The House of Rimmon | Page 9

each side, but walks firmly. The doors of
the temple open slightly, and REZON appears at the top of the steps.
NAAMAN lets the cords fall, and gropes his way for a few paces.]
NAAMAN: [Kneeling] Where is my King? Master, the bearer of thy
sword returns. The golden yoke thou gavest me I broke On him who
sent it. Asshur's Bull hath fled Dehorned. The standards of his host are
thine! Damascus is all thine, at peace, and free!
BENHADAD: [Holding out his arms.] Thou art a mighty man of
valour! Come, And let me fold thy courage to my heart.
REZON: [Lifting his rod.] Forbear, O King! Stand back from him, all
men! By the great name of Rimmon I proclaim This man a leper! On
his brow I see The death-white seal, the finger-print of doom! That tiny
spot will spread, eating his flesh, Gnawing his fingers bone from bone,
until The impious heart that dared defy the gods Dissolves in the slow
death which now begins. Unclean! unclean! Henceforward he is dead:
No human hand shall touch him, and no home Of men shall give him
shelter. He shall walk Only with corpses of the selfsame death Down
the long path to a forgotten tomb. Avoid, depart, I do adjure you all,
Leave him to god,--the leper Naaman!
[All shrink back horrified. REZON retires into the temple; the crowd
melts away, wailing: TSARPI is among the first to go, followed by her
attendants, except RUAHMAH, who crouches, with her face covered,
not far from NAAMAN.]
BENHADAD: [Lingering and turning back.] Alas, my son! O Naaman,
my son! Why did I let thee go? Thou art cast out Irrevocably from the
city's life Which thou hast saved. Who can resist the gods? I must obey
the law, and touch thy hand Never again. Yet none shall take from thee
Thy glorious title, captain of my host! I will provide for thee, and thou
shalt dwell With guards of honour in a house of mine Always.
Damascus never shall forget What thou hast done! O miserable words

Of crowned impotence! O mockery of power Given to kings, who
cannot even defend Their dearest from the secret wrath of heaven!
Naaman, my son, my son! [Exit.]
NAAMAN: [Slowly, passing his hand over his eyes, and looking up.]
Am I alone With thee, inexorable one, whose pride Offended takes this
horrible revenge? I must submit my mortal flesh to thee, Almighty, but
I will not call thee god! Yet thou hast found the way to wound my soul
Most deeply through the flesh; and I must find The way to let my
wounded soul escape!
[Drawing his sword.]
Come, my last friend, thou art more merciful Than Rimmon. Why
should I endure the doom He sends me? Irretrievably cut off From all
dear intercourse of human love, From all the tender touch of human
hands, From all brave comradeship with brother-men, With eyes that
see no faces through this dark, With ears that hear all voices far away,
Why should I cling to misery, and grope My long, long way from pain
to pain, alone?
RUAHMAH: [At his feet.] Nay, not alone, dear lord, for I am here; And
I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee!
NAAMAN: What voice is that? The silence of my tomb Is broken by a
ray of music,--whose?
RUAHMAH: [Rising.] The one who loves thee best in all the world.
NAAMAN: Why that should be,--O dare I dream it true? Tsarpi, my
wife? Have I misjudged thy heart As cold and proud? How nobly thou
forgivest! Thou com'st to hold me from the last disgrace,-- The
coward's flight into the dark. Go back Unstained, my sword! Life is
endurable While there is one alive on earth who loves us,
RUAHMAH: My lord,--my lord,--O listen! You have erred,-- You do
mistake me now,--this dream--

NAAMAN: Ah, wake me not! For I can conquer death Dreaming this
dream. Let me at last believe, Though gods are cruel, a woman can be
kind. Grant me but this! For see,--I ask so little,-- Only to know that
thou art faithful,-- Only to lean upon the thought that thou, My wife, art
near me, though I touch thee not,-- O this will hold me up, though it be
given From pity more than love.
RUAHMAH: [Trembling, and speaking slowly.] Not so, my lord! My
pity is a stream; my pride of thee Is like the sea that doth engulf the
stream; My love for thee is like the sovran moon That rules the sea.
The tides that fill my soul Flow unto thee and follow after thee; And
where thou goest I will go; and where Thou diest I will die,--in the
same hour.
[She lays her hand on his arm.