Eve. Oh! speak not of it now: the | With scorpions! May his dreams be of his serpent's fangs Are in my heart. My best beloved, Abel! Or what hath done this deed?-speak, Cain, since thou Wert present: was it some more hostile angel, Who walks not with Jehovah? or some wild Brute of the forest? Eve. Ah! a livid light victim! His waking a continual dread of death! May the clear rivers turn to blood as he Stoops down to stain them with his raging lip! May every element shun or change to him! May he live in the pangs which others die with! And death itself wax something worse than death To him who first acquainted him with man! Breaks through as from a thunder-cloud!!Hence, fratricide! henceforth that word is yon brand, Massy and bloody! snatch'd from off the altar, And black with smoke, and red with Adam. Speak, my Son! Speak, and assure us, wretched as we are, That we are not more miserable still. Adah. Speak, Cain! and say it was not thou! Eve. It was. I see it now-he hangs his guilty head, And covers his ferocious eye with hands Incarnadine. Adah. Mother, thou dost him wrongCain! clear thee from this horrible accusal, Which grief wrings from our parent. Eve. Hear, Jehovah! May the eternal serpent's curse be on him! Curse him not, mother, for he is thy son- Eve. He hath left thee no brotherZillah no husband -me no son! - for thus I curse him from my sight for evermore! All bonds I break between us, as he broke That of his nature,in yon—Oh death! death! Why didst thou not take me, who first incurr'd thee? Why dost thou not so now? Adam. Eve! let not this, Thy natural grief, lead to impiety! A heavy doom was long forespoken to us; And now that it begins, let it be borne In such sort as may show our God, that we Are faithful servants to his holy will. Eve (pointing to Cain). His will!! the will of you incarnate spirit Of death, whom I have brought upon the earth To strew it with the dead. May all the curses Of life be on him! and his agonies Drive him forth o'er the wilderness, like us From Eden, till his children do by him As he did by his brother! May the swords And wings of fiery cherubim pursue him By day and night-snakes spring up in his path Earth's fruits be ashes in his mouth - the leaves gone Who hath provided for us this dread office. Come, Zillah! Zillah. Yet one kiss on yon pale clay, And those lips once so warm-my heart! my heart! [Exeunt Adam and Zillah weeping. Adah. Cain! thou hast heard, we must go forth. I am ready, Cain. Leave me! To dwell with one who hath done this? Nothing except to leave thee, much as I Shrink from the deed which leaves thee brotherless. I must not speak of this—it is between thee And the great God. A Voice from within exclaims, Adah! Hearst thou that voice? On which he lays his head to sleep be Cain! Cain! strew'd Adah. It soundeth like an angel's tone. Enter the Angel of the Lord. Where is thy brother Abel? My brother's keeper? Angel. Cain! what hast thou done? The voice of thy slain brother's blood cries Even from the ground, unto the Lord! Cursed from the earth, which open'd late To drink thy brother's blood from thy rash hand. Henceforth, when thou shalt till the ground, it shall not field thee her strength; a fugitive shalt thou Be from this day, and vagabond on earth! Adah. This punishment is more than he can bear. Behold, thou drivest him from the face of And from the face of God shall he be hid. Cain. Would they could! but who are they Shall slay me? where are these on the lone earth As yet unpeopled? Angel. Thou hast slain thy brother. Did not the milk of Eve give nutriment The fratricide might well engender parri- But it shall not be so the Lord thy God shall Be taken on his hend. Come hither! Wouldst thou with me? Angel. To mark upon thy brow Exemption from such deeds as thou hast done. Cain. No, let me die! Angel. It must not be. [The Angel sets the mark on Cain's brow. Cain. It burns My brow, but nought to that which is within it. Is there more? let me meet it as I may. Angel. Stern hast thou been and stubborn from the womb, As the ground thou must henceforth till; but he Thou slew'st was gentle as the flocks he tended. Ere yet my mother's mind subsided from That which I am, I am; I did not seek For life, nor did I make myself; but could I | With my own death redeem him from the dust And why not so? let him return to day, Angel. Who shall heal murder? what Go forth! fulfil thy days! and be thy deeds I hear our little Enoch cry within Cain. Ah! little knows he what he weeps And I who have shed blood cannot shed tears! soul. thee, Cain. After the fall too soon was I begotten; I alone must not weep. My office is Henceforth to dry up tears, and not to shed Cain. And he who lieth there was child them; But yet, of all who mourn, none mourn like me, Not only for thyself, but him who slew thee. less. I Ahol. So do I, but not with fear Of aught save their delay. Anah. My sister, though Anah. But, Aholibamah, I love our God less since his angel