 | A Messiah |  |
Scene I
Constantinople. The Harbour.A great half-moon has cut its descending pathway through white fog, on which masts, with furled sails, make, as it were, a bowed forest, leaning one way. To the left is the Custom-house, a low building of unpainted wood, with high palisades going down to the water, and patrolled by officers. To the right a camel kneels to be loaded. Officers and soldiers keep coming to and fro from the Custom-house and the last vessel on the right, which is just come to land.
Officers
(among themselves as they pass).
We must wait the Soldan's orders.
Hosts of people
Press round the barrier.
See, that peaked-up turban!
Even jewels are flung over round our heels.
Mustapha Pasha joined the prison-ship
Just off the Dardanelles.
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Conversing with this traitor.
Listen, listen, listen!
A wail of voices!
Every day, all day
A wail of voices!
Day by day the tempest
Has kept at sea the Infidels' great Prophet.
‘Is he coming, is he coming?’ was our jeer.
The wail of voices—
He is come.
A traitor,
Conspiring for the crown, and yet our Soldan
Would have us treat him with all courtesy.
From the Vessel.
A further guard!
Chief Officer.
Enter! The Captain beckons.
Enter!
[Cries: there is a press of Custom-house officials to the ship. Through them Sabbataï and his jailer Seid come guarded.
Seid.
Sit there.
Sabbataï
(seating himself on an old chest).
I shall be glad to sit. How sick I feel,
Oh, I feel ceremoniously unclean!
It is wrong to feel such nausea at the light.
And so this is Stamboul—the Soldan's city.
It lies a coil of chains about the bays.
[Pointing to a height above the Custom-house.
And what is that?
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Oh, nothing!
A little execution on the hill.
It is the hour.
Sabbataï.
No, not for men to die.
They should die with the light, die at the sunset.
Seid.
Prophet, then you shall change all this,
And men shall die at a more cordial hour.
There must be executions of deserters,
Renegades, unbelievers: I shall watch them
At sunset.... You will make me of your household
When you are Soldan? I believe in you.
Remember—
Sabbataï.
You dear Seid!
[He touches his jailer's arm caressingly.
If I am Soldan ... that must be to-night.
It is impossible—sweet rush of flame!
What is that murmur, Seid?
[Rising with dilated nostrils.
Do I not know it? Is it not the burthen
Of my people?
Seid.
Surely.
[Mustapha Pasha by the vessel signs to Seid: they speak together.
Sabbataï.
How it wanes, it waxes.
Eternal, I am Chosen of the Earth!
I had oblations, sacrifice wherever
I touched the land, a prisoner! My vessel
Was bravely trimmed; I grew to hate the trappings,
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The miracles surrounded me: each day
The prophecies fulfilled themselves like hours.
(A young Turkish officer stands in front of him with unapproving eyes.
Officer.
Art thou Messiah?
Sabbataï.
Verily I am.
[He lifts his face and smiles.
Officer
(instantaneously).
You are, you are ...
[He turns on his heel.
Sabbataï.
O God,
O my Desire, why is it that I worship
Each little impulse in the sand, each striving?
I know the sea
In its foundation. Thou didst hold me clasped,
Ice-clasped beneath its winter; in that world,
Eternal, I was with thee and I rose
Creative from thy hand.
Oh, by thy name stamped on my breath and uttered
Apparent as a writing on the wall—
For my lips moved not and I made no sound,
As the great sea-birds drew themselves together
And rested in high pyramid above—
Do not abandon me, do not desert me!
I cannot draw the people from their faith,
Yet cannot pray.
... How acrid cold it is!
(Faintly to Seid who approaches).
A cup of coffee!
Seid.
In the Custom-house
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[The moon falls into the sea and a long streak of rose steals from the East. Enter Zarah conducted from the ship. As she comes forward the guard retires a short distance.
Sabbataï.
Beloved,
You are the morning, and your brilliancy
Shows me more wan.
You are arrayed a Queen.
Zarah.
Assuredly. And you—how like a King
I have beheld you as the unrolling clouds
Unrolled their vision to you and discovered
The palace-roof that will be yours to-night.
