SAMUEL: She bade me serve and follow in thy steps. ELI (_musing_): Follow in my steps? Come, thou shalt serve these blind eyes and quench the candles. (_Omit this if there are no candles._) (_While_ SAMUEL _puts out the candles_, ELI _muses._) Follow in my steps? Shall it then be this lad, and not my sons, who shall rule Israel? Come, little lad, thou shalt lie here the night. (_He motions to couch on which he sits._ SAMUEL _lies down._ ELI _kneels as though before altar._) O God, God, would that my sons were pure as is this child! Yea, I have reared my sons in folly; now I reap the punishment thereof. Lo, what shall be the end? (_He falls silent._) (_There is a pause; then_ SAMUEL _half rouses and listens. He runs to_ ELI.) SAMUEL: Here am I, master, for thou calledst me. ELI: Nay, my son, I called thee not; lie down again. (_He reclines on other couch._) SAMUEL (_after a pause of about twenty seconds, again runs to_ ELI): Here am I, master, for thou calledst me. ELI: Nay, my son, I called thee not; lie down again. SAMUEL (_lies down for twenty seconds; then he half rises and looks bewildered_): He _did_ call me, he _did!_ he _did!_ (_He crosses to_ ELI.) Here am I, master, for _truly_ thou didst call me. ELI: Not I! (_He reflects._) It is the Lord, who speaketh to _thee_ and not to _me._ Alas, I have not the open vision. Go, lie down, and it shall be if he call thee, thou shalt say, "Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth." (SAMUEL _lies down; presently he rises and kneels._) SAMUEL: Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth. (_There is a pause while_ SAMUEL _listens._ ELI _turns toward him eagerly, then calls._) ELI: Samuel, my son! (SAMUEL _goes to him slowly._) What is this thing the Lord hath spoken to thee? I pray thee, hide it not. SAMUEL (_reluctantly_): He said--he said--the Lord hath said: Behold, I will judge the house of Eli forever, because his sons did bring a curse upon themselves, and he restrained them not. Master, what did he mean? ELI (_slowly and mournfully_): It is the Lord! Let him do what seemeth unto him good. (_He raises his arms to heaven._) SHOUTS OUTSIDE: News! News for the priest! ELI: What meaneth the noise of this tumult? (THREE SOLDIERS _run in._) FIRST SOLDIER: O Eli, servant of God, woe unto thee! SECOND SOLDIER: O Eli, be strong, and hear the news we bring. FIRST SOLDIER: Israel hath joined battle with the Philistines; Israel was smitten before the Philistines. SECOND SOLDIER: We brought the ark of the covenant to save us: It was thy two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, who carried the ark. THIRD SOLDIER: And there was a very great slaughter--And thy two sons, Hophni and Phinehas-- FIRST SOLDIER } The Lord hath slain them! SECOND SOLDIER } (ELI _trembles and falls backward_; _the_ FIRST _and_ SECOND SOLDIERS _support him._) THIRD SOLDIER: Lo, ye have slain him with your evil tidings.