Stephen here his eyes wide open laid And looked a look of simple love on Paul. His sleep had sudden-perfect been, as night At the equator instantly is dark; And now, as day at the equator dawns Full splendor, and no twilight of degrees, So Stephen was at once and all awake. He straight, without surprise, remembered all, Or, needing not remember, recognized. Paul caught his nephew's upward look of love, And sheathed it in the light of his own eyes, Which, downward bent a moment on the boy, Gave him his gift with usury again. "Behold," said Paul, "my parable made plain By parable not dark with paradox. A sea of bitterness was yesterday Poured round me in that madding multitude That tossed me on the shoulders of its waves; But here is this my loving nephew, Stephen, A fountain of sweet water in the sea-- Art thou not, Stephen?--whence to drink my fill. But this is parable of parable; No more--for what I mean is still to speak. Know, then, there is no earthly accident Of evil that has happened me, or can Happen, nay, and no swelling flood of such, Of any power at all to touch with harm The peace that passeth understanding, fixed By Jesus in my inward firmament; The sea less vainly might assail the stars." "If this thou meanest," Gamaliel, groping, said, "That when the angry people yesterday Bore thee headlong and menaced death to thee, Then thou wert calm at heart, feeling no fear-- What else were that than boasting, 'I am brave,' Which but such vaunt of it could bring in doubt?" "Nay, master," Paul said, "braggart am I not, As justly thou hast signified no brave Man can be; and the peace whereof I speak Is not the calmness that the brave man drinks Out of the cup of danger at his lips. That also I perhaps have sometimes known; But this is other, and a mystery Even to myself, who only have, and not The secret of the having understand-- Save that I know it no virtue, but a gift Renewed forever from the grace of Christ."