Rachel, who saw Saul blench, and full well knew What pangs on pangs his pride could force him bear-- He smiling blithely while he inly bled-- Watched, with a heart divided in sore pain Between the sister's pity of his case And sympathy against him for his sake, As Stephen thus his speech to Saul addressed: "Yea, to thee, Saul my brother, in thy flush And prime of youth and youthful hope, thy joy, Thy pride, of all-accomplished intellect, And sense of self-sufficing righteousness-- To thee, thou pupil of Gamaliel, thee, Thou Hebrew of the Hebrews, Pharisee, Against the gust and fury of thy zeal, And in the teeth of thy repellent scorn, Jesus the crucified I preach _thy_ lord. Blindly with bitter hate thou ragest now Against Him; but hereafter, and not long Hereafter, thou, despite, shalt lie prostrate Before Him and beneath Him in the dust, Astonished with His glory sudden shown Beyond thy power with open eye to see. Lo, by the Holy Spirit bidden, I This day plant pricks for thee to kick against. Cruel shall be the torture in thy breast, And unto cruel deeds thou didst not dream The torture in thy breast will madden thee-- The anguish of a mind at strife with good, A will self-blinded not to cease from sin. Nevertheless at length I see thee mild-- Broken thy pride, thy wisdom brought to naught, To thyself hateful thy self righteousness, Worshipping at His feet whom late thou didst Persecute in His members, persecute In me. Lo, with an everlasting love I long for thee, O Saul, and draw thee, love Born of that love wherewith the Lord loved me And gave Himself for me to bitter death." Rachel her prayer and love and longing joins, With tears, to Stephen's, for her brother, who, Conscious of many eyes upon him fixed, Far other thought, the while, and feeling, broods. As captain, on the foremost imminent edge Of battle, leading there a storming van Of soldiers in some perilous attack, Pregnant with fate to empire, if he feel Pierce to a vital part within his frame Wound of invisible missile from the foe, Will hide his deadly hurt with mask of smile, That he damp not his followers' gallant cheer; Thus, though with motive other, chiefly pride, Saul, rallying sharply from that first surprise, Sternly shut up within his secret breast A poignant pang conceived from Stephen's words, Resentment fated to bear bitter fruit, But melt at last in gracious shame and tears.