Scene XI

(London. Market place between the Tower and the Thames. A motley crowd surging about and murmuring. Adam as an elderly man, stands with Lucifer upon one of the bastions of the Tower. Time, toward evening.)

CHORUS (Floating upward, with the noise of the
crowd, accompanied by soft music.)
Hear the roar of billows,
On life's stormy sea!
Each wave, a new world
Of its own, dost see.
Why should'st thou make moan,
If one disappear?
And if one rise higher,
Then why should'st thou fear?
Fearest thou, each one,
May in the common fate,
Be drowned, or a strong leader
Millions annihilate?
To-day 'tis poetry,
Facts, next-day, dost learn;
Thirst for knowledge follows,
Fancy's dreamy turn.
Seek'st, into a system,
T' encompass all the sea?
Efforts all are futile,
None change fate's decree.
Ay! this mighty ocean,
Rolls forevermore ;
Laughs and rolleth onward.
Let him rush and roar,
Roar! for life hath limits;
Roar then, loud and long!
The new is but the old;
So hear the magic song!

ADAM.
'Tis this! 'tis this, for which I ever yearned,
But e'er a labyrinth, has been my life.
Towards its busy scenes, at last I've turned ;
How sweet, inspiring, is its song of strife!

LUCIFER.
Like hymns sung in a temple, beautiful
When in the distance heard, or from the height,
Hoarse voice, with sigh and moan, how wonderful!
Do with the tuneful swelling sounds unite;
And what we hear is an harmonious whole,
That fills the heart and stirs the yearning soul
And God doth hear it, deeming all well done,
The world created and placed 'neath the sun;
But did we listen to the song more close,
Instead of harmony, would hear but woes ;
Of throbbing hearts would hear the pulses beat
Such is the song thou thinkest here so sweet.

ADAM.
Thou art a scoffing doubting man. Confess!
Is this not a more beauteous world, ah! yes,
Than all those worlds, through which I have been

made,
The mouldy barriers are now decayed ;
Gone are the frightful ghosts of former days,
O'er which the past — to overawe — the rays
Of glorious haloes blandished, to deceive,
But proved a curse. Made man afraid to live.
The strife is free to all. To-day, no slaves
Build pyramids.

LUCIFER.
In Egypt, had not waves
Of lamentions' sounds been heard, if we
Had stood as high as now? And thou'lt agree,
Without these shrieks, the achievements were sub-
lime.

And then in Athens, did not in that time —
Simply because in danger might have been
The fatherland — the people in their might,
Most gloriously act? Calm and serene
They took their foremost son, their bravest knight,
And sacrificed his life. And we must view
The things from a great height, which we must do.
Uninfluenced by woman's tears, and all
Considerations, puerile and small.

ADAM.
Eternal sophist, cease!

LUCIFER.
If woe be dead,
Are not all things insipid, now instead?
Where's the sublime that filleth us with awe?
The depths away from which we trembling draw?
And our lives, manifold vicissitudes?
No longer, ocean waves of mighty force,
Our lives, but frog ponds ; filled with foul exudes.

ADAM.
But then, thou find'st indemnity, of course,
In the prevailing weal?

LUCIFER.
That life of toil
Thou judgest, which 'neath thy feet doth endless
turmoil

From thy own seat of observation high,
Just as the past is judged by history —
It heareth not the hoarse, dull tones of woe,
It but records the song of long ago.

ADAM.
Ah! e'en Satan sentimentalizes,
Or as doctrinaire philosophizes,
Both acquisitions.

LUCIFER (Pointing to tower.)
But no wonder 'tis,
Amid these ruins of past centuries.

ADAM.
This mouldy observation point, detest
I too, and I descend with hopeful breast,
To find among the waves of that new world,
Poetry and ideals most sublime.
It may well be their flag is not unfurled
In a gigantic war of Titan time,
As it was once before, but I may find
Their influence the greater o'er mankind,
As great as in my dreams I e'er divined.

