A Gathering of Kings and Peoples
SCENE — A Gathering of Kings and Peoples .
F ESTUS , throned . Princes and Peoples! Powers once, of earth!
It suits not that I point to ye the path
By which I reached this sole supreme domain —
This mountain of all mortal might. Enough,
That I am monarch of the world — the world.
Let all acknowledge loyally my laws,
And love me as I them love! It will be best.
No rise against me can stand. I rule of God;
And am God's sceptre here. Think not the world
Is greater than my might — less than my love —
Or that it stretcheth further than mine arm!
Kings! ye are Kings no longer. Cast your crowns
Here — for my footstool. Every power is mine.
Nobles! be first in honor. Ye, too, lose
Your place, in place: retrieve yourselves in good.
Peoples! be mighty in obedience.
Let each one labor for the common weal.
Be every man a people in his mind.
Kings — nobles — nations! love me and obey.
I need no aid — no arms. Eurn books — break swords!
The world shall rest, and moss itself with peace.
Stand forth, and speak, sole servant of my throne!
If aught thou hast to settle and explain —
Or send away these nations to their homes.
L UCIFER . Ye mighty once — ye many weak give ear!
I and my god — for god he sure must be,
In human form, who sitteth there enthroned —
For readier rule, and for the good of all,
Have cast again the dynasties of earth
According to the courses of the air: —
Therefore, from east, and west, and north, and south,
Four element like ministers shall bend
Before his feat. Hearken, thou unkinged crowd!
Ye have not sought the good of those ye governed.
The people only for the people care.
Ye seem to have thought earth but a ball for kings
To play with: rolling the royal bauble, empire,
Now east — now west. Your hour and power is past.
Ye are the very vainest of mankind,
As loftiest things weigh lightest. Ye are gone!
Nations, away with them! Nor do ye boast!
Ye find that power means not good, not bliss.
But ye would wed delusion: — now, ye know her.
And she is yours for life — and death — and judgment.
There is no power, nor majesty, save his:
His is the kingdom of the world and glory.
His throne is founded centre-deep by Heaven:
And the whole earth doth bless him. Unto all
He hath laid out one perfect level law —
His will. For as the people cannot rule
Themselves, so neither may a crowd of kings:
And hence hath been the evil of the earth —
Now ceased for ever. War will be no more.
His is the away of social sovereign peace:
His tyranny is love and good to all: —
His is the vice-royed, vouched-safe sway of God: —
And he will turn the world, at will; as light
Turneth the world round. Greet your Lord, and go!
Depart, ye nations!
F ESTUS . Hark! thou fiend! dost hear?
L UCIFER . Ay! it is the death groan of the sons of men —
Thy subjects — King!
F ESTUS . Why hadst thou this so soon?
L UCIFER . It is God who brings it all about — not I.
F ESTUS . I am not ready — and — it shall not be!
L UCIFER . I cannot help it, monarch! and — it is!
Hast not had time for good!
F ESTUS . One day — perchance.
L UCIFER . Then hold that day as an eternity.
F ESTUS . All around me die. The earth is one great death-bed.
C LARA . Oh! save me, Festus! I have fled to thee,
Through all the countless nations of yon dead —
For well I knew it was thou who sattest there,
To die with thee, if that thou art not Death:
And, if thou wert, I would not shrink from thee.
I am thine own, own Clara!
F ESTUS . Thou art safe!
Here in the holy chancel of my heart —
The heavenly end of this our fleshly fane,
I hold thee to communion. Rest thee safe!
C LARA . Men thought I was an angel, as I passed;
And caught up at my feet — but I 'scaped all.
I knew — I was sure, that I should die by thee.
The heart is a true oracle — I knew it!
F ESTUS . Then there is faith among these mortals yet.
Thy beauty cometh first, and goeth last —
Willow-like. Welcome!
C LARA . Oh! I am so happy!
F ESTUS . I speak of thee as of the dead; the dead
Are alway faithful.
C LARA . I will stay with thee —
Though angels beckon — may I? Let me, love!
I dare not — cannot, take mine eyes from thee,
For fear of looking on the dead. Dear Festus!
