s: sunset and bequeath a Continent to Freedom!


s: health and fruitage of poison; birds sang amid its foliage, and a


s: fruitage of poison; birds sang amid its foliage and a serpent was


s: strangle the Sower; but cunningly he disentangles the murderous


s: Husbandman?  Tell me, thou Planter of Christhood and Islam;


s: the sword, burned at the stake, tossed into the seas.


s: above the sleeping eyelids of the senses.


s: monumental dead and the standard-bearers of the future.


s: mourning for her children, of Israel lamenting for Zion.


s: shepherd renew their youth amid the pastoral plains of Texas


s: singer; Ibn Ezra, the perfect old man; Gabirol, the tragic seer;


s: eyes shall be bitten with pungent smoke.


s: quickening airs, when the Sun of Love shines out with cordial


s: fires, lo, the Soul of Israel bursts her cobweb sheath, and flies


s: Whence David smote flame-tones were mine!


s: Would make my reed-piped throat its choice!


s: All ears should prick, all hearts should spring,


s: When, like the wind, while cedars shake,


s: Of Orient suns, the mist-wreathed gleams


s: Wherefore was this poor thrall, whose chains


s: His law, his truth, his praise, his prayer;


s: FREDERICK THE GRAVE, Landgrave of Thuringia and Margrave of


s: REINHARD PEPPERCORN, Prior of Wartburg Monastery.


s: DIETRICH VON TETTENBORN, President of the Council.


s: Scene--Partly in Nordhausen, partly in Eisenach. Time, May, 4th,


s: A street in the Judengasse, outside the Synagogue.  During this


s: in their hands, pass across the stage, and go into the Synagogue.


s: Swung to behind him, just as I puffed up


s: O'erblown with haste.  See how our years weigh, cousin.


s: Who'd judge me with this paunch a temperate man,


s: Scarce overpast his prime?  Well, God be praised,


s: If age bring no worse burden!  Who is this stranger?


s: Simon the Leech tells me he claims to bear


s: Some special message from the Lord--no doubt


s: To-morrow, fresh from rest, he'll publish it


s: He will not hear of rest--he comes anon--


s: And scrutinize him as he mounts the street.


s: Mayhap is all you'll find him--spent with travel,


s: His raiment fouled with dust, his sandaled feet


s: Road-bruised by stone and bramble.  But his face!--


s: Majestic with long fall of cloud-white beard,


s: And wrinkled as a frost-pinched fruit.  I hear


s: In quadrupling his wealth.  Good Lord! what luck


s: Blesses some folk, while good men stint and sweat


s: And scrape, to merely fill the household larder.


s: What said you of this pilgrim, Naphtali?


s: My sense of justice so against the grain,


s: I lose my very name.  Whence does he come?


s: Save for his daughter who has led him hither.


s: A beautiful, pale girl with round black eyes.


s: Bring they fresh tidings of the pestilence?


s: I know not--but I learn from other source


s: They cleanse their homes and keep their bodies sweet,


s: Nor cease from prayer--and so does Jacob's God


s: Protect His chosen, still.  Yet even His favor


s: The gates of Israel--the old cry they raise--


s: WE have begotten the Black Death--WE poison


s: I warrant you our Landgrave dare not harry


s: Such creditors as we.  See, here comes one,


s: The greatest and most liberal of them all--


s: SUSSKIND VON ORB, LIEBHAID, and REUBEN enter, all pass across


s: the stage, and disappear within the Synagogue.


s: And yours to boot, that's thrice the bulk of mine,


s: For half the bonds he holds in Frederick's name.


s: The poise of his head would tell it, knew we not.


s: How has his daughter leaped to womanhood!


s: I mind when she came toddling by his hand,


s: But yesterday--a flax-haired child--to-day


s: Her brow is level with his pompous chin.


s: How fair she is!  Her hair has kept its gold


s: Untarnished still.  I trace not either parent


s: Was far-off kin to me, and I might pass,


s: I'm told, unguessed in Christian garb.  I know


s: A jest for gossips and--Look, look, he comes!


s: The Rabbi of Chinon.  Ah! his stout staff,


s: And that brave creature's strong young hand suffice


s: Scarcely to keep erect his tottering frame.


s: Emaciate-lipped, with cavernous black eyes


s: Whose inward visions do eclipse the day,


s: Seems he not one re-risen from the grave


s: Enter RABBI JACOB, and RABBI CRESSELIN led by CLAIRE.  They walk


s: across the stage, and disappear in the Synagogue.


s: King of the Universe, who teachest wisdom


s: From the strange gaze of those wide-rolling orbs.


s: Didst note, man, how they fixed me?  His lean cheeks,


s: As wan as wax, were bloodless; how his arms


s: Stretched far beyond the flowing sleeve and showed


s: Gaunt, palsied wrists, and hands blue-tipped with death!


s: The Synagogue crowded with worshippers.  Among the women in the


s: Gallery are discovered LIEBHAID VON ORB and CLAIRE CRESSELIN.


s: Below, among the men, SUSSKIND VON ORB and REUBEN.  At the


s: Reader's Desk, RABBI JACOB.  Fronting the audience under the


s: Ark of the Covenant, stands a high desk, behind which is seen


s: the white head of an old man bowed in prayer.


s: Lo, phantom-like the towering patriarch!


s: Abiding 'mid strange peoples!  Ye shall be


s: Cut off from that land where ye made your home.


s: I, Cresselin of Chinon, have traveled far,


s: Thence where my fathers dwelt, to warn my race,


s: For whom the fire and stake have been prepared.


s: Our brethren of Verdun, all over France,


s: Are burned alive beneath the Goyim's torch.


s: What terrors have I witnessed, ere my sight


s: In Savoy, Piedmont, round the garden shores


s: Of tranquil Leman, down the beautiful Rhine,


s: Carnage, and burning flesh.  The lights shine out


s: The sanguine field with an immortal blazon.


s: Sat in his house at prayer, nor lifted lid


s: From off the sacred text, while all around


s: Haled through the streets, with prod of stick and spike


s: Fretted his wrinkled flesh, plucked his white beard.


s: Dragged him with gibes into their Church, and held


s: A Crucifix before him.  "Know thy Lord!"


s: He spat thereon; he was pulled limb from limb.


s: Leap in the Loire, with his fair, stalwart son,


s: A-bloom with youth, and midst the stream unsheathe


s: A poniard, sheathing it in his boy's heart,


s: While he pronounced the blessing for the dead.


s: And the white water darkened as with wine.


s: I saw--but no!  You are glutted, and my tongue,


s: Blistered, refuseth to narrate more woe.


s: I have known much sorrow.  When it pleased the Lord


s: To afflict us with the horde of Pastoureaux,


s: The rabble of armed herdsmen, peasants, slaves,


s: Men-beasts of burden--coarse as the earth they tilled,


s: To drown our race--my heart held firm, my faith


s: Smit by God's beam, the big black cloud dissolve.


s: Flaunting the Cross, the hosts of Armleder,


s: From whose fierce wounds we scarce are healed to-day.


s: That Israel has drained is but a draught


s: Of cordial, to the cup that is prepared.


s: These are our foes--and these are everywhere.


s: Ye who have eyes and limbs, arise and flee!


s: Of Nordhausen shall be swept off from earth,


s: Their elders and their babes--consumed with fire.


s: As sign that I, who call thee, am the Lord,


s: Thine eyes shalt be struck blind till thou hast spoken."


s: Then darkness fell upon my mortal sense,


s: But light broke o'er my soul, and all was clear,


s: And I have journeyed hither with my child


s: O'er mount and river, till I have announced


s: Father, have mercy! when wilt thou have done


s: With rod and scourge?  Beneath thy children's feet


s: Earth splits, fire springs.  No rest, no rest! no rest,


s: Fly, fly ere dawn as our forefathers fled


s: Shall we desert snug homes? forego the sum


s: Scraped through laborious years to smooth life's slope,


s: And die like dogs unkenneled and untombed,


s: He flouts the Lord's anointed!  Cast him forth!


s: Peace, brethren, peace!  If I have ever served


s: Israel with purse, arm, brain, or heart--now hear me!


s: May God instruct my speech!  This wise old man,


s: Whose brow flames with the majesty of truth,


s: May be part-blinded through excess of light,


s: Setting in rayless glory, turns and finds


s: Outlines confused, familiar colors changed,


s: All objects branded with one blood-bright spot.


s: Nor chafe at Baruch's homely sense; truth floats


s: We, by God's grace, have found a special nest


s: I' the dangerous rock, screened against wind and hawk;


s: Free burghers of a free town, blessed moreover


s: Frederick the Grave, our patron and protector.


s: What shall we fear?  Rather, where shall we seek


s: Fly?  Our forefathers had the wilderness,


s: The sea their gateway, and the fire-cored cloud


s: Their divine guide.  Us, hedged by ambushed foes,


s: No frank, free, kindly desert shall receive.


s: Death crouches on all sides, prepared to leap


s: Tiger-like on our throats, when first we step


s: From this safe covert.  Everywhere the Plague!


s: As nigh as Erfurt it has crawled--the towns


s: Reek with miasma, the rank fields of spring,


s: Smiling profuse life, and secreting death.


s: Thrusts itself on my mind in this grave hour.


s: I saw a large white bull urged through the town


s: To slaughter by a stripling with a goad,


s: Whom but one sure stamp of that solid heel,


s: One toss of those mooned horns, one battering blow


s: Of that square marble forehead, would have crushed,


s: As we might crush a worm, yet on he trudged,


s: Patient, in powerful health to death.  At once,


s: As though o' the sudden stung, he roared aloud,


s: Beat with fierce hoofs the air, shook desperately


s: Raced through scared, screaming streets.  Well, and the end?


s: He was the promptlier bound and killed and quartered.


s: The world belongs to man; dreams the poor brute


s: Some nook has been apportioned for brute life?


s: Where shall God's servant cower from his doom?


s: Let us bide, brethren--we are in His hand.


s: RABBI CRESSELIN (uttering a piercing shriek).


s: A flood of fire that streams towards the town.


s: Look, the destroying Angel with the sword,


s: Wherefrom the drops of gall are raining down,


s: Broad-winged, comes flying towards you.  Now he draws


s: His lightning-glittering blade!  With the keen edge


s: This is the House of God, and He hath entered.


s: Make way there!  Air!  Carry him forth!  He's warm!


s: Nay, his heart's stopped--his breath has ceased--quite dead.


s: Didst mark a diamond lance flash from the roof,


s: I saw a blaze seven times more bright than fire,


s: Crest, halo-wise, the patriarch's white head.


s: The dazzle stung my burning lids--they closed,


s: One instant--when they oped, the great blank cloud


s: Had settled on his countenance forever.*


s: Departed brother, mayest thou find the gates


s: Hastening towards thee!  May the High Priest stand


s: To greet and bless thee!  Go thou to the end!


s: No more thy sun sets, neither wanes thy moon.


s: The Lord shall be thy everlasting light,


s: Thy days of mourning shall be at an end.


s: For you, my flock, fear nothing; it is writ


s: *From this point to the end of the scene is a literal


s: translation of the Hebrew burial service.


s: Evening.  A crooked byway in the Judengasse.  Enter PRINCE


s: Cursed be these twisted lanes!  I have missed the clue


s: Of the close labyrinth.  Nowhere in sight,


s: To pick me up my thread.  Yet when I haste


s: Through these blind streets, unwishful to be spied,


s: Some dozen hawk-eyes peering o'er crook'd beaks


s: Do kiss the stones to greet my princeship.  Bah!


s: Strange, 'midst such refuse sleeps so white a pearl.


s: Unto the merchant's house, Susskind von Orb?


s: Whence come you knowing not the high brick wall,


s: Without, blank as my palm, o' the inner side,


s: Muring a palace? But--do you wish him well?


s: We all have warning--Oh, the terror of it!


s: Is he in peril?  What's the matter, man?


s: Peril?  His peril is no worse than mine,


s: But the rich win compassion.  God is just,


s: You look the perfect knight, what can you crave


s: Here's gold.  I am the Prince of Meissen--speak!