LUCIFER.
Be not afraid, for it were vain to fear.
As long as matter hath existence here,
So long will I, the spirit which denies,
My power exert; as long as thought vivifies
The human brain; as long as heart of man
Shall throb ; as long as law says, " This ye can,
And that ye cannot do," why, just so long
'T will live on, as negation, both in song
And lofty aims. But to descend there, say
What form shall we assume. Up here to stay
This garb alone is fit.

ADAM.
What e'er you want.
For naught's conspicuous there, depend upon 't.
(Both go into the tower, and soon emerge from below, dressed as laborers, and enter the crowd. A puppet-show is near by; the proprietor stands in front, holding a chain in hand, to which a monkey, dressed in a red coat, is attached.)

THE PUNCH AND JUDY MAN.
Come, gentlemen ; come gentlemen, this way !
The great show will commence now, right away.
It is a mightily amusing play :
The snake leads Eve — the first woman — astray,
For woman was, e'en in that ancient day.
Inquisitive and never would obey.
You can see here, in gentleman's array,
A monkey, who with dignity doth play
The rôle of some great man, and then you may
A bear as dancing master see! Oh, say,
It's splendid fun! Come gentlemen, this way!

(Crowd around the booth.)

LUCIFER.
Oh ! Adam, 'pon my word, they speak of us :
I think 'tis fine, though almost fabulous,
To be so famed, that after all this run
Of full six thousand years, we furnish fun
For pleasure-seeking youth.

ADAM.
But I want none
Of all those senseless jokes. Go on, go on !

LUCIFER.
These senseless jokes? But just look at those boys;
How each and every one of them enjoys
The sight, although but a short while ago,
At school, down o'er their Nepos bending low,
They almost fell asleep. Who knows who's right?
He who, in consciousness of strength, to life
Doth wake, or he for whom doth end the strife?
Dost from thy Shakespeare, ever gain such joys
As these mean caricatures bring to these boys?

ADAM.
And these are just exactly what I hate.

LUCIFER.
It clings to thee from Greece, of ancient date.
See! I, who am the child, or, if you will,
The father — of all this romanticism —
For we spirits any role can fill —
I take delight in this droll witticism.
In these burlesques there is the real sport.
A human face is of the monkey sort.
We see the dirt flung at the truly great;
Distorted sentiments in dress of state;
A trumpet sings of chastity ; the low and mean
Is praised, and love, by an old rake;
So I forget my own realm lost has been,
And in a new form, a new life I make.

THE PUNCH AND JUDY MAN.
(Slapping Adam on the shoulder.)
Why do ye occupy, here the best place?
I read, fine bird, in thy old wizened face
Thou'st fond of fun which costs thee not a cent
But find someone, who on self hanging's bent.
(Adam and Lucifer stand aside, a little girl comes along, selling violets.)

LITTLE GIRL.
Sweet violets, first messenger of spring!
Buy violets! They to the orphan bring
Her daily bread, and ornament the poor.

A MOTHER (Buying violets.)
Here, give me some, to place in my dead child's hand.
A GIRL (Also buying.)
For my dark hair, the best adornment, sure.

LITTLE GIRL.
Sweet violets, the sweetest in the land!

A JEWELER (In his booth.)
Why must this weed, (we can't from fashion drive),
Ever compete with us? The pearly bead
Is for a beauteous neck more fit, indeed.
To bring it from the sea, a man will dive,
And brave the perils of the deep.

(Two Burgher maidens come.)

FIRST BURGHER MAID.
Oh, my!
What lovely jewels.

SECOND BURGHER MAID.
Were there one, to buy
For each of us, a gift!
FIRST BURGHER MAID.
Men of to-day

Who presents make, expect one to repay,
And at an awful price.

SECOND BURGHER MAID.
The modern man
Has no taste, e'en for that. The courtesan
And caviar, have spoiled him.

FIRST BURGHER MAID.
Us they greet
No more; from shyness, or from vain conceit.

(Exeunt.)

(A garden; drinks are served to people sitting at table. Laborers, soldiers and citizens. Music and dancing.)

INNKEEPER (Among his guests.)
Good cheer, my friends, for yesterday is flown,
To-morrow we shall never see,
'Tis God, who nourishes the birds, and "all,"
The Bible saith, " is vanity."

