At his loom seated--there his handicraft, Late learned by him after sight given him late, Busily plying--Saul's intended prey, With his hands weaving, as the shuttle flew, A fabric of coarse cloth, wove with his tongue, That subtler shuttle in the loom of thought, Discourse simple yet sage, for those to hear, A goodly audience, who had gathered round Him in his place of labor out-of-doors Under an awning stretched that fenced the sun-- Drawn thither by the fame of what he told, A strange experience never man's before. "Thou art disciple of the Nazarene?" Abruptly so, intruding, Saul inquired. The accent of authority that spoke In him, the masterful demeanor his, All felt, and of the listeners some, afraid, Withdrew in silence; but the sifted more Who stayed clouded their aspect, and, with grim Mutter in undertone exchanged between Them, each with other, asked or answered who This was that rudely thus and threateningly Broke in upon them. Saul! the Sanhedrim! Were dreaded names, but red runs Jewish blood, And hot, and quick, and those affronted men Scarce waited for their neighbor seen thus scorned To answer yea to his stern challenger, Ere they together moved in mass about Saul unattended, naked of all arms Save his authority, and, hustling him, Seemed on the verge of using violent hands To thrust him forth--nay, to Saul's ears there came That pregnant word, ready on Jewish tongues, Yet readier hardly than to Jewish hands The deed, word full of instant menace, "Stones!" Saul knew his danger and his helplessness; But, far from terror, though not void of fear, Blanching not blenching, he a tonic breath Drew, in an air that to another man Had softened all his fibre or dissolved. Vanished that mood of feebleness he brought, And in its place a resolute, alert, Defiant sense of self-sufficing strength Supported him, nay, buoyed him almost gay, As thus, with bitter words, he taunted them: "Yea, now ye show what lessons ye have learned Of unresisting meekness at the feet Of this your teacher--_then_ not to resist When ye are certain to be overpowered! But twenty of you to one man are brave! Nay, but one man may twenty of you scorn. Back, there! Stand back! This man my prisoner is. I, Saul, commissioned by the Sanhedrim, Summon and seize him to appear this day Before their just tribunal to be judged As self-confessed disciple of the Way. Follow me thou! Make way before me there!"