Thro’ the broken portal,
Over weedy fragments,
Thalaba went his way.
Cautious he trod, and felt
The dangerous ground before him with his bow.
The Chacal started at his steps,
The Stork, alarmed at sound of man,
From her broad nest upon the old pillar top,
Affrighted fled on flapping wings.
The Adder in her haunts disturbed
Lanced at the intruding staff her arrowy tongue.
Twilight and moonshine dimly mingling gave
An aweful light obscure,
Evening not wholly closed,
The Moon still pale and faint.
An aweful light obscure,
Broken by many a mass of blackest shade;
Long column stretching dark thro’ weeds and moss,
Broad length of lofty wall
Whose windows lay in light,
And of their former shape, low-arched or square,
Rude outline on the earth
Figured, with long grass fringed.
Reclined against a column’s broken shaft,
Unknowing whitherward to bend his way
He stood and gazed around.
The Ruins closed him in,
It seemed as if no foot of man
For ages had intruded there.
Soon at approaching step
Starting, he turned and saw
A warrior in the moon beam drawing near.
Forward the Stranger came
And with a curious eye
Perused the Arab youth.
“And who art thou,” he cried,
“That at an hour like this
“Wanderest in Babylon?
“A way-bewildered traveller, seekest thou
“The ruinous shelter here?
“Or comest thou to hide
“The plunder of the night?
“Or hast thou spells to make
“These ruins, yawning from their rooted base
“Disclose their secret[99] wealth?”
The youth replied, “nor wandering traveller
“Nor robber of the night
“Nor skilled in spells am I.
“I seek the Angels here,
“Haruth and Maruth. Stranger in thy turn,
“Why wanderest thou in Babylon,
“And who art thou, the Questioner?”
The man was fearless, and the tempered pride
That toned the voice of Thalaba
Displeased not him, himself of haughty heart.
Heedless he answered, “knowest thou
“Their cave of punishment?”
THALABA.
Vainly I seek it.
STRANGER.
Art thou firm of foot
To tread the ways of danger?
THALABA.