With such preamble to prepare their minds, Minds used to guess the drift of Shimei's wish, This arch-artificer of fraud produced As witnesses the men whom he had late Mixed with Hirani's audience to foment That lawlessness. Such serviceable tongues Failed not to swear, in all, as Shimei wished. Saul, in his secret mind with anguish torn, Gazed at the man forsworn against, maligned, And almost envied him. A look of peace Was on him like a light of fixéd stars, So constant, and so inaccessible Of change through jar, through stain, so clear, so fair! He listened to the voices round him loud, As if some softer voice from farther sent Made ever an inner music to his mind Charming him with a melody unheard. He saw the things, the faces, and the forms, About him nigh, as if he looked beyond Or through them, and beheld far, far away Or whom or what to others was unseen. So when the high-priest, from his middle seat Among the councillors, accosted him, Asking, "To all these things what sayest thou?" The prisoner, like one absent-minded brought To sudden sense of present things, replied: "I hardly understand what 'these things' are, For otherwhither I was drawn in thought. But if it be inquired concerning Him Whom lately they not knowing crucified, Why, this I answer for my testimony: 'Let there be light,' said God, and light there was. Almost thus did that Man of Nazareth, Creative, speak for me, and changed my world Of native darkness to this cheerful scene Above, beneath, about me, sudden spread, And sun and moon and stars for me ordained. I praise Him as the Lord of life and light, And Giver of light and life to dead and blind. All glory to His ever-blesséd Name!" The simple ecstasy from which he spoke, Illuminated, and the holy power Of truth, in witness such, meekly so borne, Wrought even upon the jealous Sanhedrim An influence which they could not resist, And a pang shot to the inmost heart of Saul. A faltering of compunction close on shame Made the high-priest half-tenderly, with tone As of a father toward a child in fault, Say: "Nay, my son, deceived art thou; of will Surely thou dost not utter blasphemy. If so be demon power had leave from God To give thee back one day what demon power Had erst one day from God had leave to take Away, thy sight--be glad indeed, but fear To yield wrongly thy praise to demon power Permitted; all to God permissive yield. Glory belongs to God alone. My son, Bethink thee now betimes and save thy soul. 'Jesus of Nazareth anathema!' Those words repeat for all to hear, and go Acquitted hence of that thy blasphemy."