LUCIFER.
'Tis this philosophy that pleases me.
Let's sit here, on this shaded bench, and see
The crowd enjoy themselves, so cheap and fine,
With music that is poor, and sour, bad wine.

FIRST WORKMAN (At one of the tables.)
I say, the devil those machines did make,
They from our mouths the bread and butter take.

SECOND WORKMAN.
If wine remain, we can forget with ease.
The rich themselves the devils are; they squeeze
E'en our last drop of blood. Oh! were one here
Just now, to hell I'd send him without fear,
For we need more examples like the last.

THIRD WORKMAN.
What would'st thou gain thereby? When all were
past,
To hang; and we, still to our fate succumb.

SECOND WORKMAN.
Nonsense! for he shall sit here, if he come,
And we shall see who can be liberal !
INNKEEPER (To Adam.)
What can I bring for you?

ADAM.
Nothing at all.

INNKEEPER.
Then go! or dost thou think that wine and meal
I give away? that I my money steal,
Or wife and child allow, to beggary
To come?
ADAM (Rising.)
Thou darest thus to speak to me?

LUCIFER (Breaking in.)
Let go the clodgate!

ADAM.
Well then, let us go.
Why contemplate proud man, now sunk so low !

LUCIFER (Passing a dive.)
At last I've found, that which so long I've sought!
Now here, we can enjoy, constrained by naught.
This boisterousness, laughter, hellish noise ;
These piercing cries of bacchanalian joys,
Bring roseate red into the pallid face
And meanest misery of sin to place
In gilded garb. This is a sight to praise.

ADAM.
To me, it horror and disgust conveys.
(In the meantime, they have approached the dancers. Two beggars come along, fighting.)
FIRST BEGGAR.
This is my place; my license, here it is.

SECOND BEGGAR.
Be merciful, for our dear Christ's sake, please!
Or I must starve, for this last week or two.
I've not been able one hour's work to do.

FIRST BEGGAR.
Then thou art not a beggar genuine.
Move on! I'll give that officer a sign.

(Exit Second Beggar. The first takes his place.)

By the five wounds of Christ, give alms, I pray
Sweet gentlemen!

(A soldier takes from the arms of an artisan a girl, with whom lie is dancing.)

SOLDIER.
Peasant, stand back I say!
Thou think'st thou'rt somebody, when I'm around?

ARTISAN.
Indeed, if I should knock thee to the ground,
I would be somebody.

SECOND ARTISAN.
For God's sake don't
Fight here; just yield to him, depend upon 't.
The soldier has the glory and the power.

FIRST ARTISAN.
Then why can't he behave? I'd like to scour
His head for him, and him some manners teach.
The soldier is but a bloodthirsty leech.

A COURTESAN (Singing.)
In olden times, the golden apple,
E'en from the dragon, did they wrest;
The apples still are ripening,
Though dragons long have been at rest.
A blockhead's he, who doth look and look,
Without the courage of them to pluck.

(Embracing a youth at a table.)

LUCIFER.
(Absorbed in contemplation of the pair.)
I like coquetry, which I here behold,
Let those who treasures have, just show their gold.
The iron trunks of misers might contain
Instead of gold, a worthless iron chain.
How touching is the jealousy that boor
Displays! He seeks the eyes of his amour;
He knoweth how to prize the moment's charms.
To-morrow some one else within her arms
She'll hold.

ADAM (To one of the musicians.)
Tell me, man, how dost hold thine art!
Is love for music, then, not in thy heart?

MUSICIAN.
Indeed, I have no love for it; and more,
I play all day the selfsame tunes. The roar
Of all this noise doth make me sick and sore
At heart. Yet, while my calling I abhor
I play to live; for nothing else I'm fit.

LUCIFER.
Thoughtful philosophy, I must admit,
The fickle maid, light-hearted though she be,
Displays. She knows 'tis not the last one she
Will have, and e'en in her embraces now,
She has picked out the next one, I would vow.
My precious children, at sight of your joy,
I feel a happiness, without alloy,
To see how smilingly ye work for me —
My blessing will be guilt and misery.

