Nathan the Wise Part 49

O, most willingly.

SALADIN.

And take not a slight escort. Libanon Is far from quiet, as thou wilt have heard; The templars stir afresh, be therefore cautious.

Come, I must see thy troop, and give the orders.

[To a slave.

Say I shall be with Sittah when I've finished.

SCENE--A Place of Palms.

The TEMPLAR walking to and fro.

TEMPLAR.

Into this house I go not--sure at last He'll show himself--once, once they used to see me So instantly, so gladly--time will come When he'll send out most civilly to beg me Not to pace up and down before his door.

Psha--and yet I'm a little nettled too; And what has thus embittered me against him?

He answered yes. He has refused me nothing As yet. And Saladin has undertaken To bring him round. And does the Christian nestle Deeper in me than the Jew lurks in him?

Who, who can justly estimate himself?

How comes it else that I should grudge him so The little booty that he took such pains To rob the Christians of? A theft, no less Than such a creature tho'--but whose, whose creature?

Sure not the slave's who floated the mere block On to life's barren strand, and then ran off; But his the artist's, whose fine fancy moulded Upon the unowned block a G.o.dlike form, Whose chisel graved it there. Recha's true father, Spite of the Christian who begot her, is, Must ever be, the Jew. Alas, were I To fancy her a simple Christian wench, And without all that which the Jew has given, Which only such a Jew could have bestowed - Speak out my heart, what had she that would please thee?

No, nothing! Little! For her very smile Shrinks to a pretty twisting of the muscles - Be that, which makes her smile, supposed unworthy Of all the charms in ambush on her lips?

No, not her very smile--I've seen sweet smiles Spent on conceit, on foppery, on slander, On flatterers, on wicked wooers spent, And did they charm me then? then wake the wish To flutter out a life beneath their suns.h.i.+ne?

Indeed not--Yet I'm angry with the man Who alone gave this higher value to her.

How this, and why? Do I deserve the taunt With which I was dismissed by Saladin?

'Tis bad enough that Saladin should think so; How little, how contemptible must I Then have appeared to him--all for a girl.

Conrade, this will not do--back, back--And if Daya to boot had prated matter to me Not easy to be proved--At last he's coming, Engaged in earnest converse--and with whom?

My friar in Nathan's house! then he knows all - Perhaps has to the patriarch been betrayed.

O Conrade, what vile mischiefs thou hast brooded Out of thy cross-grained head, that thus one spark Of that same pa.s.sion, love, can set so much O' 'th' brain in flame? Quick, then, determine, wretch, What shalt thou say or do? Step back a moment And see if this good friar will please to quit him.

NATHAN and the FRIAR come together out of Nathan's house.

NATHAN.

Once more, good brother, thanks.

FRIAR.

The like to you.

NATHAN.

To me, and why; because I'm obstinate - Would force upon you what you have no use for?

FRIAR.

The book besides was none of mine. Indeed It must at any rate belong to th' daughter; It is her whole, her only patrimony - Save she has you. G.o.d grant you ne'er have reason To sorrow for the much you've done for her.

NATHAN.

How should I? that can never be; fear nothing.

FRIAR.

Patriarchs and templars -

NATHAN,

Have not in their power Evil enough to make me e'er repent.

And then--But are you really well a.s.sured It is a templar who eggs on your patriarch?

FRIAR.

It scarcely can be other, for a templar Talked with him just before, and what I heard Agreed with this.

NATHAN.

But there is only one Now in Jerusalem; and him I know; He is my friend, a n.o.ble open youth.

FRIAR.

The same. But what one is at heart, and what One gets to be in active life, mayn't always Square well together.

NATHAN.

No, alas, they do not.

Therefore unangered I let others do Their best or worst. O brother, with your book I set all at defiance, and am going Straight with it to the Sultan.

FRIAR.

G.o.d be with you!

Here I shall take my leave.

NATHAN.

And have not seen her - Come soon, come often to us. If to-day The patriarch make out nothing--but no matter, Tell him it all to-day, or when you will.

FRIAR.

Not I--farewell!

NATHAN.

Do not forget us, brother My G.o.d, why may I not beneath thy sky Here drop upon my knees; now the twined knot, Which has so often made my thinkings anxious, Untangles of itself--G.o.d, how I am eased, Now that I've nothing in the world remaining That I need hide--now that I can as freely Walk before man as before thee, who only Need'st not to judge a creature by his deeds - Deeds which so seldom are his own--O G.o.d!

NATHAN and TEMPLAR.