The frightful desolation spread, and felt SHELLEY. Whatever loyalty our hero felt-and he was not devoid of that ennobling quality, without which a soldier would be little better than a chartered homicide it was counterbalanced by the disgust excited by the Emperor's conduct: he resolved not to mar his amusement! but, leaving the imperial domains to the mercy of the less merciless element, to use his efforts where, if not better employed, they might be better appreciated. He could have wished to present himself before his mistress; but feeling assured that the residence of Pomponia, from its situation, was not exposed to any danger, he felt it his duty to attend to the calls of humanity rather than obey the dictates of love; and, therefore, to his credit be it spoken, he did not remit his exertions all that night, nor the ensuing day, but continued his labours until he was so exhausted by fatigue that he could hardly crawl to a tavern! Great as were his exertions, however, he was not without reward; for the preservation of a considerable part of the city was the consequence of his judicious counsels, in urging the pulling down of several large edifices on the Esquilian hill, by which means the progress of the flames was arrested. Nevertheless, on retiring to rest, the next evening, he was so fatigued, that notwithstanding the din and tumult which prevailed around him, he slept for nearly twenty-four hours without intermission; and on awaking from his nap had the pleasure to find that the conflagration had ceased! CHAPTER VII. Oh! 'tis not, Hinda, in the power LALLA ROOKH. PUDENS, having discharged his duties to the public, now attended to his own private affairs, and hastened to see the object of his affections; but not until he had unpacked a beautiful necklace or corslet of pearls, which he had been commissioned by Arviragus to convey to his daughter, to enable her to make a suitable present to her kind protectress Paulina. Having carefully placed this in his bosom, he almost flew to the house of Pomponia. There, fresh as a young eagle-in all the bloom of health, and with eyes radiant with love and hope, he presented himself at the door, and hurrying impatiently past the porter, his arri val was hardly announced before he clasped his loved Claudia in his arms! His imagination had been feasting on her beauties in his absence; and remembrance of her had solaced many a tedious hour, when the sluggish wave seemed resolved to bear him no further in his lonely course over the wide sea. Reality, however, exceeded even imagination! His mistress was more beautiful, because more womanly than when he parted from her, and her paleness now yielded to the most witching blushes. Happy youth! His midnight watchings, and weary marches, and ocean's perils, all seemed compensated by the rapture of that embrace! --- But who shall describe the feelings of Claudia! She would have fain withheld her eyes from encountering her lover's, but she could not help stealing a timid glance, at his fine soldier-like figure, and handsome face, which presented a striking contrast with the pallid features half shrouded with sea-weed which still remained imaged in her mind. For a moment her opinions, her resolves-heaven itself was forgotten: her soul was melted and absorbed by the passionate glances of those eyes which now seemed to dart sunbeams. She sank almost overpowered in his arms, but was soon re called to consciousness by his burning kisses, which he showered like lava upon her: returning consciousness brought with it all those feelings, which had been banished but momentarily by surprise; and a sense of her situation, of her destinies, and of her duties, at once flashed across her mind. She gently disengaged herself, and was about to summon an expression of reserve which would have repressed the too ardent advances of her lover; but the gaze of passion, with which he first greeted her had subsided into a smile so unutterably kind, that again she felt her courage wane, and her heart dissolve, as it had done before. Tears, but not words, flowed for her relief; but they drew from Pudens such compassionate tenderness as only increased them; and had he not wisely ceased to soothe, they might have flowed for ever. As earthly weakness thus ebbed forth in tears, celestial resolution seemed to supply its place. But oh! what a cruel resolution did it appear! "Must I," thought she, "destroy his long and faithfully cherished hopes; and what is worse, not tell him wherefore? Oh God!" she prayed internally, "who hast promised to VOL. III. E |