SECOND ARTISAN (Singing.)
He whose week's labor is done,
And with a pure heart, doth quaff
His wine, 'mid kisses and song,
In the devil's face can laugh.

(The closing chords of the music from a church are heard. Eve as a burgher maiden, with prayerbook and nosegay in hand, comes out of the church with her mother.)

A PEDDLER.
Come this way, dear miss! Here at my stand,
You may buy cheaper than in all the land.

ANOTHER PEDDLER.
Believe him not ! short is his weight ; his ware
Is second-hand. Come over here. I swear
I have the best.

ADAM.
Ah! See, thou in this place
Iniquitous dost hold me, while such grace,
Almost unnoticed, near us passes by.

LUCIFER.
And what of that, what does it signify?
That's nothing new.

ADAM.
How sweet! She must have been
At church.
LUCIFER.
Mayhap to see, and to be seen.

ADAM.
This jeer is cold; let it not touch the maid;
For with devotion she her prayers hath said.
LUCIFER.
Converted then, I see, and from the heart?

ADAM.
A stupid jest! But list, I for my part
May feel however cold; 'tis my affair;
But I insist, that for the woman's share,
That certain predilection, I admire;
That music of past times, that holy fire ;
Th' untouched enamel of the flower.

LUCIFER.
But where
Dost see this strip of Heaven? The devil ne'er
Can'st thou expect, continually to guess
Thy taste, and know just whom thou would'st pos-
Enough, that I supply her on demand.

ADAM.
That maiden yonder wilt thou understand?
Where else she could be — my goal of happiness?

LUCIFER.
The popinjay doth just such thought express,
When he a worm in his sharp bill doth press ;
In all the world, there is no finer bite.
Yet to the dove, the worm's a loathsome sight. —
So will a man, his own salvation find
Where,r— it may be, — his own neighbor's mind,
Could find but hell.

ADAM.
What dignity! and air,
So modest, that t' approach, I scarcely dare.

LUCIFER.
Take courage ! Thou with women ne'er dost fail ;
If we heed well, she too will be for sale.
ADAM.
Silence !

LUCIFER.
Perhaps far dearer than the rest.
(A youth approaches Eve very modestly and offers her a heart made of sweet cake.)

THE YOUTH (To Eve.)
I pray thee, grant me just this one request;
Allow me to present to you this heart.
EVE.
Thus to remember me, how kind thou art.

THE MOTHER.
'Tis long since we have seen thee; why dost thou
No longer visit us?

(Eve and the youth converse in whispers. Adam grows excited. The youth goes away.)

ADAM.
Thou may avow,
This beardless youth, that which my heart in vain
Doth feel. What confidence! — she smiles! — What

pain,
What pain I must endure! I must speak to her.

THE MOTHER (To Eve.)
His family is rich, and I concur
In this thy choice, but then we do not know
What think his family ; so do not throw
His rival overboard, who just to-day
Did so surprise thee with that lovely nosegay.

ADAM.
Allow me ladies, to escort you home,
That from the crowd no harm to you may come.
EVE.
What impudence!

THE MOTHER.
Out of my sight, thou churl!
Or dost thou think, she is the sort of girl
To whom most any one can say sweet things?

ADAM.
How could one otherwise? To me she brings
The vision of ideal woman fair.

THE MOTHER.
Just dream ahead! but I shall take good care
That he for whom my daughter's charms shall bloom
Will be no good-for-naught. Thou dost presume.
(Adam stands hesitatingly. A gypsy woman steps up to Eve.)

GYPSY WOMAN.
Ah! sweetest of the sweet, fairest of the fair!
Show me your tiny, snowy hand ; I'll dare
To read from it, with my mysterious lore,
The thousand blessings your fate has in store.

(Reads her hand.)

A handsome groom elect, — not far away, —
Is waiting; ah! these very lines betray,
You will have wealth and health, and show that you
Some day, will have a lot of children too.

(Receives money.)

LUCIFER (Pointing to Adam.)
Here sister, read my comrade's horoscope.

GYPSY WOMAN.
(Looks hurriedly at Adam's hand.)
It is not clear. He'll starve, or hangman's rope
His fate.

