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178 LOUISA JANE HALL. Holds fast through torments worse than aught that these Can offer to the clay wherein it dwells. PAULUS. Drive me not mad!——Nay——nay——I have not done; The dark cold waters of despair rise fast, But have not yet o'ertopp'd each resting-place. We will go forth upon the bounding sea, We two alone, and chase the god of day O'er the broad ocean, where each eve he dips His blazing chariot in the western wave, And seek some lonely isle of peace and love, Where ling'ring summer dwells in livelong year, Wasting the music of her happy birds, The unpluck'd richness of her golden fruits, The fragrance of her blossoms o'er the land. And we will be the first to tread the turf, And raise our quiet hearth and altars there, And thou shalt fearless bow before the Cross, Praying unto what unknown God thou wilt, While I—— MIRIAM. No more, my Paulus! it is vain. Why should we thus unnerve our souls with dreams, With fancies wilder, idler far than dreams? Our destiny is fix'd! the hour is come! And wilt thou that a frail and trembling girl Should meet its anguish with a steadier soul Than mine, proud soldier! MIRIAM APPEALS TO THE HEART OF PISO. (FROM THE SAME.) PISO. Bold maiden! While thou art safe, go hence; for in his might The tiger wakes within me! LOUISA JANE HALL. 179 MIRIAM. Be it so, He can rend me where I stand. And here, Living or dying, will I raise my voice In a firm hope! The God that brought me here Is round me in silent air. On me Falleth the influence of an unseen Eye! And in the strength of secret , earnest prayer, This awful consciousness doth nerve my frame. Thou man of evil and ungovern'd soul! My father thou mayst slay! Flames will not fall From heaven to scorch and wither thee! The earth Will gape not underneath thy feet! and peace, Mock ,hollow, seeming peace, may shadow still Thy home and hearth! But deep within thy breast A fierce, consuming fire shall ever dwell. Each night shall ope a gulf of horrid dreams To swallow up thy soul. The livelong day That soul shall yearn for peace and quietness, As the hart panteth for the water brooks, And know that even in death—is no repose! And this shall be thy life! Then a dark hour Will surley come— PISO. Maiden, be warn'd! All this I know. It moves me not. MIRIAM. Nay, one thing more Thou knowest not. There is on all this earth— Full as it is of young and gentle hearts— One man alone that loves a wretch like thee; And he, thou say'st, must die! All other eyes Do greet thee with a cold or wrathful look, Or, in the baseness of their fear, shun thine; And he whose loving glance alone spake peace,
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Reopened for Editing 2023-06-28 18:03:19
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Reopened for Editing 2023-06-28 16:35:36