XXIV. THE AMREETA.
1.
So spake the King of Padalon, when, lo!
The voice of lamentation ceas’d in Hell,
And sudden silence all around them fell,
Silence more wild and terrible
Than all the infernal dissonance before.
Through that portentous stillness, far away,
Unwonted sounds were heard, advancing on,
And deepening on their way;
For now the inexorable hour
Was come, and in the fullness of his power,
Now that the dreadful rites had all been done,
Kehama from the Swerga hastened down,
To seize upon the throne of Padalon.
2.
He came in all his might and majesty,
With all his terrors clad, and all his pride;
And, by the attribute of Deity,
Which he had won from Heaven, self-multiplied,
The dreadful One appear’d on every side.
In the same indivisible point of time,
At the eight Gates he stood at once, and beat
The Warden-Gods of Hell beneath his feet;
Then, in his brazen Cars of triumph, straight,
At the same moment, drove through every gate.
By Aullays, hugest of created kind,
Fiercest, and fleeter than the viewless wind,
His Cars were drawn, ten yokes of ten abreast, . .
What less sufficed for such almighty weight?
Eight bridges from the fiery flood arose
Growing before his way; and on he goes,
And drives the thundering Chariot-wheels along,
At once o’er all the roads of Padalon.
3.
Silent and motionless remain
The Asuras on their bed of pain,
Waiting, with breathless hope, the great event.
All Hell was hush’d in dread,
Such awe that omnipresent coming spread;
Nor had its voice been heard, though all its rout
Innumerable had lifted up one shout;
Nor if the infernal firmament
Had, in one unimaginable burst,
Spent its collected thunders, had the sound
Been audible, such louder terrors went
Before his forms substantial. Round about
The presence scattered lightnings far and wide,
That quench’d on every side,
With their intensest blaze, the feebler fire
Of Padalon, even as the stars go out,
When, with prodigious light,
Some blazing meteor fills the astonish’d night.
4.
The Diamond City shakes;
The adamantine Rock
Is loosen’d with the shock;
From its foundation mov’d, it heaves and quakes;
The brazen portals crumbling fall to dust;
Prone fall the Giant Guards
Beneath the Aullays crush’d.
On, on, through Yamenpur, their thundering feet
Speed from all points to Yamen’s judgement-seat.
And lo! where multiplied,
Behind, before him, and on every side,
Wielding all weapons in his countless hands,
Around the Lord of Hell Kehama stands!
Then, too, the Lord of Hell put forth his might:
Thick darkness, blacker than the blackest night,
Rose from their wrath, and veil’d
The unutterable fight.
The power of Fate and Sacrifice prevail’d,
And soon the strife was done.
Then did the Man-God re-assume
His unity, absorbing into one
The consubstantiate shapes; and as the gloom
Opened, fallen Yamen on the ground was seen,
His neck beneath the conquering Rajah’s feet,
Who on the marble tomb
Had his triumphal seat.
5.
Silent the Man-Almighty sate; a smile
Gleam’d on his dreadful lips, the while
Dallying with power, he paus’d from following up
His conquest, as a man in social hour
Sips of the grateful cup,
Again and yet again, with curious taste,
Searching its subtle flavour ere he drink.
Even so Kehama now forbore his haste;
Having within his reach whate’er he sought,
On his own haughty power he seem’d to muse,
Pampering his arrogant heart with silent thought.
Before him stood the Golden Throne in sight,
Right opposite; he could not chuse but see,
Nor seeing chuse but wonder. Who are ye
Who bear the Golden Throne, tormented there?
He cried; for whom doth Destiny prepare
The imperial seat? and why are ye but Three?
First Statue.
I of the Children of Mankind was first,
Me miserable! who, adding store to store,
Heapt up superfluous wealth; and now accurst,
For ever I the frantic crime deplore.
Second Statue.
I o’er my Brethren of Mankind the first
Usurping power, set up a throne sublime,
A King and Conqueror: therefore thus accurst,
For ever I in vain repent the crime.
Third Statue.
I on the Children of Mankind the first,
In God’s most holy name, impos’d a tale
Of impious falsehood; therefore thus accurst,
For ever I in vain the crime bewail.
6.
