Part 7 (1/2)

A MIRACLE OF BETHLEHEM

SCENE: A street of that village.

Three men with ropes, accosted by a stranger.

THE STRANGER

I pray you, tell me where you go With heads averted from the skies, And long ropes trailing in the snow, And resolution in your eyes.

THE FIRST MAN

I am a lover sick of love, For scorn rewards my constancy; And now I hate the stars above, Because my dear will naught of me.

THE SECOND MAN

I am a beggar man, and play Songs with a splendid swing in them, But I have seen no food to-day.

They want no song in Bethlehem.

THE THIRD MAN

I am an old man, Sir, and blind, A child of darkness since my birth.

I cannot even call to mind The beauty of the scheme of earth.

Therefore I sought to understand A secret hid from mortal eyes, So in a far and fragrant land I talked with men accounted wise,

And I implored the Indian priest For wisdom from his holy snake, Yet am no wiser in the least, And have not seen the darkness break.

STRANGER

And whither go ye now, unhappy three?

THE THREE MEN WITH ROPES

Sir, in our strange and special misery We met this night, and swore in bitter pride To sing one song together, friend with friend, And then, proceeding to the country side, To bind this cordage to a barren tree, And face to face to give our lives an end, And only thus shall we be satisfied.

(They make to continue their road)

THE STRANGER

Stay for a moment. Great is your despair, But G.o.d is kind. What voice from over there?

A WOMAN (from a lattice)

My lover, O my lover, come to me!

FIRST MAN

G.o.d with you. (he runs to the window)

STRANGER

Ah, how swiftly gone is he!