 | Israel in Egypt |  |
Within the house
Of Kohath, with his family, that day,
Sat Reuben, and his father Malachi.
Two hours the mid-day meal had passed; but they
Still in the chamber lingered; grave discourse,
Now sad, now hopeful, holding, of the events
So wondrous which had lately come to pass;
Of Pharaoh's fickle mind,—submissive, now,
Now, arrogant; and still tyrannic most,
After, plague-terrified, he most had bowed
To Israel's God, and loudest cried for help.
Of Sethos, also, spake they; and the word
Of promise he had given, that in the cause
Of Israel he would plead before the king:
Yet how,—strange answer to such prayer,—had come,
Not grace, but worse oppression,—as that day
Sorely had witnessed. “When he shall return,”
Said Kohath, “thereon will I question him:
For, truly, spake he as a man sincere,
Simply, and warmly; not as one who feigns
Great zeal, intending nought. Nor many days
Will pass, methinks, ere he again....
Of Kohath, with his family, that day,
Sat Reuben, and his father Malachi.
Two hours the mid-day meal had passed; but they
Still in the chamber lingered; grave discourse,
Now sad, now hopeful, holding, of the events
So wondrous which had lately come to pass;
Of Pharaoh's fickle mind,—submissive, now,
Now, arrogant; and still tyrannic most,
After, plague-terrified, he most had bowed
To Israel's God, and loudest cried for help.
Of Sethos, also, spake they; and the word
Of promise he had given, that in the cause
Of Israel he would plead before the king:
Yet how,—strange answer to such prayer,—had come,
Not grace, but worse oppression,—as that day
Sorely had witnessed. “When he shall return,”
Said Kohath, “thereon will I question him:
For, truly, spake he as a man sincere,
Simply, and warmly; not as one who feigns
Great zeal, intending nought. Nor many days
Will pass, methinks, ere he again....
250
“Hush, hush,
Said Rachael, one pearl finger holding up;
“I hear the tramp of horses.”
Said Rachael, one pearl finger holding up;
“I hear the tramp of horses.”
Mute they sat,
Listening quick hoof-stamps; and, anon, the roll
Of chariot-wheels, at great speed drawing nigh.
Louder the tramplings grew; and numerous,
It seemed, as of war-squadron; and the wheels,
As if for multitude, made the ground to shake.
Then, suddenly, all was still. Not without fear,
Kohath, and Malachi, and Reuben gazed
Each in the face of the other: and her hand
Upon the arm of Rachel, Sarah laid,
And, trembling, whispered. But, with face serene,
The virgin looked on all, and gently said:
“No cause for fear, methinks. Nor native foe,
Nor foreign enemy have we to dread;
Nor wrath of Pharaoh, more than on the rest
Of our poor people. But, whoe'er they be,
Now pausing at our gate—forget we not
That God o'erruleth all things.”
Listening quick hoof-stamps; and, anon, the roll
Of chariot-wheels, at great speed drawing nigh.
Louder the tramplings grew; and numerous,
It seemed, as of war-squadron; and the wheels,
As if for multitude, made the ground to shake.
Then, suddenly, all was still. Not without fear,
Kohath, and Malachi, and Reuben gazed
Each in the face of the other: and her hand
Upon the arm of Rachel, Sarah laid,
And, trembling, whispered. But, with face serene,
The virgin looked on all, and gently said:
“No cause for fear, methinks. Nor native foe,
Nor foreign enemy have we to dread;
Nor wrath of Pharaoh, more than on the rest
Of our poor people. But, whoe'er they be,
Now pausing at our gate—forget we not
That God o'erruleth all things.”
As she ceased,
Quickly the door flew open; and a man,—
Crazed, as it seemed, with utmost ecstasy
Of terror,—pale, and trembling, hurried in.
“Oh master,” cried he, “get thee out at once
Behind the house, and fly; else, verily,
Wilt thou be put to death: for, at the gate,
Sitting within his chariot, all of gold,
Is Pharaoh, even the king; with his great lords
Standing about him: and, when I went up,
One of them said, ‘Unto thy master speed,
Kohath, the son of Zohar, and thus say;
Pharaoh, the Splendor of the Sun, is come
To visit thee, and on great matters speak;
Come thou then forth to honor him.’ But oh!
Go thou not forth, my master; for 'tis ill
They mean thee, and not good. Chariots like flame,
Twice ten there be, and more; and horsemen, too,
By hundreds; some before, and some behind;
All giants, and in armour that seems fire;
Riding on huge, fierce horses, lion-eyed,
And black as midnight. Oh, my master, run,
And get thee from the house, or soon....”
Quickly the door flew open; and a man,—
Crazed, as it seemed, with utmost ecstasy
Of terror,—pale, and trembling, hurried in.
“Oh master,” cried he, “get thee out at once
Behind the house, and fly; else, verily,
Wilt thou be put to death: for, at the gate,
Sitting within his chariot, all of gold,
Is Pharaoh, even the king; with his great lords
Standing about him: and, when I went up,
One of them said, ‘Unto thy master speed,
Kohath, the son of Zohar, and thus say;
Pharaoh, the Splendor of the Sun, is come
To visit thee, and on great matters speak;
Come thou then forth to honor him.’ But oh!
Go thou not forth, my master; for 'tis ill
They mean thee, and not good. Chariots like flame,
Twice ten there be, and more; and horsemen, too,
By hundreds; some before, and some behind;
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Riding on huge, fierce horses, lion-eyed,
And black as midnight. Oh, my master, run,
And get thee from the house, or soon....”
“Stay, stay,”
Said Kohath. Turning then to Malachi
And Reuben, with a look all wonderment,
Hastily spake he. “Whatsoe'er this bode,
Evil, or good, one only course we have.