Even as thou here beholdest us,
Here we have stood, tormented thus,
Such countless ages, that they seem to be
Long as eternity,
And still we are but Three.
A Fourth will come to share
Our pain, at yonder vacant corner bear
His portion of the burthen, and compleat
The golden Throne for Yamen’s judgement-seat.
Thus hath it been appointed: he must be
Equal in guilt to us, the guilty Three.
Kehama, come! too long we wait for thee!
7.
Thereat, with one accord,
The Three took up the word, like choral song,
Come, Rajah! Man-God! Earth’s Almighty Lord!
Kehama, come! we wait for thee too long.
8.
A short and sudden laugh of wondering pride
Burst from him in his triumph: to reply
Scornful he deign’d not; but with alter’d eye,
Wherein some doubtful meaning seem’d to lie,
He turn’d to Kailyal. Maiden, thus he cried,
I need not bid thee see
How vain it is to strive with Fate’s decree,
When hither thou hast fled to fly from me,
And lo! even here thou find’st me at thy side.
Mine thou must be, being doom’d with me to share
The Amreeta-cup of immortality;
Yea, by Myself I swear
It hath been thus appointed. Joyfully
Join then thy hand and heart and will with mine,
Nor at such glorious destiny repine,
Nor in thy folly more provoke my wrath divine.
9.
She answer’d; I have said. It must not be!
Almighty as thou art,
Thou hast put all things underneath thy feet,
But still the resolute heart
And virtuous will are free.
Never, oh! never, . . never . . can there be
Communion, Rajah, between thee and me.
10.
Once more, quoth he, I urge, and once alone.
Thou seest yon Golden Throne,
Where I anon shall set thee by my side;
Take thou thy seat thereon,
Kehama’s willing bride,
And I will place the Kingdoms of the World
Beneath thy Father’s feet,
Appointing him the King of mortal men:
Else underneath that Throne,
The Fourth supporter, he shall stand and groan;
Prayers will be vain to move my mercy then.
11.
Again the Virgin answer’d, I have said!
Ladurlad caught her in his proud embrace,
While on his neck she hid
In agony her face.
12.
Bring forth the Amreeta-cup! Kehama cried
To Yamen, rising sternly in his pride.
It is within the Marble Sepulchre,
The vanquish’d Lord of Padalon replied,
Bid it be opened. . . . Give thy treasure up!
Exclaim’d the Man-Almighty to the Tomb.
And at his voice and look
The massy fabric shook, and opened wide.
A huge Anatomy was seen reclin’d
Within its marble womb. Give me the Cup!
Again Kehama cried; no other charm
Was needed than that voice of stern command.
From his repose the ghastly form arose,
Put forth his bony and gigantic arm,
And gave the Amreeta to the Rajah’s hand.
Take! drink! with accents dread the Spectre said,
For thee and Kailyal hath it been assign’d,
Ye only of the Children of Mankind.
13.
Then was the Man-Almighty’s heart elate;
This is the consummation! he exclaim’d,
Thus have I triumphed over Death and Fate.
Now, Seeva! look to thine abode!
Henceforth, on equal footing we engage,
Alike immortal now, and we will wage
Our warfare, God to God!
Joy fill’d his impious soul,
And to his lips he rais’d the fatal bowl.
14.
Thus long the Glendoveer had stood,
Watching the wonders of the eventful hour,
Amaz’d but undismay’d; for in his heart
Faith, overcoming fear, maintain’d its power.
Nor had that faith abated, when the God
Of Padalon was beaten down in fight;
For then he look’d to see the heavenly might
Of Seeva break upon them. But when now
He saw the Amreeta in Kehama’s hand,
An impulse which denied all self-command
In that extremity
Stung him, and he resolved to seize the cup,
And dare the Rajah’s force in Seeva’s sight.
Forward he sprung to tempt the unequal fray,
When lo! the Anatomy,
With warning arm, withstood his desperate way,
And from the Golden Throne the fiery Three
Again, in one accord, renew’d their song,
Kehama, come! we wait for thee too long.
15.
O fool of drunken hope and frantic vice!
Madman! to seek for power beyond thy scope
Of knowledge, and to deem
Less than omniscience could suffice
To wield omnipotence! O fool, to dream
That immortality could be
The meed of evil! . . yea thou hast it now,
Victim of thine own wicked heart’s device,
Thou hast thine object now, and now must pay the price.
