Scene XII.
THE PATRIARCH'S TENT.
A DAM , Eve , Z ILLAH
ADAM .
Eve! yet be patient. We lament as thou,
Be comforted.
EVE .
Oh, no, you cannot share
The feelings of a mother! She was not
Part of your life, as mine: you could not prove
The happiness while dwelling on her own,
Tracing within each line of form and face
Reflections of herself; joys, hopes and loves,
All, all revived in her — and she is gone
Who gave them, and returns no more!
ADAM .
Yet hear me!
Think'st thou God is not merciful as just;
That he has robbed thee of the young and pure
For ever; that their opening faculties
Were given to be quenched in their first spring?
My Eve! have worthier faith; he is Almighty,
And can renew them, as earth's flowers, to bloom
In Eden still, only be patient here!
ENOCH .
Help! — save me, He is following —
ADAM .
Heedless child!
Why breakest thou into the house of mourning?
ZILLAH .
Take breath, and speak; what frights thee, Enoch? —
ENOCH .
I
Bore flowers, as wont, to strew my mother's bed;
A shape I had not seen sprang hastily
From earth, and stretched his arms forth, and pursued;
I looked not back in fear, but fled, and flying,
Shot back my arrow, as my father taught,
And — hark!
ADAM .
A heavy tread within!
EVE .
'Tis Cain!
ADAM .
The hand of God is over us! — my son,
The Wanderer, returned.
CAIN .
Father! I kneel!
EVE .
He falls!
ADAM .
The shaft is buried in his breast!
Lo, he is dead! — Thy will on earth be done;
How unforeseen thou workest out thy ways,
Opening upon us sinners unprepared.
ZILLAH .
Unhappy Cain! thy trials now are over.
EVE .
Pardon to him, oh, God! as us, be given.
ADAM .
Let me behold my first-born — yea, how changed!
Lo, passion's stamp furrows his wrinkled brow,
That, fixed in death, warns silently the living!
His face how hollow, his hair white with grief;
But a smile lingers on those pallid lips,
As if the rest he sought at last was found.
Enoch, behold! restrain undisciplined thoughts;
Walk reverent and submit to God's decrees.
Take him where Ada rests. Guilt should not sleep
Beside the guiltless; but she prayed to us
That he should lie beside her whom she loved.
It was her latest prayer — oh, be it sacred!
We but a holy ordinance fulfil.
Let us raise him, my Enoch! little joy
Have either known; he was begot in sin
And sorrow, and received the elements
Which if he strove against, it was in vain.
She lived in her own light of purity;
Her heart turned toward him with a love that clung
Closer, to share the griefs she could not heal.
Beautiful Ada! even now thou risest
On these dimmed eyes; I hear thee pleading for him
Who left thee but to die, and see man's end,
Who bears alone griefs he was made to share.
Bless thee, my Ada, bless thee! May the God
Who burdens gave too hard for thee to bear,
Take thee where human tears are washed away!
Enoch! thy hand is guiltless of his blood;
Thou hast fulfilled the solemn prophecy
Of the Archangel prescient from the Lord:
" Thy hand was raised against man, so shall man
Rise against thee!" — Son, thou hast slain thy father!
THE PATRIARCH'S TENT.
A DAM , Eve , Z ILLAH
ADAM .
Eve! yet be patient. We lament as thou,
Be comforted.
EVE .
Oh, no, you cannot share
The feelings of a mother! She was not
Part of your life, as mine: you could not prove
The happiness while dwelling on her own,
Tracing within each line of form and face
Reflections of herself; joys, hopes and loves,
All, all revived in her — and she is gone
Who gave them, and returns no more!
ADAM .
Yet hear me!
Think'st thou God is not merciful as just;
That he has robbed thee of the young and pure
For ever; that their opening faculties
Were given to be quenched in their first spring?
My Eve! have worthier faith; he is Almighty,
And can renew them, as earth's flowers, to bloom
In Eden still, only be patient here!
ENOCH .
Help! — save me, He is following —
ADAM .
Heedless child!
Why breakest thou into the house of mourning?
ZILLAH .
Take breath, and speak; what frights thee, Enoch? —
ENOCH .
I
Bore flowers, as wont, to strew my mother's bed;
A shape I had not seen sprang hastily
From earth, and stretched his arms forth, and pursued;
I looked not back in fear, but fled, and flying,
Shot back my arrow, as my father taught,
And — hark!
ADAM .
A heavy tread within!
EVE .
'Tis Cain!
ADAM .
The hand of God is over us! — my son,
The Wanderer, returned.
CAIN .
Father! I kneel!
EVE .
He falls!
ADAM .
The shaft is buried in his breast!
Lo, he is dead! — Thy will on earth be done;
How unforeseen thou workest out thy ways,
Opening upon us sinners unprepared.
ZILLAH .
Unhappy Cain! thy trials now are over.
EVE .
Pardon to him, oh, God! as us, be given.
ADAM .
Let me behold my first-born — yea, how changed!
Lo, passion's stamp furrows his wrinkled brow,
That, fixed in death, warns silently the living!
His face how hollow, his hair white with grief;
But a smile lingers on those pallid lips,
As if the rest he sought at last was found.
Enoch, behold! restrain undisciplined thoughts;
Walk reverent and submit to God's decrees.
Take him where Ada rests. Guilt should not sleep
Beside the guiltless; but she prayed to us
That he should lie beside her whom she loved.
It was her latest prayer — oh, be it sacred!
We but a holy ordinance fulfil.
Let us raise him, my Enoch! little joy
Have either known; he was begot in sin
And sorrow, and received the elements
Which if he strove against, it was in vain.
She lived in her own light of purity;
Her heart turned toward him with a love that clung
Closer, to share the griefs she could not heal.
Beautiful Ada! even now thou risest
On these dimmed eyes; I hear thee pleading for him
Who left thee but to die, and see man's end,
Who bears alone griefs he was made to share.
Bless thee, my Ada, bless thee! May the God
Who burdens gave too hard for thee to bear,
Take thee where human tears are washed away!
Enoch! thy hand is guiltless of his blood;
Thou hast fulfilled the solemn prophecy
Of the Archangel prescient from the Lord:
" Thy hand was raised against man, so shall man
Rise against thee!" — Son, thou hast slain thy father!
Reviews
No reviews yet.