A DRAMA OF EXILE.

A DRAMA OF EXILE.

SCENE. The outer side of the gate of Eden shut fast with cloud, from the depth of which revolves a sword of fire self-moved. ADAM and Eve are seen in the distance flying along the glare.

LUCIFER, alone.

REJOICE in the clefts of Gehenna,
My exiled, my host!

Earth has exiles as hopeless as when a
Heaven's empire was lost.

Through the seams of her shaken foundations,
Smoke up in great joy!

With the smoke of your fierce exultations

Deform and destroy !

Smoke up with your lurid revenges,

And darken the face

Of the white heavens, and taunt them with changes

From glory and grace.

We, in falling, while destiny strangles,

Pull down with us all.

Let them look to the rest of their angels!

Who's safe from a fall?

He saves not. Where's Adam? Can pardon

Requicken that sod?

Unkinged is the King of the Garden,

The image of God.

Other exiles are cast out of Eden, -
More curse has been hurled.
Come up, O my locusts, and feed in
The green of the world.

Come up! we have conquered by evil.
Good reigns not alone.

I prevail now, and, angel or devil,

Inherit a throne.

[In sudden apparition a watch of innumerable angels, rank above rank, slopes up from around the gates to the zenith. The angel GABRIEL descends.

Luc. Hail Gabriel, the keeper of the gate! Now that the fruit is plucked, prince Gabriel, I hold that Eden is impregnable

Under thy keeping.

Gab.

Angel of the sin,

Such as thou standest, -pale in the drear light Which rounds the rebel's work with Maker's wrath,

Thou shalt be an Idea to all souls,

A monumental melancholy gloom

Seen down all ages, whence to mark despair
And measure out the distances from good.

Go from us straightway.

Luc.

Gab.

Wherefore?

Lucifer,

Thy last step in this place trod sorrow up,

Recoil before that sorrow, if not this sword.

Luc. Angels are in the world-wherefore not I?

Exiles are in the world-wherefore not I?

The cursed are in the world-wherefore not I?

Gab. Depart.

Luc.

And where's the logic of 'depart?"

Our lady Eve had half been satisfied

To obey her Maker, if I had not learnt

To fix my postulate better. Dost thou dream
Of guarding some monopoly in heaven

Instead of earth? Why I can dream with thee

To the length of thy wings.

Gab. I do not dream. This is not Heaven, even in a dream, nor earth, As earth was once, first breathed among the stars, Articulate glory from the mouth divine, To which the myriad spheres thrilled audibly Touched like a lute-string, and the sons of God Said AMEN, singing it. I know that this Is earth not new created but new cursedThis, Eden's gate not opened but built up With a final cloud of sunset. Do I dream? Alas, not so! this is the Eden lost By Lucifer the serpent! this the sword (This sword alive with justice and with fire!) That smote upon the forehead, Lucifer The angel. Wherefore, angel, go-departEnough is sinned and suffered.

Luc.

By no means.

Here's a brave earth to sin and suffer on.
*It holds fast still-it cracks not under curse;
It holds like mine immortal. Presently
We'll sow it thick enough with graves as green
Or greener certes, than its knowledge tree-
We'll have the cypress for the tree of life,
More eminent for shadow: -for the rest
We'll build it dark with towns and pyramids,
And temples, if it please you: -we'll have feasts
And funerals also, merrymakes and wars,
Till blood and wine shall mix and run along
Right o'er the edges. And good Gabriel,
(Ye like that word in Heaven !) I too have strength-