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A proud glance round the hall the sorcerer cast,
After he thus had spoken; and the king
Smiled on him; and the priests and princes smiled,
Approving all his words. Toward Pharaoh then
Looked Moses, and thus spake.

“Doth the king will
That I give answer?”

“Surely art thou bound,”
Said Pharaoh, the dark frown upon his brow,
“Proof manifest to give, that from a God,
This thing ye did; else will it nought avail.
That do, and we are silenced; for none here
A God's acts will dispute, because the mode
By which he worketh, may not be displayed.
If but by deeper magic ye have wrought,
God-sent ye are not: and your rules, and course
Of working must reveal; else on yourselves
Falls that same charge ye on my sorcerers cast,—
That unto Spirits of Evil have ye been
The ministers for evil. This to escape,
Cunning indeed thou wert.”

Full on the king
His calm, clear eyes then Moses fixed, and thus.
“Proof have I none, O king. Proof none can be,
To him who truth rejects, when, nor through eye,
Ear, touch, nor supernatural aid, can man
Proof force upon him. What in secret thou
Didst yesterday, solely to thee is known:
Its truth thou knowëst, as that day is day;
Yet—couldst thou prove it? If thy solemn word,
Affirming it, be questioned,—in no mode
Couldst thou its truth demonstrate. Yet, not less
A truth it is, though proved not. Even thus
With me in this great matter doth it stand.
That, by the very voice of God Himself
Commanded, hithèr came we, and this sign
Before thee showed,—truth stronger is to me
Than aught which sense can warrant; for, not ear,
The bodily ear alone, but the inmost soul,
Heard it, and felt. 'Twas on the holy hill
Of Horeb, in the stillness of the night,
From a burning bush, unburnt, that came the Voice.
To Egypt was I bidden,—from his bonds
Israel to bring: and in thy presence, first,
This sign to show, as token that from God
My message was. How, from this humble staff,
Came forth the dragon,—ignorant I am,
As wherefore from the sun come light and heat.
That so 'twould be, from the Celestial Voice
Alone I knew. Yet also know I well,
That by no power of magic, in the schools
Of Egypt taught, from things inanimate,
Could man aught animate bring. Thy sorcerers all
This truth will grant. That, His own sign to mock,
And render vain, God would to them have given
Power the like thing to do,—impossible,
Monstrous; 'gainst reason of the veriest fool,
Plainly appeareth. If, then, nor from art
Of magic, nor from power by God bestowed,
Those wonders they performed,—what else remains,
Than that through might of Spirits Evil they wrought,—
Thereof albeit unconscious. Hearken not,
O Pharaoh, to their words; for false they are;
And judgments dire will come upon you all,
If thou by them be ruled. A harmless sign
That we by God are sent, we now have shown:
If thou reject it, and thy heart make hard,—
From God I warn thee,—other signs, even plagues
Unheard of through the earth, will He send forth;
Grievous afflictions over all this land;
Till ye, at last, shall feel that Israel's God
Is God indeed; and that, 'gainst Him to strive,
Perdition were, and madness. His decree
Saith, Israel from his bondage shall be freed;
From Egypt shall go out. Such the sure end,—
Now, or on day not distant. Yet, on thee,
On thy sole word approving, rests the hour:
We crave thee let us go,—nor, till thy voice
Permissive free us, may we hence depart.
But on thyself, and on this land, will fall
The punishment of refusal; for aye worse,
And worse will be the plagues that ye must feel;
Till all unbearable shall they become;
And thou, and all of Egypt, shall cry out,
Imploring us to go. These evil things
Wouldst thou prevent,—even on this day proclaim,
Saying to Israel, ‘All your bonds are loosed;
Whither ye would, go freely; and no man
The hand shall lay upon you.’”

Like the burst
Of fire from naphtha kindled, was the cry
From prince, priest, lord, alike, when these bold words
Smote on their ears. The presence quite forgot,—
Upstarted many—hands clenched,—eyes on fire,
With fury of madness;—some, in chorus strange,
Screaming the bitter curse,—some, with black spite,
Pointing and mocking. But the king his voice
Uplifted angrily; and all were mute,
And to their seats went back. On Moses then
Looked Pharaoh, frowning; and with harsh tone thus.