s: Oh pardon!  Let me kiss your mantle's edge.


s: This way, great sir, I lead you there myself,


s: If you deign follow one so poor, so humble.


s: Hard by is Susskind's dwelling--as we walk


s: By your good leave I'll tell what I have seen.


s: A luxuriously-furnished apartment in SUSSKIND VON ORB'S house.


s: Upon a richly-spread supper-table stands the seven-branched


s: silver candlestick of the Sabbath eve.  At the table are seated


s: Drink, children, drink! and lift your hearts to Him


s: Like gold within the golden bowl, like fire


s: Along our veins, after the work-day week


s: In presence of mine enemies!  He anoints


s: My head with oil, my cup is overflowing.


s: Praise we His name!  Hast thou, my daughter, served


s: The needs o' the poor, suddenly-orphaned child?


s: She prays and weeps within: she had no heart


s: For Sabbath meal, but charged me with her thanks--


s: Thou shalt be mother and sister in one to her.


s: After our evening-prayer, to lead her back


s: Unto the Synagogue, where sleeps her father,


s: A light at head and foot, o'erwatched by strangers;


s: Not to be crossed, befitting Israel's daughter.


s: While her heart yearns to break beside his corpse.


s: In the event to-night, God's finger points


s: Befogs the future.  But just here is light.


s: Enter a servant ushering in PRINCE WILLIAM.


s: God bless thy going forth and coming in!


s: I heard disquieting news as I came hither.


s: The miracle of the message and the death.


s: Susskind von Orb, what think'st thou of these things?


s: I think, sir, we are in the hand of God,


s: I trust the Prince--your father and my friend.


s: Trust no man! flee!  I have not come to-night


s: Has won my father's ear.  Since yester eve


s: He stops at Eisenach, begging of the Prince


s: Which at a word transmutes his hate to love.


s: Liebhaid, my child, look cheerly.  What is this?


s: Harm dare not touch thee; the oppressor's curse,


s: Plucks at my heart-strings, father, though the air


s: Thickens with portents; 't is the thought of flight,


s: The value of a hair from thy home treasures.


s: All that thou lovest, Liebhaid, goes with thee.


s: Knowest thou, Susskind, Schnetzen's cause of hate?


s: During his feud with Landgrave Fritz the Bitten,


s: Your Highness' grandsire--ten years--twenty--back.


s: Misled to think I had betrayed his castle,


s: Who knew the secret tunnel to its courts,


s: He has nursed a baseless grudge, whereat I smile,


s: The rancor of a bad heart slow distilled


s: Through venomed years, so at a breath, dissolves.


s: O good old man, i' the world, not of the world!


s: Belike, himself forgets the doubtful core


s: Of this still-curdling, petrifying ooze.


s: Truth? why truth glances from the callous mass,


s: A spear against a rock.  He hugs his hate,


s: His bed-fellow, his daily, life-long comrade;


s: Think you he has slept, ate, drank with it this while,


s: Now to forego revenge on such slight cause


s: Great-hearted Prince, and justly--for I speak


s: In riddles, till God's time to make all clear.


s: When His day dawns, the blind shall see.


s: Than wise men stationed lower.  I spy peril,


s: Fierce flame invisible from the lesser peaks.


s: God's time is now.  Delayed truth leaves a lie


s: Potent to force an ear that's locked to mercy,


s: Would that my people's safety were assured


s: So is my child's!  Where shall we turn?  Where flee?


s: For all around us the Black Angel broods.


s: The hand of God, than be cut off by man.


s: We are trapped, the springe is set.  Not ignorantly


s: But knowing, having weighed the opposing risks.


s: Our friends in Strasburg have been overmastered,


s: The imperial voice is drowned, the papal arm


s: Drops paralyzed--both, lifted for the truth;


s: We can but front with brave eyes, brow erect,


s: As is our wont, the fullness of our doom.


s: Then Meissen's sword champions your desperate cause.


s: I take my stand here where my heart is fixed.


s: I love your daughter--if her love consent,


s: Let not this Saxon skin, this hair's gold fleece,


s: These Rhine-blue eyes mislead thee--she is alien.


s: Thy propped house crumbles; let my arm sustain


s: Its tottering base--thy light is on the wane,


s: Or ever pitch-black night engulf us all--


s: Lend me your voice, Liebhaid, entreat for me.


s: Shall this prayer be your first that he denies?


s: Father, my heart's desire is one with his.


s: Is this the will of God?  Amen!  My children,


s: Be patient with me, I am full of trouble.


s: For you, heroic Prince, could aught enhance


s: 'T were the foreboding horror of this hour,


s: Wherein you dare flash forth its lightning-sword.


s: You reckon not, in the hot, splendid moment


s: Of great resolve, the cold insidious breath


s: Wherewith the outer world shall blast and freeze--


s: Which you delivering to your gracious father,


s: Shall calm his rage withal, and change his scorn


s: I will go fetch it--though I drain my heart


s: Of its red blood, to yield this sacrifice.


s: Have you no smile to welcome love with, Liebhaid?


s: Afraid of my own heart, my unfathomed joy,


s: The thrilling harbinger of general dawn.


s: Did you not tell me scarce a month agone,


s: When I chanced in on you at feast and prayer,


s: The holy time's bright legend? of the queen,


s: Strong, beautiful, resolute, who denied her race


s: Her life, her soul,--and so redeemed her tribe.


s: You are my Esther--but I, no second tyrant,


s: Worship whom you adore, love whom you love!


s: If I must die with morn, I thank my God,


s: And thee, my king, that I have lived this night.


s: Here is the chest, sealed with my signet-ring,


s: Whose worth is faintly symboled by these gems,


s: Starring the case.  Deliver it unopened,


s: Unto the Landgrave.  Now, sweet Prince, good night.


s: Else will the Judengasse gates be closed.


s: Thanks, father, thanks.  Liebhaid, my bride, good-night.


s: SUSSKIND places his hands on the heads of


s: Blessed, O Lord, art thou, who bringest joy


s: To bride and bridegroom.  Let us thank the Lord.


s: Who tells me?  Ask the Judengasse walls,


s: The garrulous stones publish Prince William's visits


s: No light amour this, leaving shield unflecked;


s: Things more impossible have chanced.  Remember


s: There wed the Pasha's daughter Malachsala,


s: Nor blushed to bring his heathen paramour


s: I swear by heaven 't is no unseemly love


s: Liebhaid von Orb, but 't is the honest passion


s: Wherewith a knight leads home his equal wife.


s: Great God! and thou wilt brag thy shame!  Thou speakest


s: Thy princely name a stench in German nostrils?


s: Large, simple, splendid like a star, her heart


s: Suffused with Syrian sunshine--but no more--


s: Swan-necked, gold-haired, Madonna-eyed.  I love her!


s: If you will quench this passion, take my life!


s: Bear off this prisoner!  Let him sigh out


s: His blasphemous folly in the castle tower,


s: Until his hair be snow, his fingers claws.


s: The LANDGRAVE and SCHNETZEN go to the window.]


s: They scourge themselves for grievous sin.


s: Trembles the earth beneath God's breath,


s: Look, foreign pilgrims!  What an endless file!


s: Naked waist-upward.  Blood is trickling down


s: Their lacerated flesh.  What do they carry?


s: Their scourges--iron-pointed, leathern thongs,


s: Mark how they lash themselves--the strict Flagellants.


s: The Brothers of the Cross--hark to their cries!


s: The enemies of heaven--raze their homes!


s: They poison all our wells--they bring the plague.


s: Kill them who killed our Lord!  Their homes shall be


s: A wilderness--drown them in their own blood!


s: Is not the people's voice the voice of God?


s: The moment favors.  Later 't were hard to show


s: For slaughtering the vassals of the Crown.


s: Two mighty friends are theirs.  His holiness


s: These battle singly against death and fate.


s: Your allies are the sense and heart o' the world.


s: Priests warring for their Christ, nobles for gold,


s: Spoiled by the poison-mixers.  Kaiser Karl


s: Lifts his lone voice unheard, athwart the roar


s: Of such a flood; the papal bull is whirled


s: What credence lend you to the general rumor


s: I have seen, yea touched the leathern wallet found


s: On the body of one from whom the truth was wrenched


s: Though but a famulus of the master-wizard,


s: He had flung such pouches in the Rhine, the Elbe,


s: Until the wholesome air reeked pestilence;


s: 'T was an ell long, filled with a dry, fine dust


s: Of rusty black and red, deftly compounded


s: Of powdered flesh of basilisks, spiders, frogs,


s: And lizards, baked with sacramental dough


s: The veins of priest-rid women, fools, and children.


s: Pardon me, Sire.  I am a simple soldier.


s: These are my guides--blindfold I follow them.


s: If your keen royal wit pierce the gross web


s: Remember, too, Susskind retains your bonds.


s: The old fox will not press you; he would bleed


s: Rather his last gold doit and so possess


s: Your ease of mind, nag, chafe, and toy with it;


s: Less devilish-cunning, franklier Hebrew-viced,


s: Your debt exact--the sum and date of interest,


s: And that you visit Susskind, not for love,


s: This is the will of God.  Whom shall I send


s: Ah, vengeance cometh late, Susskind von Orb,


s: But yet it comes!  My wife was burned through thee,


s: Thou and thy children are consumed by me!


s: Be comforted, my daughter.  Your lord's wisdom


s: Is flat contempt of Heaven--to ask in marriage,


s: Oh slander not her corpse.  For my son's fault,


s: A thousand innocents are doomed.  Is that


s: Did not He purge with fiery hail those twain


s: Blotches of festering sin, Gomorrah, Sodom?


s: Agonized on the Cross, they cried--"His blood


s: Be on our children's heads and ours!"  I mark


s: Pity, misnamed--say, criminal indulgence


s: If the true passion brimmed our yearning hearts


s: Nailed on the gaunt black Cross the divine form,


s: Wax-white and dripping blood from ankles, wrists,


s: The sacred ichor that redeems the world,


s: And crowded in strange shadow of eclipse,


s: Sputtering blasphemy--who then would shrink


s: From holy vengeance? who would offer less


s: Pends here of individual life; our sight


s: Must broaden to embrace the scope sublime


s: Sword, plague, fire, cataclysm--and must, since Christ


s: Cursed him to live till doomsday, still to be


s: A scarecrow to the nations.  None the less


s: Are we beholden in Christ's name at whiles,


s: Communities of Christians, to wash clean


s: The Church's vesture, shaking off the filth


s: That gathers round her skirts.  A perilous germ!


s: Know you not, all the wells, the very air


s: To shield this hell-spawn, loathed by all who love


s: The lamb and kiss the Cross.  I had not guessed


s: Such obscure creatures crawled upon my path,


s: Deigned to ennoble with his great regard,


s: What is her tribe to me?  Her kith and kin


s: Led like the clean-fleeced yeanling to the fold.


s: Trust me, my daughter--for through me the Church


s: Which is the truth, which is the life, doth speak.


s: Yet first 't were best essay to cure the Prince


s: Of this moon-fostered madness, bred, no doubt,


s: By baneful potions which these cunning knaves


s: Where in the high tower mewed, a wing-clipped eagle,


s: His spirit breaks in cage.  You are his master,


s: He is wont from childhood to hear wisdom fall


s: From your instructed lips.  Tell him his mother


s: Rises not from her knees, till he is freed.


s: Madam, I go.  Our holy Church has healed


s: Far deadlier heart-wounds than a love-sick boy's.


s: Be of good cheer, the Prince shall live to bless


s: The father's rigor who kept pure of blot


s: A 'scutcheon more unsullied than the sun.


s: A mean apartment in one of the Towers of the Landgrave's Palace.


s: PRINCE WILLIAM discovered seated at the window.


s: The slow sun sets; with lingering, large embrace


s: He folds the enchanted hill; then like a god


s: Strides into heaven behind the purple peak.


