A COURTESAN SPEAKS .

Deep in the temple's gloom with joy supreme,
?I listened to the music of his voice,
The life of our meek Savior was his theme.
?The agony on Calvary his choice.
Rapt and entranced, I felt a holy power
?Lift from my mind the pall of sin's eclipse,
And drank the words that fell for one sweet hour
?In warm persuasion from his sacred lips.
He told the ever new and wondrous tale,
?In puissant ways that made the fibers thrill,
And swayed the congregation mute and pale,
?By the magnificent empire of his will.
I felt my heart like some deer startled, leap
?Within me, when with pious words that toss
And tear down unbelief, and make men weep,
?He told the awful story of the Cross.
The fire of faith glowed in his noble face,
?It seems as if some scrap of Heaven were sent
To move him with its glory and its grace,
?He was so grand, so pure, so eloquent!
Unchidden tears filmed his seraphic eyes,
?When in an ecstacy of prayer sublime
He cried: “Oh! sinners, He whose love ne'er dies
?Now bids ye all repent while there is time!”
He ceased; he knelt; the multitude all thrilled,
?In silence from the tabernacle passed,
But I, who was with thoughts conflicting filled,
?Stupidly stood and lingered to the last.
Then in my dazzled mind there slowly came
?The strong conviction of some great distrust,
There rose a sense of infamy and shame,
?A new-born feeling of intense disgust.
For that same man who could such thoughts conceive,
?Who spake in that sweet voice of Christ's great woe,
Had hired me for his lust that Sabbath eve,
?And was to meet me in a bagnio!