ADAM (To Eve.)
Do not repel me, sweetest maid!
I feel our hearts were for each other made.

EVE.
Mother, permit him not!

MOTHER.
The guards I'll call
If you don't go away.

EVE.
Well, after all
He meant no harm. Come, mother let us go.

(Exeunt.)

ADAM.
O holy poesy, art flown? Doth grow
The world prosaic now?

LUCIFER.
What dost thou say?
This dance, this bower, that sweet cake and that
nosegay ;

What else are they? Be not so fidgety,
There's still material for
Romances.

ADAM.
What avails it, if lurk greed
Around, and never one unselfish deed?

LUCIFER.
E'en that may still be found among school-boys,
Whose lives are not yet wrecked by griefs and joys ;
In whom all life is husbanded, as yet.
Here comes just now, some of that jolly set.

(Some students enter.)

FIRST STUDENT.
Well, boys, we've left the mouldy school behind,
And now we can some real pleasure find.

SECOND STUDENT.
Let's go into the field — oh ! how I hate
The barriers within the city's gate.

THIRD STUDENT.
Let us, with some one now, begin a fight.
To give and take a blow, is man's delight.

FIRST STUDENT.
Let's from the soldiers steal their girls away,
And instantly there will be an affray ;
Then with the girls out to the gardens go ;
Enough have we for ale; till eve we'll know
The life of dukes, while near a rosy face.

FOURTH STUDENT.
How glorious! to tease Philistines base.

FIRST STUDENT.
Thus strengthening the bond that makes us one.
Let us enjoy ourselves, when our work's done.
If need be, once some great thought will inspire.
And us endue with patriotic fire.

(Exeunt.)

ADAM.
In this stale world, it is a splendid sight,
I see therein the germ of a future bright.

LUCIFER.
And from this germ, we'll see what once will grow,
When sown in schools, for every one must know.
These manufacturers who come this way
Were just like these, when school-boys, in their day.
(Two manufacturers in conversation come along.)

FIRST MANUFACTURER.
No, sir, I can't compete. I must reduce
The prices of the goods, and introduce
Adulterated wares.

SECOND MANUFACTURER.
But, my dear sir,
Reduce the wages of the laborer.

FIRST MANUFACTURER.
E'en now, rebellion, and complaint abounds,
They say they can no longer live, the hounds!
In part, their plaints are justified, of course,
But then, who doth upon them marriage force,
And who doth ever say that they, ere long,
Shall have six children's mouths to feed. 'Tis
wrong.

SECOND MANUFACTURER.
Well then, still harder must they work ; they might
Be forced to work for us half through the night
The other half would be enough for sleep,
And dreams that are not good for them, would keep
Away.

(Exeunt.)
ADAM.

To hear these things doth make one's brain to whirl ;
But tell me, where is she — that beauteous girl?
Come Lucifer, by this thy power can'st prove,
That she with favor look upon my love.

LUCIFER.
I do not waste my power on paltry things.

ADAM.
What's small to thee, to me such blessing brings
As the whole world could not outweigh.

LUCIFER.
'Tis done.
Do not permit thy sentiments to run
Amuck. If need be, fear not to deceive;
But answer me, and she is thine. (Aloud, that the
gypsy woman listening behind them may
overhear. )
Perceive

My Lord, this traveling incognito.
Has drawbacks, and if people here could know,
That our four ships from India, to-day
Cast anchor here, in quite a different way,
We'd be received.

ADAM.
Perhaps.

GYPSY WOMAN (Aside.)
Ah ! with delight
I'M turn this to account, with all my might.

(To Adam.) One word, I pray, sir. 'Twas in jest,

that I
For you, an awful fate did prophecy.
To punish you; but to you now I'll show
That I well knew of your incognito.
The secrets of all men to me are known;
Let me confess ; I am the devil's own.

LUCIFER (Aside.)
You are? Well, I want no such dirty hag.

GYPSY WOMAN.
Your ships will come to-day, floating your flag.
Still better news, a sweet maid's heart, I know
In yearning love, for you is all aglow.