s: Oh beautiful!  In the clear, rayless air,


s: I see the chequered vale mapped far below,


s: The sky-paved streams, the velvet pasture-slopes,


s: The grim, gray cloister whose deep vesper bell


s: Blends at this height with tinkling, homebound herds!


s: I see--but oh, how far!--the blessed town


s: Where Liebhaid dwells.  Oh that I were yon star


s: That pricks the West's unbroken foil of gold,


s: How keen it sparkles o'er the Venusburg!


s: When brown night falls and mists begin to live,


s: Then will the phantom hunting-train emerge,


s: Hounds straining, black fire-eyeballed, breathless steeds,


s: Spurred by wild huntsmen, and unhallowed nymphs,


s: And at their head the foam-begotten witch,


s: Of soul-destroying beauty.  Saints of heaven!


s: Preserve mine eyes from such unholy sight!


s: How all unlike the base desire which leads


s: Our bird makes merry his dull bars with song,


s: More fitly with your sin than minstrels' lays?


s: I know no blot upon my life's fair record.


s: And fling to the ordures thine immortal soul?


s: Forbear! thy cowl's a helmet, thy serge frock


s: To what a pass their draughts have brought the mildest,


s: Noblest of princes!  Softly, my son; be ruled


s: Thou hast been drugged with sense-deranging potions,


s: Thy blood set boiling and thy brain askew;


s: When these thick fumes subside, thou shalt awake


s: To bless the friend who gave thy madness bounds.


s: Madness!  Yea, as the sane world goes, I am mad.


s: What else to help the helpless, to uplift


s: The low, to adore the good, the beautiful,


s: To live, battle, suffer, die for truth, for love!


s: But that is wide of the question.  Let me hear


s: What you are charged to impart--my father's will.


s: Heart-cleft by his dear offspring's shame, he prays


s: Your reason be restored, your wayward sense


s: He, the good parent, weeps--hot drops of gall,


s: Wrung from a spirit seldom eased by tears.


s: But for his honor pricked, the Landgrave takes


s: Sweet Prince, be calm; you leap like flax to flame.


s: You nest within your heart a cockatrice,


s: Pluck it from out your bosom and breathe pure


s: Of the filthy egg.  The Landgrave brooks no more


s: Who and how many of that harmless tribe,


s: Those meek and pious men, have been elected


s: To glut with innocent blood the oppressor's wrath?


s: Who should go free where equal guilt is shared?


s: Frederick is just--they perish all at once,


s: Generous moreover--for in their mode of death


s: The human semblance when I saw him last.


s: Nor can he be divorced in this short space


s: From his shrewd wit.  How shall he make provision


s: For the vast widowed, orphaned host this deed


s: This is the crown of folly, topping all!


s: Forgive me, Prince, when I gain breath to point


s: Your comic blunder, you will laugh with me.


s: Patience--I'll draw my chin as long as yours.


s: Well, 't was my fault--one should be accurate--


s: Of twenty-four hours, and of five score years.


s: With one clean, searching blast of wholesome fire.


s: O Christ, disgraced, insulted!  Horrible man,


s: Remembered be your laugh in lowest hell,


s: Dragging you to the nether pit!  Forgive me;


s: You are my friend--take me from here--unbolt


s: Those iron doors--I'll crawl upon my knees


s: Unto my father--I have much to tell him.


s: For but the freedom of one hour, sweet Prior,


s: I'll brim the vessels of the Church with gold.


s: Boy! your bribes touch not, nor your curses shake


s: The minister of Christ.  Yet I will bear


s: Keen as the archangel's blade of truth--your voice


s: Be as God's thunder, and your heart one blaze--


s: Then can you speak my cause.  With me, it needs


s: No plausive gift; the smitten head, stopped throat,


s: Blind eyes and silent suppliance of sorrow


s: Persuade beyond all eloquence.  Great God!


s: Here while I rage and beat against my bars,


s: The hell-spark kindled.  Go to him, dear Prior,


s: Speak to him gently, be not too much moved,


s: 'Neath its rude case you had ever a soft heart,


s: And he is stirred by mildness more than passion.


s: Recall to him her round, clear, ardent eyes,


s: The shower of sunshine that's her hair, the sheen


s: Of the cream-white flesh--shall these things serve as fuel?


s: Tell him that when she heard once he was wounded,


s: And how he bled and anguished; at the tale


s: The faith that marries you in life and death.


s: This promise with the Landgrave would prevail


s: Oh trusting, tranquil Susskind, who estopped


s: Your ears forewarned, bandaged your visioned eyes,


s: To woo destruction!  Stay! did he not speak


s: Have crowded out my wits.  Yea, the gold casket!


s: What fixed serenity beamed from his brow,


s: Laying the precious box within my hands!


s: Nor lose one vital moment.  What it holds,


s: I guess not--but my light heart whispers me


s: First I must foil such devil's tricks as lurk


s: Deliverance posts on your return.  I feel it.


s: For your much comfort thanks.  Good-night.


s: A cell in the Wartburg Monastery.  Enter PRIOR PEPPERCORN with


s: So!  Glittering shell where doubtless shines concealed


s: I have baptized thee now before the altar,


s: And I am free to claim the Church's tithe


s: Fresh come to Wartburg craves a word with thee.


s: Reenter Lay-Brother ushering in NORDMANN, and exit.


s: Blessed be thou who comest in God's name!


s: May the Lord grant thee thine own prayer fourfold!


s: The grave gives up her dead.  Thou canst not be--


s: Had been decreed, but in his stead a squire


s: Clad in his garb and masked, paid bloody forfeit.


s: A loyal wretch on whom the Prince wreaked vengeance,


s: Rather than publish the true bird had flown.


s: Does Frederick know thou art in Eisenach?


s: Who would divine the Knight of Nordmannstein


s: In the Flagellants' weeds?  From land to land,


s: They die like rats; in Gotha they are burned;


s: Child-murderers, wizards, breeders of the Plague,


s: Had the truth squeezed from them with screws and racks,


s: All with explicit date, place, circumstance,


s: By scriveners of the law.  On their confession


s: The holy flames shall dance in Nordhausen.


s: Your zeal bespeaks you fair.  In your deep eyes


s: A mystic fervor shines; yet your scarred flesh


s: And shrunken limbs denote exhausted nature,


s: Jesus was wroth at me, at all the world,


s: For our indulgence of the flesh, our base


s: He charged an angel with this gracious word,


s: "Whoso will scourge himself for forty days,


s: And labor towards the clean extermination


s: Of earth's corrupting vermin, shall be saved."


s: Oh, what vast peace this message brought my soul!


s: I have learned to love the ecstasy of pain.


s: When the sweat stands upon my flesh, the blood


s: Throbs in my bursting veins, my twisted muscles


s: Anigh his feet who suffered on the Cross.


s: O all transforming Time!  Can this be he,


s: The gallant youth of earlier years, whose pranks


s: (Save that the spirit of grace has fallen on me).


s: Urged by one motive through these banished years,


s: One living dream--my long delayed revenge.


s: You saw the day when Henry Schnetzen's castle


s: Susskind von Orb! and Schnetzen's daughter lives


s: Was ever blessed withal since Jesus died.


s: White as a dove, with hair like golden floss,


s: Eyes like an Alpine lake.  The haughty line


s: Of brow imperial, high bridged nose, fine chin,


s: Seemed like the shadow cast upon the wall,


s: I shared with him thirst, hunger, sword, and fire.


s: But he became a courtier.  When the Margrave


s: Sent me his second challenge to the field,


s: His messenger was Schnetzen!  'Mongst his knights,


s: The apple of his eye was Henry Schnetzen.


s: He was the hound that hunted me to death.


s: He stood by Frederick's side when I was led,


s: Bound, to the presence.  I denounced him coward,


s: He smote me on the cheek.  Christ! it stings yet.


s: He hissed--"My liege, let Henry Nordmann hang!


s: He is no knight, for he receives a blow,


s: Nor dare avenge it!"  My gyved wrists moved not,


s: No nerve twitched in my face, although I felt


s: Flame leap there from my heart, then flying back,


s: Leave it cold-bathed with deathly ooze--my soul


s: In silence took her supreme vow of hate.


s: Praise be to God that thou hast come to-day.


s: To-morrow were too late.  Hast thou not heard


s: Frederick sends Schnetzen unto Nordhausen,


s: Mayhap this box which Susskind sends the Prince


s: discovers a golden cross and a parchment which he hastily


s: "I Susskind von Orb of Nordhausen, swear by the unutterable Name,


s: restoring her to her father, but when I returned to Nordhausen, I


s: show the Christian child to the bereaved mother as her own.  The


s: pious trick prevailed; the fever broke, the mother was restored.


s: offspring of the Gentile knight.  Then again would I have yielded


s: have written.  As a token, behold this golden cross, bound by the


s: Isaac, and Jacob redeem and bless me as I have writ the truth."


s: I thank the Saints that this has come betimes.


s: Thou shalt renounce thy hate.  Vengeance is mine,


s: Is this meek, saintly-hypocrite, the firm,


s: Ambitious, resolute Reinhard Peppercorn,


s: Look, you, I have won the special grace of Christ,


s: He knows through what fierce anguish!  Now he leans


s: Out of his heaven to whisper in mine ear,


s: And reach me my revenge.  He makes my cause


s: His own--and I shall fail upon these heights,


s: Your enemy's living heart within your hands.


s: This secret is far costlier than you dreamed,


s: For Frederick's son wooes Schnetzen's daughter.  See,


s: A hundred delicate springs your wit may move,


s: Your puppets are the Landgrave and the Prince,


s: You may recover station, wealth, and honor,


s: Selling your secret shrewdly; while rash greed


s: Of clumsy vengeance may but drag you down


s: Christ teach me whom to trust!  I would not spill


s: One drop from out this brimming glorious cup


s: For which my parched heart pants.  I will consider.


s: Let all rest as it stands until the dawn.


s: Good-night, true friend.  Devote a prayer to me.


s: (Aside.) I will outwit you, serpent, though you glide


s: Athwart the dark, noiseless and swift as fate.


s: On the road to Nordhausen.  Moonlit, rocky landscape.  On the


s: right between high, white cliffs a narrow stream spanned by a


s: wooden bridge.  Thick bushes and trees.  Enter PRINCE WILLIAM


s: Is this the place where we shall find fresh steeds?


s: The Werra bridge the horses wait for us.


s: These rotten planks would never bear their weight.


s: When I am Landgrave these things shall be cared for.


s: To loiter in.  How swift the water runs,


s: Would never reach Liborius' convent yonder,


s: Perched on the sheer, chalk cliff.  I think of peril,


s: From my excess of joy.  My spirit chafes,


s: She that would breast broad-winged the air, must halt


s: On stumbling mortal limbs.  Look, thither, boy,


s: How the black shadows of the tree-boles stripe


s: Pricking the dewdrops, plays fantastic tricks


s: With objects most familiar.  Look again,


s: And where thou sawst the steel-blue flicker glint,


s: overmaster, after a brief but violent resistance, the Prince and


s: In murderous ambush for the Prince of Meissen?


s: If you be knights, speak honorably your names,


s: If ye be robbers, name forthwith your ransom.


s: By Christ's blood!  I beseech you, let me go!


s: Nordhausen.  A room in SUSSKIND's house.


s: Say on, poor girl, if but to speak these horrors


s: For all my woes seem here to merge their flood


s: Through France our journey led, as I have told,


s: Naught stayed my father's course--sword, storm, flame, plague,


s: Exhaustion of the eighty year old frame,


s: O'ertaxed beyond endurance.  Once, once only,


s: His divine force succumbed.  'T was at day's close,


s: Of April snow-flakes.  I was drenched, cold, sick,


s: With weariness and hunger light of head,


s: The whole world like the spinning flakes of snow.


s: My numb hand slipped from his, and all was blank.


s: His beard, his breath upon my brow, his tears


s: Scalding my cheek hugged close against his breast,


s: And in my ear deep groans awoke me.  "God!"


s: I heard him cry, "try me not past my strength.


