Thalaba answered not.
Nor was there time for answer now,
For lo! Mohareb leads,
And o’er the vaulted cave
Trembles the accursed taper’s feeble light.
There where the narrowing chasm
Rose loftier in the hill,
Stood Zohak, wretched man, condemned to keep
His Cave of punishment.
His was the frequent scream
Which far away the prowling Chacal heard
And howled in terror back:
For from his shoulders grew
Two snakes of monster size,
That ever at his head
Aimed eager their keen teeth
To satiate raving hunger with his brain.
He in the eternal conflict oft would seize
Their swelling necks, and in his giant grasp
Bruise them, and rend their flesh with bloody nails,
And howl for agony,
Feeling the pangs he gave, for of himself
Inseparable parts, his torturers grew.
To him approaching now
Mohareb held the withered arm
The Taper of enchanted power.
The unhallowed spell in hand unholy held
Now ministered to mercy, heavily
The wretche’s eyelids closed,
And welcome and unfelt
Like the release of death
A sudden sleep fell on his vital powers.
Yet tho’ along the cave
Lay Zohak’s giant limbs,
The twin-born serpents kept the narrow pass,
Kindled their fiery eyes,
Darted their tongues of terror, and rolled out
Their undulating length,
Like the long streamers of some gallant ship
Buoyed on the wavy air,
Still struggling to flow on and still withheld.
The scent of living flesh
Inflamed their appetite.
Prepared for all the perils of the cave
Mohareb came. He from his wallet drew
Two human heads yet warm.
O hard of heart! whom not the visible power
Of retributive Justice, and the doom
Of Zohak in his sight,
Deterred from equal crime!
Two human heads, yet warm, he laid
Before the scaly guardians of the pass.
They to their wonted banquet of old years
Turned eager, and the narrow pass was free.
And now before their path
The opening cave dilates;
They reach a spacious vault
Where the black river fountains burst their way.
Now as a whirlwind’s force
Had centered on the spring,
The gushing flood rolled up;
And now the deadened roar
Echoed beneath them, as its sudden pause
Left wide a dark abyss,
Adown whose fathomless gulphs the eye was lost.
Blue flames that hovered o’er the springs
Flung thro’ the Cavern their uncertain light
Now waving on the waves they lay,
And now their fiery curls
Flowed in long tresses up,
And now contracting glowed with whiter heat.
Then up they poured again
Darting pale flashes thro’ the tremulous air;
The flames, the red and yellow sulphur-smoke,
And the black darkness of the vault
Commingling indivisibly.
“Here,” quoth Mohareb, “do the Angels dwell,
“The Teachers of Enchantment.” Thalaba
Then raised his voice and cried,
“Haruth and Maruth, hear me! not with rites
“Accursed, to disturb your penitence
“And learn forbidden lore,
“Repentant Angels, seek I your abode.
“Me Allah and the Prophet mission here,
“Their chosen servant I.
“Tell me the Talisman.”...
“And dost thou think”
“Mohareb cried, as with a scornful smile
He glanced upon his comrade, “dost thou think
“To trick them of their secret? for the dupes
“Of human-kind keep this lip-righteousness!
“’Twill serve thee in the Mosque
“And in the Market-place,
“But Spirits view the heart.
“Only by strong and torturing spells enforced,
“Those stubborn Angels teach the charm
“By which we must descend.”
“Descend!” said Thalaba.
But then the wrinkling smile
Forsook Mohareb’s cheek,
And darker feelings settled on his brow.
“Now by my soul,” quoth he, “and I believe
“Idiot! that I have led
“Some camel-kneed prayer-monger thro’ the cave!
“What brings thee hither? thou shouldest have a hut
“By some Saint’s[105] grave beside the public way,
“There to less-knowing fools
“Retail thy Koran[106] scraps,
“And in thy turn, die civet-like at last
“In the dung-perfume of thy sanctity!...
“Ye whom I seek! that, led by me,
“Feet uninitiate tread
“Your threshold, this atones!
“Fit sacrifice he falls!”
And forth he flashed his scymetar,
And raised the murderous blow.
Then ceased his power; his lifted arm,
Suspended by the spell,
Hung impotent to strike.
“Poor Hypocrite!” cried he,
“And this then is thy faith
“In Allah and the Prophet! they had failed
“To save thee, but for Magic’s stolen aid;
“Yea, they had left thee yonder Serpent’s meal,
“But that, in prudent cowardice,
“The chosen Servant of the Lord came in,
“Safe follower of my path!”
“Blasphemer! dost thou boast of guiding me?”
Kindling with pride quoth Thalaba,
“Blindly the wicked work
“The righteous will of Heaven.
“Sayest thou that diffident of God,
“In magic spell I trust?
“Liar! let witness this!”
And he drew off Abdaldar’s Ring
And cast it in the gulph.
A skinny hand came up
And caught it as it fell,
And peals of devilish laughter shook the Cave.
Then joy suffused Mohareb’s cheek,
And Thalaba beheld
The blue blade gleam, descending to destroy.