(_Approaching the lines, his chin still upon
his breast._)
Something I have to tell you, hitherto,
For his own good, religiously concealed.
For adulation maketh pride to swell
And man becomes an idol. (_Looking up._)
Years ago
A prophesy went sounding down the south
That sent a thrill through Christendom. From Rome
The echo came to us. The rumor ran
That in the Saxon forest lived a boy
Through whom the North should come contrite to God:
A shepherd as was Moses and therefore
Prepared to lead his people. Friar Paul
Was sent to flash the light upon his way
And win him unto Christ, to make his staff
Put forth green Christian buds. With what result
I need not tell you. Few, few men can bear
Honor and the favor of the Most High. He,
Moses himself could not. "Watch Moses now;"
And struck the rock. And then God: "Now watch Me;"
And gave his staff to Joshua. And here
I find a lesson, this: Glory shall pass
From the proud man to the humble man. To-day
I take that prophesy up in _my_ hands
And with it seek the mountains of our God,
And Heathendom shall fall like Jerich--
THE MAN--(_Returning._) Says
He don't know which way. Lost him in the dark.
(_The crowd stands silent, not knowing which way to
go. A woman appears in the doorway._)
WOMAN--Madam Bacqueur in her swoon hath thrice cried out:
"O keep from the mountains! Look! See there!
The fire of God falls on the hills. See! See!"
FATHER BENEDICT--The voice of Hell that fears our coming. Woman,
Baths her entranced brows with holy water.
(_The woman goes back in the church. Jacques speaks
to the Priest._)
A MAN-- (_After a pause, from the rear line._)
Let's go toward the abbey.
ANOTHER-- (_In the front line, pointing right._)
This way.
ANOTHER-- (_Shaking his head, as though fearing the storm._)
No.
SECOND MAN-- (_Shouting, left._)
Jules!
(_He walks on a few paces and, frowning with
impatience, beckons in with his arm._)
FATHER BENEDICT--This is a sudden beam on the dark web.
JACQUES SAR--And his blood shed down yonder by the
bridge.
FATHER BENEDICT--And the storm moving toward that mountain top.
(_To the men._)
Jacques tells me that our honored bailiff lies
His martial limbs half hanging in the grave.
JACQUES SAR--I fear the bell will toll 'fore night.
FATHER BENEDICT-- (_deeply moved._)
The dead
Soldiers are up to meet their sergeant.
(_He walks quietly back and climbs the steps._)
Men,
Wing and wing this terrible morning, fly
Two avenging angels toward one mountain top.
One in his hand two bloody eyeballs bears;
The other, an old man's picture with a wound
Swollen and with Death's finger in it. Fixed
On two eyes are their four eyes. Toward one man
Four wings and two bright swords are on their way.
They light! They beckon me! I see it all!
From two wounds two red trails converge in one!
The hounds that have their noses on the track
Of the brother, had their tongues in Jardin's blood!
_The big white talbot is Canzler!_
(_There is a moment's silence so intense that the
wind is heard whistling among the white
crosses in the churchyard. Then a terrible
shout goes up._)
SHOUTS--Down with him!
To Hell with the hounds!
Lead us! Lead us!
(_Jacques strikes with his sword and the lines
move swiftly to the left, the direction of
the abbey._)
FATHER BENEDICT-- (_To himself._)
God's purposes begin where man's prayers end.
JACQUES SAR-- (_On fire._)
Right about! Face the heathen and face God!
(_The lines wheel and face right, the direction in
which the storm is moving._)
FATHER BENEDICT-- (_Transported._)
This is most wonderful. Men, Hell hath here
Packed all her seeds in one infernal bloom.
And who knew till this beam fell where to turn?
Henceforth let no man say he knows the way
That God will move on the morrow, for in a flash
The hem of his great garment passeth by.
(_Bacqueur enters with an armful of swords and
spears. On his left shoulder hangs a great
shield._)
JACQUES SAR--Here's two men have none.
CRIES-- Here, Jules!
Hand me one!
FATHER BENEDICT--(_Half to himself, his face upturned to_
_the sky._)
What have I done that Thou shouldst honor me
With glory such as no man ever--Nay,
'Tis not for me this glory is prepared,
For I have ever labored for another.
Thou movest in her and she in me and I
Am but a cloud upon her gale and storm.
Let no man move a foot. I know my time.
You see me but you see not what I see.
God hath arranged to bring us face to face.
This is no combat between merely men.
All Heathendom gives chase in this big hound.
Our brother stands for all men lost to God.
And my hand is the hand of Christendom.
(_Bacqueur offers him a sword._)
Nay, I have weapons that ye know not of.
(_Looking off at the storm._)
The lightnings whip the foothills and the clouds
Sag with the weight of the wrath of the Lord of Hosts.
(_His face becomes luminous._)
Who hears what I hear? Speak out. Then be still.
