that slew me in the night!

     STRAT.
     Severus he by name, yet noble in his heart!

     PAUL.
     Ah, Polyeucte bathed in blood! Depart! depart!

     STRAT.
     For Polyeucte's welfare did Severus pray!

     PAUL.
     Yes, yes, his heart is great; be that my stay!
     Yet, tho' his truth, his faith, well-proved be,
     Most baleful is his presence here to me;
     Yea, tho' he would all ill for me undo
     Yet he hath power, he loves—he came to woo.

     (Enter Polyeucte and Nearchus.)

     POLY.
     The source of tears is dry, oh, weep no more,
     Thy grief lay down, thy fearful heart restore!
     Let night's dark dream with superstition die,
     The dream is past, for here in life am I!

     PAUL.
     The day is young, and oh, the day is long,—
     And half the dream is true, and Fate is strong;
     Severus have I seen, who thought him dead!

     POLY.
     I know it! Let no tear for this be shed!
     Secure with thee am I! Tho' great the knight,
     Thy father will command to do me right;
     The general is a man of honour,—he
     Would ne'er that honour dim by treachery!
     He comes in amity, our friend, our guest;
     To greet his worth and valour now my quest.

     PAUL.
     Radiant he came, who left me hopeless, sad,
     But he will come no more,—this grace I had.

     POLY.
     What? Thinkest thou that I can jealous be?

     PAUL.
     An outrage this on him, on thee, on me!
     He came in peace, who all my peace hath marred.
     Who would run safely, every step must guard;
     The wife who danger courts but courts her fall
     My husband, aid me!—I would tell thee all!
     His worth, his charm, do my weak hearth enflame
     A traitor here! And he is aye the same!
     If I should gaze, and long—'gainst virtue, honour, sense,
     The citadel I yield, and mine my own defence!
     I know my virtues sure, and fair my fame,
     But struggle is defeat,—and combat shame!

     POLY.
     Oh, true thy shield, thy victory is won,
     He only who has lost thee is undone;
     His noble grief the cost of all my bliss,
     Ah, Cleopatra's pearl was naught to this!
     The more my faults I see, the more thy truth I learn,
     The more do I admire——

     (Enter Cleon.)

     CLEON.
     My lord, the altars burn
     With holy fire. The victim they prepare;
     On thee alone they wait, our rites to share.

     POLY.
     Go, we do follow thee!

     PAUL.
     I cannot go;
     Severus flies my sight; to him I owe
     My absence—not, alas! to him alone!
     Go thou, and oh, remember he is great;
     In his sole hands Severus holds thy fate!

     POLY.
     A foe so great, so noble, is a friend,
     Oh, not from him the lance that Heaven will send!

     Exeunt Pauline, Stratonice and Cleon.

     NEAR.
     Where go'st thou?

     POLY.
     To the temple is the call.

     NEAR.
     What! Wouldst thou mingle in their heathen brawl?
     Thou art a Christian, and canst thou forget?

     POLY.
     Canst thou, who fore mine eyes the cross didst set?

     NEAR.
     Not mine their gods!

     POLY.
     He calls me! I must go!

     NEAR.
     I fly their altars!

     POLY.
     I would overthrow!
     Not mine to fly a worship I disown,
     By me Jehovah, King of kings, be known!
     Not mine to tremble as I kiss the rod!
     I conquer by the Cross, I fight for God!
     Thou wouldst abstain! For me another course
     From Heaven the call, and Heaven will give the force!
     What! Yield to evil! His Cross on my brow!
     His freemen we! O fight, Nearchus, now!
     For us our Lord was scourged, pierced, tortured, slain!
     For us He bled! Say, has He died in vain?

     NEAR.
     Let timely moderation temper zeal!

     POLY.
     His—His alone am I! His woe my weal!

     NEAR.
     In love with death?

     POLY.
     For Him I love I die!
     He died for me! So death is victory!

     NEAR.
     Thy flesh is weak!

     POLY.
     Yet He will make me bold!

     NEAR.
     And if thou waver?

     POLY.
     He will me uphold!

     NEAR.
     To tempt the Lord thy God were an offence.

     POLY.
     He is my shield—hence! cursed tempter, hence!

     NEAR.
     In time of need the faith must be confessed.

     POLY.
     The offering grudged is sacrifice unblessed.

     NEAR.
     Seek thou the death thine own self-will prepares!

     POLY.
     A crown I seek, which every martyr shares!

     NEAR.
     A life of duty well that crown can win.

     POLY.
     The purest life on earth is stained with sin.
     Why yield to time and chance what death assures?
     Death but the gate of life that aye endures.
     If I be His—let me be His alone!
     The faith that soars shall full fruition own;
     Who trusts, yet fears and doubts, his faith is dead!

     NEAR.
     Not death the Christian's prayer, but daily bread.
     Live to protect the flock, so sore oppressed.

     POLY.
     Example be their friend, most sure, most blessed!

     NEAR.
     Thou woo'st thy death!

     POLY.
     Is this poor life so dear?

     NEAR.
     Ah, I must own my heart is slave to fear.
     The rack! The cross! I might my Lord disown!

     POLY.
     From Him our help, our strength, from Him alone!
     Who fears denial does at heart deny;
     Who doubts the power of faith makes faith a lie!

     NEAR.
     Who leans upon a reed shall find distress.

     POLY.
     His staff will guide, support my feebleness.
     Thou wert my staff, to show the Truth, the Way,
     Must I now urge thee to the realms of day?
     Thou fearest death?

     NEAR.
     The Christ once feared to die!

     POLY.
     Yet drained the bitter cup of agony!
     The way that thou hast shown—that way He trod;
     His way be ours to lead man's soul to God—
     For heathen shrine—to rear His altar fair,—
     The deathless hope alone can kill despair!
     Thou said'st: 'If Him thou wilt for pattern take,
     Then leave wife, wealth, home, all for His dear sake!'
     Alas, that love of thine, now weak and poor,
     Glows yet within my breast—and shall endure;
     Ah, must the dawn of this my perfect day
     Find thy full light beclouded, dimmed, astray?

     NEAR.
     Baptismal waters yet bedew thy brow;
     The grace that once was mine, that grace hast thou.
     No worldly thought has checked the flow, no guilty act has stained;
     Thy wings are strong, while mine are weak; thy love is fresh,