Nay, dearest one. Thine eyes are dazzled by the sun; See, in the field thy playmates run, Wilt thou not join them? CHILD.-- Mother, nay! I will not go with them to-day. ANNA. He never was a child for play. CHILD. Mother, what were you reading then? MARY.-- Isaiah’s prophecy how men Shall still be blind when God again Comes to save Zion and redeem His chosen ones. CHILD. Was it a dream? Or did he see? How did he know? MARY. He heard God’s word, and told men so. CHILD. And was that many years ago? MARY. Seven hundred years. CHILD.-- But having here His word to guide them, do men fear They will not see Salvation near? ANNA. Aye! many fear it. I for one. CARPENTER. There, that’s right! Now, ’tis almost done. (_The child turns towards the carpenter’s bench._) MARY. Thou will not miss that sight, my son. CARPENTER.-- Come, little son, and hold the wood! Brace hard the end, while I make good The upright. See how crooked it stood! CHILD. What art thou making, father? CARPENTER.-- Nay, See for thyself, my child, what way One grows to wisdom day by day. It is a door. (REUBEN _goes and takes a cup, dips it in a bowl of water near the door and drinks_.) CHILD. Whose door? CARPENTER. Why, mine, Till I’m paid for it! CHILD. How came it thine? CARPENTER. I made it. CHILD. How? CARPENTER.-- Well, first I bought The timber; after that I wrought, Rough hewed and shaped it, leaving nought To chance--so that all parts agree When joined together. Dost thou see? Art satisfied? CHILD. (_After a pause_) Who made the tree? CARPENTER. (_After a pause_) God made the tree, my son. CHILD.-- And through Long years it put forth leaf, and grew In beauty till man came and slew. (_He caresses the wood, laying his face upon it_) CARPENTER. Strange fancies still! CHILD.-- And so the tree Died, and gave up its life to be A door through which man passes free, To work God’s will. CARPENTER.-- Come, come, you waste Your father’s time, my son! Make haste, Reuben--we’ve got the lintel placed; Bring me the nails. REUBEN. (_As he brings the nails and drives them in. Sings_) Oh, what is yon tree that stands so high And stretches its arms in sorrow? “Oh, that is the gallows where I must die, Where I must die to-morrow.” Oh, what hast thou done, my only son, That thou shouldst die to-morrow? “My life I lend to a well-loved friend Who health of me would borrow.” If so thou lend to a well-loved friend, How heavy must be his sorrow! “Ah, say not so, for well I know I hang by his hand to-morrow.” (_The child has taken the bag of nails from_ REUBEN, _and hands them to him, one by one, as he drives them in. One of the nails pierces the child’s palm. He bows his head over it._) CARPENTER.--