For Shimei dreaded what he seemed to seek, The sentence "Guilty," at the judgment-bar Of Felix on this prisoner Paul pronounced; Dreaded it, lest appeal therefrom be claimed By Paul to the imperial ear at Rome. He himself, Shimei, then might be compelled To go likewise the same unwelcome way, Though witness and accuser only named, Yet labelled target for suspicious eyes, Where eyes suspicious oft portended doom. So he to Felix--less with words than signs, Mysterious looks and reticences deep, As of a man who could, if but he would, And were it wise, tell much that, left untold, Might well be guessed from things kept back, yet thus, And thus, and thus (in Shimei's pantomime) Winked with the eye and with the shoulder shrugged-- Hint signalled that there hid a gold mine here, For who, with power like his, conjoined the skill To make it yield its treasure to demand; This Paul had wealthy friends who gladly would Buy at large price indulgences for him. Let Felix hold out hopes, deferring still, Suffer his friends to come and visit Paul, Give hearings to his case, but naught decide, Weary him out, and them, with long delays-- Till a realm's ransom woo his clutch at last. Now Shimei thus consummately contrived; For Felix was a mercenary soul, Who governed in the spirit of a slave. He, therefore, doubting not that Shimei (Confessed the player of a double part, Pander to him, accuser for the Jews) Was all the rascal that the chiliarch guessed, Yet deemed he saw his profit in the man. He could use Shimei to his own behoof, In winning what he coveted from Paul; Meantime remitting not his hold on him For final expiation of his crimes. The two, well fitted to each other, thus Played each his several sordid game with each, And neither by the other was deceived, Both equally incapable of trust, As equally unworthy to be trusted-- Until, two years accomplished, Felix fell From power at Cæsarea; when, his greed Long disappointed of its glut of gain From Paul, he left him there in prison. He hoped The dreaded accusation of the Jews For his abuse of power, surpassing bound, Might less fierce follow him to Rome, should he, By that injustice added, in their eyes His thousands of injustices atone.