Page:Lalla Rookh - Moore - 1817.djvu/51

 From which these words like south winds thro' a fence Of Kerzrah flowers, came filled with pestilence; So boldly uttered too! as if all dread Of frowns from her, of virtuous frowns, were fled, And the wretch felt assured that once plunged in, Her woman's soul would know no pause in sin!

At first, tho' mute she listened, like a dream Seemed all he said: nor could her mind whose beam As yet was weak penetrate half his scheme. But when at length he uttered, "Thou art she!" All flasht at once and shrieking piteously, "Oh not for worlds! "she cried--"Great God! to whom "I once knelt innocent, is this my doom? "Are all my dreams, my hopes of heavenly bliss, "My purity, my pride, then come to this,-- "To live, the wanton of a fiend! to be "The pander of his guilt--oh infamy! "