Part 40 (2/2)
Having foretold it, there remains For grace no time, for hope no room; Even now I seem to feel the pains Of h.e.l.l, that wait beyond the gloom Of my dishonour'd tomb.
Thou who hast lived and died to save, Us sinners, Christ of Galilee!
Thy great love pardon'd and forgave The dying thief upon the tree, Thou canst not pardon me!
Dear Lord! hear Thou my latest prayer, For prayer must die since hope is dead; Thy Father's vengeance let me bear, Nor let my guilt be visited Upon a guiltless head!
Ah! G.o.d is just! Full sure I am He never did predestinate Our souls to h.e.l.l. Ourselves we d.a.m.n-- [To Orion, with sudden pa.s.sion]
Serpent! I know thee now, too late; Curse thee! Work out thy hate!
Orion: I hate thee not; thy grievous plight Would move my pity, but I bear A curse to which thy curse seems light!
Thy wrong is better than my right, My day is darker than thy night; Beside the whitest hope I share How white is thy despair!
SCENE--The Chapel of the Convent.
URSULA, AGATHA, Nuns and Novices.
(Hymn of the Nuns):
Jehovah! we bless Thee, All works of Thine hand Extol Thee, confess Thee; By sea and by land, By mountain and river, By forest and glen, They praise Thee for ever!
And ever! Amen!
The heathen are raging Against Thee, O Lord!
The unG.o.dly are waging Rash war against G.o.d!
Arise, and deliver Us, sheep of Thy pen, Who praise Thee for ever!
And ever! Amen!
Thou Shepherd of Zion!
Thy firstlings didst tear From jaws of the lion, From teeth of the bear; Thy strength to deliver Is strong now as then.
We praise Thee for ever!
And ever! Amen!
Thine arm hath delivered Thy servants of old, Hath scatter'd and s.h.i.+ver'd The spears of the bold, Hath emptied the quiver Of bloodthirsty men.
We praise Thee for ever!
And ever! Amen!
Nathless shall Thy right hand Those counsels fulfil Most wise in Thy sight, and We bow to Thy will; Thy children quail never For dungeon or den, They praise Thee for ever!
And ever! Amen!
Though fierce tribulation Endure for a s.p.a.ce, Yet G.o.d! our salvation!
We gain by Thy grace, At end of life's fever, Bliss pa.s.sing man's ken; There to praise Thee for ever!
And ever! Amen!
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