Sabbataï.
There, there!—I left you sleeping,
A little pearl of health upon your cheek,
Health in your dreams ...
[She strokes his forehead.
My hour is come. Sit down,
Sit by me, Zarah—see, there is a chest;
And we are King and Queen. They guard us closely....
Give me your hand. This little fountain-pulse
In the hollow of your hand! You are exalted.
Zarah.
Belovèd, but your hands are ice of ice.
Sabbataï.
They must not quiver when I seize the crown.
(Rising.)
I must prepare,
I must make ready: there is nothing ready,
Nothing prepared.
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(approaching with coffee).
A miracle
Never has prelude.
Sabbataï.
Are you turned Messiah,
And do you know the trick?
(To Zarah.)
Why do you walk in jewels?
Zarah.
Does it displease you?
Ill-humoured, Sabbataï, on your day
Of triumph, my great day?
Sabbataï.
I am very sick.
[Seid urges him to drink coffee.
Seid.
See, how the dawn advances, how the city
Reddens and whitens, and the minarets
Have each the little cloud of their own smoke!
Sabbataï
(setting down the cup).
I am better—more Messiah now. O Seid,
This city is a golden bride before me,
And I am amorous—such strange, fantastic,
Terrible, smothered beauty.
Zarah.
All these turrets
Will crumble as the walls of Jericho
Before the trump of God and his Elect.
Sabbataï.
Break off, break off!
It is not so that it will come to pass.
O beautiful, my city!
Zarah.
Sabbataï,
Your kings ...
[The royal followers of Sabbataï are conducted past him in chains.
Sabbataï.
They pass as phantoms of great kings,
And all their caravan a huge mirage.
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I will not further test your faith, O kings,
I have given you dominion, ye are lords
Of Judah, Persia, Araby, Italia—
You shall all reign on thrones when the Messiah
Walketh among you: that has been my promise.
This day it is fulfilled.
[The kings pass dejected.
Do they believe?
Their faces are all turned away from me,
They cannot tell how it shall come to pass,
For there will be a great astonishment
Before the evening star.
[The mariners pass guarded.
My mariners!
The stubborn happy faces.
My mariners, I shall not cross the sea,
Never again—but you have made the voyage
Once with the golden sails. Were you not happy?
Will there not be a music in your ears,
Ye who make war and carry merchandise;
A sound that ye have won the victory,
And know your treasure lying at the port?
Speak to me!
Mariners.
Heigh, a'heigh!
[They pass.
Sabbataï.
I can do this thing,
I can, I shall. That score of glowing faces!
[Primo and Nathan pass.
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O Master, by the Name!
Nathan.
Malka Kadisha!
Now what should be is come, invincible.
Hosanna!
[They pass out.
Sabbataï.
The musicians?
[Rubio passes.
Zarah.
Rubio!
[He blows on his fingers.
Rubio, he will give us all the world,
As he gave you once a shekel.
[Rubio still blows on his fingers.
Sabbataï.
The musicians?
[Mustapha Pasha strolls forward.
I must have music....
I want it in my limbs. Seid, the musicians!
Mustapha.
Your Queen is sent for from the Seraglio,
and your delicious singing-girls, the Soldan's
women that have been your wives. Bid farewell.
Sabbataï.
Protect her.
Mustapha.
She is under protection of his exalted
Majesty.
Zarah.
I am safe as in God's bosom, Sabbataï.
Awake, beloved, awake!
[She is led out with the other women.
Sabbataï.
I must have music.
The players on the instruments
Have not passed by?
Mustapha.
They are within the vessel,
A band of eunuchs will be sent to fetch them
To the Seraglio.
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I would see the Soldan.
Mustapha.
Patience! We still await the royal guard.
[He goes into the Custom-house.
Sabbataï.
Seid, fetch me biscuits.... I have little power,
If I should famish ... all the fire falls out.
A pound or two ... if they should famish me,
You saw it, I grow sad.
[Seid slips away. Sabbataï gazes dreamily in a tide pool.
The little emerald minnows....
How beautiful!
