Part 2 (1/2)

He doth lord the world below.

Second Voice.

He is Lord of Heaven's high kingdom.

First Voice.

Shun the lightnings of his wrath.

Second Voice.

Seek the waves of his forgiveness. [The Figures disappear.

CHRYSANTHUS.

Oh! what darkness, what confusion, In myself I find here pitted 'Gainst each other! Spirits twain Struggle desperately within me, Spirits twain of good and ill,-- One with gentle impulse wins me To believe, but, oh! the other With opposing force resistless Drives me back to doubt: Oh! who Will dispel these doubts that fill me?

POLEMIUS (within).

Yes, Carpophorus must pay For the trouble that this gives me.--

CHRYSANTHUS.

Though these words by chance were spoken As an omen I 'll admit them: Since Carpophorus (who in Rome Was the most renowned, most gifted Master in all science), now Flying from the emperor's lictors, Through suspect of being a Christian, In lone deserts wild and dismal Lives a saintly savage life, He will give to all my wishes The solution of these doubts:-- And till then, O restless thinking Torture me and tease no more!

Let me live for that! [His voice gradually rises.

ESCARPIN (within).

Within there My young master calls.

CLAUDIUS (within).

All enter.

(Enter Polemius, Claudius, Aurelius, and Escarpin).

POLEMIUS.

My Chrysanthus, what afflicts thee?

CHRYSANTHUS.

Canst thou have been here, my father?

POLEMIUS.

No, my son, 't was but this instant That I entered here, alarmed By the strange and sudden shrillness Of thy voice; and though I had On my hands important business, Grave and weighty, since to me Hath the Emperor transmitted This decree, which bids me search Through the mountains for the Christians Hidden there, and specially For Carpophorus, their admitted Chief and teacher, for which cause I my voice too thus uplifted-- ”Yes, Carpophorus must pay For the trouble that this gives me”-- I left all at hearing thee.-- Why so absent? so bewildered?

What 's the reason?

CHRYSANTHUS.

Sir, 't is naught.

POLEMIUS.

Whom didst thou address?

CHRYSANTHUS.

Here sitting I was reading to myself, And perchance conceived some image I may have addressed in words Which have from my memory flitted.

POLEMIUS.

The grave sadness that o'erwhelms thee Will, unless it be resisted, Undermine thy understanding, If thou hast it still within thee.

CLAUDIUS.

'T is a loud soliloquy, 'T is a rather audible whisper That compels one's friends to hasten Full of fear to his a.s.sistance!