Up, out, then shatters the whole bubble-shell
Of flesh, perchance!

Death!-witness, I would die,
Whate'er death be, would venture now to die
For Khalil-for Maani-what for thec?
Nay, but embrace me, Djabal, in assurance
My vow will not be broken, for I must
Do something to attest my faith in you,
Be worthy of you!

Dja. [avoiding her.] I come for that—to say
Such an occasion is at hand: 'tis like

I leave you that we part, my Anael,-part
For ever!

An.

We part? Just so! I have succumbed,— I am, he thinks, unworthy-and nought less Will serve than such approval of my faith! Then, we part not! Remains there no way short Of that? Oh, not that!

Death-Yet a hurt bird

Died in my hands-its eyes filmed-" Nay, it sleeps
I said, "will wake to-morrow well"-'twas dead!
Dja. I stand here and time fleets. Anael-I come
To bid a last farewell to you: perhaps

We never meet again-but, ere the Prefect
Arrive

...

Enter KHALIL breathlessly.

Kha. He's here! The Prefect! Twenty guards, No more no sign he dreams of danger-all

Awaits thee only-Ayoob, Karshook, keep

Their posts-wait but the deed's accomplishment

To join us with thy Druses to a man!

Still holds his course the Nuncio-near and near
The fleet from Candia 's steering!

Dja. [Aside.]

-Or won ?

All is lost!

Kha. And I have laid the sacred robes,
The sword, the head-tiar, at the porch-the place
Commanded-Thou wilt hear the Prefect's trumpet.
Dja. Then I keep Anael,-him then, past recall,
I slay-'tis forced on me! As I began

I must conclude-so be it!

(Save Loys, our foe's solitary sword)

All is so safe that . . . I will ne'er entreat
Thy post again of thee-tho' danger 's none,
There must be glory only meet for thee
In slaying the Prefect!

An. [Aside.]

And 'tis now that Djabal

Would leave me !—in the glory meet for him!
Dja. As glory, I would yield the deed to you,

Or any one; what peril there may be,

I keep. [Aside.] All things conspire to hound me on!
Not now, my soul, draw back, at least! Not now!
The course is plain, howe'er obscure all else—

Once offer this tremendous sacrifice,

Prevent what else will be irreparable,
Secure these transcendental helps, regain
The Cedars-then let all dark clear itself!
I slay him!

Kha. Anael, and no part for us! [To DJA.] Hast thou possessed her with Dja. [to AN.]

Whom speak you to?

What is it you behold there? Nay, this smile
Turns stranger-shudder you? The man must die,
As thousands of our race have died thro' him.
One blow, and I discharge his weary soul
From the flesh that pollutes it-let him fill®
Straight some new expiatory form, of earth
Or sea, the reptile, or some adry thing-
What is there in his death?

An.

Is there no part in it for us?

Dja.

My brother said,

For Khalil,

The trumpet will announce the Nuncio's entry;
Here, I shall find the Prefect hastening

In the Pavilion to receive him-here,

I slay the Prefect; meanwhile Ayoob leads
The Nuncio with his guards within-once these
Secured in the outer hall, bid Ayoob bar
Entry or egress till I give the sign
Which waits the landing of the argosies
You will announce to me; this double sign
That justice is performed and help arrived,
When Ayoob shall receive, but not before,
Let him throw ope the palace doors, admit
The Druses to behold their tyrant, ere
We leave for ever this detested spot.
Go, Khalil, hurry all-no pause-no pause:
Whirl on the dream, secure to wake anon!
Kha. What sign? and who the bearer ?
Dja.

...

Who shall show

My ring, admit to Ayoob-How she stands !
Have I not I must have some task for her.
Anael! not that way! 'Tis the Prefect's chamber!
Anael, keep you the ring-give you the sign!

(It holds her safe amid the stir)--You will

Be faithful?

An. [taking the ring.] I would fain be worthy of you!

[Trumpet without.

He, there-we, thus-our wrongs revenged—our tribe
Set free-Oh, then shall I, assure yourself,

Shall you, shall each of us, be in his death
Exalted!

