In My Lady's Praise Being Poems, Old and New: Written to the Honour of Fanny, Lady Arnold and Now Collected for her Memory: By Sir Edwin Arnold |
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108
D.
[Of Dawn-stone! rare Sandastros!—piedra pura!]
Of Dawn-stone! rare Sandastros!—piedra pura!
My servants bring this gem from Yucatan:
See! in one light 'tis ruddy like Aurora,
And in another pallid gold. . . . A man
My servants bring this gem from Yucatan:
See! in one light 'tis ruddy like Aurora,
And in another pallid gold. . . . A man
Died, save for this! Ah, but so long ago
You need not sigh; yet, if you ask the story,
Believe that every jewel here below
Hath some Familiar dwelling in its glory.
You need not sigh; yet, if you ask the story,
Believe that every jewel here below
Hath some Familiar dwelling in its glory.
How shall we question now? Mark, on the gem,
Strange signs incised—Mexican symbols graved
By Montezuma's priests—the speech of them
Was Aztec: let the stone be three times waved,
Strange signs incised—Mexican symbols graved
By Montezuma's priests—the speech of them
Was Aztec: let the stone be three times waved,
And say, in ancient Aztec phrase, demurely,
“Sprite of the Jewel, speak! whence springest thou?
What is thy tale?”—Oh, it will answer, surely!—
Behold! a little brown-eyed damsel now
“Sprite of the Jewel, speak! whence springest thou?
What is thy tale?”—Oh, it will answer, surely!—
Behold! a little brown-eyed damsel now
109
Appears, in feathered garb, and plaited tresses,
As the soft Indians used when Cortez came!
Listen! with low obeisance she addresses
The mistress of the stone:
“My wearer's name
As the soft Indians used when Cortez came!
Listen! with low obeisance she addresses
The mistress of the stone:
“My wearer's name
“Was young Ayâni—daughter to the priest
Of Tezicatlepotchli, God of day;
In Anahuac, at the yearly feast,
The fairest captive youth they chose, to lay
Of Tezicatlepotchli, God of day;
In Anahuac, at the yearly feast,
The fairest captive youth they chose, to lay
“Bound, on the Blood-Rock of the Pointed Hill—
The Teo-calli—for thus was our Law:—
The people beat the snake-drums, and blew shrill
Their pipes of bone, whilst the Chief-Priest did draw
The Teo-calli—for thus was our Law:—
The people beat the snake-drums, and blew shrill
Their pipes of bone, whilst the Chief-Priest did draw
“His knife of splintered itztli through the flesh
Cutting from East to West; and so did take
The throbbing heart away, and burn it fresh
Upon the Sun-God's altar. But to make
Cutting from East to West; and so did take
The throbbing heart away, and burn it fresh
Upon the Sun-God's altar. But to make
“Costlier that noble offering to Heaven,
For twelve glad moons before the day of doom
Honour and love to the fair boy were given;
They built him in the Golden House a room
For twelve glad moons before the day of doom
Honour and love to the fair boy were given;
They built him in the Golden House a room
110
“Like a God's chamber, gay with many a thing
Of grace and ornament; and richly laid
With cougar-skins and mats: where slaves did bring—
Each eve—baskets of grapes, and cakes new-made,
Of grace and ornament; and richly laid
With cougar-skins and mats: where slaves did bring—
Each eve—baskets of grapes, and cakes new-made,
“With cactus-wine and honey, spreading soft
His bed for love and sleep; since always there
Tender ones waited, waving high aloft
Fans of pied feathers, that the fragrant air
His bed for love and sleep; since always there
Tender ones waited, waving high aloft
Fans of pied feathers, that the fragrant air
“Might kiss his brow and cheeks. And lovely gardens
Opened beyond the chamber, where there grew
All the fair fruits our southern summer hardens,
Stately great trees, and blooms of every hue.
Opened beyond the chamber, where there grew
All the fair fruits our southern summer hardens,
Stately great trees, and blooms of every hue.
“And there would lie Ayâni, with her lover,
For she was noblest, and our law was this;
That—till those twelve good moons were past and over—
The sweetest lips, the proudest breasts were his,
For she was noblest, and our law was this;
That—till those twelve good moons were past and over—
The sweetest lips, the proudest breasts were his,
“The best the Land could give. Mine was the jewel
Her throat bore when its dusky beauty spread—
In those swift hours of joy, tender and cruel,—
A pillow for his happy, fated head.
Her throat bore when its dusky beauty spread—
In those swift hours of joy, tender and cruel,—
A pillow for his happy, fated head.
