The Purgatory of St. Patrick Part 5

My suspicion and abuse Pray forgive, your majesty, Think that what I said to thee Was but cackled by a goose.

At your service, night and day, Are whatever goods I've got -- Lucy here, myself and cot; And G.o.d bless us all, I pray.

PHILIP. For your hospitality I am grateful, and I trust To repay it.

PAUL. If you must, Let the first instalment be Just to take my wife away.

Thurs you will reward us two; She'll be glad to go with you, I, without her, glad to stay.

[Exeunt PHILIP and LEOGAIRE.

LUCY [aside]. Was there ever love so vain As is mine, a brief caress Cradled in forgetfulness?

OLD MAN. Juan Paul, as we remain Here alone, 'twere well to greet As a friend this labourer, Newly sent us.

PATRICK. Nay, good sir, I'm a slave, and I entreat That as such you understand me; I, the lowest of the low, Hither come to serve, and so I implore that you command me As a slave, since I am one.

OLD MAN. Oh, what modesty!

PAUL. What humility!

LUCY. What good looks, too, and gentility!

I, in truth, can't help being drawn By his face.

PAUL. Came ever here (This is quite between us two) Any wandering stranger who Did not draw you so, my dear?

Eh, my Lucy?

LUCY. Boorish, base, Is your vile insinuation 'Gains my innocent inclination For the whole of the human race!

[Exit.

OLD MAN. To your sharpness and good will, Paul, I trust a thing that may Cost my life.

PAUL. Then don't delay.

Tell it, since you know my skill.

OLD MAN. This new slave that here you see, I suspect is not secure, And I hasten to procure Means by which he more may be.

For the present I confide him To your care, by day or night Let him not escape your sight, Ever watchful keep beside him.

[Exit.

SCENE VIII.

PATRICK and PAUL.

PAUL [aside]. I'm to keep what you discarded!

Good in faith!-- [To PATRICK] Behold in me Your strict guard; in you I see The sole thing I ever guarded In my life; with such a care I can neither sleep nor eat.

If you wish to use your feet You can go, your road lies there.

Nay, in flying quickly hence You to me a good will do, Since my care will fly with you.

Go in peace.

PATRICK. With confidence You may trust me, for I'm not, Though a slave, a fugitive.

Lord! how gladly do I live In this solitary spot, Where my soul in raptured prayer May adore Thee, or in trance See the living countenance Of Thy prodigies so rare!

Human wisdom, earlthly lore, Solitude reveals and reaches; What diviner wisdom teaches In it, too, I would explore.

PAUL. Tell me, talking thus apart, Who it is on whom you call?

PATRICK. Great primeval cause of all, Thou, O Lord, in all things art!

These blue heavens, these crystal skies Formed of dazzling depths of light, In which sun, moon, stars unite, Are they not but draperies Hung before Thy heavenly land?-- The discordant elements, Water, fire, earth, air immense, Prove they not Thy master hand?

Or in dark or brightsome hours, Praise they not Thy power and might?

O'er the earth dost Thou not write In the characters of flowers Thy great goodness? And the air, In reverberating thunder, Does it not in fear and wonder Say, O Lord, that Thou art there?

Are not, too, Thy praises sung By the fire and water -- each Dowered for this divinest speech, With tongue the wave, the flame with tongue?

Here, then, in this lonely place I, O Lord, may better be, Since in all things I find Thee.

Thou hast given to me the grace Of Obedience, Faith, and Fear; As a slave, then, let me stay, Or remove me where I may Serve Thee truly, if not here.*

[An Angel descends, holding in one hand a s.h.i.+eld in which is a mirror, and in the other hand a letter.

[footnote] *For the earlier version of this prayer, see Note.

SCENE IX.

An Angel. -- THE SAME.

ANGEL. Patrick!

PATRICK. Ah! who calls me?

PAUL. Why, No one calls. [Aside.] The man is daft, Poetry should be his craft.

ANGEL. Patrick!

PATRICK. Ah! who calls me?

ANGEL. I.

PAUL [aside]. Who he speaks to, I can't see.

Well, to stop his speech were hard, I'm not here his mouth to guard.

[Exit.