loved me: know not That I do wrong, I feel a thousand fears Ahol. Then wed thee Unto some son of clay, and toil and spin! There's Japhet loves thee well, hath loved thee long; Marry, and bring forth dust! Anah. I should have loved Azaziel not less were he mortal; yet I am glad he is not. I can not outlive him, And when I think that his immortal wings I love Azaziel more than oh, too much! Of the poor child of clay which so adored What was I going to say? 1 impious. my heart grows him, As he adores the Highest, death becomes Ahol. And where is the impiety of loving Less terrible; but yet I pity him; Celestial natures? His grief will be of ages, or at least Mine would be such for him, were I the Seraph, And he the perishable. That he will single forth some other daughter Of Earth, and love her as he once loved Anah. Anah. And if it should be so, and she so loved him, Better thus than that he should weep for me. From thy sphere! Albeit thou watchest with "the seven," Though through space infinite and hoary Before thy bright wings worlds be driven, Yet hear! Oh! think of her who holds thee dear! The bitterness of tears. Thou walkst thy many worlds, thou seest Of those cast out from Eden's gate: O hear! My own Azaziel! be but here, Wheresoe'er Thou rulest in the upper air- Who made all empires, empire; or recalling, Some wandering star which shoots through the abyss, Whose tenants dying, while their world Share the dim destiny of clay in this; I call thee, I await thee, and I love thec. Descend and share my lot! Though I be form'd of clay, More bright than those of day Thine immortality can not repay In me, which, though forbidden yet toshine, I feel was lighted at thy God's and thine. It may be hidden long: death and decay Our mother Eve bequeath'd us—but my heart Defies it: though this life must pass away, But if it be in joy I know not, nor would know; That secret rests with the Almighty giver Who folds in clouds the fonts of bliss and woe. And leave the stars to their own light. More joy than thou canst give and tako, Ahol. Samiasa! remain! Anah. Sister! sister! I view them winging Their bright way through the parted night. Ahol. The clouds from off their pinions flinging As though they bore to-morrow's light. Anah. But if our Father see the sight! Ahol. He would but deem it was the moon Rising unto some sorcerer's tune An hour too soon. Anah. They come! he comes !— Azaziel! To meet them! Oh! for wings to bear Anah. Lo! they have kindled all the west, A mild and many-colour'd bow, Which the Leviathan hath lash'd Irad. That I know not; but her air, If not her words,tells me she loves another. Japhet. Ay, but not Anah: she but loves her God. Irad. Whate'er she loveth, so she loves thee not, What can it profit thee? Irad. And so did I. Japhet. And now thon lov'st not, Or thinkst thou lov'st not, art thou happier? Irad. Yes. Japhet. I pity thee. Irad. Me! why? Japhet. For being happy, Deprived of that which makes my misery. İrad. I take thy taunt as part of thy distemper, And would not feel as thou dost, for more shekels Than all our father's herds would bring if weigh'd When sporting on the face of the calm deep. Against the metal of the sons of Cain— [Exeunt. SCENE II-Enter IRAD and JAPHET. Irad. Despond not: wherefore wilt thou wander thus To add thy silence to the silent night, And lift thy tearful eye unto the stars? They cannot aid thee. Japhet. But they soothe me - now Perhaps she looks upon them as I løok. Methinks a being that is beautiful Becometh more so as it looks on beauty, The eternal beauty of undying things. Oh, Anah! Irad. But she loves thee not. Japhet. Alas! and all Our flocks and wilderness afford. - Go, Japhet, Sigh to the stars as wolves howl to the moon_ I must back to my rest. Japhet. And so would I If I could rest. To let the inner spirits of the earth What wouldst thou there? Japhet. Soothe further my sad spirit With gloom as sad: it is a hopeless spot, Irad. And proud Aholibamah spurns me And I am hopeless. also. Japhet. I feel for thee too. Irad. Let her keep her pride, Mine hath enabled me to bear her scorn; It may be, time too will avenge it. Japhet. Canst thou Find joy in such a thought? Irad. Nor joy, nor sorrow. I loved her well; I would have loved her better, Had love been met with love: as 'tis, I leave her To brighter destinies, if so she deems them. Japhet. What destinies? Irad. I have some cause to think She loves another. Japhet. Anah! Irad. No; her sister. Japhet. What other? Irad. But 'tis dangerous; Strange sounds and sights have peopled it with terrors. I must go with thee. Japhet. Irad, no; believe me I feel no evil thought, and fear no evil. Irad. But evil things will be thy foe the more As not being of them: turn thy steps aside, I must proceed alone. Irad. Then peace be with thee! [Exit Irad. Japhet (solus). Peace! I have sought it where it should be found, In love with love too, which perhaps deserved it; And, in its stead, a heaviness of heart |