s: Gently I drew his face to mine, and kissed,


s: Whispering courage--then his spirit broke


s: Utterly; shattered were his wits, I feared.


s: Find shelter from the tempest.  Tell me rather


s: What record speaks of placid, golden days,


s: Matched each with each as twins?  Till yester eve


s: My life was simple as a song.  At whiles


s: Dark tales have reached us of our people's wrongs,


s: Strange, far-off anguish, furrowing with fresh care


s: My father's brow, draping our home with gloom.


s: We were still blessed; the Landgrave is his friend--


s: The Prince--my Prince--dear Claire, ask me no more!


s: Splitting my heart against my heart!  O God,


s: How shall I pray for strength to love him less


s: What good shall come forswearing kith and God,


s: Duty wears one face, but a thousand masks.


s: Thy feet she leads to glittering peaks, while mine


s: She guides midst brambled roadways.  Not the first


s: Art thou of Israel's women, chosen of God,


s: The sun, moon, stars begin again their course,


s: They hesitate, trembling and filled with shame,


s: Blush at the blasphemous worship offered them,


s: And each time God's voice thunders, crying out,


s: The streets are thronged with panic-stricken folk.


s: Wild rumors fill the air.  Two of our tribe,


s: Young Mordecai, as I hear, and old Baruch,


s: Seized by the mob, were dragged towards Eisenach,


s: Cruelly used, left to bleed out their lives,


s: In the wayside ditch at night.  This morn, betimes,


s: Rides furious into Nordhausen; his horse,


s: Spurred past endurance, drops before the gate.


s: The Council has been called to hear him read


s: The Landgrave's message,--all men say, 'tis death


s: With Rabbi Jacob.  Through the streets they walk,


s: Striving to quell the terror.  Ah, too late!


s: Brother, be calm.  Man your young heart to front


s: Whatever ills the Lord afflicts us with.


s: What does Prince William?  Hastes he not to aid?


s: None know his whereabouts.  Some say he's held


s: Imprisoned by the Landgrave.  Others tell


s: To Nordhausen, in bloody Schnetzen's wake,


s: He was set upon by ruffians--kidnapped--killed.


s: What do I know--hid till our ruin's wrought.


s: Hush, foolish boy.  See how your rude words hurt.


s: Dear sister, pardon me; he lives, he lives!


s: God help me!  Shall my heart crack for love's loss


s: That meekly bears my people's martyrdom?


s: He lives--I feel it--to live or die with me.


s: I am all Israel's now--till this cloud pass,


s: I have no thought, no passion, no desire,


s: This is the darkest hour before the dawn.


s: How dear thou art to me--heart of my heart,


s: Mine, mine, all mine to-day! the pious thought,


s: The glowing veins that sucked life-nourishment


s: From Hebrew mother's milk.  Look at me, Liebhaid,


s: No fiercer pang than this did Jephthah know.


s: Father, what wild and wandering words are these?


s: That I can weep my private loss--of thee.


s: An ugly dream I had, quits not my sense,


s: Forsook your father, and forswore your race.


s: We must be brave--I who besought my tribe


s: To bide their fate in Nordhausen, and you


s: With many have I talked; some crouched at home,


s: Some wringing hands about the public ways.


s: My children, we had best go in and pray,


s: Solace and safety dwell but in the Lord.


s: The City Hall at Nordhausen.  Deputies and Burghers assembling.


s: To the right, at a table near the President's chair, is seated


s: the Public Scrivener.  Enter DIETRICH VON TETTENBORN, and HENRY


s: SCHNETZEN with an open letter in his hand.


s: Didst hear the fellow's words who handed it?


s: I asked from whom it came, he spoke by rote,


s: "The pepper bites, the corn is ripe for harvest,


s: I come from Eisenach."  'T is some tedious jest.


s: Doubtless your shrewd friend Prior Peppercorn


s: Masks here some warning.  Ask the scrivener


s: But this I know.  Schnetzen is no man's dupe,


s: Comes on grave mission from His Highness Frederick,


s: Our town's imperial Patron and Protector.


s: Gentles, I greet you in the Landgrave's name,


s: The honored bearer of his princely script,


s: Sealed with his signet.  Read, good Master Clerk.


s: Lord President and Deputies of the town of Nordhausen!  Know that


s: as our lands extend, on account of the great crime they have


s: committed against Christendom in throwing poison into the wells,


s: of the truth of which indictment we have absolute knowledge.


s: God, so that Christendom be not enfeebled by them.  Whatever


s: Schnetzen, our Governor of Salza, who shall publicly accuse your


s: help him to do justice upon them, and we will singularly reward


s: Given at Eisenach, the Thursday after St. Walpurgis, under our


s: Fit silence welcomes this unheard-of wrong!


s: So!  Ye are men--free, upright, honest men,


s: Not hired assassins?  I half doubted it,


s: Seeing you lend these infamous words your ears.


s: Ye cross the Landgrave--well? he crosses you.


s: Not with a harmless script, but with a sword,


s: And so denounce the town for perjured vow.


s: Who championed these lost wretches, in the face


s: Of King and Kaiser--three against the world,


s: Master Mechanic?  These leagued fools essayed


s: To stand between the people's sacred wrath,


s: Were rooted from the city neck and crop,


s: And their three friends degraded from their rank


s: I' the city council, glad to save their skins.


s: Thunders his ban from Rome against all such


s: As aid the poisoners.  Your oath to God,


s: Why all this vain debate?  The Landgrave's brief


s: Shall we stand by and leave them unmolested,


s: Till they have made our town a wilderness?


s: I have scant gift of speech, ye are all my elders.


s: Yet hear me for truth's sake, and liberty's.


s: The Landgrave of Thuringia is our patron,


s: But are we not free burghers?  Shall we not


s: Debate and act in freedom?  If Lord Schnetzen


s: Will force our council with the sword--enough!


s: We are not frightened schoolboys crouched beneath


s: The master's rod, but men who bear the sword


s: As brave as he.  By this grim messenger,


s: Send back this devilish missive.  Say to Frederick


s: Withdraw awhile, that we may all take counsel,


s: As free men, whom nor fear nor favor swerves.


s: Bold youth, you err.  True, Nordhausen is free,


s: And God be witness, we for fear or favor,


s: Would never shed the blood of innocence.


s: For capital crime.  Who sees a snake must kill,


s: For mercy, all the rest for death.  (To an Usher.)


s: To hear the Landgrave's and the town's decree.


s: (To Schnetzen.)  What learn you of this evil through the State?


s: It swells to monstrous bulk.  In many towns,


s: Folk build high ramparts round the wells and springs.


s: In some they shun the treacherous sparkling brooks,


s: To drink dull rain-water, or melted snow,


s: In mountain districts.  Frederick has been patient,


s: And too long clement, duped by fleece-cloaked wolves.


s: A fiendish and far-reaching plot involves


s: All Christian thrones and peoples.  These vile vermin,


s: Have leagued with Moors in Spain, with heretics


s: Too plentiful--Christ knows! in every land,


s: And planned a subterraneous, sinuous scheme,


s: Where with audacious brows, and steadfast mien,


s: They enter, bold as innocence.  Now listen,


s: And thou, Susskind von Orb, bow down, and learn


s: The Council's pleasure.  You the least despised


s: By your own tribe, we grace with our free leave


s: To enter, yea, to lift your voices here,


s: If ye find aught to plead, that mitigates


s: The just severity of your doom.  Our prince,


s: For the foul crime of poisoning the wells,


s: Bringing the Black Death upon Christendom,


s: RABBI JACOB (springing forward and clasping his hands).


s: Sure, one at least owns here the close, kind name


s: Some sit among you who have wedded wives,


s: Bear the dear title and the precious charge


s: Of Husband--unto these I speak.  Some here,


s: Are crowned, it may be, with the sacred name


s: Are sons--all have been children, all have known


s: Who are brothers, husbands, fathers, sons as ye!


s: Look you, we have dwelt among you many years,


s: Led thrifty, peaceable, well-ordered lives.


s: Who can attest, who prove we ever wrought


s: Far less this fiendish crime against the State?


s: Some debt of unpaid kindness, profuse alms,


s: And ye would see, if all stood bravely forth,


s: A motley host, led by the Landgrave's self,


s: Recruited from all ranks, and in the rear,


s: The humblest, veriest wretch in Nordhausen.


s: We know the Black Death is a scourge of God.


s: Our blood as quick envenomed as your own?


s: Has the Destroying Angel passed the posts


s: We all are slaves of one tremendous Hour.


s: We drink the waters which our enemies say


s: We spoil with poison,--we must breathe, as ye,


s: The universal air,--we droop, faint, sicken,


s: From the same causes to the selfsame end.


s: Ye are not strangers to me, though ye wear


s: Grim masks to-day--lords, knights and citizens,


s: Few do I see whose hand has pressed not mine,


s: In cordial greeting.  Dietrich von Tettenborn,


s: Unto the State, bethink you, lest she prove


s: Stout Meister Rolapp, may you never again


s: Languish so nigh to death that Simon's art


s: Good Hugo Schultz--ah! be those blessed tears


s: Look there, my lords, one of your council weeps,


s: On yonder bench.  You have good cause to weep,


s: You who are Christian, and disgraced in that


s: Whereof you made your boast.  I have no tears.


s: A fiery wrath has scorched their source, a voice


s: Shrills through my brain--"Not upon us, on them


s: Fall everlasting woe, if this thing be!"


s: My lords of Nordhausen, shall ye be stunned


s: With sounding words?  Behold the serpent's skin,


s: Sleek-shining, clear as sunlight; yet his tooth


s: Did nail the Lord of heaven on the Cross,


s: When once they have the might.  Beware, beware!


s: So YOU are the accuser, my lord Schnetzen?


s: You are in all this presence, the one man


s: With the utmost rigor of the law, for theft


s: And violence, whom ye deemed an honest man,


s: But leave my tribe unharmed!  I yield my hands


s: Unto your chains, my body to your fires;


s: From the absolute truth, yet dares not front his Maker


s: With the full damnable lie hot on his lips.


s: Not thou alone, my private foe, shalt die,


s: But all thy race.  Thee had my vengeance reached,


s: Silence! my heart is cuirassed as my breast.


s: Bear with us, gracious lords!  My friend is stunned.


s: He is an honest man.  Even I, as 't were,


s: Yet, let me think--it seems it is not new,


s: This is an ancient, well-remembered pain.


s: What, brother, came not one who prophesied


s: That was a shrewd old man!  Your pardon, lords,


s: I think you know not just what you would do.


s: Of kindly, virtuous folk.  Come home with me;


s: I'll show you happy hearths, glad roofs, pure lives.


s: Why, some of them are little quick-eyed boys,


s: Some, pretty, ungrown maidens--children's children


s: Of those who called me to the pastorate.


s: And some are beautiful tall girls, some, youths


s: Of marvellous promise, some are old and sick,


s: Amongst them there be mothers, infants, brides,


s: Just like your Christian people, for all the world.


s: Know ye what burning is?  Hath one of you


s: Scorched ever his soft flesh, or singed his beard,


s: His hair, his eyebrows--felt the keen, fierce nip


s: Of the pungent flame--and raises not his voice


s: To stop this holocaust?  God! 't is too horrible!


s: Wake me, my friends, from this terrific dream.


s: Courage, my brother.  On our firmness hangs


s: Ye shall enjoy with me the jest.  These knaves


s: Speak out--I have no secrets from my peers.


s: My lord, what answer would you give your Christ


s: You sacrifice a Christian?  Some strayed dove


s: Lost from your cote, among our vultures caged?


s: Beware, for midst our virgins there is one


s: Owes kinship nor allegiance to our tribe.


s: Have mercy on our women!  Spare at least


s: My daughter Liebhaid, she is none of mine!


s: The wretches will forswear the sacred'st ties,


s: Cringing for life.  Serpents, ye all shall die.


s: So wills the Landgrave; so the court affirms.


s: Your daughter shall be first, whose wanton arts


s: Have brought destruction on a princely house.


s: My lord, be moved.  You kill your flesh and blood.