(_With an old scarlet flag, amid the folds of which
sections of a white cross are seen, Hugh
Capet comes running in. Seeing the priest
entranced upon the steps and the men hushed
with awe, he checks himself._)
FATHER BENEDICT-- (_Lifting his hand, without turning._)
If any man moves I will call down fire. (_A silence._)
To-day the last great tower of Hell goes down.
(_He comes down the steps._)
JACQUES SAR-- (_His voice quivering with emotion._)
This banner once waved over Acre, men.
HUGH CAPET--And we will plant it on Jerusalem.
SHOUTS--God's with us! God's with us!
FATHER BENEDICT-- (_Lifting his hand._)
Hear my last word.
JACQUES SAR-- Silence!
FATHER BENEDICT-- Let there be
No shouting or any noise. Let us go
Quietly as befits the Sabbath day.
The vales blow white. Yonder the mountains stand
Like quiet altars waiting sacrifice.
You, with the holy banner of God, stand here.
Now if there be among you one who hath
Guilt, looking upon this storm let him step
Out, lay his spear down and stay here and not
Tempt the wrath of God. For soon upon the heights
The heavens shall blacken and there shall be a loud
Burst of His power and the shining glory of God.
I pause a moment. Let that man step out
Now. (_A pause._)
Then you have naught to fear. The innocent
Are safe. God's shield is over them. Come.
JACQUES SAR--The signal, Father.
FATHER BENEDICT-- The signal shall be this:
JACQUES SAR--Attention, men!
FATHER BENEDICT-- I shall uplift the Christ.
(_He raises the crucifix._)
And God, burning the clouds to ashes, will throw
Lightning upon Antichrist. Then you
Charge. (_A roll of thunder._)
The trumpets of the heavenly host.
JACQUES SAR-- Now, men!
Up with your spears.
FATHER BENEDICT-- There shall be wonders done.
(_He starts right, the lines following him._)
In years to come, men, tell your children this:
When God crowned Benedict upon the heights
It was not Benedict but the Church He crowned.
(_They go out silent. The scene has become darker
and the wind is heard whistling among the
white crosses in the churchyard. Back in the
church through the open door is seen the
beautifully carven Christ with overhead in_
_golden letters the inscription: FORGIVE THEM_
_FOR THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY--. The DO has
never been put on._)
_SCENE THREE--The mountain side, as in Scene one of the
third Act. There is heard a steady roar as of wind over
vast forests, and all about are signs of an approaching_
_storm. At intervals an unnatural, ghastly light as from
rifted clouds swiftly driving overhead passes across the
scene. In a moment the gloom has returned and the trees are
racing back into the shadow._
_Back upon the ledge, his long yellow hair tossing in the_
_wind, stands Rudolph watching the gathering of the storm._
RUDOLPH-- (_To himself._)
Flying on starless wings the Powers of night
Keep back the bird of morning till the Norns
Have traced the lines of guilt and set the snare.
(_A moment later Canzler appears coming down the
sheep-path._)
CANZLER--What was that shouting down the mountain for?
RUDOLPH-- (_Turning quickly._)
The whirling of the wheel!
CANZLER-- The wheel?
RUDOLPH-- (_Hurrying forward._)
Look there
Where the vast felly flies! Far out it swings
And sways the forests. Look at it, Canzler!
For miles around below the mountain heads
The storm goes racing in a wheel whose hub
Turns on the village spire.
(_Canzler follows him back along the ledge._)
Awhile ago,
Divinely guided through the mountain ways,
A common cloud, afloat upon the dark,
Blotted the stars that glimmered in the tarn
And whirled into a wheel. Around the rim
Flows the white cloud-wool, and a thread is drawn
Under the hills. The distaffs of the Norns
Grow big with fate, and, sitting there in silence,
Their withered fingers from this flying skein
Loop off the lives of men. Val-father takes
In his almighty hand the reins of things
And drives them either way through earth and air.
(_Shouting far down the mountain._)
CANZLER--I heard that far up on the mountain tops.
RUDOLPH--In some procession honoring their god.
CANZLER--But louder now.
RUDOLPH-- And nearer.
CANZLER-- Where is Fritz?
RUDOLPH--Rounding the sheep up. (_Shouting again._)
They have crossed the bridge.
CANZLER-- (_Turning and looking at Rudolph._)
Honoring their god upon the mountain side?
RUDOLPH--'Tis the great dragon crawling through the hills.
CANZLER--No wonder darkness fills the valley.
(_After a pause_.)
And in a storm like this!
RUDOLPH-- Hunger.
CANZLER-- No doubt.
And there is hunger in the heavens, too.
RUDOLPH--And the two face. (_They listen._)
The Asas all night long
Were loud above the mountains as though some
Vast purpose long pent up were finding way.
CANZLER--And Selma heard it like a river flow
Washing the peaks and down the wooded slopes
Into the valley where the dragon lies.
(_Shouts still afar but growing nearer._)