Collected Works (Vol. II)

THE GOD-EATER 137 CriospA. What of the power? I bid these waves be calm In Maurya’s name. [The storm tucreases momently in vio- lence. RUPHA muttters on. CRIOSDA shows with a gesture that he knows his words avail nothing. Rupua. Ho! Ho! Criospa. I wittingly and well resumed the rite Learnt at thy breast, old wolf ! RupHaA. Ho! Ho! The might is mine O’ the rune divine. Silence, winds ! Peace, ye waves! The spell binds Their wrath In the graves Below ocean. Clear the path ! Cease your motion? Swift, be slow ! Ho! Ho! [ The storm ceases. CrIOSDA. 7y words avail then ? RupHa. Ha! Ha! They avail. I avail. Did Rupha fail, All would be done. Death to the sun ! I know. Ho! Ho! Criospa. All this I did for thee? Rupua. Ha! Ha! What didst thou do? Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Criospa. What did I not do? RuPuHa. Tell! Tell! Tis a spell. CriosDa. I will tell all. me up With the last word ! RupuHa. It obeys? No! No! Ho! Ho! All! O sea, swallow CriospA. Thou sinister one ! I duly did ; That drugged (and dancing with delight thereof The maiden’s mind) the maiden’s body prone Lay on her altar. Then she gave consent, And I smote once. RupHa. Ha! Ha! What came then? Criospa. I tore out her heart, and held its flame aloft. The blackening Thy rite blood Gushed on my arms—and then— Rupua. Ho! Ho! CriosDA. With red lips reeking from the sweet foul feast, I sang in tuneless agony the spell ; Rolled athwart space the black words: then some force Tore me: I heard the tears drop in my heart. I heard the laughter of some utmost God Hid in the middle of matter. That was I, The hideous laugher of the maniac laugh When loathing makes the bed to lust, and twine The limbs of agony about the trunk Of torture—rapture stabbing through— Maurya ! Ay, that was I; and I the weeping wolf That howls about this hell that is my heart; And I the icy and intangible That beholds all, and is not. RUPHA. Three in one ! One in three ! Death to the sun! Glory to thee ! Thou wast there ! Enough ! It will grow. Ho! Ho! Criospa. In English, I was mad. But no new portents Confound the course of the sun. Ileft my home To seek thee out. When skill availed me not, I put to sea to try the Luck of Maurya.