s: Entrusted to these arms her child.  'T was I


s: Carried your infant from your burning home.


s: Lord Schnetzen, will you murder your own child?


s: This adder on my bosom.  Henry Schnetzen


s: Is no weak dupe, whom every lie may start.


s: Is there a God in heaven?  I who ne'er knelt


s: If one red drop of human blood still flow


s: In thy congealed veins, if thou e'er have known


s: Touch of affection, the blind natural instinct


s: Thou man of frozen stone, thou hollow statue,


s: Grant me one prayer, that thou wilt look on her.


s: Then shall the eyes of thy dead wife gaze back


s: From out the maiden's orbs, then shall a voice


s: Within thine entrails, cry--This is my child.


s: Would thrust a cuckoo's egg within my nest.


s: I have had timely warning.  Send the twain


s: Back to their people, that the court's decree


s: Citizens! will you see this nameless crime


s: Brand the clean earth, blacken the crystal heaven?


s: Why, no man stirs!  God! with what thick strange fumes


s: Hast thou, o' the sudden, brutalized their sense?


s: Worshipful fiends, I have good store of gold,


s: Packed in my coffers, or loaned out to--Christians;


s: Her copious dews--my life shall seal the bond,


s: Go, bid your tribe make ready for their death


s: Why, if you travelled to the nighest town,


s: Summoned to stand before a mortal Prince


s: You would need longer grace to put in order


s: Household effects, to bid farewell to friends,


s: And make yourself right worthy.  But our way


s: Is long, our journey difficult, our judge


s: Haste-flushed and unprepared?  One brief day more,


s: Our fate is sealed.  These tigers are athirst.


s: The gracious sentence of the noble court.


s: Let us go thank the Lord who made us those


s: To suffer, not to do, this deed.  Be strong.


s: So! lean on me--we have little time to lose.


s: Look forth, Claire; moves not some big thundercloud


s: The clear May sun is shining, and the air


s: Blows fresh and cordial from the budding hills.


s: Reuben, what is 't o'clock.  Our father stays.


s: 'T is two full hours past noon; he should be here.


s: Ah see, he comes.  Great God! what woe has chanced?


s: He totters on his staff; he has grown old


s: The Lord have mercy!  Vain is the help of man.


s: Children, is all in order?  We must start


s: So wills the Landgrave, so the court decrees.


s: We are banished from our vexed, uncertain homes,


s: 'Midst foes and strangers, to a land of peace,


s: Where joy abides, where only comfort is.


s: Banished from care, fear, trouble, life--to death.


s: Oh horror! horror!  Father, I will not die.


s: Come, let us flee--we yet have time for flight.


s: I'll bribe the sentinel--he will ope the gates.


s: Liebhaid, Claire, Father! let us flee!  Away


s: To some safe land where we may nurse revenge.


s: Courage, my son, and peace.  We may not flee.


s: Didst thou not see the spies who dogged my steps?


s: The gates are thronged with citizens and guards.


s: We must not flee--God wills that we should die.


s: Oh why not now?  Why spare the time to warn?


s: Why came they not with thee to massacre,


s: And instant execution?  That were mercy!


s: Full five hours' grace to shrive our souls with prayer.


s: Recite the Kaddish for the Dead, and chant


s: Until the supreme hour when we shall stand


s: We shall go down as God's three servants went


s: Shall the flames spare the true-believers' flesh.


s: The anguish shall be fierce and strong, yet brief.


s: Our spirits shall not know the touch of pain,


s: Pure as refined gold they shall issue safe


s: Where we shall couch, compared with that whereon


s: They lie who kindle this accursed blaze.


s: Ye shrink? ye would avert your martyred brows


s: From the immortal crowns the angels offer?


s: God's chosen people, shall we stand a-tremble


s: Shall the smoke choke us, father? or the flame


s: The Lord will temper the shrewd pain for those


s: And hold my hand in thine until the end?


s: What solace hast thou, God, in all thy heavens


s: For such an hour as this?  Yea, hand in hand


s: We walk, my son, through fire, to meet the Lord.


s: Yet there is one among us shall not burn.


s: A secret shaft long rankling in my heart,


s: Now I withdraw, and die.  Our general doom,


s: Thy father is the man who wills our death;


s: Are sane, correcting your distracted words.


s: This is Love's trick, to rescue me from death.


s: My love is firm as thine, and dies with thee.


s: Oh, Liebhaid, live.  Hast thou forgot the Prince?


s: Think of the happy summer blooms for thee


s: Live and rejoice in love, when ye are dead?


s: My child, my child!  By the Ineffable Name,


s: Albeit thy father scoffed, gave me the lie.


s: Go kneel to him--for if he see thy face,


s: Or hear thy voice, he shall not doubt, but save.


s: I here deny my race, forsake my father,--


s: So does thy dream fall true.  Let him save thee,


s: Whose hand has guided mine, whose lips have blessed,


s: Whose bread has nourished me.  Thy God is mine,


s: Wilt thou desert us for whose sake we perish?


s: The awful hour draws nigh.  Come forth with us


s: Here we may weep, here for the last time know


s: Of natural tenderness; here our hearts may break;


s: Yonder no tears, no faltering!  Eyes serene


s: To those who have usurped the name of men,


s: Must prove our faith and valor limitless


s: My daughter, thrice my daughter!  Thine affection


s: Outshines the hellish flames of hate; farewell,


s: But for a while; beyond the river of fire


s: I'll fold thee in mine arms, immortal angel!


s: For thee, poor orphan, soon to greet again


s: The blessed brows of parents, I dreamed not


s: The grave was all the home I had to give.


s: Go thou with Liebhaid, and array yourselves


s: As for a bridal.  Come, little son, with me.


s: Oh that mine head were waters and mine eyes


s: Fountains of tears!  God has forsaken us.


s: What, Benjamin!  Open the door to death!


s: Come forth!  Come forth!  Manasseh!  Daniel!  Ezra!


s: Descend!  Come with us to the house of prayer.


s: Save himself whoso can! we all shall burn.


s: Beseech you brethren, calmly.  Tell us all!


s: Gasping within.  Ye'll thrust him in his grave


s: Whom the Lord calls unto Himself in peace!


s: From the tribunal where the vote is--Death


s: Of home, love, life--put on your festal robes.


s: So wills the Rabbi, and come forth at once


s: O God!  Is this the portion of mine age?


s: Were my white hairs, my old bones spared for this?


s: Save me, my father!  To-morrow should have been


s: The feast at Rachel's house.  I longed for that,


s: Counted the days, dreaded some trivial chance


s: Might cross my pleasure--Lo, this horror comes!


s: Snatched from my lips!  Shall we twain lie with death,


s: Dark, silent, cold--whose every sense was tuned


s: That was the dream--how soon we are awake!


s: Ah, we have that within our hearts defies


s: Their fiercest flames.  No end, no end, no end!


s: God with a mighty hand, a stretched-out arm,


s: The sword is furbished, sharp i' the slayer's hand.


s: Thou shalt be fuel to the fire; thy blood


s: Shall overflow the land, and thou no more


s: Shalt be remembered--so the Lord hath spoken.


s: Within the Synagogue.  Above in the gallery, women sumptuously


s: attired; some with children by the hand or infants in their arms.


s: Out of the depths we cry to thee, oh God!


s: Of joy, and in thy right hand endless bliss.


s: Thou hast brought down this doom.  Would we had heard


s: The Lord is great in Zion.  Let our death


s: To Israel.  Hark ye! let us crave one boon


s: At our assassins' hands; beseech them build


s: Within God's acre where our fathers sleep,


s: Then let the minstrels strike the harp and lute,


s: And we will dance and sing above the pile,


s: Fearless of death, until the flames engulf,


s: As Miriam danced and sang beside the sea.


s: Great is our Lord!  His name is glorious


s: In Salem is his tent, his dwelling place


s: In Zion; let us chant the praise of God!


s: Susskind, thou speakest well!  We will meet death


s: With dance and song.  Embrace him as a bride.


s: So that the Lord receive us in His tent.


s: Susskind, go forth and beg this grace of them.


s: In anger, oh our God!  Our sins o'erwhelm


s: Our smitten heads, they are a grievous load;


s: Knowing our trespasses.  Forsake us not.


s: Be thou not far from us.  Haste to our aid,


s: Brethren, our prayer, being the last, is granted.


s: The hour approaches.  Let our thoughts ascend


s: Of martyrdom, the blessed death of those


s: These flames that would eclipse it, dark as blots


s: Of candle-light against the blazing sun.


s: We die a thousand deaths,--drown, bleed, and burn;


s: Yet the wild winds cherish the sacred seed,


s: The waters guard it in their crystal heart,


s: The fire refuseth to consume.  It springs,


s: Rather a vine, full-flowered, golden-branched,


s: Ambrosial-fruited, creeping on the earth,


s: Trod by the passer's foot, yet chosen to deck


s: Tables of princes.  Israel now has fallen


s: Into the depths, he shall be great in time.*


s: Brave through our bright example, virtuous


s: Lest our great memory fall in disrepute.


s: Is one among us brothers, would exchange


s: His doom against our tyrants,--lot for lot?


s: Rather than live in Christ,--their Christ who smiles


s: On such a deed as this?  Let him go forth--


s: Ye who nurse rancor haply in your hearts,


s: To-day, no! nor to-morrow! but in God's time,


s: Our witnesses arise.  Ours is the truth,


s: Ours is the power, the gift of Heaven.  We hold


s: His Law, His lamp, His covenant, His pledge.


s: And everywhere I see them star the gloom--


s: In each of these the martyrs are avenged!


s: *The vine creeps on the earth, trodden by the passer's foot,


s: but its fruit goes upon the table of princes.  Israel now has


s: fallen in the depths, but he shall be great in the fullness


s: Bring from the Ark the bell-fringed, silken-bound


s: Scrolls of the Law.  Gather the silver vessels,


s: Dismantle the rich curtains of the doors,


s: Bring the Perpetual Lamp; all these shall burn,


s: For Israel's light is darkened, Israel's Law


s: Profaned by strangers.  Thus the Lord hath said:*


s: "The weapon formed against thee shall not prosper,


s: The tongue that shall contend with thee in judgment,


s: Thou shalt condemn.  This is the heritage


s: Of the Lord's servants and their righteousness.


s: For thou shalt come to peoples yet unborn,


s: Declaring that which He hath done.  Amen!"


s: *Conclusion of service for Day of Atonement.


s: Come forth! the sun sets.   Come, the Council waits!


s: What! will ye teach your betters patience?  Out!


s: Curs! serpents! Judases!  The bonfire burns!


s: A Public Place.  Crowds of Citizens assembled.  On a platform


s: Here's such a throng!  Neighbor, your elbow makes


s: They will come hence,--a pack of just-whipped curs.


s: I warrant you the stiff-necked brutes repent


s: I have seen monstrous sights,--an uncaged wolf,


s: The widow Kupfen's malformed child--but never


s: Hard by in Wartburg; he had killed a child.


s: Zounds! how the serpent wriggled!  I smell now


s: Remember that, and when you hear them come,


s: I'll lift you on my shoulders.  You can fling


s: Quick, father! lift me!  I see nothing here


s: Pranked for a holiday; not veiled for death.


s: Insolent braggarts!  They defy the Christ!


s: after him, sick people, carried on litters--then old men and


s: women, followed promiscuously by men, women, and children of


s: all ages.  Some of the men carry gold and silver vessels, some


s: the Rolls of the Law.  One bears the Perpetual Lamp, another


s: the Seven-branched silver Candlestick of the Synagogue.  The


s: mothers have their children by the hand or in their arms.  All


s: The misers! they will take their gems and gold


s: To think the devils look like human folk!


s: Cursed be the poison-mixers!  Let them burn!


s: Susskind von Orb!  Blood for blood, fire for fire,


s: That we shall enter in God's tabernacle!


s: Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Zion,


s: I can see naught from here.  Let's follow, Hans.


s: Be satisfied.  There is no inch of space


s: For foot to rest on yonder.  Look! look there!