[He ceases to watch the pool and is arrested by the barricade. A hand comes holding a piece of coral; then some dates are thrown over with a thud on the ground: later, a costly handkerchief is raised on a stick, but flutters down on the further side.
My people!
[Seid returns.
Seid.
Master! the biscuits—swift!
[Sabbataï stuffs them in his wide Turkish trousers.
Mustapha Pasha!
[Mustapha re-enters.
Mustapha.
Are you disturbed?
[Some one sings in Hebrew from the crowd.
You have made the people happy, you have made
the Soldan unhappy—we must reverse all this.
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Conduct me to the Soldan.
Mustapha.
It is early yet. On rising his exalted
Majesty receives you. Smoke!
Sabbataï.
I will smoke with you.
[Mustapha Pasha seats himself on the other chest. Sabbataï smokes the offered chibouque in silence.
Mustapha.
Doubtless he brews charms. How the
delay is harassing him—how his eyebrows twitch!
(His tongue in his cheek.)
Are you Messiah?
Sabbataï.
O sir, you will comprehend—the people
rate me thus.
Mustapha.
And you have not conspired against the
Soldan? The city is about you as you were lord
of the city, and you have a retinue of kings.
Sabbataï
(laughing softly).
They have not armour
nor bright weapons, nor chains heavy as these
chains. They can inflict no punishment.
Mustapha.
The base knave deserts his followers!
—what are you then, what trade do you follow?
And what meant those fancy ships in the harbour
of Smyrna, with their silken sails? Were they
laden with treasure for the Soldan? Do you
acknowledge him and do you bear him tribute;
do you bear him slaves and singing-girls?
Sabbataï.
I have sailed in the mystic vessel. I was
about to sail. The Cadi of Smyrna has in nothing
thwarted my purpose.
Mustapha
(laughing uncomfortably).
In nothing!
You sailed with your kings, with your delicious
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refuse and scum of the nations you deceived....
[The camel rises that has been loading from the vessel.
We have transported the greater part of your
pageantry. Look, little master, that has all been
accumulated by you for the Soldan. It is tribute,
you will have honoured welcome.
Is he mad? What excites him, what has he seen?
Is it the camel that drops with his golden throne?
The camel drops and the chair is broken. Bah!
and such a trophy!
[He turns to the little crowd gathered about the struggling camel. The slaves are driven up the shore. One of them struck by the whip, stretches her arms toward Sabbataï, who has risen with such violent agitation, he breaks his chains.
Sabbataï
(lifting his freed arms).
If to this band, I am indeed Thy Chosen.
[After a while his hands drop.
They pass.... My chains are broken off. O Seid,
Go after them ...
Seid.
Dear Master,
But this is not the miracle. The slaves
Must pass in fetters. Any slave you choose
To-night is yours; but now—
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Of your own Majesty.
[A captain with a band of Spahis enters through the Custom-house door. Mustapha Pasha turns to receive the soldiers.
I am his jailer:
I have not freed him, and behold him free.
[A stripling is lifted up by the crowd to overlook the court.
Mustapha.
He is a prophet!
The Captain.
And it is the hour ...
[Suddenly the barricade is broken down.
Voices.
He has freed himself!
He is Messiah—we
In his power have broken free!
[The Spahis form against the people, flashing their weapons.
Sabbataï
(looking at the people).
You must not follow me. Go home! Continue
To wait for the Messiah—a long hope,
As hope for the Eternal must be long.
Go home! Wherever
I am, ye are my bread in banishment,
My secret fountain: I am fed of you,
My people—in the desert I am yours.
Go home!
[He watches the mournful crowd passing back through the broken barricade.
Seid
(touching his elbow).
The Soldan—
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Ah, I had forgotten!
The Soldan—he is nothing.... I am nothing.
But I will pray for these; and as Messiah
I will pray for them. I am their Messiah,
And they have broke my chains.
[He watches them still as obediently they disappear: then he turns to the infidels.
My jailer! You,
(To Mustapha.)
Be mute of this; and give me a full guard.
[He listlessly heads the little company of Spahis, followed by the captain, Seid, and Mustapha Pasha.
| A Messiah | |