d thus his sober counsel spoke:

"Let one with gracious speech draw near
And gently charm Vibhishan's ear,
Till he the soothing witchery feel
And all his secret heart reveal.
So thou his aims and hopes shalt know,
And hail the friend or shun the foe."

"Not he," Hanuman cried, "not he
Who taught the Gods(928) may rival thee,
Supreme in power of quickest sense,
First in the art of eloquence.
But hear me soothly speak, O King,
And learn the hope to which I cling.
Vibhishan comes no crafty spy:
Urged by his brother's fault to fly.
With righteous soul that loathes the sin,
He fled from Lanka and his kin.
If strangers question, doubt will rise
And chill the heart of one so wise.
Marred by distrust the parle will end,
And thou wilt lose a faithful friend.
Nor let it seem so light a thing
To sound a stranger's heart, O King.
And he, I ween, whate'er he say,
Will ne'er an evil thought betray.
He comes a friend in happy time,
Loathing his brother for his crime.
His ear has heard thine old renown,
The might that struck King Bali down,
And set Sugriva on the throne.
And looking now to thee alone
He comes thy matchless aid to win
And punish Ravan for his sin.
Thus have I tried thy heart to move,
And thus Vibhishan's truth to prove.
Still in his friendship I confide;
But ponder, wisest, and decide."

Canto XVIII. Rama's Speech.

Then Rama's rising doubt was stilled,
And friendly thoughts his bosom filled.
Thus, deep in Scripture's lore, he spake:
"The suppliant will I ne'er forsake,
Nor my protecting aid refuse
When one in name of friendship sues.
Though faults and folly blot his fame,
Pity and help he still may claim."

He ceased: Sugriva bowed his head
And pondered for a while, and said:

"Past number be his faults or few,
What think ye of the Rakshas who,
When threatening clouds of danger rise,
Deserts his brother's side and flies?
Say, Vanars, who may hope to find
True friendship in his faithless kind?"

The son of Raghu heard his speech:
He cast a hasty look on each
Of those brave Vanar chiefs, and while
Upon his lips there played a smile,
To Lakshman turned and thus expressed
The thoughts that moved his gallant breast:
"Well versed in Scripture's lore, and sage
And duly reverent to age,
Is he, with long experience stored,
Who counsels like this Vanar lord.
Yet here, methinks, for searching eyes
Some deeper, subtler matter lies.
To you and all the world are known
The perils