s: They all are dancing in the crimson blaze.


s: When the smoke parts a bit.  The tall flames dart.


s: Is not the fire real fire?  They fear it not.


s: Enter in furious haste PRINCE WILLIAM and NORDMANN.


s: Respite!  You kill your daughter, Henry Schnetzen!


s: Liebhaid von Orb is your own flesh and blood.


s: I swear, Lord Schnetzen, by my knightly honor,


s: flames.  Music ceases; a sound of crashing boards is heard and


s: The fire! the fire!  Liebhaid, I come to thee.


s: Oh cruel Christ!  Is there no bolt in heaven


s: For the child murderer?  Kill me, my friends! my breast


s: The plot and incidents of this Tragedy are taken from a little


s: narrative entitled "Der Tanz zum Tode; ein Nachtstuck aus dem


s: vierzehnten Jahrhundert," (The Dance to Death--a Night-piece of


s: the fourteenth century).  By Richard Reinhard.  Compiled from


s: authentic documents communicated by Professor Franz Delitzsch.


s: The original narrative thus disposes, in conclusion, of the


s: "The Knight Henry Schnetzen ended his curse-stricken life in a


s: "Herr Nordmann was placed in close confinement, and during the


s: same year his head fell under the sword of the executioner.


s: "Prince William returned, broken down with sorrow, to Eisenach.


s: His princely father's heart found no comfort during the remainder


s: "William reached an advanced age, but his life was joyless.  He


s: lay for a long time waste.  Nobody would build upon it.  Now it


s: SOLOMON BEN JUDAH GABIROL (Died Between 1070-80.)


s: Have I sucked the fresh fragrance of the breath?


s: Nay, it is the Song of Gabirol that has revived me,


s: The perfume of his youthful, spring-tide breeze."


s: "I will engrave my songs indelibly upon the heart of


s: the world, so that no one can efface them."


s: Night, and the heavens beam serene with peace,


s: Like a pure heart benignly smiles the moon.


s: Oh, guard thy blessed beauty from mischance,


s: See where the Storm his cloudy mantle spreads,


s: As if the tempest thirsted for the rain,


s: The clouds he presses, till they burst in streams.


s: Heaven wears a dusky raiment, and the moon


s: Appeareth dead--her tomb is yonder cloud,


s: And weeping shades come after, like the people


s: Who mourn with tearful grief a noble queen.


s: But look! the thunder pierced night's close-linked mail,


s: His keen-tipped lance of lightning brandishing;


s: Dazed by the flaming splendor of his wings,


s: The black cloud-ravens hurry scared away.


s: So, though the powers of darkness chain my soul,


s: My heart, a hero, chafes and breaks its bonds.


s: Will night already spread her wings and weave


s: Her dusky robe about the day's bright form,


s: Boldly the sun's fair countenance displacing,


s: And swathe it with her shadow in broad day?


s: So a green wreath of mist enrings the moon,


s: Till envious clouds do quite encompass her.


s: No wind! and yet the slender stem is stirred,


s: With faint, slight motion as from inward tremor.


s: Mine eyes are full of grief--who sees me, asks,


s: "Oh wherefore dost thou cling unto the ground?"


s: My friends discourse with sweet and soothing words;


s: They all are vain, they glide above my head.


s: I fain would check my tears; would fain enlarge


s: Grief presses hard my breast, therefore my tears


s: Have scarcely dried, ere they again spring forth.


s: For these are streams no furnace heat may quench,


s: Nebuchadnezzar's flames may dry them not.


s: Up, challenge, wrestle, and o'ercome!  Be strong!


s: The late grapes cover all the vine with fruit.


s: I am not glad, though even the lion's pride


s: Content itself upon the field's poor grass.


s: My spirit sinks beneath the tide, soars not


s: With fluttering seamews on the moist, soft strand.


s: I follow Fortune not, where'er she lead.


s: And though her clouds should rain no blessed dew,


s: Though she withhold the crown, the heart's desire,


s: Though all deceive, though honey change to gall,


s: Still am I lord, and will in freedom strive.


s: From him the worth of thy works to hear.


s: And so shall the angel of peace be thy warden,


s: And guide thee at last to the heavenly garden.


s: He marks not how they vanish from his gaze,


s: And wilt thou of his trespasses inquire?


s: Wilt thou resent on him the charms of sin?


s: Then spare him, be thou merciful, O King,


s: And wilt thou punish him for sins inborn?


s: And shalt thou count his sins--so is he lost,


s: Then spare him, punish not, be kind, I pray,


s: To him who dwelleth in the dust, an image wrought in clay!


s: When he is awe-struck by approaching doom,


s: Like a dried blade of grass, so weak, so low


s: The pleasure of his life is changed to gloom.


s: He crumbles like a garment spoiled with moth;


s: According to his sins wilt thou be wroth?


s: He melts like wax before the candle's breath,


s: Oh, spare him therefore, for thy gracious name,


s: If thou dost weigh him in the balance--lo!


s: He disappears--a breath that thou dost blow.


s: Then spare him! let him love and mercy win,


s: According to thy grace, and not according to his sin!


s: The pure, bright lightnings herald Spring,


s: The rain has quenched her children's thirst,


s: Though filled with light, yet veiled with haze.


s: Her wings are gemmed, and from her throat,


s: Wilt drag the clouds from heaven's height?


s: The strength of youth is still my shield.


s: My winged steed toward the heights doth bound,


s: My friend spoke with insinuating tongue:


s: "Drink wine, and thy flesh shall be made whole.  Look how


s: it hisses in the leathern bottle like a captured serpent."


s: Oh fool! can the sun be forged into a cask stopped with


s: earthly bungs.  I know not that the power of wine has ever


s: overmastered my sorrows; for these mighty giants I have found


s: Tears that would melt the hardest stone,


s: Oh, wherefore sing'st thou not the vine?


s: Why chant'st thou not the praise of wine?


s: With heavy groans did I approach my friends,


s: Heavy as though the mountains I would move.


s: The flagon they were murdering; they poured


s: Into the cup, wild-eyed, the grape's red blood.


s: No, they killed not, they breathed new life therein.


s: Then, too, in fiery rapture, burned my veins,


s: But soon the fumes had fled.  In vain, in vain!


s: Ye cannot fill the breach of the rent heart.


s: Ye crave a sensuous joy; ye strive in vain


s: To cheat with flames of passion, my despair.


s: So when the sinking sun draws near to night,


s: The sky's bright cheeks fade 'neath those tresses black.


s: Ye laugh--but silently the soul weeps on;


s: "Conquer the gloomy night of thy sorrow, for the morning greets


s: Rise and clothe thyself with noble pride,


s: The billows of the stormy sea which overwhelmed my soul,--


s: I endured with patience when he deceitfully lied to me


s: This heart of mine, that, albeit young in years,


s: Is none the less rich in deep, keen-eyed experience.


s: Where is the man who has been tried and found strong and sound?


s: Where is the friend of reason and of knowledge?


s: I see only prisoners in the durance of the senses,


s: Thinks himself as great a master as Aristotle.


s: Think'st thou that they have written poems?


s: My song I have inscribed on the forehead of Time,


s: ABUL HASSAN JUDAH BEN HA-LEVI. (Born Between 1080-90.)


s: But yesterday the earth drank like a child


s: Or like a wistful bride who waits the hour


s: And now the Spring is here with yearning eyes;


s: She weaves a tapestry of bloom o'er all,


s: White, green, or red like lips that to the mouth


s: Whence come these radiant tints, these blended beams?


s: As though each stole the splendor of the stars,


s: Come! go we to the garden with our wine,


s: Within our hand 't is cold, but in our veins


s: Then wander through cool, shadowy lanes and breathe


s: Whilst we with happy hearts our circuit keep,


s: She smileth, though the trickling raindrops weep


s: She loves to feel the tears upon her cheek,


s: Joyous she listens when the swallows chirp,


s: Blithe as a maiden midst the young green leaves,


s: A wreath she'll wind, a fragrant treasure;


s: All living things in graceful motion leap,


s: Love's thirst is sated with the balm they send.


s: Sweet breathes the myrtle in the frolic wind,


s: The myrtle branch now proudly lifted high,


s: Now whispering to itself drops low again.


s: The topmost palm-leaves rapturously stir,


s: For all at once they hear the birds' soft strain.


s: So stirs, so yearns all nature, gayly decked,


s: Hear'st thou the word?  She cries--I beam with joy,


s: Long in the lap of childhood didst thou sleep,


s: Think how thy youth like chaff did disappear;


s: Shall life's sweet Spring forever last?  Look up,


s: Oh shake thou off the world, even as the bird


s: Shakes off the midnight dew that clogged his wings.


s: Soar upward, seek redemption from thy guilt


s: And from the earthly dross that round thee clings.


s: For whom His bounteous streams of mercy flow.


s: And so we twain must part!  Oh linger yet,


s: Let me still feed my glance upon thine eyes.


s: Forget not, love, the days of our delight,


s: And I our nights of bliss shall ever prize.


s: In dreams thy shadowy image I shall see,


s: Though I were dead, I none the less would hear


s: Thy step, thy garment rustling on the sand.


s: And if thou waft me greetings from the grave,


s: I shall drink deep the breath of that cold land.


s: Take thou my days, command this life of mine,


s: If it can lengthen out the space of thine.


s: No voice I hear from lips death-pale and chill,


s: Yet deep within my heart it echoes still.


s: My frame remains--my soul to thee yearns forth.


s: Return, my soul, make haste and come again!


s: O city of the world, with sacred splendor blest,


s: My spirit yearns to thee from out the far-off West,


s: A stream of love wells forth when I recall thy day,


s: Now is thy temple waste, thy glory passed away.


s: Had I an eagle's wings, straight would I fly to thee,


s: Moisten thy holy dust with wet cheeks streaming free.


s: Oh, how I long for thee! albeit thy King has gone,


s: Albeit where balm once flowed, the serpent dwells alone.


s: Could I but kiss thy dust, so would I fain expire,


s: As sweet as honey then, my passion, my desire!


s: What crav'st thou still of feast and wine?


s: Wilt thou still court man's acclamation,


s: Use all thy strength, use all thy fervor,


s: The captain's skill and power are lamed.


s: Here, screams of fright, there, silent weeping,


s: Perchance both sea and sky, twin oceans,


s: From the same source of grace are sprung.


s: 'Twixt these my heart, a third sea, surges,


s: A watery waste the sinful world has grown,


s: With no dry spot whereon the eye can rest,


s: Can all be dead, with silent sleep possessed?


s: Oh, how I long the hills and vales to see,


s: To find myself on barren steppes were bliss.


s: Naught save the ship, the clouds, the waves' abyss,


s: The crocodile which rushes from the deeps;


s: The flood foams gray; the whirling waters reel,


s: Now like its prey whereon at last it sweeps,


s: The ocean swallows up the vessel's keel.


s: The billows rage--exult, oh soul of mine,


s: Soon shalt thou enter the Lord's sacred shrine!


s: O West, how fragrant breathes thy gentle air,


s: Spikenard and aloes on thy pinions glide.


s: Thou blow'st from spicy chambers, not from there


s: Where angry winds and tempests fierce abide.


s: As on a bird's wings thou dost waft me home,


s: And after thee yearn all the throngs that roam


s: And furrow with light keel the rolling sea.


s: Desert her not--our ship--bide with her oft,


s: When the day sinks and in the morning light.


s: Smooth thou the deeps and make the billows soft,


s: Nor rest save at our goal, the sacred height.


s: Chide thou the East that chafes the raging flood,


s: And swells the towering surges wild and rude.


s: What can I do, the elements' poor slave?


s: Now do they hold me fast, now leave me free;


s: Cling to the Lord, my soul, for He will save,


s: Who caused the mountains and the winds to be.


s: In the cool boscage of the grove reclined,


s: The wine of friendship from love's goblet drink,


s: And entertain with cheerful speech the mind.


s: Drink, friend! behold, the dreary winter's gone,


s: The mantle of old age has time withdrawn.


