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Tamiel, meanwhile, and Noah, and his Sons,
Went, through that shaded avenue, their way.
And now into the plain they had immerged:
But, as they skirted the last trees that closed,
On either side, the woody screen—behold—
A sheet of light, broad as a cataract,
Fell, like a river from the expanded sky,
Upon their heads; nay, flooded the whole air
Wherein they stood. So they were dazzled all;
And, smitten to the earth, adoring, lay.
Then, having prayed, they cautiously relift
Their fearful eyes; the light had vanished thence,
And round them only was the common day—
Tamiel the Scribe; with Japhet, Shem, and Ham;
But Noah was not.

To their feet they sprang,
In wonder. Had he melted into earth,
Dissolved in that dread flash? Unseen by them,
An Angel had descended, and upborne
The Prophet; on far other business bound,
Than what himself designed. But, ignorant
Of the Divine appointment, and amazed,
His Sons with sorrow stand; unknowing where
Their Sire to seek. Erelong, advancing nigh,
Behold Zateel; and, now by them addressed,
Reports, that not by Adam's Sepulchre
Was Noah, nor about the populous plain
Had been beheld; and, at his counsel, they
Turn back, that to the household they may tell
What had so strangely chanced. So they return.

Groups met them on their way; groups, keen intent
On Sabbath sport: some mocking, as they read
What them Elihu, as they passed, had given.
Anon, they came, where he was seated too,
And uttered their lament; and soon his heart
With sympathy was throbbing, and he rose,
Companion of their griefs. So home they bent,
Anticipating all their mother's woe.

Now saw they Chava, sitting at the door;
She greeted them with smiles.

‘Needs not,’ said she,
‘To tell me of bereavement. In a dream,
Our God hath shewn me all. Be of good cheer.
He for your Father hath decreed a work
In grace abounding, though in darkness veiled.’

In matron calm, sate Chava, as she spake,
And stately beauty; for her mien was grave
With Eve-like majesty; her serious brow
Was like a marble Virtue, broad and high,
With sentiments of Chastity inscribed,
In lines of solemn thought. Zateel she saw,
And welcomed.

‘Stranger, hail; not all unknown,
Since told by Zerah yesterday of thee,
In visit brief; . . beloved by her, to us
Is dear:—and for her sake, I fain would know
More of thy story.’

