_Al._ Away! what dost thou think, Zapel, of death? I’ll tell thee. Nay, I promise I’ve much to tell.—Thou’st heard, when one is dead, An angel comes to him where he lies buried, And bids him sit upright, and questions him Of Islam and Mohammet. ’Tis not so. For in my dream I saw the spirits of men Stand to be judged: along the extended line 2120 Of their vast crowd in heaven, that like the sea Swayed in uncertain sheen upon the bounds Of its immensity, nor yet for that Trespassed too far upon the airy shores, I gazed. The unclouded plain, whereon we stood, Had no distinction from the air above, Yet lacked not foothold to that host of spirits, In all things like to men, save for the brightness Of incorruptible life, which they gave forth. Wondering at this I saw another marvel: 2130 They were not clothed nor naked, but o’er each A veil of quality or colour thrown Shewed and distinguished them, with bickering glance And gemlike fires, brighter or undiscerned. As when the sun strikes on a sheet of foam The whole is radiant, but the myriad globes Are red or green or blue, with rainbow light Caught in the gauzy texture of their coats,— So differed they. Then, as I gazed, and saw The host before me was of men, and I 2140 In a like crowd of women stood apart, The judgment, which had tarried in my thought, Began: from out the opposèd line of men Hundreds came singly to the open field To take their sentence. There, as each stepped forth, An angel met him, and from out our band Beckoned a woman spirit, in whose joy Or gloom his fate was written. Nought was spoken, And they who from our squadron went to judge Seemed, as the beckoning angel, passionless. 2150 Woman and man, ’twas plain to all that saw Which way the judgment went: if they were blessed, A smile of glory from the air around them Gathered upon their robes, and music sounded To guide them forward: but to some it happed That darkness settled on them. As a man Who hears ill tidings wraps his cloak about him, For grief, and shrouds his face, not to be seen; So these by their own robes were swallowed up, Which thinned to blackness and invisible darkness, And were no more. Thus, while I wondered much How two fates could be justly mixed in one, 2162 Behold a man for whom the beckoning angel Could find no answering woman, and I watched What sentence his should be; when I myself Was 'ware that I was called. A radiant spirit Waited for me. I saw prince Ferdinand:— Go tell him that I am here. _Za._ I cannot, lady. _Al._ The king and Sala are gone forth to fight: There’s none can know. Be not afraid. Obey, 2170 _Za._ Alas! alas! _Al._ Why dost thou stand and wail? _Za._ Oh, I would serve thee; alas! but ’tis too late. _Al._ Too late! how is’t too late? If he were dead....