Nathan the Wise Part 32

Which of you do two brothers love the best?

You're silent. Do these love-exciting rings Act inward only, not without? Does each Love but himself? Ye're all deceived deceivers, None of your rings is true. The real ring Perhaps is gone. To hide or to supply Its loss, your father ordered three for one.

SALADIN.

O charming, charming!

NATHAN.

And (the judge continued) If you will take advice in lieu of sentence, This is my counsel to you, to take up The matter where it stands. If each of you Has had a ring presented by his father, Let each believe his own the real ring.

'Tis possible the father chose no longer To tolerate the one ring's tyranny; And certainly, as he much loved you all, And loved you all alike, it could not please him By favouring one to be of two the oppressor.

Let each feel honoured by this free affection.

Unwarped of prejudice; let each endeavour To vie with both his brothers in displaying The virtue of his ring; a.s.sist its might With gentleness, benevolence, forbearance, With inward resignation to the G.o.dhead, And if the virtues of the ring continue To show themselves among your children's children, After a thousand thousand years, appear Before this judgment-seat--a greater one Than I shall sit upon it, and decide.

So spake the modest judge.

SALADIN.

G.o.d!

NATHAN.

Saladin, Feel'st thou thyself this wiser, promised man?

SALADIN.

I dust, I nothing, G.o.d!

[Precipitates himself upon Nathan, and takes hold of his hand, which he does not quit the remainder of the scene.]

NATHAN.

What moves thee, Sultan?

SALADIN.

Nathan, my dearest Nathan, 'tis not yet The judge's thousand thousand years are past, His judgment-seat's not mine. Go, go, but love me.

NATHAN.

Has Saladin then nothing else to order?

SALADIN.

No.

NATHAN.

Nothing?

SALADIN.

Nothing in the least, and wherefore?

NATHAN.

I could have wished an opportunity To lay a prayer before you.

SALADIN.

Is there need Of opportunity for that? Speak freely.

NATHAN.

I come from a long journey from collecting Debts, and I've almost of hard cash too much; The times look perilous--I know not where To lodge it safely--I was thinking thou, For coming wars require large sums, couldst use it.

SALADIN (fixing Nathan).

Nathan, I ask not if thou sawst Al-Hafi, I'll not examine if some shrewd suspicion Spurs thee to make this offer of thyself.

NATHAN.

Suspicion -

SALADIN.

I deserve this offer. Pardon, For what avails concealment, I acknowledge I was about -

NATHAN.

To ask the same of me?

SALADIN.

Yes.

NATHAN.

Then 'tis well we're both accommodated.

That I can't send thee all I have of treasure Arises from the templar; thou must know him, I have a weighty debt to pay to him.

SALADIN.

A templar! How, thou dost not with thy gold Support my direst foes.

NATHAN.

I speak of him Whose life the sultan -

SALADIN.