"Then I am blind," he said quietly, after a little while.
"Dearest, I shall be eyes for you, watching, wary. Oh, poor, poor
Samson, put your head on my shoulder, your eyes close to my heart. You
shall see with my heart. I give it to you to see with.... Cry,
Samson, if you must, cry on my shoulder." She sought to draw him
closer to the haven of her breast. But he had stiffened, and his great
hand and arm had stiffened. He just moved her ponderously aside....
He raised his head to the autumn sky, and a great bellow came from his
chest.
"The Philistines are upon me. They have put out my eyes."
"Samson! Dear heart, listen--"
"They have shaven the seven locks of my head. They have taken my
strength from me. They have put out my eyes."
"Samson, Samson, listen. It is I, Delilah. Don't you know me?"
His great roar had brought out the household, and men from the
hillside, and stopped folk on the road. And they all came running now
thinking some murder was being done.
"I know you, Delilah. I know you well. The Lords of the Philistines
gave you silver to entice me. I knew you, and the Lord departed from
me."
"Samson, don't! Don't, Samson!"
"Away, harlot!" And he struck at her blindly. Only the tips of his
fingers touched her shoulder, but the force of them sent her to the
ground. Her household crouched to spring.
"For God's sake, no!" she almost screamed at them.
"The Philistines are upon me. They have put out my eyes!" he roared.
He went stumbling piteously through the orchard, the trunks of the
trees hurtling him, the branches striking his defenseless face.
Somehow he gained the road: "Delilah, the great whore, enticed me, and
the Lords of the Philistines put out my eyes--" his piteous bellow was
like the crying of some stricken animal. Delilah called a serving-lad.
"Go after my lord Samson," she said, "and lead him whithersoever he
wishes."
All afternoon and evening, and late into the night she sat white and
stricken, waiting for his step, waiting for news of him. In the
darkness a horse galloped up. An officer of the Philistines sought her.
"Have you news of Samson?"
"Yes, Delilah. He is in Gaza, in the prison-house."
"In the prison-house! What has he done?"
"He has done nothing, Delilah, he is--he is mad and blind, and would
come in. We tried to send him home to you, but he wouldn't come. And
he would n't go to the Hebrews. We were afraid of something happening
to him, so we took him in.... What shall we do, Delilah?"
"Would you--would you let him stay?"
"If you wish it, Delilah."
"He will be least unhappy there."
She knew somehow, in her heart, that never again would she lie in his
arms, never again be wife to the husband in him. She would take him
back, take him back gladly. Though no longer had she great passion for
him--that had died when he struck and insulted her before her servants.
She had a great pity and affection for the poor driven man. She was
the only one who understood him. "Ah, poor man! poor man!" she cried.
And in some ways he was only a child.
In a few days she went down to the prison house. The officials brought
her to where he was grinding corn in the yard.
"We put him at it, Delilah, to keep his mind off his trouble." She
nodded.
"Samson," she called. He moved his head slightly.
"Don't you know me, Samson?"
"I know you. You are the harlot Delilah, who enticed me, and gave me
into the hands of the Lords of the Philistines. Delilah, I know you
well."
"Samson, will you come home to my house? Let me make you comfortable
there."
"You would put out my tongue, Delilah, and burn off my hands, as you
put out my eyes. I know you, Delilah!"
"Then will you go to the Hebrews?"
"No!" he replied sullenly.
A sudden rush of tears to her eyes made her go out. She could no
longer bear to look upon him. He had been so strong once, so
courageous. He had looked in the sun's eye. And now, blind and
broken--oh, poor dear! ... She stumbled as she went.
At the door of the prison house the governor shuffled uncomfortably:
"We shall be very good to him, Delilah, as kind as we know how," he
uttered.
There was a great lump in her throat, so she could say nothing. But he
got his thanks from her twisted smile, her wet eyes....