A youth, a sole voice, have the power to change
Their evil way, had they been firm in it ?
Answer me !

Pref. Oh, the son of Bretagne's Duke,
And that son's wealth, the father's influence, too,
And the young arm, we'll even say, my Loys,
-The fear of losing or diverting these
Into another channel, by gainsaying

A novice too abruptly, could not influence

The Order! You might join, for aught they cared,
Their red-cross rivals of the Temple! Well,
I thank

you for my part, at all events!

Stay here till they withdraw you! You'll inhabit
This palace-sleep, perchance, in this alcove,
Where now I go to meet our holy friend:
Good! and now disbelieve me if you can :
This is the first time for long years I enter

Thus [lifts the arras] without feeling just as if I lifted
The lid up of my tomb!

Loys.

They share his crime !

Pardon this last flash :

God's punishment will overtake you yet!

Pref. Thank you it does not!

I bear a sober visage presently

With the disinterested Nuncio here

His purchase-money safe at Murcia too!
Let me repeat-for the first time, no draught
Coming as from a sepulchre salutes me.

When we next meet, this folly may have passed,
We'll hope-Ha, ha!

[Goes thro' the arras.

Loys.

Assure me but . . . he 's gone!

He could not lie! Then what have I escaped!

I, who have so nigh given up happiness

For ever, to be linked with him and them!
Oh, opportunest of discoveries! I

Their Knight? I utterly renounce them all!
Hark! What, he meets by this the Nuncio? yes
The same hyæna groan-like laughter! Quick-
To Djabal! I am one of them at last,

Those simple-hearted Druses-Anael's tribe!
Djabal! She's mine at last-Djabal, I say! [Goes.

ACT IV.

Enter DJABAL.

Dja. Let me but slay the Prefect-The end now!

To-morrow will be time enough to pry

Into the means I took: suffice, they served,

Ignoble as they were, to hurl revenge

True to its object.

[Seeing the robes, &c. disposed.

Mine should never so

Have hurried to accomplishment! Thee, Djabal,

Far other modes befitted! Calm the Robe

Should clothe this doom's awarder!

[Taking the robe.]

Shall I dare

Assume

my

nation's Robe? I am at least

A Druse again, chill Europe's policy

Drops from me-I dare take the Robe. Why not

The Tiar? I rule the Druses, and what more
Betokens it than rule?-yet-yet—

[Footsteps in the alcove.] He comes!

If the sword serves, let the Tiar lie!

[Lays down the Tiar. [Taking the sword.

So, feet

Clogged with the blood of twenty years can fall

Thus lightly! Round me, all ye ghosts! He'll lift ...
Which arm to push the arras wide?—or both?

Stab from the neck down to the heart-there stay!
Near he comes-nearer-1
-the next footstep! Now!

[As he dashes aside the arras, ANAEL is discovered.

Ha! Anael! Nay, my Anael, can it be?

Heard you the trumpet? I must slay him here,

And here you ruin all.

Why speak you not?

Anael, the Prefect comes! [ANAEL screams.] So late

to feel

'Tis not a sight for you to look upon?

A moment's work-but such work! "Till you go,

I must be idle-idle, I risk all !

[Pointing to her hair.

Those locks are well, and you are beauteous thus,

But with the dagger 'tis, I have to do!

An. With mine!

Dja.

An.

Blood-Anael?

Djabal-'tis thy deed!

It must be I had hoped to claim it mine

Be worthy thee-but I must needs confess

'Twas not I, but thyself. . not I have . . Djabal! Speak to me!

Dja.

An.

Oh my punishment!

Speak to me!

can speak-touch me-despite the blood! When the command passed from thy soul to mine, I went, fire leading me, muttering of thee, And the approaching exaltation,-make One sacrifice! I said, and he sate there, Bade me approach; and, as I did approach, Thy fire with music burst into my brain'Twas but a moment's work, thou saidst-perchance have been so well, it is thy deed! Dja. It is my deed!

It

may

An.

His blood, all this!-this! And..

And more sustain me, Djabal-wait not-now

Let flash thy glory! Change thyself and me!
It must be! Ere the Druses flock to us!

At least confirm me! Djabal-blood gushed forth-
He was our tyrant—but I looked he'd fall

Prone as asleep-why else is Death called sleep?
Sleep? He bent o'er his breast-'Tis sin, I know,
Punish me, Djabal, but wilt thou let him?

Be it thou that punishest, not he who creeps
On his red breast-is here-'tis the small groan
Of a child-no worse! Bestow the new life, then!
Too swift it cannot be, too strange, surpassing!

[Following him up and down. Now! Change us both! Change me and change thou! Dja. [sinks on his knees.]

Thus!

Behold my change! You have done nobly! I!—

An. Can Hakeem kneel?

Dja.

No Hakeem, but mere Djabal!

I have spoken falsely, and this woe is come.

No hear me ere scorn blasts me! Once and ever,
The deed is mine. . Oh think upon the Past!

An. [to herself.] Did I strike once, or twice, or many

times?

Dja. I came to lead my tribe where, bathed in

glooms

Doth Bahumid the Renovator sleep-
Anael, I saw my tribe—I said, "Without
A miracle this cannot be "-I said
"Be there a miracle!"—for I saw you!
An. His head lies south the portal!
Dja.

-Weighed with this

The general good, how could I choose my own,
What matter was my purity of soul?
Little by little I engaged myself—

Heaven would accept me for its instrument,

I hoped-I said, Heaven had accepted me!

An. Is it this blood breeds dreams in me?-Who said You were not Hakeem? and your miraclesThe fire that plays innocuous round your form ?

[Again changing her whole manner.

Ah, thou wouldst try me-thou art Hakeem still!
Dja. Woe-woe! As if the Druses of the Mount
(Scarce Arabs even there-but here, in the Isle,
Beneath their former selves) should comprehend
The subtle lore of Europe! A few secrets