ADAM.
How can I win her?
GYPSY WOMAN.
She's as good as yours.

ADAM.
But she has repulsed me.
GYPSY WOMAN.
That insures

A most successful suit. Well, you will see,
She'll soon be here. Think of my prophecy.

(Exit.)
ADAM.
Aha! The hag has left thee far behind.

LUCIFER.
I'll not deny her merits, for I find
An able substitute.

(A mountebank comes upon a hand cart. Blare of trumpets. Crowd gathers about him. Takes possession of center of stage.)

MOUNTEBANK.
Make room for me !

Greet me with awe, because in me ye see
A famous man! My head has hoary grown
In studying, that nature's secrets known
Might be, to me.

ADAM.
Who is this lunatic?

LUCIFER.
Science descends, — it must a living seek,: —
Into a mountebank, just as when thou
Wast dabbling; but more noise is needed now.

ADAM.
But practiced not my schemes to that degree —
Shame on him!

LUCIFER.
Surely not at fault is he,
For he doth only strive, that fate t' avert
Which on his tombstone these words might insert:
" Ex gratia speciali,
Mortuus in hospitali "
For others, sacrificing night and day
He only asks what's justly due: his pay.

MOUNTEBANK.
My whole life long, I for mankind.
Have sacrificed, and ever sought to find
Life's true elixir, and to penetrate
All secrets of our nature great.
This, many thousand years ago,
Was used by the great Pharaoh;
This magic potion Tancred used,
Into him, heroes' blood infused;
From beautiful Helene of Greece,
I learned to make this beauty grease,
What men expect, and what men hope,
I tell by Kepler's horoscope.

ADAM.
See'st what he sells? We thought the day would
dawn

In future times, while he has boldly drawn
Upon the past, and claims he's found the light.

LUCIFER.
The present never is esteemed aright;
To the " to-day," respect is never shown ;
Just as a great man never has been known,
In dressing gown ; of this " to-day " in life —
As after a decade married to a wife,
Her flaws are known.

MOUNTEBANK.
A blessing they bestow,
Buy, buy! there ne'er was such a chance, I know.

FROM THE CROWD.
Here! let me have some of your famous wares!
Their price is high, but still, one gladly spares
The money, if so efficacious they.

LUCIFER.
Ho! See! the people disbelieve, convey
Howe'er to them, what is miraculous,
They quickly spend on it their overplus.
(Eve and her mother return. The gypsy woman follows, whispering to them.)

EVE.
Thou talk'st in vain ; we know thee.
GYPSY WOMAN.
If not true,

Be that which I tell thee, I'm lost. With you
That gentleman is so enamored, now
His mistress he would make of you; allow
That you as a duchess drive with coach-and-four
To theatre and ball, and still much more.

THE MOTHER.
Viewed from the right side, after all, such life
Is better than bear hardships of a wife
In some bootmaker's dingy pitch-stained shop.

GYPSY WOMAN.
Look ! there he stands ; it seems, that there he'll stop
Until he finds you hereabouts.

EVE.
He ought —
If it be true, that he but me has sought —
To look this way. He like a gentleman
Doth bear himself, his hands are fine.

THE MOTHER.
I can
In his companion even, good points find,
Although his nose be of the crooked kind ;
And though he's lame, he seems respectable.
My daughter, I'll retire, more practicable
'Tis, to leave you two alone.

GYPSY WOMAN.
Just see !
The beauty has returned, and sighs for thee.
ADAM.
I'll fly to her— O ecstacy !

GYPSY WOMAN.
The pay
Remember !

LUCIFER (Giving her money.)
I thus to thee my thanks convey ;
My comrade gives the money.

GYPSY WOMAN (Shrieks.)
Ugh! what a vice.

LUCIFER.
But thou would'st think thyself in paradise,
If thou, old jade, wert what thou claim'st to be.

EVE (To Adam.)
If you would buy a market gift for me,
There's a cosmetic that has caught my eye.

ADAM.
Nothing on earth could e'er so beautify,
As those sweet charms thy woman's face doth wear;
For that cosmetic is without a peer.
(The mountebank has gone away during the meantime.)