s: The sunbeam glitters in the morning dew,


s: O'er hill and vale youth's bloom is surging on.


s: Cup-bearer! quench with snow the goblet's fire,


s: Even as the wise man cools and stills his ire.


s: Look, when the jar is drained, upon the brim


s: The light foam melteth with the heart's desire.


s: Cup-bearer! bring anear the silver bowl,


s: And with the glowing gold fulfil the whole,


s: And without lance subdues the hero's soul.


s: My love sways, dancing, like the myrtle-tree,


s: The masses of her curls disheveled, see!


s: She kills me with her darts, intoxicates


s: My burning blood, and will not set me free.


s: The foliage be the turban for our brows,


s: And the green branches o'er our heads a dome.


s: All pain thou with the goblet shalt assuage,


s: The wine-cup heals the sharpest pangs that rage,


s: Drink in the garden, friend, anigh the rose,


s: Richer than spice's breath the soft air blows.


s: If it should cease a little traitor then,


s: A zephyr light its secret would disclose.


s: Thou who art clothed in silk, who drawest on


s: Shall dwell at last beneath the marble stone.


s: With the earth-crawling serpent and the toad.


s: Trust in the Lord, He will sustain thee there,


s: And without fear thy soul shall rest with God.


s: If the world flatter thee with soft-voiced art,


s: Know 't is a cunning witch who charms thy heart,


s: Whose habit is to wed man's soul with grief,


s: And those who are close-bound in love to part.


s: He who bestows his wealth upon the poor,


s: Of what avail to clasp it with clenched hand?


s: It goes not with us to the grave obscure.


s: The voice of those who dwell within the tomb,


s: Who in corruption's house have made their home;


s: When will ye come to share with us the gloom?"


s: How can'st thou ever of the world complain,


s: And murmuring, burden it with all thy pain?


s: Silence! thou art a traveller at an inn,


s: Be thou not wroth against the proud, but show


s: How he who yesterday great joy did know,


s: How foolish they whose faith is fixed upon


s: The treasures of their worldly wealth alone,


s: And only say, "The will of God be done!"


s: Has Fortune smiled on thee?  Oh do not trust


s: Her reckless joy, she still deceives and must.


s: Perpetual snares she spreads about thy feet,


s: Thou shalt not rest till thou art mixed with dust.


s: Man is a weaver on the earth, 't is said,


s: Who weaves and weaves--his own days are the thread,


s: And when the length allotted he hath spun,


s: Unto the house of prayer my spirit yearns,


s: To where the sacred light of heaven burns,


s: She struggles thitherward by day and night.


s: The splendor of God's glory blinds her eyes,


s: Up without wings she soareth to the skies,


s: To her the wonders of God's works appear,


s: She longs with fervor Him to draw anear,


s: From morn to even, and from night to night.


s: The banner of thy grace did o'er me rest,


s: Yet was thy worship banished from my breast.


s: Almighty, thou didst seek me out and test


s: With winged feet to the shrine I fain would fly,


s: When chained by leaden slumbers heavily,


s: Men rest in imaged shadows, dreams of night.


s: In nothingness dreamed through my manhood's day.


s: Therefore my streaming tears I may not stay,


s: They are my meat and drink by day and night.


s: In flesh imprisoned is the son of light,


s: This life is but a bridge when seen aright.


s: Rise in the silent hour and pray with might,


s: Hasten to cleanse thyself of sin, arise!


s: Follow Truth's path that leads unto the skies,


s: Man enters life for trouble; all he has,


s: Like to a flower does he bloom and pass,


s: The surging floods of life around him roar,


s: Crushed by the burden of my sins I pray,


s: Oh, wherefore shunned I not the evil way?


s: Deep are my sighs, I weep the livelong day,


s: And wet my couch with tears night after night.


s: My spirit stirs, my streaming tears still run,


s: Like to the wild birds' notes my sorrows' tone,


s: In the hushed silence loud resounds my groan,


s: Within her narrow cell oppressed with dread,


s: Bare of adornment and with grief-bowed head


s: Lamenting, many a tear her sad eyes shed,


s: She weeps with anguish in the gloomy night.


s: For tears my burden seem to lighten best,


s: Could I but weep my heart's blood, I might rest.


s: My spirit bows with mighty grief oppressed,


s: I utter forth my prayer within the night.


s: Youth's charm has like a fleeting shadow gone,


s: With eagle wings the hours of life have flown.


s: Alas! the time when pleasure I have known,


s: Evil his thought, yet soft his speech and low.


s: Hasten to purge thy heart of every stain.


s: No more from prayer and penitence refrain,


s: HE SPEAKS: "My son, yea, I will send thee aid,


s: Bend thou thy steps to me, be not afraid.


s: No nearer friend than I am, hast thou made,


s: Possess thy soul in patience one more night."


s: My thoughts impelled me to the resting-place


s: Where sleep my parents, many a friend and brother.


s: I asked them (no one heard and none replied):


s: "Do ye forsake me, too, oh father, mother?"


s: Then from the grave, without a tongue, these cried,


s: And showed my own place waiting by their side.


s: The long-closed door, oh open it again, send me back once more my


s: On the day of our reunion, thou shalt rest by my side, there wilt


s: Oh beautiful bride, what is the form of thy friend, that thou say


s: He is the beautiful-eyed one of ruddy glorious aspect--that is my


s: Hasten to the refuge of thy sister, and protect the son of Isaiah


s: Oh come again, to those who wait thee long,


s: And who will greet thee with a choral song!


s: Through thee, oh cherub with protecting wings,


s: Crocus and spikenard blossom on my lawn,


s: The brier fades, the thistle is withdrawn.


s: Behold, where glass-clear brooks are flowing,


s: The garden-tree has doffed her widow's veil,


s: And shines in festal garb, in verdure pale.


s: Oh brothers, carol forth your joyous strain,


s: Pour out full-throated ecstasy of mirth,


s: Proclaiming the Lord's glory to the earth.


s: While the pomegranate's wreath of green,


s: The gauzy red and snow-white blossoms screen.


s: Who loves it, now rejoices for its sake,


s: And those are glad who sleep, and those who wake.


s: When cool-breathed evening visiteth the world,


s: In flower and leaf the beaded dew is pearled,


s: Now in the east the shining light behold!


s: The sun has oped a lustrous path of gold.


s: Shot forth a branch, sprang to a splendid tree,


s: Then in mine ear the joyous words did ring,


s: "From Jesse's root a verdant branch shall spring."


s: My Friend has cast His eyes upon my grief,


s: Hark! the redemption hour's resounding stroke,


s: For him who bore with patient heart the yoke!


s: Brief their words, but long their kisses,


s: Kissed her lips and kissed her forehead,


s: Guided by these hints, I have endeavored to carry out in the two


s: following original Ballads the Poet's first conception.


s: Yet the thought that he hath crossed it,


s: "Thief and traitor"--croaked the parrot,


s: 'Neath his beard his pale lips quivered,


s: "Think you words like these will touch me?


s: Stern his voice: "These too shall perish.


s: "Well thou knowest, thrice reverend master,


s: Whose bribed menials fired their dwelling?


s: Choked the stairways, filled the chambers,


s: Round his neck her white arms wreathing,


s: "Since that 'Act of Faith' three winters


s: "We have borne three years, thou sayest?


s: Since thou and I have proven many a time


s: That all our hope betrays us and deceives,


s: To that consummate good which never grieves


s: Uplift thy heart, towards a happier clime.


s: This life is like a field of flowering thyme,


s: Amidst the herbs and grass the serpent lives;


s: If aught unto the sight brief pleasure gives,


s: 'T is but to snare the soul with treacherous lime.


s: So, wouldst thou keep thy spirit free from cloud,


s: Follow the few, and not the vulgar crowd.


s: Yet mayest thou urge, "Brother, the very way


s: Thou showest us, wherefrom thy footsteps proud


s: (And never more than now) so oft did stray."


s: Sennuccio, I would have thee know the shame


s: That's dealt to me, and what a life is mine.


s: Even as of yore, I struggle, burn and pine.


s: Laura transports me, I am still the same.


s: All meekness here, all pride she there became,


s: Now harsh, now kind, now cruel, now benign;


s: Here honor clothed her, there a grace divine;


s: Here sweetly did she sing; there sat awhile;


s: There she turned back, she lingered in this spot.


s: Here with her splendid eyes my heart she clove.


s: She uttered there a word, and here did smile.


s: Here she changed color.  Ah, in such fond thought,


s: Holds me by day and night, our master Love.


s: Whose mere remembrance thrills with grief and woe;


s: All I see now seems shadow, smoke and dream.


s: I saw in those twin-lights the tear-drops gleam,


s: Those lights that made the sun with envy glow,


s: And from those lips such sighs and words did flow,


s: As made revolve the hills, stand still the stream.


s: Love, courage, wit, pity and pain in one,


s: Wept in more dulcet and harmonious strain,


s: Than any other that the world has known.


s: That not a leaf upon the branch was blown,


s: Such utter sweetness filled the aerial plain.


s: (Ne'er having gazed on miracles ere now,)


s: Neath the calm beauty of her forehead bared,


s: Those twin stars of my love did burn and flow,


s: No lesser lamps again the path might show


s: To the proud lover who by these had fared.


s: Herself a flower, she would clasp and hold


s: A leafy branch against her snow-white breast.


s: What joy to see her, in the autumn cold,


s: Wander alone, with maiden thoughts possess'd,


s: Are fall'n, that shaded once my weary mind.


s: Now I have lost what I shall never find,


s: From North to South, from Red to Indian Sea.


s: My double treasure Death has filched from me,


s: Which made me proud and happy midst my kind.


s: Nor may all empires of the world combined,


s: Nor Orient gems, nor gold restore the key.


s: But if this be according to Fate's will,


s: With ever downcast head, eyes weeping still?


s: In one brief morn how easily dost thou spill


s: That which we toiled for years to gain and hold!


s: Yon nightingale who mourns so plaintively


s: Perchance his fledglings or his darling mate,


s: Fills sky and earth with sweetness, warbling late,


s: All night, he, as it were, companions me,


s: Mourning no other grief save mine own state,


s: Who knew not Death reigned o'er divinity.


s: Those two fair lamps, even than the sun more bright,


s: Who ever dreamed to see turn clay obscure?


s: But Fortune has ordained, I now am sure,


s: That I, midst lifelong tears, should learn aright,


s: Naught here can make us happy, or endure.


s: Thou column for her shapely thighs, her supple knee;


s: Whence the divine-eyed Love my heart assailed,


s: That Love shall close for me my weeping eyes,


s: Whilst my enfranchised spirit homeward flies;


s: Find a more restful spot in all Earth's scope,


s: Nor in a grave more tranquil could win free


s: From outworn flesh and weary limbs to flee.


s: With milder grace my wild fawn shall return


s: Then she shall bend her radiant eyes that yearn


s: In search of me, and (piteous sight!) shall learn


s: That I, a stony corpse, shall hear her pray,


s: That I may wipe the tears from her dear eyes.


s: Attired as with an aureole's golden gloom.


s: Even so they looked to me upon that day.


s: Some on the ground, some on the river lay,


s: Encircling her, seemed whispering: "Here reigns Love."


s: "Surely this creature sprang from Paradise,"


s: Her face, her words, her lovely smile, her eyes.


s: Deeming myself in heaven, not where I was.


s: I love so much, peace elsewhere find I not.


s: My Song, wert thou adorned to thy desire,


s: And wander from my lips o'er all the earth.


s: The wandering stars move through the air serene,


s: And flame forth 'twixt the dew-fall and the rime,


s: As dimmed by her rich veil, I saw her the first time;


s: The very heaven beamed with the light sublime


s: Still do they shine, and I am burning yet.


s: Leaving behind the shadowy waves of night.


s: I know how well Love shoots, how swift his flight,


s: How now by force and now by stealth he steals,


s: How he will threaten now, anon will smite,


s: And how unstable are his chariot wheels.