Come with me on the instant. We must speed,
And reverence pay.”
Said Kohath. Turning then to Malachi
And Reuben, with a look all wonderment,
Hastily spake he. “Whatsoe'er this bode,
Evil, or good, one only course we have.
Come with me on the instant. We must speed,
And reverence pay.”
For answer waiting not,
Forth went he then; and, with quick beating hearts,
Not pausing, though reluctant, Malachi
And Reuben followed him. In Rachel's face,
Sarah, all pale and trembling, looked, and said;
“I dare not stand before the king: come now;
Let us make haste, and get from out the house,
Before they spy us.”
Forth went he then; and, with quick beating hearts,
Not pausing, though reluctant, Malachi
And Reuben followed him. In Rachel's face,
Sarah, all pale and trembling, looked, and said;
“I dare not stand before the king: come now;
Let us make haste, and get from out the house,
Before they spy us.”
With a loving smile,
Rachel beheld her, and replied, “Fear not;
For, dearest mother, nought is there to fear.
Were the king's thoughts of evil, never thus
Had they in act appeared. The violent hand
At once had fallen upon us: but he comes,
With gracious courtesy, and at our gate
Pauses for word of welcome. Surely, sign
Of amity this. His purpose, out of sight
To my poor vision is, as ocean's bed;
Yet, thus beginning, ill it scarce can be.
But, whatsoe'er it prove, an eye there is
That all things sees, a hand that all things guides:
Come good, or evil, still from Him it comes:
And evil though it seem, must yet be good.
We stand upon a rock, my mother dear,
Not on a trembling plank: and, standing so,
Never can fall. Be then thy heart at rest.
Consider, too, if from the house we go,
When friendly feet are entering,—what sad shame
On our poor hospitality will be;
Most poor, at best, to welcome a great king.
Let us not make it worse. But come; I hear
Footsteps within the garden, drawing nigh;
And a strange voice. Let us retire within;
And preparation make for such repast
As guests like these may suit.”
Rachel beheld her, and replied, “Fear not;
For, dearest mother, nought is there to fear.
Were the king's thoughts of evil, never thus
Had they in act appeared. The violent hand
At once had fallen upon us: but he comes,
With gracious courtesy, and at our gate
Pauses for word of welcome. Surely, sign
Of amity this. His purpose, out of sight
To my poor vision is, as ocean's bed;
Yet, thus beginning, ill it scarce can be.
But, whatsoe'er it prove, an eye there is
That all things sees, a hand that all things guides:
Come good, or evil, still from Him it comes:
And evil though it seem, must yet be good.
We stand upon a rock, my mother dear,
Not on a trembling plank: and, standing so,
Never can fall. Be then thy heart at rest.
Consider, too, if from the house we go,
When friendly feet are entering,—what sad shame
On our poor hospitality will be;
252
Let us not make it worse. But come; I hear
Footsteps within the garden, drawing nigh;
And a strange voice. Let us retire within;
And preparation make for such repast
As guests like these may suit.”
With cheerful tone
Thus speaking, she her mother's trembling hand
Took in her own, and kissed it lovingly;
Then drew her from the room.
Thus speaking, she her mother's trembling hand
Took in her own, and kissed it lovingly;
Then drew her from the room.
In little while,—
With meet respect by Kohath ushered in:
Friendly of aspect seeming; and with tones
Kind and familiar speaking,—yet intent,—
Since through the carnal appetite he had failed—
With deadliest wiles those Chosen Ones to lure
To utter ruin; and God's merciful scheme
Through them to bring Messiah, thus o'erthrow—
In humble form of Pharaoh, Egypt's king,
Came now the terrible Majesty of Hell.
Behind him, of his train, was one alone;
An aged man,—in rich habiliments,
Silk, woven with gold; who, in his shrivelled hands,
An ebon box, with gold and gems thick laid,
As with deep reverence bore. Behind him walked
Reuben and Malachi, silent both, and pale;
By that dread presence awed.
With meet respect by Kohath ushered in:
Friendly of aspect seeming; and with tones
Kind and familiar speaking,—yet intent,—
Since through the carnal appetite he had failed—
With deadliest wiles those Chosen Ones to lure
To utter ruin; and God's merciful scheme
Through them to bring Messiah, thus o'erthrow—
In humble form of Pharaoh, Egypt's king,
Came now the terrible Majesty of Hell.
Behind him, of his train, was one alone;
An aged man,—in rich habiliments,
Silk, woven with gold; who, in his shrivelled hands,
An ebon box, with gold and gems thick laid,
As with deep reverence bore. Behind him walked
Reuben and Malachi, silent both, and pale;
By that dread presence awed.
Within the room
Arrived,—about him looked the shadowy king,
As seeking whom he found not. Turning then
To Kohath, with a kindly voice,—suppressed;
Yet such appearing as, put forth at full,
Might talk 'gainst even the thunder,—“Where is she,—
“Where is thy beauteous daughter?” he enquired;
“For her, not less, nay even more than thee,
Come I to visit: where, too, is thy wife?
Her presence also need I; since her words,—
If mine prove vain,—haply may move thy child
To her own good, and yours.”
Arrived,—about him looked the shadowy king,
As seeking whom he found not. Turning then
To Kohath, with a kindly voice,—suppressed;
Yet such appearing as, put forth at full,
Might talk 'gainst even the thunder,—“Where is she,—
“Where is thy beauteous daughter?” he enquired;
“For her, not less, nay even more than thee,
Come I to visit: where, too, is thy wife?
Her presence also need I; since her words,—
If mine prove vain,—haply may move thy child
To her own good, and yours.”
By a dark fear
O'ermastered, Kohath answered not; but signed
To Malachi; and the old man went forth.
253
To Malachi; and the old man went forth.
| Israel in Egypt | |