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Scene II
(A garden in the rose and gold of high dawn. Between the flowers goeth Magdalene, listlessly.)MAGDALENE
They said, Peter and James and John,
'Twas but in dreams we looked upon
Those angels in the faint, sweet dawn,
And heard their tidings glad.
'Twas but in dreams we looked upon
Those angels in the faint, sweet dawn,
And heard their tidings glad.
11
O if a dream it were, I would
Go dreaming all my life; and good
Never to wake to daylight rude,
If such sweet dreams I had.
Go dreaming all my life; and good
Never to wake to daylight rude,
If such sweet dreams I had.
Yet He is gone, themselves avow;
For Peter saw them even now,
The grave-clothes that from foot to brow
Did swathe Him yesternight.
For Peter saw them even now,
The grave-clothes that from foot to brow
Did swathe Him yesternight.
Dear Master, send your messenger.
My heart is heavy, faint with fear,
Lest the sweet tidings I did hear
I did not hear aright.
My heart is heavy, faint with fear,
Lest the sweet tidings I did hear
I did not hear aright.
(Jesus cometh ub the path; His glory veiled, He seemeth as a gardener.)
MAGDALENE
Are you the gardener of this place?
Kind sir, I cannot see your face,
Because the tears so quickly race
That they have drained me blind.
Kind sir, I cannot see your face,
Because the tears so quickly race
That they have drained me blind.
12
I am in trouble, sir, or else
Should say how sweet your garden smells,
Your musk and Canterbury-bells,
In this most sweet south wind.
Should say how sweet your garden smells,
Your musk and Canterbury-bells,
In this most sweet south wind.
Perhaps, kind sir, you know who hath
Opened the chamber-door of death
That's yonder in your garden path,
And my dear Lord hath ta'en.
Opened the chamber-door of death
That's yonder in your garden path,
And my dear Lord hath ta'en.
(She weepeth.)
JESUS
Woman, why dost thou weep?
MAGDALENE
For ruth
Of my King, murdered in His youth.
They will not let Him rest in truth
Even when they have slain.
Of my King, murdered in His youth.
They will not let Him rest in truth
Even when they have slain.
13
Tell me where He is gone, that so
My feet may follow high and low,
By crags of fire and wastes of snow,
Seeking Him everywhere.
My feet may follow high and low,
By crags of fire and wastes of snow,
Seeking Him everywhere.
JESUS
Mary!
MAGDALENE
Rabboni! as they said
Come from the dead, come from the dead,
Living and bright in Thy Godhead,
And all Thy wounds so fair!
Come from the dead, come from the dead,
Living and bright in Thy Godhead,
And all Thy wounds so fair!
(Falleth at His feet.)
JESUS
Touch Me not, till I shall arise
Unto My Father in the skies.
Go tell the brethren thine own eyes
Have seen My living face.
Unto My Father in the skies.
Go tell the brethren thine own eyes
Have seen My living face.
14
Most blessed day and blessed hour,
All in a dawn-lit garden bower,
When Thou hast shown at last Thy power,
Thy glory and Thy grace!
All in a dawn-lit garden bower,
When Thou hast shown at last Thy power,
Thy glory and Thy grace!
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