Hear! Her lips could never seal upon a wrong. Sudden divinity is on them, silence Sent for the benison of Israel, Else were it shattered by her love to you! Believe! in all the riven realm of duty There’s no obedience from thee she would hold. If it seem other-- [_Enter_ ABNER _hurriedly_.] ABNER Pardon, O king. At once! SAUL I will not. Do you come with vexing too? ABNER The Philistines--some fury is afoot. A spy within our gates--and scorns to speak. SAUL Conspiracy of silence!… Back to him. [ABNER _goes_.] [_To_ DAVID _and_ MICHAL.] But you--I’ll not forget. I’ll not forget. [SAUL _goes_.] DAVID Forget! anointing! peril! what are they all! Michal?--for me you have done this, for me? [_She stands immovable._] I am swung with joy, as palms of Abila! [_Goes to her._] A princess, you, and the veins of you live warm With sympathy and love unto your father, Yet you have shielded me? MICHAL You are the anointed? DAVID I am--oh do not flint your loveliness!-- I am the anointed, but all innocent In will or hope of any envious wrong As lily blowing of blasphemy! as dew Upon it is of enmity! MICHAL Anointed! You whom the king uplifted from the fields! DAVID And who am ever faithful to him! MICHAL You, Whom Jonathan loves more than women love! DAVID Yet reaches not my love to Jonathan! MICHAL You--you! DAVID But, hear me! MICHAL You, of all! DAVID O Hear! Of my anointing Jonathan is ’ware, Knows it is holy, helpless, innocent As dawn or a drift of dreaming in the night! Knows it unsought--out of the skies--supernal-- From the inspirèd cruse of Samuel! For Israel it dripped upon me, and For Israel must drip until I die! Or till high Gath and Askalon are blown Dust on the wind, and all Philistia Lie peopleless and still under the stars!-- Goliath, then, a laughter evermore!… Still, still you shrink! do you not see, not feel? MICHAL So have you breathed yourself about my heart, Even as moon-lit incense, spirit flame Burning away all barrier! DAVID But see! MICHAL And all the world has streamed a rapture in, Till even now my lids from anger falter And the dew falls! DAVID Restrain! O do not weep! Upon my heart each tear were as a sea Flooding it from all duty but the course Of thy delight! MICHAL