IV And, as towards the east she turned, V The sky was blue as the summer sea, There was no sight or sound of dread, VI The Lady grew sick with a weight of fear And veiled her eyes; she then did hear Of the blood in her own veins, to and fro. VII There was a mist in the sunless air, Which shook as it were with an earthquake's But the shock, very weeds that blossomed there Were moveless, and each mighty rock Stood on its basis steadfastly; The Anchor was seen no more on high. VIII But piled around, with summits hid IX On two dread mountains, from whose crest X And columns framed of marble white, Shot o'er the vales, or lustre lent XI But still the Lady heard that clang x. 6 vales a, Rossetti conj.; 7 its || their, Rossetti conj. And still the mist whose light did hang XII Sudden from out that city sprung A light that made the earth grow red; Two flames that each with quivering tongue Licked its high domes, and overhead Among those mighty towers and fanes Dropped fire, as a volcano rains Its sulphurous ruin on the plains. XIII And hark! a rush, as if the deep A raging flood descend, and wind XIV And now those raging billows came By the wild waves heaped tumultuously; And, on a little plank, the flow Of the whirlpool bore her to and fro. XV The flames were fiercely vomited O'er that vast flood's suspended foam, XVI The plank whereon that Lady sate Was driven through the chasms, about and about, Between the peaks so desolate Of the drowning mountains, in and out, As the thistle-beard on a whirlwind sails While the flood was filling those hollow vales. XVII At last her plank an eddy crossed, And bore her to the city's wall, Which now the flood had reached almost; To hear the fire roar and hiss Through the domes of those mighty palaces. XVIII The eddy whirled her round and round xv. 1 flames, Rossetti || waves, Hunt, 1819. XIX For it was filled with sculptures rarest, Of winged shapes, whose legions range XX And as she looked, still lovelier grew Of his own mind did there endure, After the touch, whose power had braided Such grace, was in some sad change faded. XXI She looked, the flames were dim, the flood Grew tranquil as a woodland river Winding through hills in solitude; Those marble shapes then seemed to quiver, And their fair limbs to float in motion, Like weeds unfolding in the ocean; XXII And their lips moved; one seemed to speak, The statues gave a joyous scream, Lifted the Lady from the stream. |