The murmur of Gamaliel's musing ceased; But ceased not the strong crying without words In Paul's heart for his master so bestead. The solemn silence of that prison cell, Less broken than accented by the tread Monotonous and measured heard without Of the dull sentry pacing to and fro His beat along the way before the door More like mechanic pendulum than man; The darkness of the place now utter, night Full come, no lamp; the awe, the dread suspense Unspeakable of such an issue poised, Eternity in doubtful balance there A-tremble on a razor-edge of time-- This even on Stephen's bright young spirit cast As if a shadow from the world to come; He parted with it after nevermore The vivid certainty, that moment seized, Of an Unseen, more real, beyond the Seen. But presently Gamaliel yet again Mused audibly in murmur as before: "I fear me I shall fail, and not let go Betimes the hold I have, the hold has me, Say rather, this fierce hold upon myself And mine own righteousness so dearly earned, To take the fall proposed, the shuddering fall, Through emptiness and that waste waiting deep Of nothing under me, in hope to reach At last--what rescue, or what landing-place? Rest in the arms once pinioned to the cross! He draws me with His heavenly-uttered 'Come'! This is God's voice; God's voice I must obey-- Yea, Lord, thy servant heareth, and I come. I say it, but I do it not. Too late? What if at last I prove to hold too hard Upon myself, and not undo my hand, Grown stiff with holding long, until too late! These are my last heart-beats, and with the last, The very last, what would I do? Resist? Resist, or yield? Oh, not resist, but yield; Lord, help me not resist, but yield, but yield--" The faltering utterance failed, suspended; then, To a new key transposed, went faltering on: "This peace within my breast, the peace of God! Jesus, Thou Son of Blesséd God Most High, I know Thee by the token of Thy peace! Thine is this peace, not given as by the world. Thou wast beforehand with Thy servant; I Had not known Thee, hadst Thou not first known me, And hastened to be gracious, ere I died. Thou art most gracious, and I worship Thee. What was it Simeon said?--'Now lettest Thou Thy servant hence depart in peace,' for I-- In peace, in peace, even I--yea, for mine eyes, Mine also, most unworthy, have beheld The light of Thy salvation, O my God! Oh, peace ineffable! It seems to steal Through all my members and dispose to rest. I think that I will sleep; I am at peace. My heart has quieted itself, peace, peace--" The words died into silence audible; Soft, like a wavelet sinking, ceased his breath, And there Gamaliel lay, a breathless peace.