"