F ESTUS . Thou art the only one hast answered me,
Love to love — life to life.
C LARA . Oh! I am dying!
Give me one kiss — the kiss of life and death —
The only taste of earth I will take to Heaven.
Here! let me die, die in it.[ Dies .
F ESTUS . Last and best!
Now am I one, again. Oh! memory runs
To madness, like a river to the sea.
Happy as Heaven have I been with thee, love!
Thine innocent heart hath passed through a pure life,
Like a white dove, wing-sunned through the blue sky.
A better heart God never saved in Heaven.
She died as all the good die — blessing — hoping.
There are some hearts, aloe-like, flower once, and die:
And hers was of them. Ah! all life hath ceased.
And silence reads the dead world's burial tale.
And Death site quivering there, and watering,
His great, gaunt jaw at me. When must I die?
L UCIFER . Say! dost thou feel to be mortal, or immortal?
F ESTUS . Away! — and let me die alone.
L UCIFER . I go:
And I will come again: but spare thee, now,
One hour to think — [ Goes .
F ESTUS . On all things. God, my God!
One hour to sum a life's iniquities!
One hour to fit me for eternity —
To make me up for judgment and for God!
Only one hour to curse thee! Nay, for that,
There may be endless hours. God! I despair, —
And I am dying. Let me hold my breath!
I know not if I ever may draw another.
I feel Death blowing hard at the lamp of life.
My heart feels filling like a sinking boat;
It will soon be down — down. What will come of me?
It is as I always wished it; — I shall die
In darkness, and in silence, and alone.
Even my last wish is petted. God! I thank Thee.
It is the earnest of Thy coming — what?
Forgiveness? Let it be so: for I know not
What I have done to merit endless pain.
Is pleasure crime? Forbid it, God of bliss!
Who spurn at this world's pleasures, lie to God;
And show they are not worthy of the next.
What are Thy joys we know not — nor can we
Come near Thee, in Thy power, nor truth, nor justice;
The nearest point wherein we come towards Thee,
Is loving — making love — and being happy.
Thou wilt not chronicle our sandlike sins;
For sin is small, and mean, and barren. Good,
Only, is great, generous, and fruitful.
Number the mountains, not the sands, O God!
God will not look as we do on our deeds;
Nor yet as others. If He more condemn,
Shall He not more approve? A few fair deeds
Bedeck my life, like gilded cherubs on
A tomb, beneath which lie dust, decay, and darkness.
But each is better than the other thinks.
Thank God! man is not to be judged by man: —
Or, man by man, the world would damn itself.
What do I see? It is the dead. They rise
In clouds! and clouds come sweeping from all sides
Upwards to God: and now they are all gone —
Gone, in a moment, to eternity.
But there is something near me.
S PIRIT . It is I.
F ESTUS . Go on! I follow, when it is my time.
There is no shadow on the face of life:
It is the noon of fate. Why may not I die?
Methinks I shall have yet to slay myself.
I am calm now. Can this be the same heart
Which, when it did sleep, slept from dizziness,
And pure rapidity of passion, like
The centre circlet of the whirlpool's wheel?
The earth is breaking up; all things are thawing
River and mountain melt into their atoms;
A little time, and atoms will be all.
The sea boils; and the mountains rise and sink
Like marble bubbles, bursting into death.
O thou hereafter! on whose shore I stand —
Waiting each toppling moment to engulf me —
What am I? Say, thou Present! — say, thou Past!
Ye three wise children of Eternity!
A life? — a death? — and an immortal? — all?
Is this the threefold mystery of man?
The lower, darker Trinity of earth?
It is vain to ask. Nought answers me — not God.
The air grows thick and dark. The sky comes down.
The sun draws round him streaky clouds, like God
Gleaning up wrath. Hope hath leapt off my heart,
And overturned it. I am bound to die.
God, why wilt Thou not save? The great round world
Hath wasted to a column beneath my feet.
I will hurl me off it, then; and search the depth
Of space, in this one infinite plunge! — Farewell,
To earth, and Heaven, and God! Doom! spread thy lap!
I come — I come!
God .
Forbear!
