_Cain_. But thou canst not Speak aught of Knowledge which I would not know, And do not thirst to know, and bear a mind To know. _Lucifer_. And heart to look on? _Cain_. Be it proved. _Lucifer_. Darest thou look on Death? _Cain_. He has not yet 250 Been seen. _Lucifer_. But must be undergone. _Cain_. My father Says he is something dreadful, and my mother Weeps when he's named; and Abel lifts his eyes To Heaven, and Zillah casts hers to the earth, And sighs a prayer; and Adah looks on me, And speaks not. _Lucifer_. And thou? _Cain_. Thoughts unspeakable Crowd in my breast to burning, when I hear Of this almighty Death, who is, it seems, Inevitable. Could I wrestle with him? I wrestled with the lion, when a boy, 260 In play, till he ran roaring from my gripe. _Lucifer_. It has no shape; but will absorb all things That bear the form of earth-born being. _Cain_. Ah! I thought it was a being: who could do Such evil things to beings save a being? _Lucifer_. Ask the Destroyer. _Cain_. Who? _Lucifer_. The Maker--Call him Which name thou wilt: he makes but to destroy. _Cain_. I knew not that, yet thought it, since I heard Of Death: although I know not what it is-- Yet it seems horrible. I have looked out 270 In the vast desolate night in search of him; And when I saw gigantic shadows in The umbrage of the walls of Eden, chequered By the far-flashing of the Cherubs' swords, I watched for what I thought his coming; for With fear rose longing in my heart to know What 'twas which shook us all--but nothing came. And then I turned my weary eyes from off Our native and forbidden Paradise, Up to the lights above us, in the azure, 280 Which are so beautiful: shall they, too, die? _Lucifer_. Perhaps--but long outlive both thine and thee. _Cain_. I'm glad of that: I would not have them die-- They are so lovely. What is Death? I fear, I feel, it is a dreadful thing; but what, I cannot compass: 'tis denounced against us, Both them who sinned and sinned not, as an ill-- What ill? _Lucifer_. To be resolved into the earth. _Cain_. But shall I know it? _Lucifer_. As I know not death, I cannot answer.[103] _Cain_. Were I quiet earth, 290 That were no evil: would I ne'er had been Aught else but dust! _Lucifer_. That is a _grovelling_ wish, Less than thy father's--for he wished to know!