canto ii.]
LARA.
365
And proffered to his touch the holy bead,
Of which his parting soul might own the need,
He looked upon it with an eye profane,
And smiled—Heaven pardon! if 'twere with disdain:
And Kaled, though he spoke not, nor withdrew
From Lara's face his fixed despairing view,
With brow repulsive, and with gesture swift.
Flung back the hand which held the sacred gift, 1130
As if such but disturbed the expiring man,
Nor seemed to know his life but then began—
That Life of Immortality, secure[lower-roman 1]
To none, save them whose faith in Christ is sure.
Of which his parting soul might own the need,
He looked upon it with an eye profane,
And smiled—Heaven pardon! if 'twere with disdain:
And Kaled, though he spoke not, nor withdrew
From Lara's face his fixed despairing view,
With brow repulsive, and with gesture swift.
Flung back the hand which held the sacred gift, 1130
As if such but disturbed the expiring man,
Nor seemed to know his life but then began—
That Life of Immortality, secure[lower-roman 1]
To none, save them whose faith in Christ is sure.
XX.
But gasping heaved the breath that Lara drew,[lower-roman 2]
And dull the film along his dim eye grew;
His limbs stretched fluttering, and his head drooped o'er
The weak yet still untiring knee that bore;
He pressed the hand he held upon his heart —
It beats no more, but Kaled will not part 1140
With the cold grasp, but feels, and feels in vain,
For that faint throb which answers not again.
"It beats!"—Away, thou dreamer! he is gone—
It once was Lara which thou look'st upon.
But gasping heaved the breath that Lara drew,[lower-roman 2]
And dull the film along his dim eye grew;
His limbs stretched fluttering, and his head drooped o'er
The weak yet still untiring knee that bore;
He pressed the hand he held upon his heart —
It beats no more, but Kaled will not part 1140
With the cold grasp, but feels, and feels in vain,
For that faint throb which answers not again.
"It beats!"—Away, thou dreamer! he is gone—
It once was Lara which thou look'st upon.
- ↑ That Life—immortal—infinite secure
To All for whom that Cross hath made it sure.—
[MS. First ed. 1814.]
or, That life immortal, infinite and sure
To all whose faith the eternal boon secure.—[MS.] - ↑ But faint the dying Lara's accents grew.—[MS.]
- ↑ He gazed as doubtful that the thing he saw
Had something more to ask from Love or awe.—[MS.]
