'
Chained to the rock in utter loneliness he lies. Long since the 'crisped
smiles' of the waves and the 'swift-winged winds' had ceased to listen
to his call.
'Year after year will pass away and seem
To me, in mine eternal agony,
But as the shadows of dark summer clouds,
Which I have watched so often darkening o'er
The vast Sarmatian plain, league-wide at first,
But, with still swiftness lessening on and on,
Till cloud and shadow meet and mingle where
The gray horizon fades into the sky,
Far, far to northward. Yes, for ages yet
Must I lie here upon my altar huge,
A sacrifice for man.'
'A sacrifice for man.' The theme has won a high significance with time.
One more passage, and we are done--a passage which rivals Shakspeare in
its startling vividness, as it whispers with awful power close to our
ears. All night had the prisoned god heard voices,--
'Deeper yet
The deep, low breathings of the silence grew
* * * * *
And then toward me came
A shape as of a woman; very pale
It was, and calm; its cold eyes did not move,
And mine moved not, but only stared on them.
Their fixed awe went through my brain like ice;
A skeleton hand seemed clutching at my heart,
And a sharp chill, as if a dank night-fog
Suddenly closed me in, was all I felt.
Pages:
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221