The Judgement of the Flood :: :: University of Virginia Library

Pleased with the rapid motion, even though blind;
Kaël permits his charioteer to strive
In emulation; whirling him along,
To the far goal, how eager for the prize.

128

Great was his skill—for not in steed, or car
The artist trusts; but, as a pilot guides
Through storms his vessel, with unerring hand
Drives forthright to his aim. Not his the steed,
But the strong Leopard; male, and female, as
They couple in their solitary dens:
Conscious of force, although to them denied
Sagacity of dog, or wolf; which given,
End none had been to ravage. Furnished so
With horrent teeth, set in the mouth, and jaw,
Incisor, and canine; and, in the cheek,
The lacerant, for deadliest purposes;
The tongue even armed, and the ridged palate rough.
Nor these alone; but claws, keen, long, and curved,
And each with sheath defended, skinny folds,
And callous, whereon, as a sole, the foot
Rests in progression,—with the teeth combine,
To rend the prey, dashed with the flexile paw
To ground, and irresistibly compressed.
Hunger to sate, the forest depth they leave;
Steal on with noiseless tread; or ambushed lie,
With ears astretch for slightest sound, or step
Far off; and eyes that see by day, or night.
—Slow of their gait, incapable of speed
Continuous, well behoved the charioteer,
Caution like theirs; suspicious watchfulness,
Lest swiftness him unskilful throw aback.
But Art prevails. In dusty whirlwinds driven,
Coursers are lost, and chariots hid in smoke—
And wide afield in vain contention spent.
He, by the shortest line, holds on his way
Patient; nor finds obstruction; for none deems
Such tardy motion might the crown attain.
Anon, he nears the goal; . . not unobserved;
And competition burns. Now—now—be proved
Muscular power, and force of giant size.

129

‘Now—now—my leopard coursers. Brief the game;
Not far the goal—not needed swiftness long—
Start, and away.’

What speed may rival theirs?
In vain contends the horse. For what is he,
But as his rider? Nothing in himself,
By man unguided; only confident
In that superiour wisdom which controuls:
Insensate now, for idle human skill.
Not so that twain feline. Their genius waked,
Malignant, and ferocious. Agile, thus,
As with one bound, the appointed bound they gain;
Then stand—the victors they, in that career.
How beautiful of hue, and spotted well,
In rose-like circles, though irregular,
With centres coloured like the gentle fawn,
Upon a lighter yellow for its ground.
Head, neck, and limbs, and right along the back,
Dotted how thick with small unopened buds,
And of pure white the belly, chest, and neck.

Proud of the conquest; Kaël stood upright,
In triumph, and had spoken words of vaunt;
Straight by a spirit not his own constrained,
Possessed with prophecy. Hence, to the race
Of Cain, repeated he that parable,
Which Noah for that Shepherd lately spake,
In open hall, not then by Kaël heard.