Part 53 (1/2)

Surely shall my arrow strike his heart in secret, Burn his flesh with fever, turn his blood to poison.

Brand him with corruption, drive him into darkness; He shall surely perish by the doom of Rimmon._

[All are terrified and look toward NAAMAN, shuddering. RUAHMAH alone seems not to heed the curse, but stands with her eyes fixed on NAAMAN.]

RUAHMAH: Be not afraid! There is a greater G.o.d Shall cover thee with His almighty wings: Beneath his s.h.i.+eld and buckler shalt thou trust.

BENHADAD: Repent, my son, thou must not brave this curse.

NAAMAN: My King, there is no curse as terrible As that which lights a bosom-fire for him Who gives away his honour, to prolong A craven life whose every breath is shame!

If I betray the men who follow me, The city that has put her trust in me, What king can s.h.i.+eld me from my own deep scorn What G.o.d release me from that self-made h.e.l.l?

The tender mercies of a.s.syria I know; and they are cruel as creeping tigers.

Give up Damascus, and her streets will run Rivers of innocent blood; the city's heart, That mighty, labouring heart, wounded and crushed Beneath the brutal hooves of the wild Bull, Will cry against her captain, sitting safe Among the n.o.bles, in some pleasant place.

I shall be safe,--safe from the threatened wrath Of unknown G.o.ds, but d.a.m.ned forever by The men I know,--that is the curse I fear.

BENHADAD: Speak not so high, my son. Must we not bow Our heads before the sovereignties of heaven?

The unseen rulers are Divine.

NAAMAN: O King, I am unlearned in the lore of priests; Yet well I know that there are hidden powers About us, working mortal weal and woe Beyond the force of mortals to control.

And if these powers appear in love and truth, I think they must be G.o.ds, and wors.h.i.+p them.

But if their secret will is manifest In blind decrees of sheer omnipotence, That punish where no fault is found, and smite The poor with undeserved calamity, And pierce the undefended in the dark With arrows of injustice, and foredoom The innocent to burn in endless pain, I will not call this fierce almightiness Divine. Though I must bear, with every man, The burden of my life ordained, I'll keep My soul unterrified, and tread the path Of truth and honour with a steady heart!

Have ye not heard, my lords? The oracle Proclaims to me, to me alone, the doom Of vengeance if I lead the army out.

”Conquered or conquering!” I grip that chance!

Damascus free, her foes all beaten back, The people saved from slavery, the King Upheld in honour on his ancient throne,-- O what's the cost of this? I'll gladly pay Whatever G.o.ds there be, whatever price They ask for this one victory. Give me This gilded sign of shame to carry back; I'll shake it in the face of a.s.shur's king, And break it on his teeth.

BENHADAD: [Rising.]

Then go, my never-beaten captain, go!

And may the powers that hear thy solemn vow Forgive thy rashness for Damascus' sake, Prosper thy fighting, and remit thy pledge.

REZON: [Standing beside the altar.]

The pledge, O King, this man must seal his pledge At Rimmon's altar. He must take the cup Of soldier-sacrament, and bind himself By thrice-performed libation to abide The fate he has invoked.

NAAMAN: [Slowly.]

And so I will.

[He comes down the steps, toward the altar, where REZON is filling the cup which TSARPI holds.

RUAHMAH throws herself before NAAMAN, clasping his knees.]

RUAHMAH: [Pa.s.sionately and wildly.]

My lord, I do beseech you, stay! There's death Within that cup. It is an offering To devils. See, the wine blazes like fire, It flows like blood, it is a cursed cup, Fulfilled of treachery and hate.

Dear master, n.o.ble master, touch it not!

NAAMAN: Poor maid, thy brain is still distraught. Fear not, But let me go! Here, treat her tenderly!

[Gives her into the hands of SABALLIDIN.]

Can harm befall me from the wife who bears My name? I take the cup of fate from her.