The chiliarch stood suspended in fast gaze On Shimei, not perusing him, but lost In various troubled and confounded thought. 'Had he indeed been tricked? Was Paul such knave? Had that young Hebrew, with his innocent Bright look of truth and faith and nobleness, Had he been hollow, false, base, treacherous, And played upon a Roman father's heart To rid a rascal out of custody? Gamaliel--was that reverend-looking man, That image of a stately-fair old age, Was he a low complotter of deceit? Or, if not that, had nameless turpitude Abused such dignity into a tool, Helpless, unwitting, of ignoble wile?' Thought, question, doubt, suspicion, guess, surmise, Tumbled, a chaos, in the chiliarch's mind. Shimei paused, watching, with delight intense; He felt the chiliarch fast ensnared, his prey. Wary as was his wit, and ill-inclined Ever to take a needless risk, or dip His feet in paths wherein, once entered, he Perforce must fare right forward, no retreat-- Though such in temper, such in habit, yet-- Either that instant suddenly resolved That his true prudence was temerity, Or trusting his resourceful craft to pluck Desperate advantage from the jaws of chance-- Shimei dared interrupt the Roman's muse: "Will not my lord the chiliarch now think well To call Gamaliel into presence here? Well frightened, the old man perhaps might tell What passed in his long interview with Paul, Something to help thee judge betwixt us twain, Which it were well to credit, Paul or me." The chiliarch started from his reverie; "Go bring that Hebrew ancient here," he said. Then neither Jew nor Roman uttered word, Each busy with his own unsharéd thought, Till the centurion from his quest returned, Alone, and serious, no Gamaliel brought. "I found"--but scarcely the centurion, Faltering, had so essayed to make report, When the wroth chiliarch snatched the word from him: "Was not he there? Did he refuse to come? The more loth he, the more to be required! Gray hair will not atone for stubbornness; Thou shouldst have brought him, though by greater force. Something lurks here lends color to the tale This hoar-head Jew has filled my ear withal. I will Gamaliel see and learn from him--" "But, sir," spoke up the loth centurion, "Nothing from that old Hebrew wilt thou learn, For--" "I will hear no 'fors,'" the chiliarch said, "But, hark thee, have the man before me straight!" Mute, the centurion, left no option, turned, And, with four soldiers bidden follow him, Went to the lodgment where Gamaliel slept.