Athaliah | Page 3

Abner, call to mind the course Of prodigies accomplished in our days? Of Israel's tyrants, the notorious shame, And God found true in all His menaces; The impious Ahab ruined, and his blood That drenched the field by homicide usurped; Jezebel slaughtered near that fatal field; That queen beneath the feet of horses crushed; The dogs in her inhuman blood quenched full, And the torn members of her hideous corpse; Of lying prophets, the confounded crew, And flames upon the altar fall'n from heaven; Elijah speaking like a potentate Unto the elements, the firmament As heated brass becoming, closed by him; The earth three years without both rain and dew; The dead reviving at Elisha's voice? O, Abner, own in these transcendant deeds, A God such as He was throughout all time. Who knoweth, when He wills, to show His glory, His people always present in His thoughts.
{ABNER.}
But where the dignities to David promised, And e'en foretold by Solomon, his son? Alas! we hoped that from that happy race Was to descend a numerous train of kings; That over every nation, every tribe, His domination one of them should fix; Make war and tumult cease in every land, And at their feet behold all earthly kings.
{JOAD.}
Wherefore renounce the promises of heaven?
{ABNER.}
Where shall we seek that monarch, David's son? Can heaven itself repair that withered tree, Dead, even to its roots? The infant king, By Athaliah murdered in his cradle; Can those, for eight years dead, forsake the tomb? Ah! in her fury were she but deceived! If of the royal blood one drop escaped!
{JOAD.}
What would you then?
{ABNER.}
O happy day for me! O with what ardour would I own my king! Doubt you, that at his feet our eager tribes-- But wherefore flatter me with these vain thoughts? The wretched heir of our triumphant kings Alone was Ochoziah, with his children; By Jehu's shafts I saw the father pierced; You, by the mother, saw the son despatched.
{JOAD.}
I say no more; but when the star of day Shall have performed a third part of his course On the horizon, come with this same zeal Again into the temple, whilst to prayers The third hour summons us, and God to you Will show, by benefactions weighty, that His word is stable, that it ne'er deceives. Depart: I must prepare for this great day, And dawn already gilds the temple's summit.
{ABNER.}
What are those favours that I cannot fathom? The illustrious Josabet approaches you: I go to mingle with the faithful band Which this day's solemn pomp enticeth forth.

Scene II.
{JOAD.}
Princess, the time's accomplished, I must speak! You may conceal your rescued charge no longer. The guilty vauntings of Jehovah's foes, Misdeeming against Him His silence deep, Too long of falsehood's taxed His promises: What do I say? Success imparting life Into their fury, even on our shrines Your cruel stepmother would offer up To Baal idolatrous incense. Let us show The infant monarch, whom your hands have saved, Raised in the temple 'neath the Lord's defence. He will possess the courage of our princes; His mind already mounts above his years. Before my voice explains his destiny, I go to offer him to God, by Whom Our sovereigns rule; our Levites and our priests, Immediately assembling, I to them The offspring of their princes will declare.
{JOSABET.}
Knows he his name and noble parentage?
{JOAD.}
He answers only to Eliacin, And by his mother thinks himself abandoned, To whom I have in pity served as father.
{JOSABET.}
Alas! what perils I have known him 'scape! What peril is he nigh to come to, still?
{JOAD.}
What! does your faith, already weak, shrink back?
{JOSABET.}
To your wise counsels, lord, I yield myself: For, from the day I snatched that child from death, Into your hands I've placed the care of him; Dreading the violence of my love, I have, As much as possible, e'en shunned his sight, For fear, when seeing him, some foolish grief Should bring to light my secret with my tears. But, above all, I have believed it good To consecrate three days and nights entire To tears and prayers. However, may I ask Of you to-day, What friends have you prepared To second you? Will Abner, the brave Abner, Come to defend us? Has he taken oath To show himself beside his king?
{JOAD.}
Though we can be assured of Abner's faith, He even knows not yet, we have a king.
{JOSABET.}
To whom do you confide the care of Joas? Obed or Ammon does that honour favour? The benefits showered on them by my sire--
{JOAD.}
To Athaliah they have sold themselves.
{JOSABET.}
Whom, then, do you engage against her guards?
{JOAD.}
Have I not said? Our Levites and our priests.
{JOSABET.}
I know that under your foreseeing care Their numbers are redoubled, secretly Assembled near you; that full of love For you, for Athaliah boundless hate, A solemn oath anticipating, binds