Alone, at this same witching hour, Gleam through the lattice of the bower, Where nightly now they mix their sighs; Was pausing on his moonlight way This fancy ne'er hath left her mind: And though, when terror's swoon had past, She saw a youth, of mortal kind, Before her in obeisance cast, Yet often since, when he hath spoken Strange, awful words, and gleams have broken From his dark eyes, too bright to bear, Oh! she hath fear'd her soul was given To some unhallow'd child of air, Some erring Spirit, cast from heaven, And lost their heaven for woman's eyes! Fond girl! nor fiend nor angel he, But quench'd to-night that ardour seems, Had she beheld him pale as now: And those were dreams of troubled sleep, But sadden every waking scene, "How sweetly," said the trembling maid, "How sweetly does the moonbeam smile To-night upon yon leafy isle! "Oft, in my fancy's wanderings, "I've wish'd that little isle had wings, "And we, within its fairy bowers, "Were wafted off to seas unknown, "Where not a pulse should beat but ours, "Far from the cruel and the cold, - "Should come around us, to behold "A paradise so pure and lonely! "Would this be world enough for thee?" Playful she turn'd, that he might see The passing smile her cheek put on ; But when she mark'd how mournfully His eyes met hers, that smile was gone; And, bursting into heart-felt tears, "Yes, yes," she cried," my hourly fears, "My dreams have boded all too right "We part-for ever part-to-night! "I knew, I knew it could not last ""Twas bright, 'twas heavenly, but 'tis past! "Oh! ever thus, from childhood's hour, "I've seen my fondest hopes decay; "I never lov'd a tree or flower, "But 'twas the first to fade away. "I never nurs'd a dear gazelle, "To glad me with its soft black eye, "But when it came to know me well, "And love me, it was sure to die! "Now too the joy most like divine "Of all I ever dreamt or knew, "To see thee, hear thee, call thee mine, "Oh misery! must I lose that too? "Yet go -on peril's brink we meet ; "Those frightful rocks that treacherous sea though sweet, "Though heaven, it may be death to thee. "Farewel—and blessings on thy way, "Where'er thou go'st, beloved stranger! "Better to sit and watch that ray, "Danger!-oh, tempt me not to boast -" The youth exclaim'd" thou little know'st "What he can brave, who, born and nurst "In Danger's paths, has dar'd her worst! "Upon whose ear the signal-word "Of strife and death is hourly breaking; "Who sleeps with head upon the sword "His fever'd hand must grasp in waking! "I now fear nothing but those eyes. "If aught on earth could charm or force 66 My spirit from its destin❜d course, ""Twould be those eyes; they, only they, "We meet no more - why, why did heaven "Mingle two souls that earth has riven, |