Kha. He is here!

Dja.

Away-away

Enter the PREFECT with Guards, and Loys.

[They go

The Prefect. [to Guards.] Back, I say, to the galley every

guard!

That's my sole care now; see each bench retains
Its complement of rowers; I embark

O' the instant, since this Knight will have it so.

Alas me! Could you have the heart, my Loys?

[To a Guard who whispers.] Oh, bring the holy Nuncio here

forthwith!

Loys, a rueful sight, confess, to see

The grey discarded Prefect leave his post,

[The Guards go.

With tears i' the eye! So you are Prefect now?

You depose me-you succeed me? Ha, ha!

Loys. And dare you laugh, whom laughter less becomes Than yesterday's forced meekness we beheld

Pref. . . . When you so eloquently pleaded, Loys,
For my dismissal from the post ?—Ah, meek
With cause enough, consult the Nuncio else!
And wish him the like meekness-for so staunch
A servant of the church can scarce have bought
His share in the Isle, and paid for it, hard pieces!
You've my successor to condole with, Nuncio!
I shall be safe by them i' the galley, Loys!

Loys. You make as you would tell me you rejoice
To leave your scene of ...

Pref.

Blood and sweat traffic?

Trade in the dear Druses?
Spare what yesterday

We had enough of! Drove I in the Isle

A profitable game? Learn wit, my son,

Which you'll need shortly! Did it never breed
Suspicion in you, all was not pure profit,

When I, the insatiate . . . and so forth
On having a partaker in my rule?
Why did I yield this Nuncio half the gain,
If not that I might also shift .
Half of the peril, Loys!

Loys. Pref.

was bent

what on him?

Peril ?

Hark you!

I'd love you if you'd let me-this for reason,
You save my life at price of . . . well, say risk
At least, of yours. I came a long time since
To the Isle; our Hospitallers bade me tame
These savage wizards, and reward myself-

Loys. The Knights who so repudiate your crime?
Pref. Loys, the Knights! we doubtless understood
Each other; as for trusting to reward

From any friend beside myself . . . No, no!
I clutched mine on the spot, when it was sweet,
And I had taste for it. I felt these wizards
Alive-was sure they were not on me, only

When I was on them: but with age comes caution:
And stinging pleasures please less and sting more.
Year by year, fear by fear! The girls were brighter
Than ever ('faith, there's yet one Anael left,

I set my heart upon-Oh, prithee, let

That brave new sword lie still !)-These joys looked brighter, But silenter the town, too, as I passed.

With this alcove's delicious memories

Began to mingle visions of gaunt fathers,

Quick-eyed sons, fugitives from the mine, the oar,
Stealing to catch mo: brief, when I began

To quake with fear-(I think I hear the Chapter
Solicited to let me leave, now all

Worth staying for was gained and gone!)—I say,
Just when for the remainder of my life

All methods of escape seemed lost-that then
Up should a young hot-headed Loys spring,

Talk very long and loud, in fine, compel

The Knights to break their whole arrangement, have me
Home for pure shame-from this safehold of mine
Where but ten thousand Druses seek my life,
To my wild place of banishment, San Gines
By Murcia, where my three fat manors lying,
Purchased by gains here and the Nuncio's gold,
Are all I have to guard me,—that such fortune
Should fall to me, I hardly could expect !
Therefore, I say, I'd love you!
Loys.

I play into your hands then?

Can it be?

Oh, no, no!

The Venerable Chapter, the Great Order
Sunk o' the sudden into fiends of the pit?
But I will back-will yet unveil you!
Pref.

Me?

To whom?-perhaps Sir Galeas, who in Chapter
Shook his white head thrice-and some dozen times
My hand this morning shook, for value paid
To that Italian Saint, Sir Cosimo ?--
Indignant at my wringing year by year
A thousand bezants from the coral-divers,
As you recounted; felt he not aggrieved?
Well might he-I allowed for his half-share
Merely one hundred! To Sir . . .

Loys.
See! you dare
Inculpate the whole Order; yet should I,
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!

I thank you for my part, at all events!

Well,

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!