Indignant patriot spirit in the breast Of Rachel mixed itself with kindred pride And gladness for her brother gleaming so Before her in a kind of fulgurous scorn Which made his hearers quail while they admired; She could not stay a sudden gush of tears. But Saul's voice now took on a winning change, As, deprecating gently, thus he spoke: "Forgive, my brethren, I have used hot words Freely and frankly, as great love may speak. But that I love you, trust you, hope of you The best, the noblest, when once more you are Yourselves, and feel the spirit of your past Come back, I had not cared to speak at all. I simply should have hung my head in shame, Worn sackcloth, gone with ashes on my brow, And sealed my hand upon my lips for you Forever. Love does not despair, but hopes Forever. And I love you far too well To dream despair of you. Bethink yourselves, My brethren! Me, as if I were the voice Of your own ancient aspiration, hear. Bear with me, let me chide, say not that love Lured me to over-confidence of you. "Be patient now, my brethren, while I go, So briefly as I may, through argument That well might ask the leisure of long hours, To show from Scripture, from authority, From reason and from nature too not less, Why we should hold to our ancestral faith, And not the low fanatic creed admit Of such as preach for Christ one crucified. Be patient--I myself must patient be, Tutoring down my heart to let my tongue Speak calmly, as in doubtful argument, Where I am fixed and confident to scorn."