But on this day select of many days, The happy people all of Paradise Saw Jesus as a darkness of less light, A glancing shadow, pass from out their sphere-- The most unweeting whither or why He went; But those knew who kept vigil on the mount. These had their sense for sight and sound that day Exalted to seraphic keen and clear Beyond the glorious wont of Paradise; While a circumfluous ether interfused For their behoof between where thus they stood And where they earthward looked, a subtile air, A discontinuous element rare like space, Was now such vehicle, so voluble, For lightest appulse to both eye and ear Supernal, thrice sevenfold refined, as made Seem nigh things seen or heard, however far. Fixed to behold and hearken thus at ease, They saw afar two pilgrim companies, Where, near Damascus, these a shady tuft Of grove or thicket, in the arid waste Of burning sand, at noontide hour had found, For rest and coolness ere their goal they gained. Those pilgrims just in act, as seemed, to start Anew upon the way for their last stage Of going, one, well recognized for Saul-- Remounted not from halt, but some few steps Leading his horse with bridle-rein remiss Along his destined path--comrade beside, Was by this comrade asked, as in discourse After suspense renewed: "How was it, then, Through what offence, that he deserved his death? Since atheist not, and not idolater, Nor yet of those Samaritan heretics, Wherein did Stephen fail of loyalty?" "Traitor was he," said Saul, "to our chief hope, He taught that Jesus Nazarene was Christ; Nay, that impostor, he, blaspheming, made Coequal partner of the eternal throne And solitary majesty of God; Worst of idolatry such blasphemy! Jesus of Nazareth anathema!" Almost, at this, a shudder of horror ran Chill through the spiritual pure corporeal frames Wherein were housed those blessed essences, Hearing from earth such words in Paradise! They then considered at what cost were bought Perpetual consciousness of things terrene! Watched they meanwhile that cloud of glory go Darkened wherein the Lord of light was hid. Incredibly though swift its far descent, Yet answerably swift their vision was, As swift likewise the motion of their mind; And so they plainly saw how, by degrees, What shadow was, in the celestial sphere, Became a growing brightness as it went, Until, within the bounds of sunshine come, That mild beclouded glory, still unchanged, Paled with its bright the brilliance of the sun. Hardly those watchers dare keep looking, pierced With a redeemed fine sympathy for Saul, And marvelling, "Such light can he bear and live?"