F ESTUS . I am God's!
God .
Man, die!
F ESTUS , throned . Princes and Peoples! Powers once, of earth!
It suits not that I point to ye the path
By which I reached this sole supreme domain —
This mountain of all mortal might. Enough,
That I am monarch of the world — the world.
Let all acknowledge loyally my laws,
And love me as I them love! It will be best.
No rise against me can stand. I rule of God;
And am God's sceptre here. Think not the world
Is greater than my might — less than my love —
Or that it stretcheth further than mine arm!
Kings! ye are Kings no longer. Cast your crowns
Here — for my footstool. Every power is mine.
Nobles! be first in honor. Ye, too, lose
Your place, in place: retrieve yourselves in good.
Peoples! be mighty in obedience.
Let each one labor for the common weal.
Be every man a people in his mind.
Kings — nobles — nations! love me and obey.
I need no aid — no arms. Eurn books — break swords!
The world shall rest, and moss itself with peace.
Stand forth, and speak, sole servant of my throne!
If aught thou hast to settle and explain —
Or send away these nations to their homes.
L UCIFER . Ye mighty once — ye many weak give ear!
I and my god — for god he sure must be,
In human form, who sitteth there enthroned —
For readier rule, and for the good of all,
Have cast again the dynasties of earth
According to the courses of the air: —
Therefore, from east, and west, and north, and south,
Four element like ministers shall bend
Before his feat. Hearken, thou unkinged crowd!
Ye have not sought the good of those ye governed.
The people only for the people care.
Ye seem to have thought earth but a ball for kings
To play with: rolling the royal bauble, empire,
Now east — now west. Your hour and power is past.
Ye are the very vainest of mankind,
As loftiest things weigh lightest. Ye are gone!
Nations, away with them! Nor do ye boast!
Ye find that power means not good, not bliss.
But ye would wed delusion: — now, ye know her.
And she is yours for life — and death — and judgment.
There is no power, nor majesty, save his:
His is the kingdom of the world and glory.
His throne is founded centre-deep by Heaven:
And the whole earth doth bless him. Unto all
He hath laid out one perfect level law —
His will. For as the people cannot rule
Themselves, so neither may a crowd of kings:
And hence hath been the evil of the earth —
Now ceased for ever. War will be no more.
His is the away of social sovereign peace:
His tyranny is love and good to all: —
His is the vice-royed, vouched-safe sway of God: —
And he will turn the world, at will; as light
Turneth the world round. Greet your Lord, and go!
Depart, ye nations!
F ESTUS . Hark! thou fiend! dost hear?
L UCIFER . Ay! it is the death groan of the sons of men —
Thy subjects — King!
F ESTUS . Why hadst thou this so soon?
L UCIFER . It is God who brings it all about — not I.
F ESTUS . I am not ready — and — it shall not be!
L UCIFER . I cannot help it, monarch! and — it is!
Hast not had time for good!
F ESTUS . One day — perchance.
L UCIFER . Then hold that day as an eternity.
F ESTUS . All around me die. The earth is one great death-bed.
C LARA . Oh! save me, Festus! I have fled to thee,
Through all the countless nations of yon dead —
For well I knew it was thou who sattest there,
To die with thee, if that thou art not Death:
And, if thou wert, I would not shrink from thee.
I am thine own, own Clara!
F ESTUS . Thou art safe!
Here in the holy chancel of my heart —
The heavenly end of this our fleshly fane,
I hold thee to communion. Rest thee safe!
C LARA . Men thought I was an angel, as I passed;
And caught up at my feet — but I 'scaped all.
I knew — I was sure, that I should die by thee.
The heart is a true oracle — I knew it!
F ESTUS . Then there is faith among these mortals yet.
Thy beauty cometh first, and goeth last —
Willow-like. Welcome!
C LARA . Oh! I am so happy!
F ESTUS . I speak of thee as of the dead; the dead
Are alway faithful.
C LARA . I will stay with thee —
Though angels beckon — may I? Let me, love!
I dare not — cannot, take mine eyes from thee,
For fear of looking on the dead. Dear Festus!
F ESTUS . Thou art the only one hast answered me,
Love to love — life to life.
