A certain gentle humor exquisite Enlivened and commended this from Paul. But Stephen answered not; indignant love Swelled in his heart, and choked within his throat The way of words, and dimmed his eyes with tears. Thus at Antipatris arrived, they halt: Here Stephen, nursing other purpose not Disclosed, disclosed to Paul a wish he had To go back with the infantry returning, And reassure his mother that all was well. Paul sped his nephew with his benison; And, after rest had, and refreshment meet, Himself thence, with the escort cavalry Safeguarded, on to Cæsarea rode, Not lonely, though alone, and prisoner. BOOK V. SHIMEI AND YOUNG STEPHEN. Stephen, having returned, goes at once to the chiliarch, his secret purpose being to convict Shimei of his crime, through certain evidence which he thinks he can bring to bear on the case. To the youth's disappointment and chagrin, he is received coldly and repellently by the chiliarch now much out of humor as a sequel to his disagreeable interview with Shimei. Dismissed crestfallen to go, Stephen is suddenly confronted at the door by Shimei, at that moment arriving in obedience to a summons from the chiliarch. The mutual encounter has the effect on the chiliarch observing it, to change his attitude toward Stephen, making it favorable again. Shimei is sent to Cæsarea under suspicion; where Felix, the governor, plans a hearing for the prisoner Paul. SHIMEI AND YOUNG STEPHEN At Cæsarea soon the Sanhedrim, By deputy and advocate, appeared Before the bar of Felix governor, To implead the prisoner Paul. The high-priest brought The weight and dignity of rulership Supreme among his people, to impress On Felix fitting sense of the grave cause Now come before him to be judged. Thin veiled Beneath the decent fair exterior show Of only public and judicial aim And motive in that ruler of the Jews (The high-priest Ananias), deep there wrought A leaven of personal vindictiveness Twofold, sullen resentment of affront, And, added, that least placable, that worst Hatred, the hatred toward a brother wronged. Whom he, from his own judgment-seat--profaned Thus by his profanation of the law-- Had wantonly commanded to be smitten Upon the mouth, this outraged man must now Be proved, forsooth, a wretch unmeet to live. But Shimei, as prime mover, was left, too, To be prime manager, of all. Far less Festive, than his old wont, in exercise Of that exhaustless wit his own in wile, Serious he now, yea even to sadness, seemed. And reason was. For Claudius Lysias Had summoned him to presence in the fort; And there, hap not to have been imagined, he, Besides the haughty Roman chief, had met Another face more welcome scarce than his.