Page:Works of Voltaire Volume 36.djvu/141

Whilst with woe overloaded men groaned through the realm,
Alamon led a languishing life at the helm.
Then was tyranny's triumph, but the heavens took his part,
And to work reformation with love touched his heart.
Young Amida he saw, he both saw her and heard,
His heart felt emotion, and to live he appeared;
He was handsome, and might with assurance address her,
But the mystery soon was smoked by his confessor;
In his penitent's breast straight he scruples excited,
Superstition and ignorance are easily frighted:
And the two wicked rulers who feared lest the lover
Might one day their sinister proceedings discover,
Were for making Amida like Ernon depart:
Her all to pack up she prepared with sad heart.
The weak Alamon all this insolence bore,
His reluctance was vain, from his charmer he tore.
He doubted and wavered, for just in that season
His soul was but faintly illumined by reason.
When Amida was going there were heard loud alarms,
The cry was, "All's lost, let us die and to arms,"
On Allah, St. Germain, Christ, and Mahomet loud,
They called, and on every side fled a crowd:
A warrior turbaned, who led on a band
Of Mussulmans holding their falchions in hand,
Over heaps of the dead, or expiring, who lay
All reeking in gore, with his sword cut a way,
With sword and with fire to the palace he flew,
The women he seized on, their husbands he slew.