111
“There would Ayâni lie, making delight
For him whose heart must smoke upon the stone:
Girding with buds of river-roses white
That breast the flint must open, flesh and bone!
For him whose heart must smoke upon the stone:
Girding with buds of river-roses white
That breast the flint must open, flesh and bone!
“And she would sing our ancient temple-song—
Sad and bewitching—saying Life is this:
A dream whose vague delight lasts never long;
A swift night swallowing up brief day of bliss:
Sad and bewitching—saying Life is this:
A dream whose vague delight lasts never long;
A swift night swallowing up brief day of bliss:
“Or, with low kissing-cry would call away
The humming birds, that quivered at the blooms,
To nestle in her neck and hands, and lay
The honey-quest aside, trilling their plumes
The humming birds, that quivered at the blooms,
To nestle in her neck and hands, and lay
The honey-quest aside, trilling their plumes
“To please the pair. This glory of my gem,
Which trembles with the colours of the Morn,
Hath no such radiance as the tints of them—
Winged jewels of their Garden. One was borne
Which trembles with the colours of the Morn,
Hath no such radiance as the tints of them—
Winged jewels of their Garden. One was borne
“On spinions of pale green, melting to black
By bronze and russet passages, its head
Alight with blazing ruby, and its back
Afire with flashing sapphire. Some word said
By bronze and russet passages, its head
Alight with blazing ruby, and its back
Afire with flashing sapphire. Some word said
112
“Would bring that tiny splendour, glittering,
Forth from the trumpet-blossom's perfumed cup,
To brood amid Ayâni's hair, each wing
Brilliantly spread, and the crest lifted up
Forth from the trumpet-blossom's perfumed cup,
To brood amid Ayâni's hair, each wing
Brilliantly spread, and the crest lifted up
“A tongue of flickering flame. And one bird—dressed
All silver and soft blues, with tufts of silk
At each white flank—would fly fond to her breast,
And hang between its hills of tinted milk,
All silver and soft blues, with tufts of silk
At each white flank—would fly fond to her breast,
And hang between its hills of tinted milk,
“Darting in play his bill's black slender curve,
Now this side and now that, as if what grew
On those hill-tops were buds enough to serve
For flowers and nectar. And another flew—
Now this side and now that, as if what grew
On those hill-tops were buds enough to serve
For flowers and nectar. And another flew—
“Whene'er Ayâni summoned—to her lip,
A little starry speck whence keen beams gleamed
Of gold and purple, in bright fellowship
With dark green gorget, and a neck that seemed
A little starry speck whence keen beams gleamed
Of gold and purple, in bright fellowship
With dark green gorget, and a neck that seemed
“Plumaged from rainbows. ‘Feed! my Rose-ball, Feed!’
The girl would murmur, and the bird would poise
His bright enamelled breast, and blossomy head
Before her open laughing mouth, with noise
The girl would murmur, and the bird would poise
His bright enamelled breast, and blossomy head
Before her open laughing mouth, with noise
113
“Of whirring wings; plunging the amethyst
Of his small frontlet, and his gold-mailed neck
Into that rosy hollow—sweet, I wist,
As any rose's heart—and feign to suck
Of his small frontlet, and his gold-mailed neck
Into that rosy hollow—sweet, I wist,
As any rose's heart—and feign to suck
“Ayâni's honey! Yet another minion—
Corseletted all in crimson scales, and thighed
With topaz and with turquoise; either pinion
Splashed with red gilding, and each shoulder dyed
Corseletted all in crimson scales, and thighed
With topaz and with turquoise; either pinion
Splashed with red gilding, and each shoulder dyed
“Blood-purple—he would perch upon her ear,
Sit in its pearly cavern; you had thought
A live fire-opal from Papantla there
Burgeoned and blazed! With other cries she brought
Sit in its pearly cavern; you had thought
A live fire-opal from Papantla there
Burgeoned and blazed! With other cries she brought
“Other fair woodland creatures; lizards plated
With grey and amber armour; mottled snakes
Pink-mouthed and sheeny; great-eyed musk-deer, sated
With browsing flowers. The jacamar, who makes
With grey and amber armour; mottled snakes
Pink-mouthed and sheeny; great-eyed musk-deer, sated
With browsing flowers. The jacamar, who makes
“A nest in reeds, left its red eggs to go
Where the girl called; the grunting peccaries
Gazed at her through the aloes; white as snow
The egrets clustered round her. He that lies