s: How doubtful are his hopes, how sure his pain,


s: And how his faithful promise he repeals.


s: How in one's marrow, in one's vital vein,


s: His smouldering fire quickens a hidden wound,


s: Where death is manifest, destruction plain.


s: How timid and how bold are lovers' days,


s: Where with scant sweetness bitter draughts abound.


s: I know their songs, their sighs, their usual ways,


s: Their broken speech, their sudden silences.


s: Their passing laughter and their grief that stays,


s: I know how mixed with gall their honey is.


s: Now since nor grief nor fear was longer there,


s: Each thought on her fair face was clear to see,


s: Not like a flame extinguished violently,


s: Even so, in peace, serene of soul, passed she.


s: Even as a lamp, so lucid, softly-bright,


s: Whose sustenance doth fail by slow degrees,


s: Wearing unto the end, its wonted plight.


s: Not pale, but whiter than the snow one sees


s: Flaking a hillside through the windless air.


s: Like one o'erwearied, she reposed in peace


s: As 't were a sweet sleep filled each lovely eye,


s: The soul already having fled from there.


s: And this is what dull fools have named to die.


s: Upon her fair face death itself seemed fair.


s: The buds are bursting on the wild sweet-briar.


s: To-night the Spring is born--the breeze takes fire.


s: Expectant of the dawn behold the thrush,


s: Perched on the fresh branch of the first green bush;


s: Night rocks the zephyr on her veiled, soft breast.


s: The rose, still virgin, holds herself withdrawn


s: From the winged, irised wasp with love possessed.


s: Hark, all is hushed.  Now of thy sweetheart dream;


s: To-day the sunset, with a lingering beam,


s: Caressed the dusky-foliaged linden-grove.


s: All things shall bloom to-night; great Nature thrills,


s: Her couch with perfume, passion, sighs, she fills,


s: Like to the nuptial bed of youthful love.


s: My poet, take thy lyre.  Youth's living wine


s: Ferments to-night within the veins divine.


s: My breast is troubled, stifling with desire,


s: The panting breeze has set my lips afire;


s: Our first embrace dost thou so soon forget?


s: How pale thou wast, when my wing grazed thy hair.


s: Into mine arms thou fell'st, with eyelids wet!


s: Oh, in thy bitter grief, I solaced thee,


s: Dying of love, thy youthful strength outworn.


s: I need thy prayers to live until the morn.


s: Sole pure and faithful heart where glows


s: My poet, take thy lyre.  'T is I, undying,


s: Like to the mother-bird whose brood is crying,


s: From utmost heaven to weep with thee have come.


s: Gnaws at thy life, thou sighest in the night.


s: Love visits thee, such love as mortals know,


s: Shadow of gladness, semblance of delight.


s: Rise, sing to God the thoughts that fill thy brain,


s: Thy buried pleasures and thy long-past pain.


s: Come, with a kiss, where unknown regions gleam,


s: Sing of thy folly, glory, joy and praise,


s: Let us invent a realm where one forgets,


s: Come, we are all alone, the world is ours.


s: Lo, Greece my mother, with her honeyed flowers,


s: Argos and Pteleon with its shrines and groves,


s: And Pelion with his shaggy, changing brow,


s: Whose waves that glass the floating swan, reveal


s: Tell me what golden dreams shall charm our sleep,


s: Whence shall be drawn the tears that we shall weep?


s: This morning when thy lids were touched with light,


s: What pensive seraph, bending kindly near,


s: Dropped lilacs from his airy robe of white,


s: And whispered beams of love within thine ear?


s: Say, shall we sing of sadness, joy or hope?


s: Or bathe in blood the settled, steel-clad ranks?


s: See lovers mount the ladder's silken rope?


s: Or fleck the wind with coursers' foaming flanks?


s: Or shall we tell whose hand the lamps above,


s: In the celestial mansions, year by year,


s: Kindles with sacred oil of life and love?


s: With Tarquin shall we cry, "Come, night is here!"


s: Or shall we dive for pearls beneath the seas,


s: Or find the wild goats by the alpine trees?


s: Follow the huntsman on the upland lawns?


s: The roe uplifts her tearful, suppliant eyes,


s: Her heath awaits her, and her suckling fawns;


s: He stoops, he slaughters her, he flings her heart


s: Still warm amidst his panting hounds apart.


s: Or shall we paint a maid with vermeil cheek,


s: Who, with her page behind, to vespers fares,


s: Beside her mother, dreamy-eyed and meek,


s: And on her half-oped lips forgets her prayers,


s: Trembles midst echoing columns, hearkening


s: To hear her bold knight's clanging spurs outring.


s: Or shall we bid the heroes of old France


s: Scale full equipped the battlemented wall,


s: And so revive the simple-strained romance


s: Their fame inspired our troubadours withal?


s: Or shall we clothe soft elegies in white?


s: His story, and the crop mown by his art,


s: On his green mound with fatal wing did smite


s: And cross his hands above his iron heart?


s: The name thrice-bought of some pale pamphleteer,


s: Who, hunger-goaded, from his haunts obscure,


s: Dared, quivering with impotence and spite,


s: Insult the hope on Genius' brow of light,


s: And gnaw the wreath his breath had made impure?


s: The lyre! the lyre!  I can be still no more.


s: Upon the breath of spring my pinions fly.


s: The air supports me--from the earth I soar,


s: Thou weepest--God has heard--the hour is nigh!


s: What! am I like the autumn breeze for you,


s: Which feeds on tears even to the very grave,


s: For whom all grief is but a drop of dew?


s: O poet, but one kiss--'t was I who gave.


s: The weed I fain would root from out this sod


s: Is thine own sloth--thy grief belongs to God.


s: Whatever sorrow thy young heart have found,


s: Dealt by dark angels--give thy soul relief.


s: Naught makes us nobler than a noble grief.


s: Yet deem not, poet, though this pain have come,


s: Best are the songs most desperate in their woe--


s: Immortal ones, which are pure sobs I know.


s: Midst evening-vapors, gains his nest of reeds,


s: His famished brood run forward on the shore


s: To see where high above the surge he speeds.


s: As though even now their prey they could destroy,


s: They hasten to their sire with screams of joy,


s: On swollen necks wagging their beaks, they cry;


s: Shelters beneath his drooping wing his flock,


s: Adown his open breast the blood flows there;


s: Vainly he searched the ocean's deepest part,


s: The sea was empty and the shore was bare,


s: And for all nourishment he brings his heart.


s: Sad, silent, on the stone, he gives his brood


s: His father-entrails and his father-blood,


s: Lulls with his love sublime his cruel pain,


s: And, watching on his breast the ruddy stain,


s: He fears his flock may let him live and pine;


s: Then up he starts, expands his mighty wing,


s: Beating his heart, and with a savage cry


s: That the scared seabirds from their rock-nests fly,


s: And the late traveller on the beach alone


s: Commends his soul to God--for death floats by.


s: His life sustains the creatures of a day.


s: The banquets served upon his feasts of state


s: Are like the pelican's--sublime as they.


s: And when he tells the world of hopes betrayed,


s: Forgetfulness and grief, of love and hate,


s: His music does not make the heart dilate,


s: His eloquence is as an unsheathed blade,


s: While blood drips from the edges keen and bare.


s: My haunting grief has vanished like a dream,


s: With those frail mists born of the dawn's first beam,


s: 'T was but a common grief, well known of men.


s: But, look you, when our heavy heart is sore,


s: Fond wretches that we are! we fancy then


s: If I were bound this day to tell my woe,


s: I know not by what name to call my pain,


s: Love, folly, pride, experience--neither know


s: If one in all the world might thereby gain.


s: Yet ne'ertheless I'll voice the tale to thee,


s: Alone here by the hearth.  But do thou take


s: Of my old wounds I am so sound and whole,


s: Almost I doubt they were, nor find their trace;


s: And in the passes where I risked my soul,


s: In mine own stead I see a stranger's face.


s: Muse, have no fear, we both may yield awhile


s: Oh, it is good to weep, 't is good to smile,


s: Remembering sorrows we might else forget.


s: Speak!  I touch the lyre's sweet strings,


s: My days of work! sole days whereon I lived!


s: Now God be praised, once more I have arrived


s: These oft-deserted walls, this shabby den,


s: My palace, my small world I greet again,


s: Thank God! we twain may sing here side by side,


s: Thou shalt know all, to thee I will confide


s: A woman, yes! (mayhap, poor friends, ye guess,


s: To such a one my soul was bound, no less


s: Yet only through my love I caught, in sooth,


s: When by the brook, beneath the evening-star,


s: The angry gods some victim craved, I fear,


s: Since they have punished me as for a crime,


s: Muse, I have said it, I would fain review


s: My crosses, visions, frenzy,--calmly show


s: The hour, place, circumstance, in order due.


s: Chill, gloomy; this one brings it back again.


s: The murmuring wind's monotonous rise and fall


s: Lulled sombre care within my weary brain.


s: And listening in the darkness black as death,


s: That all at once I doubted of her faith.


s: The street wherein I dwelt was lonely, poor,


s: Lantern in hand, at times, a shade passed by,


s: When the gale whistled through the half-oped door.


s: I shuddered when the clock began to strike.


s: She did not come!  Alone, with downcast head,


s: I stared at street and walls like one possessed.


s: How may I tell the insensate passion bred


s: I loved but her in all the world.  One day


s: Apart from her seemed worse than death to me.


s: That cruel night to snap my chain, go free.


s: I named her traitress, serpent, o'er and o'er,


s: Recalled the anguish suffered for her sake,


s: What grief, what torture in my heart to wake!


s: At last morn broke; with waiting vain outworn,


s: I fell asleep against the casement there.


s: My dazzled glance swam in the radiant air.


s: I heard soft steps ascend the narrow flight.


s: Save me, Great God!  I see her--it is she!


s: Whence com'st thou? speak, where hast thou been this night?


s: What dost thou seek? who brings thee here thus late?


s: Where has this lovely form reclined till day,


s: While I alone must watch and weep and wait?


s: Where, and on whom hast thou been smiling, say!


s: Out, insolent traitress! canst thou come accurst,


s: And offer to my kiss thy lips' ripe charms?


s: What cravest thou?  By what unhallowed thirst


s: Darest thou allure me to thy jaded arms?


s: Avaunt, begone! ghost of my mistress dead,


s: Back to thy grave! avoid the morning's beam!


s: And when I think of thee, I'll know it was a dream!


s: Of this world's troubles!  Thou, my son,


s: Poet, enough!  Though but one single day


s: Lasted thy dream of her who faithless proved,


s: That day insult not; whatsoe'er thou say,


s: Respect thy love, if thou would be beloved.


s: If human weakness find the task too great


s: At least the torture spare thyself of hate,


s: The dead lie peaceful in the earth asleep,


s: So our extinguished passions too, should rest.


s: Our hands from violence to their ashes blest.


s: Why, in this story of keen pain, my friend,


s: Wilt thou refuse naught but a dream to see?


s: Does Nature causeless act, to no wise end?


s: Think'st thou a heedless God afflicted thee?


s: Mayhap the blow thou weepest was to save.


s: Child, it has oped thy heart to seek relief;


s: None knows himself till he has walked with grief,--


s: All things at this sad price we still must buy.


s: The harvest needs the dew to make it ripe,


s: And man to live, to feel, has need of tears.


s: Joy chooses a bruised plant to be her type,


s: That, drenched with rain, still many a blossom bears.


s: Didst thou not say this folly long had slept?


s: Art thou not happy, young, a welcome guest?


s: And those light pleasures that give life its zest,


s: How wouldst thou value if thou hadst not wept?


s: When, lying in the sunlight on the grass,


s: Freely thou drink'st with some old friend--confess,


s: Wouldst thou so cordially uplift thy glass,


s: Hadst thou not weighed the worth of cheerfulness?


s: Would flowers be so dear unto thy heart,


s: The verse of Petrarch, warblings of the bird,


s: But that thine ancient sobs therein thou heard?


s: Couldst thou conceive the ineffable peace of heaven,