 | Saul |  |
SCENE THE FIRST.
David, Michal.Mi.
Come forth, my consort; come: the night already
Is far advanced ... Listen, what mingled sounds
Issue from yonder camp? The fierce encounter
To-morrow's dawn will witness.—Round the tent
Where sleeps my father every sound is hush'd.
Behold; the heavens themselves assist thy flight:
The moon is setting, and a black cloud veils
Her latest rays. Let us depart: no one
Watches our footsteps now, let us depart:
We may descend the mountain by this slope,
And God, where'er we go, will be our guide.
Da.
Oh spouse, the better portion of myself,
While Israel is preparing for attack,
Can it be true that I prepare for flight?
And what is death that I should thus avoid it?
I will remain: let Saul, if he will, slay me;
So that I first in numbers slay the foe.
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Ah! thou know'st not: already hath the rage
Of Saul in blood his lifted arm embrued.
Ahimelech, discover'd here, hath fallen
The victim of his violence already.
Da.
What do I hear? Hath he his unsheathed sword
Turn'd on defenceless priests? Ill-fated Saul! ...
Mi.
Thou must hear more. The monarch gave himself
Cruel command to Abner, that, if thou
In battle should'st be seen, our champions should
Against thee turn their arms.
Da.
And Jonathan,
My friend, bears this?
Mi.
Oh Heaven! what can he do?
He too endured his father's rage; and ran
Distractedly 'mid combatants to die.
Now, thou seest clearly, thou canst not stay here:
Thou art forced to yield; to fly from hence; and wait,
Or that my father change, or that he bend
Beneath the weight of years ... Ah, cruel father!
Thou thyself, thou forcest thy wretched daughter
To wish the fatal day ... But yet, oh no,
Thy death I do not wish for: live in peace;
Live if thou canst; 'twill be enough for me
T'enjoy for ever my loved consort's presence ...
Ah, come then; let us go ...
Da.
How much I grieve
To leave the fight! I hear an unknown voice
Cry in my heart, “For Israel and his king
“The terrible day is come.” ... Could I! ... But no:
The innocent blood of sacred ministers
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Contaminate is the soil; the face of God
Is hence averted: David now no more
Can combat here. It is my duty, then,
To yield awhile to thy anxiety,
And provident love.—But thou too yield to mine.
Ah! suffer me alone ...
Mi.
Shall I leave thee?
Behold, I clasp thee by thy garment's hem;
No, never more I part from thee ...
Da.
Ah, hear me!
Ill could thy tardy steps keep pace with mine:
Paths, rough with briars and stones, I shall be force
To tread with indefatigable feet
If I would seek, complying with thy wish,
A place of refuge. How can thy soft limbs
Bear up against the unaccustom'd torment?
And shall I in the wilderness alone
Ever abandon thee? Thou seest clearly;
Quickly, by thy means, I should be discover'd
Quickly would both of us be reconducted
To the fear'd vengeance of the king ... Oh Heaven!
The mere thought makes me shudder ... Further grant,
That we ensured our flight, can I take thee
From thy sick-sorrowing father? He is placed
Far from the dainty shelter of his palace,
Amid the hardships of a camp: his pangs,
His irritable age, some solace need.
Ah! wipe the tear-drops from his furrow'd cheeks,
His melancholy sooth, his fury lull.
Thou only pleasest him; thou waitest on him;
And thou alone preservest him alive.
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Rescued from danger, happy, and triumphant ...
To-day I tremble for him.—Ere thou wert
A wife thou wert a daughter: nor canst thou,
Without delinquency, too much indulge
Thy love for me.—Provided I escape,
What further canst thou wish for me at present?
Do not withdraw thyself, I pray thee, do not
From thy already too, too wretched father.
As soon as I have found a place of refuge,
I'll cause the tidings to be sent to thee.
We shall, I hope, be reunited soon.
Think what it costs me to abandon thee ...
But yet! ... ah how? ...
Mi.
And must I once more lose thee?
Once more permit thee to return alone
To former sufferings, to a wandering life,
To perils, and to solitary caves? ..
Ah, if I only always were with thee! ..
I might, perchance, alleviate thy ills
By sharing them.
Da.
I do beseech thee, Michal,
By our affection; and, if there be need,
I also do command thee; inasmuch
As one that loves, as I do, may command,
Do not now follow me: thou canst not do it
Without ensuring my effectual ruin.—
But if God will my safety, I ought not
To tarry longer here: the time advances:
Some spy from his pavilion might detect us,
And cruelly divulge our purposes.
I know each bosky covert of this hill,
And feel most certain that I can elude
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The last embrace. May God be thy support!
And do thou never, never quit thy father,
Till Heaven once more unite thee to thy consort ...
Mi.
The last embrace? ... And shall I then survive it? ...
I feel, I feel my trembling heart-strings burst ...
Da.
And I? ... But I beseech thee check thy tears.—
Now imp my feet with wings, Almighty God.
| Saul | |