One-Act Plays Part 76

His dress was ragged, but he smiled at me, And in his hand he held a purple flower.

I knew it for the magic flower of Dream.

I asked him "Art thou happy?" and he said "I'm mostly hungry; sometimes I am cold; And there are stones and thorns that hurt my feet, But while my Flower lives I am quite content.

And I have friends too, in the Palace there; Laughter and Dance they come and play with me."

I met that Child to-day, Princess. His face Was white and pinched, and down his baby cheeks The tears were running, "See, my Flower has died, And Dance and Laughter have been sent away.

Joy too is gone. Queen Sorrow reigns at Court."

Even the children now can play no more.

He never knew before the world was dark.

Art thou so sure, Princess, the Child was wrong?

DOUCE-COEUR.

Have I not heard bereaved mothers weep?

LOVE.

There thou dost touch a chord in ignorance.

Thou canst not guess the strength of Motherhood, The hopes, the joys, the pa.s.sionate regrets.

She who has borne her child close to her heart Has lit a star in Heaven that lights her way.

I kneel by them in their Gethsemane And teach them how to weave immortal wreaths Out of the sweetest flowers of Memory; For them the sun still s.h.i.+nes behind the clouds, Art thou so sure the world is wholly dark?

DOUCE-COEUR.

There echo in my ears the groans of Toil, Of those who labor on from year to year Until they sink beneath their weary lot.

LOVE.

Toil is the destiny of man, Princess, And none may question the Supreme Decree.

Perchance through toil alone man may redeem A past that is forgotten. Who can tell?

And there is still some aftermath of joy In labor well achieved, some dignity In toil accomplished. If the way is hard And seeming endless, those who seek for me Will often find me singing at their side.

Mine is the Brotherhood of Sympathy.

But thou hast banished Song, in silence now The toilers have to go upon their way.

Art thou so sure, it was all dark before?

DOUCE-COEUR.

What light is there for those who strive and fail?

LOVE.

One only fails. He whom some term Success, He who gives heart and soul and youth and strength To an unworthy cause. Failure is he Who sacrifices me before the world, Who prost.i.tutes the G.o.d in him for what Will turn to dust and ashes in his hand.

'Tis he alone is outcast though he thinks Himself the sun of all the universe.

To those, Princess, who striving seem to fail, It is not failure, for none see the end, And they who sigh are only those who seek An earlier consummation than is just; If they cling fast to me they still behold The white star-flowers Hope plants about the world.

Who knows to what fair land rough seas may lead?

DOUCE-COEUR.

Lo! over all I see the cruel hand Of Death outstretched, certain and pitiless.

LOVE.

The hand of Death is full of tenderness.

He leads men through that dark mysterious gate-- That all must pa.s.s into another life-- To other lives that through the cycles bring The souls of men upward from step to step, Uniting those for ever who are one.

Death hushes them like children on his breast.

Setting his own smile on their silent lips-- That tender smile of strange triumphant peace.

Death is my Brother, and I say to thee, Learn to know me, thou wilt not fear his hand.

DOUCE-COEUR.

Another hand is knocking at my heart Whose touch I know not, and I feel afraid-- Afraid to listen. Yet I long to hear.

Stranger, who art thou? Let me see thy face.

LOVE.

Learn to know me and thou shalt nothing fear.

DOUCE-COEUR.

Who art thou? Let me look into thine eyes.

LOVE.

Learn to know me and thou wilt find the Light.

DOUCE-COEUR.

Pilgrim, who art thou? Let me know thy name.

LOVE.

Dost thou not know me, Douce-coeur?

DOUCE-COEUR [_slowly_].

Thou art Love!

LOVE.

And dost thou know the meaning of my name?

Tell me thou art not fearful any more.

DOUCE-COEUR.

The darkness that was bound about mine eyes Is falling from me. In the growing light The answer to Life's riddle is made clear.

I seem to stand upon a height, caught up In ecstasy of rapture near the sun.

The day is dawning; far before my eyes I see the earth spread out there like a map.

Shadow and suns.h.i.+ne traveling on the road O'ertake each other, mingle--and are one.

FAME.

O Love, all hail! What is my crown to thine?

Thy music is the song of all the stars Which rings through every heart attune to thine.

RICHES.

O Love, all hail! What is my wealth to thine?

Thy treasures are the moons of happiness, Thy boundless gold the suns.h.i.+ne of the world.

POWER.

O Love, all hail! Thine is the greater rule, The force predominating. Thou alone Art the unvanquished King who conquers all.

POETRY.

O Love, whose face is sought by all the world, Bid her go forth out of her Palace gates Into her kingdom that lies all around, Teach her what means to use to right the wrong And ease the burden man has laid on man.

My voice that once could rouse men's sleeping souls Grows weary, and men often heed me not, Turning deaf ears that will not hear my words; 'Tis thou alone canst wind that mystic horn Which wakes alike the sleeping and the dead.

DOUCE-COEUR.

O Love, I pray thee call the children back, I am ashamed to think I drove them forth, I erred in ignorance. Forgive me, lord.

[_Enter JOY, LAUGHTER, SONG and DANCE._]