C LARA . Oh! I am dying!
Give me one kiss — the kiss of life and death —
The only taste of earth I will take to Heaven.
Here! let me die, die in it.[ Dies .
F ESTUS . Last and best!
Now am I one, again. Oh! memory runs
To madness, like a river to the sea.
Happy as Heaven have I been with thee, love!
Thine innocent heart hath passed through a pure life,
Like a white dove, wing-sunned through the blue sky.
A better heart God never saved in Heaven.
She died as all the good die — blessing — hoping.
There are some hearts, aloe-like, flower once, and die:
And hers was of them. Ah! all life hath ceased.
And silence reads the dead world's burial tale.
And Death site quivering there, and watering,
His great, gaunt jaw at me. When must I die?
L UCIFER . Say! dost thou feel to be mortal, or immortal?
F ESTUS . Away! — and let me die alone.
L UCIFER . I go:
And I will come again: but spare thee, now,
One hour to think — [ Goes .
F ESTUS . On all things. God, my God!
One hour to sum a life's iniquities!
One hour to fit me for eternity —
To make me up for judgment and for God!
Only one hour to curse thee! Nay, for that,
There may be endless hours. God! I despair, —
And I am dying. Let me hold my breath!
I know not if I ever may draw another.
I feel Death blowing hard at the lamp of life.
My heart feels filling like a sinking boat;
It will soon be down — down. What will come of me?
It is as I always wished it; — I shall die
In darkness, and in silence, and alone.
Even my last wish is petted. God! I thank Thee.
It is the earnest of Thy coming — what?
Forgiveness? Let it be so: for I know not
What I have done to merit endless pain.
Is pleasure crime? Forbid it, God of bliss!
Who spurn at this world's pleasures, lie to God;
And show they are not worthy of the next.
What are Thy joys we know not — nor can we
Come near Thee, in Thy power, nor truth, nor justice;
The nearest point wherein we come towards Thee,
Is loving — making love — and being happy.
Thou wilt not chronicle our sandlike sins;
For sin is small, and mean, and barren. Good,
Only, is great, generous, and fruitful.
Number the mountains, not the sands, O God!
God will not look as we do on our deeds;
Nor yet as others. If He more condemn,
Shall He not more approve? A few fair deeds
Bedeck my life, like gilded cherubs on
A tomb, beneath which lie dust, decay, and darkness.
But each is better than the other thinks.
Thank God! man is not to be judged by man: —
Or, man by man, the world would damn itself.
What do I see? It is the dead. They rise
In clouds! and clouds come sweeping from all sides
Upwards to God: and now they are all gone —
Gone, in a moment, to eternity.
But there is something near me.
S PIRIT . It is I.
F ESTUS . Go on! I follow, when it is my time.
There is no shadow on the face of life:
It is the noon of fate. Why may not I die?
Methinks I shall have yet to slay myself.
I am calm now. Can this be the same heart
Which, when it did sleep, slept from dizziness,
And pure rapidity of passion, like
The centre circlet of the whirlpool's wheel?
The earth is breaking up; all things are thawing
River and mountain melt into their atoms;
A little time, and atoms will be all.
The sea boils; and the mountains rise and sink
Like marble bubbles, bursting into death.
O thou hereafter! on whose shore I stand —
Waiting each toppling moment to engulf me —
What am I? Say, thou Present! — say, thou Past!
Ye three wise children of Eternity!
A life? — a death? — and an immortal? — all?
Is this the threefold mystery of man?
The lower, darker Trinity of earth?
It is vain to ask. Nought answers me — not God.
The air grows thick and dark. The sky comes down.
The sun draws round him streaky clouds, like God
Gleaning up wrath. Hope hath leapt off my heart,
And overturned it. I am bound to die.
God, why wilt Thou not save? The great round world
Hath wasted to a column beneath my feet.
I will hurl me off it, then; and search the depth
Of space, in this one infinite plunge! — Farewell,
To earth, and Heaven, and God! Doom! spread thy lap!
I come — I come!
God .
Forbear!
F ESTUS . I am God's!
God .
Man, die!
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