604. Another flash, indulgent from the skies,
Points to the spot where Sália's carriage lies,
And Sália's self, whom living she adored,
The bleeding body of her murder'd lord.
The richest flowers by heavenly influence shed
Their sweetest odours o'er his honoured head,
The muttering thunder mourned his early tomb,
And heaven in showers bewailed the hero's doom.
605. With eager grasp the livid corpse she press'd
In frantic wildness to her throbbing breast;
Tried every art of love that might beguile
Its sullen features to one cheerful smile;
Kiss'd those dear lips so late of coral red,
As if unconscious that the soul had fled;
Then in her folded arms his head she rais'd,
And long on those beloved features gazed.
With síri-juice his pallid lips she died,
And to his wounds its healing balm applied;
While with the skirt of her embroidered vest,
She wip'd the blood-drops from his mangled breast.
606. "Ah! then, my princely lord, whom I have found
"Bleeding and mangled on this cursed ground!
"Why are thy lips in sullen silence sealed
"To her who sought thee on this battle field?
"Wilt thou not speak—my love, my lord, my all,
"Or still in vain must Sátia Wáti call!
"Say, shall my copious tears in torrents flow
"And thus express my agony and woe?
"How shall I move thee, by what art beguile
"The ghastly air of that unmeaning smile?"
607. Thus soft and tender were the words she poured,
To move the pity of her murder'd lord;
But ah! no sound the unconscious dead return'd,
No fire of love within his bosom burn'd;
While at each pause a death-like stillness stole
O'er the deep anguish of the mourner's soul.
"And was it thus to bow thy honour'd head
"Amid the thousands of the mingled dead,
"That on that fatal morning thou didst glide
"With gentle footsteps from thy consort's side?
"And thus to reach the glorious realms above
"Without the faithful partner of thy love?
"But earth has lost its fleeting charms for me,
"And, happy spirit, I will follow thee!
608. "Oh! meet and bear me o'er that fatal stone,
"Nor let me pass it, trembling and alone.
"Though Widadáris shall obey thy call,
"Yet keep for me a place above them all.
"To whom but me does that first place belong,
"Who sought and found thee mid this ghastly throng;
"And who, unable to survive thy doom,
"Thus sheds her blood and shares thy honour'd tomb?"
610. Then with a steady hand the noble maid
Drew from its peaceful sheath the gleaming blade;
From her fair bosom tore th' embroidered vest,
And plunged it deep within her heaving breast.
Rich was the blood that issued from the wound,
And streamed like liquid gold upon the ground.
611. And while the ebbing tide of life remained,
And thought and reason were a while sustained,
She called her maiden with her feeble breath,
And thus address'd her from the arms of death.
612. "Oh! when my spirit soars to realms above,
"Take this my last request to those I love:
"Tell them to think of Sátia Wati's fate,
"And oft the story of her love relate;
"Then o'er her woes the tender heart shall sigh,
"And the big tear-drop roll from pity's eye."
614. "Ah my lov'd mistress," cried the faithful maid,
"In every scene by thee I gladly staid.
"Whate'er the state of being thou must know,
"Thy faithful maiden will partake it too.
"What hand but mine the cooling stream shall pour,
"Or bathe the feet of her whom I adore?"
617. Strong in despair, and starting from the ground,
She drew the dagger from her mistress' wound,
With deadly aim she plunged it in her breast,
And with her mistress sunk to endless rest.