Then Zateel replied:—
‘Born of the line of Cain, yet well-redeemed,
By mother, but by father come of Seth,
Under the sway of Samiasa long
I lived, beneath parental roof; nor past
Idly my days: I was a child of thought,
And not unnoticed by the thoughtful king,
Who heard, how in that gorgeous capitol,
Mid palaces, and temples, I had fed
My eye's poetic wonder, and had reared
My mind to manhood, and sublime regards.
Thence called to court, that monarch's eloquence
Inflamed my soul, and urged her upward flight.
Together often, we would read the stars,
Or, to the earth returning, speculate
On what like them was splendid, and aloft,
In nature, and in man, and, chiefly, what
Asserted union with the most divine.
—For Cain, when from the presence of the Lord,
As in the faces of the Cherubim
Illustrate, to the land of Naid he fled;
Thereof, well as he might, his angry mind,
And conscience still implacable to soothe,
Resemblance made, and Teraphim before
Bowed down and worshipped; feeling what his need
Of highest aid, who had so deeply sinned;
Yet, doomed to labour, could not raise his soul
To finer contemplation; and to him
These were as gods. Such gods his children carved,
Improving in the arts of diligence,
Of airier mould, of more celestial mien
Inventive; proud of their mechanic skill;
And of their benefactours statues made,
And had them in remembrance, and adored
As demigods. Such false religion brought
(Seducing Adon first, by wiles of love,)
Proud Amazarah to the tents of Seth;
Whose sons apostate on the cunning work
Gazed, wondering; and worshipped, ignorant
Of aught beyond. In superstitious fear,
Grew up the mixèd race: and hireling priests
Inshrined as gods the effigies of men;
And, for their temples, reared them pyramids,
Resembling that mysterious Cone of Fire,
And Cloud, which spheres the living Cherubim;
Who keep the passage of the Tree of Lives,
Lest Man, become in knowledge like to God,
Knowing both good and evil, factious, grow
Immortal in a world of sin, and death
Ope not the gate to knowledge pure, and free.
—Soon Samiasa's penetrating thought
Unveiled the mystery of idolatry,
Imparting still to me whate'er he knew.
Burned he with deed heroic to deserve
Honour divine? . . yea, in heroic deed
Surpassed all predecessors, earthly gods,
Till they became, as they had never been,
Forgotten, and the god alone were he;
Save that his filial piety preserved
The memory of his Sire, . . slain by the scorn
Of wedded Amazarah, then adored—
Apostate Adon. Oft, too, from the tents
Of Seth, would come a missioned preacher forth
Of righteousness; to testify of One,
God of all gods, . . Jehovah, . . over all.
—Anon, he did appoint a solemn day,
And at his bidding many peoples came,
With tributary kings, and royal slaves,
Chariots, and horsemen; warriours old, and young—
The bond, and free—a universal host—
To look on him whose image they adored
Within the Temple of the Pyramis.
The Car, by consecrated Steeds conveyed,
Awaited the humanity divine
Of that great Word, who, for his glory, had
A City, and a Country, with his lip
Established. Forth he came; and that large scene,
A populous Ocean, heaving sumless waves,
Passed into his majestic soul with more
Of majesty; and vaunting speech he spake:—
Then fell from heaven a Voice, a thunder-peal—
An Angel's arm was visibly beheld,
In eloquent action, stretched from out the sky.
Heaven opened, and then shut . . and all was still.
—A pause of wonder. Horrour came on all—
But chief on him. O change, for prone at once
He sank; now beast; in sorrow, and in shame,
Remote; from human dwelling banished far;
Within the Desart of Dudaël hid,
Until the times be finished of his doom.
—Heavily weighed this wonder on my mind,
And soon I saw the truth, and much my heart
Was wearied to behold, how ill his realms,
During this alienation of the King,
His Mother, Amazarah, and her Son,
Azaradel, had swayed, and yet misrule.
Hence sought I solace in this vale of peace;
Beautiful Armon; Arbours consecrate
To ancient piety; where patriarchs dwell,
In humble state; oldest Methuselah,
And Lamech, and the sage Noachidæ.’

Here paused Zateel, his tale of marvel ended.

‘Ah me,’ said Chava then: ‘Each from his house,
Shem, Ham, and Japhet, in this trial-time,
Come, with their Brides, to guard their father's hearth;
Living but for one purpose, with intense
And common interest, waiting for the End,
And to the world's affairs indifferent.
What is to them the wealth of herds, and flocks,
Or house, or land, or social garniture,
Within doors, or without, doomed soon to cease?
Devote to God, obedient to his word,
The ministers of judgement to mankind:
Service sublime, but awful; thrilling them
With the still horrour, that o'erwhelms the soul,
Inspired with resolution terrible;
Or rapture, wrought to tears of ecstasy.
—Ye know not of their feelings, who ne'er heard
The voice of God; ne'er wound the spirit's chords
To such high pitch of heavenly harmony,
As may that sacrifice of self sustain,
Of all heroic virtues painfullest,
Which deeds of high emprise, and duties hard
To flesh and blood, demand of pious minds.
But chief to woman's heart, to pity's touch
Made tender as the eye-ball,—is the thought
Of thine approaching destiny, O world;
Of power to break, if elevated not
Above regards of earth, and mortal things.’

Thus Chava spake; and rose, severely sad;
And led, in silent gravity, her guests
Within her hospitable porch; thence, to
A chamber, wherein sate, in serious talk,
Espoused to her three Sons, three Virgins fair.