University of Virginia Library

THE FAITHLESS COMALA.

Where wanders the breeze from the mist-cover'd vale,
With the reeds of blue Lora to play;
To Comala young Connal would breathe the love-tale,
And with sighs her soft glances repay.
Her eyes with a beautiful azure were bright;
Like the plume of the raven, her hair:
And, loveliness beaming around her as light,
Like the snow her full bosom was fair.
His forehead with open sincerity glow'd:
His eye, as an eagle's, was keen:
His long yellow tresses with gracefulness flow'd;
And majesty shone in his mien.
But his clan was now rous'd by the tumult of arms,
And he tremblingly bade her adieu;
Tho' she swore that to him were devoted her charms,
That her heart should be never untrue.
“If a moment from truth I depart (she would cry)
“If the love of my Connal I slight;
“May I ride on the wings of the tempest, and fly
“Till I plunge into fathomless night.”
Yet scarce had he rush'd to the battle of spears,
Ere Morlo the virgin address'd:
Her brow was o'erclouded awhile; and her tears,
Like the dew, trickled over her breast.
Alas! the career of his wonderful deeds
Each tongue was too prompt to proclaim:
Of his chariot of war, and his thunder-clad steeds
Too often re-echoed the fame.
Perfidious, the maiden was pleas'd with his vows,
And smil'd on his wishes to wed:
And Morlo appointed the day when a spouse
He should bear her in bliss to his bed.
That day was at hand. The pale shadows were still:
The moment of midnight was nigh;
When in terror she listen'd to wheels on the hill,
And the trampling of horses hard by—
And a voice, as in fear: “Haste, my charmer, away!
“Comala! my chariot ascend!
“'Tis Morlo invites—and thy Morlo obey:
“O'er the heath let us speedily bend.
“Lo! Connal with vengeance approaches—e'en now
“The clashing of armour I hear!
“He comes with his warriors; and, death on his brow,
“He brandishes wildly the spear.”
She sprung to the seat; while aloft on the pole,
And straight as an arrow he stood:
And the chariot roll'd hoarse, as the waterfalls roll,
When Winter descends in a flood.
Like a frost o'er the heath the cold moon-beams were spread:
The shaggy rocks glitter'd on high:
And the three mossy stones that gleam over the dead,
Caught, often, Comala! thine eye.
And now at the foot of a mountain they came:
The coursers paw wildly the ground,
Then wind up the steep, like two volumes of flame,
To their hoofs as the caverns resound.
Save the din of their course, not a murmur was heard:
And, as echoed the dingles below,
Each oak in a pause of still horror appear'd,
And motionless, gaz'd the fleet roe.
On the top of the mountain scarce rattled the car,
When off like a meteor it flew:
And he said, as his steeds lightly gallop'd on air—
“Now, Connal, 'tis vain to pursue!”
“Ah whither, my Morlo! ah where are we borne?”
(With a cold shriek of horror she cry'd)
“Never fear! never fear! ere the glimpse of the morn
“I shall hail thee my high-bosom'd bride.”
Where they rush'd, the pale tower and the lake and the wood
Swam in dizzy confusion beneath;
Till the moon no more glimmer'd, descending in blood,
To the blast that sang shrill on the heath.
Wide over the foam of the ocean they flew,
As a gleam from the north would disclose
The waters that deep in a hollow withdrew,
Or, roaring in surges, arose.
Dark-red in the west now a fabric appear'd,
Like cromlechs on cromlechs up-pil'd:
At the sight, the steeds neigh'd, and then dreadfully rear'd,
And snorted, with extasy wild.
“Lo yonder (he shouted) my turrets arise;
“The castle stupendously swells:
“See lights thro' the windows illumine the skies—
“Far within is the feast of the shells.
“The bridemaids look out from the chambers: behold!
“They beckon, as swift we advance!
“And hark! the magnificent portals unfold:
“Full soon shall we waken the dance.”
“'Tis the House of the Thunder (she utter'd) O save—
“See—see—thro' the breaches they dart!
“O Morlo! look back!—and the lightnings I brave,
“If Comala yet live in thy heart.”
He look'd—It was Connal! “I fell, yester-morn,
“In the sight! But thy bed I prepare!”
Cried the Spectre, his eyes flashing vengeance and scorn;
Then vanish'd, at once, with his car!
Down—down, as to cling to the Thunder she tried,
She dropp'd like an arrow of light:
And, whirl'd thro' the tempest, the treacherous bride
Was plung'd into fathomless night.