16.
He did not know the awful mystery
Of that divinest cup, that as the lips
Which touch it, even such its quality,
Good or malignant: Madman! and he thinks
The blessed prize is won, and joyfully he drinks.
17.
Then Seeva opened on the Accursed One
His Eye of Anger: upon him alone
The wrath-beam fell. He shudders . . . but too late;
The deed is done,
The dreadful liquor works the will of Fate.
Immortal he would be,
Immortal he remains; but through his veins
Torture at once and immortality,
A stream of poison doth the Amreeta run,
Infinite everlasting agony.
And while within the burning anguish flows,
His outward body glows
Like molten ore beneath the avenging eye,
Doom’d thus to live and burn eternally.
The fiery Three,
Beholding him, set up a fiendish cry,
A song of jubilee:
Come, Brother, come! they sung; too long
We in our torments have expected thee;
Come, Brother, come! henceforth we bear no more
The unequal weight; Come, Brother, we are Four!
18.
Vain his almightiness, for mightier pain
Subdued all power; pain ruled supreme alone.
And yielding to the bony hand
The unemptied cup, he mov’d toward the throne,
And at the vacant corner took his stand.
Behold the Golden Throne at length compleat,
And Yamen silently ascends the Judgement-Seat.
19.
For two alone, of all mankind, to me
The Amreeta-Cup was given,
Then said the Anatomy;
The Man hath drank, the Woman’s turn is next.
Come, Kailyal, come, receive thy doom,
And do the Will of Heaven! . .
Wonder, and Fear, and Awe at once perplext
The mortal Maiden’s heart, but over all
Hope rose triumphant. With a trembling hand,
Obedient to his call,
She took the fated Cup; and, lifting up
Her eyes, where holy tears began to swell,
Is it not your command,
Ye heavenly Powers? as on her knees she fell,
The pious Virgin cried;
Ye know my innocent will, my heart sincere,
Ye govern all things still,
And wherefore should I fear!
20.
She said, and drank. The Eye of Mercy beam’d
Upon the Maid: a cloud of fragrance steam’d
Like incense-smoke, as all her mortal frame
Dissolved beneath the potent agency
Of that mysterious draught; such quality,
From her pure touch, the fated Cup partook.
Like one entranced she knelt,
Feeling her body melt
Till all but what was heavenly past away:
Yet still she felt
Her spirit strong within her, the same heart,
With the same loves, and all her heavenly part,
Unchanged, and ripen’d to such perfect state,
In this miraculous birth, as here on Earth,
Dimly our holiest hopes anticipate.
21.
Mine! mine! with rapturous joy Ereenia cried,
Immortal now, and yet not more divine;
Mine, mine. . . for ever mine!
The immortal Maid replied,
For ever, ever, thine!
22.
Then Yamen said, O thou to whom, by Fate,
Alone of all mankind, this lot is given,
Daughter of Earth, but now the Child of Heaven
Go with thy heavenly Mate,
Partaker now of his immortal bliss;
Go to the Swerga Bowers,
And there recall the hours
Of endless happiness.
23.
But that sweet Angel, for she still retain’d
Her human loves and human piety,
As if reluctant at the God’s commands,
Linger’d, with anxious eye
Upon her father fix’d, and spread her hands
Toward him wistfully.
Go! Yamen cried, nor cast that look behind
Upon Ladurlad at this parting hour,
For thou shalt find him in thy Mother’s Bower.
24.
The Car, as Carmala his word obey’d,
Mov’d on, and bore away the Maid,
While from the Golden Throne the Lord of Death
With love benignant, on Ladurlad smil’d,
And gently on his head his blessing laid.
As sweetly as a child,
Whom neither thought disturbs nor care encumbers,
Tir’d with long play, at close of summer day,
Lies down and slumbers,
Even thus as sweet a boon of sleep partaking,
By Yamen blest, Ladurlad sunk to rest.
Blessed that sleep! more blessed was the waking!
For on that night a heavenly morning broke,
The light of heaven was round him when he woke,
And in the Swerga, in Yedillian’s Bower,
All whom he lov’d he met, to part no more.
THE END.
