146 BYRON’S

Fond parents listen’d to a creeping thing,

And fell. For what should spirits tempt them?What

Was there to envy in the narrow boundsOf Paradise, that spirits who pervade i

Space-but I speak to thee of what thou know’st

not,

W’th all thy tree of knowledge.

Cain . But thou canst not

Speak aught of knowledge which I would notknow,

And do not thirst to know, and bear a mindTo know.

Lucifer. And heart to look on?

Cain . Be it proved.

Lucifer. Darest thou to look on Death ?

Cain . He has not yet

Been seen.

Lucifer. But must be undergone.

Cain . My father

Says he is something dreadful, and my motherWeeps when he is named; and Abel lifts his eyesTo heaven, and Zillak casts hers to the earth,

And sighs a prayer; and Adah looks on me,

And speaks not.

Lucifer. And thou ?

Cam. Thoughts unspeakable

Crowd in my breast to burning, when I hearOf this almighty Death , who is, it seems,

Inevitable. Could I wrestle with him ?

I wrestled with the lion, when a boy,

In play, till he ran roaring from my gripeLucifer. It has no shape; but will absorb allthings

That bear the form of earth-born being.

Ca in. Ah I

I thought it was a being: who could dobuck evil things to beings save a being?

Lucifer . Ask the Destroyer.

Cain . Who ?

Lucifer. The Maker—call Him

Which name thou wilt; he makes but to destroy.

Cain. 1 knew not that, yet thought it, since I heardOf death: although I know not what it is,

Yet it seems horrible. I have look'd outIn the vast desolate night in search of him;

And when I saw gigantic shadows in

The umbrage of the walls of Eden, chequer’d

By the far-flashing of the cherubs’ swords,

1 watch'd for what I thought his coming; forWith fear rose longing in my heart to knowWhat 'twas which shook us all—but nothiug came.And then I turn'd my weary eyes from offOur native and forbidden Paradise,

ITp to the lights above us, in the azure,

Which are so beautiful: shall they, too, die?

Lucifer. Perhaps—but long outlive both thineand thee.

Cain . I’m' glad of that; I would not have themdie—

They are so lovely. What is death? I fear,

I feel, it is a dreadful thing; but what,

I cannot compass: ’tis denounced against us,

Both them who sinn’d and sinn’d not, as an ill—What ill ?

Lucifer. To be resolved into the earthCain . But shall I know it?

Lucifer. As I know not death,

i cannot answer.

Cain . Were I quiet earth,

That were no evil: would I ne’er had beenAught else but dust!

WORKS.

Lucifer. That is a grovelling wish,

Less than thy father’s; for he wish’d to know.

Cain . But not to live, or wherefore pluck’d he notThe life tree?

Lucifer. He was hinder’d.

Cain . Deadly error! >

Not to snatch first that fruit:—but ere he pluck’dThe knowledge, he was ignorant of death.

Alas! I scarcely now know what it is,

And yet I fear it—fear I know not what%

Lucifer. And I, who know all things, fear no-thing: see

What is true knowledge.

Cain . Wilt thou teach me all?

Lucifer. Ay, upon one condition.

Cain . Name it

Lucifer. That

Thou dost fall down and worship me—thy Lord.Cain . Thou art not the Lord my father worships.Lucifer. No*

Cain . His equal ?

Lucifer. No:—I have nought in common withHim!

Nor would: I would be aught above—beneath—

A ught save ff sharer or a servant of

His power. I dwell apart; hut I am great:—

Many there are who worship me, and moreWho shall—be thou amongst the first.

Cain . I never

As yet have bow’d unto my father's God ,

Although my brother Abel oft imploresThat I would join with him in sacrifice:—

Why should I bow to thee ?

Lucifer. Hast thou ne’er bow’d

To Him ?

Cain . Have I not said it ?—need I say it ?

Could not thy mighty knowledge teach thee that ? 1

Lucifer. He who bows not to Him has bow’d tome!

Cain . But I will bend to neither.

Lucifer. Ne’er the less,

Thou art my worshipper: not worshippingHim makes thee mine the same.

Cain . And what is that ?

Lucifer. Thou’ltknow here—and hereafter.

Cain . Let me but

Be taught the mystery of my being.

Lucifer. Follow

Where I will lead thee.

Cain . But I must retire

To till the earth—for I had promised-

Lucifer. What ?

Cain . To cull some first-fruits.

Lucifer. Why?

Cain . To offer up

With Abel on an altar.

Lucifer. Saidst thou not

Thou ne’er hadst bent to Him who made thee?

Cain . Yes—*

But Abel ’s earnest prayer has wrought upon me;

The offering is more his than mine—and Adah—Lucifer. Why dost thou hesitate ?

Cain . She is my sister,

Born on the same day, of the same womb: andShe wrung from me, with tears, this promise;

Rather than see her weep, I would, methinks,

Bear all—and worship aughtLucifer. Then follow mo !

Cain . I will.

Enter ADAH.

Adah. My brother, I have come for chee;