Where the girl called; the grunting peccaries
Gazed at her through the aloes; white as snow
The egrets clustered round her. He that lies
114
“Couched in the canes, a terror of the wood,—
The clouded jaguar,—when Ayâni sung
Dropped the red fragments from his jaws, and stood
At the brake's edge to hear. Slowly unclung
The clouded jaguar,—when Ayâni sung
Dropped the red fragments from his jaws, and stood
At the brake's edge to hear. Slowly unclung
“His coils the anaconda from the limb
Where he lay knotted; and, all spell-bound, drew
His massive freckled folds through twilights dim
Of the deep forest, hastening near to view
Where he lay knotted; and, all spell-bound, drew
His massive freckled folds through twilights dim
Of the deep forest, hastening near to view
“That soft-voiced woman. All along the leaves
Of the Royal lilies, where their lush growth lies
Crowning with green and red the river-waves,
The plovers raced to greet her. Butterflies—
Of the Royal lilies, where their lush growth lies
Crowning with green and red the river-waves,
The plovers raced to greet her. Butterflies—
“Azure and silver-dappled, black and gold—
Drew towards her as they draw to some bright blossom;
Ah, for a jewelled queen! 'twas to behold
Ayâni with the sun-birds in her bosom,
Drew towards her as they draw to some bright blossom;
Ah, for a jewelled queen! 'twas to behold
Ayâni with the sun-birds in her bosom,
“And those gay fluttering fulgencies alight
On her dark hair! She had such charm of love
'Twould stay the nursing toucan in her flight,
And fetch the hungry condor from above
On her dark hair! She had such charm of love
'Twould stay the nursing toucan in her flight,
And fetch the hungry condor from above
115
“To circle nigh: the clavin—singing sweet
Beyond all warblers—and four-handed folk,
Bonnetted, furred, hook-tailed, all to her feet
Crept wooingly, and took the gentle yoke,
Beyond all warblers—and four-handed folk,
Bonnetted, furred, hook-tailed, all to her feet
Crept wooingly, and took the gentle yoke,
“In joy and peace, of young Ayâni. So
Flew the delicious days, till that day came,
The last of love. ‘Honey of life! Dost know?’
The captive said: ‘to-morrow morn the flame
Flew the delicious days, till that day came,
The last of love. ‘Honey of life! Dost know?’
The captive said: ‘to-morrow morn the flame
“‘Will eat the heart which so adores thee?’ ‘Dear!’
The Girl made answer: ‘I was set to soothe
Thy dying times, not love thee: yet, this year
Hath made our spirits one! Ayâni's youth,
The Girl made answer: ‘I was set to soothe
Thy dying times, not love thee: yet, this year
Hath made our spirits one! Ayâni's youth,
“‘Ayâni's mirth and comfort go with thee!
Alas, the hateful stone! the cruel knife!
The awful God! But, if this offering be,
How shall I live alone, who am thy wife,
Alas, the hateful stone! the cruel knife!
The awful God! But, if this offering be,
How shall I live alone, who am thy wife,
“‘Great with thy child? Look now! 'tis dark! array thee
In my bark mantle; bind around thy waist
My belt of feathers. Fly! If any stay thee,
This jewel is the sign! Speak nothing! Haste!
In my bark mantle; bind around thy waist
My belt of feathers. Fly! If any stay thee,
This jewel is the sign! Speak nothing! Haste!
116
“‘Show them my stone, and pass! Hide in the wood!
Less bitter are the beasts than men who pray!’
Vainly he clung and kissed; vainly withstood,
She thrust him forth to save him. When 'twas day
Less bitter are the beasts than men who pray!’
Vainly he clung and kissed; vainly withstood,
She thrust him forth to save him. When 'twas day
“‘They found him fled. Then, all the angry folk
Cried death against Ayâni, who had cheated
Great Tezicatlepotchli of his smoke
Of sacrifice. But she their spite defeated;
Cried death against Ayâni, who had cheated
Great Tezicatlepotchli of his smoke
Of sacrifice. But she their spite defeated;
“For, lying bound, she summoned from the brake,—
By some low word her woodland creatures knew,
And understood—a slender ribboned snake
Which coiled, obedient, round her wrist, and drew
By some low word her woodland creatures knew,
And understood—a slender ribboned snake
Which coiled, obedient, round her wrist, and drew
“One ruby blood-drop, with right-loving tooth.—
So did Ayâni win escape. My gem
Hath this for story!”—
If thy tale be truth,
Sprite of the Stone! who would not pity them?
So did Ayâni win escape. My gem
Hath this for story!”—
If thy tale be truth,
Sprite of the Stone! who would not pity them?
| In My Lady's Praise | |