EVE.
You are too kind, sir.

ADAM.
Don't put me to shame,
Diamonds to give thee is my aim,
Not that with them, thy beauteous neck and hair
Be ornamented to appear more fair;
But just because they never could have shone
Upon a lovelier or a worthier one.

EVE.
I saw a jeweler quite near, but no !
For me, poor maid, they suit not well, I know.
ADAM.
Come, let us look at them.

LUCIFER.
'Tis useless, — see !
Some splendid ones I chance to have with me.
(Gives jewels to Eve, who examines them joyfully and tries them on.)

EVE.
How lovely ! How they'll envy me !

ADAM.
That heart —
I would not see it more.
EVE.
With it, I'll part.

(Throws it away.)

LUCIFER.
I'll crush the heart, that can not even sigh.

(Tramples upon it.)

EVE.
What's that! I thought I heard a piercing cry?
(During this time a convict, sentenced to death, is seen taken to the gallows and followed by a big crowd.)

ONE OF THE CROWD.
Come quick ! I told you it would be a sight ;
The coward is not even now contrite.
ADAM.
What is this crowd, with changing cheer and jeer?

EVE.
They hang a man ; I'm glad that I am here.
Let us go too, exciting is the sight,
My jewels I can show with great delight.

ADAM.
What was the wretch's crime?
EVE.
I do not know.

LUCIFER.
It matters not, I will relate it though ;
In Lovell's factory, he long did work,
But poison ever in the lead doth lurk ;
And once, inhaling it with ev'ry breath,
He ill became, and lay nigh unto death
For weeks in the hospital, and then distress
Came to his lovely wife, and you can guess
The sequel when I tell jou Lovell's son,
Was young and kind of heart, and she was won.

FIRST LABORER.
Comrade, be brave! thou die'st a martyr's death;
Thy name eternal fame encountereth.

LUCIFER.
The husband then, recovering, his wife
His place, both lost, there came a bitter strife :
With soul enraged, to Lovell he made threat ;
Young Lovell with a blow, the insult met,
Then into him, the culprit plunged a knife ;
So here he pays the penalty — his life.
Old Lovell has become insane.
(As these words are spoken the insane Lovell enters.)

LOVELL.
You lie!
You lie ! for not at all insane am I ;
If so, could I distinctly understand
The faintly whispering voice of reprimand
That sounds from my son's wound? All I possess
I'd freely give away, could I suppress
This power to hear. I'd rather be insane.

THIRD WORKMAN.
Fear naught! Thou shalt not unavenged remain.
FIRST WORKMAN.
They are the culprits, thou art in the right.

ADAM.
Thou dost appall me, brain congealing sight!
But who can tell, who here is more to blame?
Perhaps society! Well, more's the shame
Where that's decayed, luxuriates all vice.

LOVELL.
'Tis true ! Society ! Ah ! you are wise,
All I possess is yours ; but pray, do break
That whisp'ring spell which keepeth me awake.

EVE.
Let's go, let's go! or no place shall we find.

ADAM.
I bless thee fate, that to me wast so kind ;
That for a judge thou hast not chosen me,
Stretched on a couch, how easy it must be,
Laws to create; but difficult the art
To judge with understanding, the human heart.

LUCIFER.
But with such views, law-suits would never end.
None choose the wrong, because 'tis wrong; defend
E'en devils, their own acts by argument.
The Gordian knot must by the judge be rent;
Philanthropists by thousands e'en could not
Untie the tangled threads thereof, I wot.
(By this time they have arrived at the Tower, at one corner of which, in a niche, stands a holy image.)

EVE.
Will you, my friend, here but one moment stay,
That at this shrine, an " ave " I may say?
And place this nosegay on the cross.

LUCIFER (Whispering.)
No, no!
Permit it not, or great will be our woe.

EVE.
E'er since my childhood's days, I at this shrine
My prayers have said to Him, good Saviour mine;
And after that I always feel so good;
The time we lose, we'll make up in the wood.

(She takes the nosegay and puts it on the cross, but the flowers suddenly wither and fall; the precious stones roll down from her neck and arms, turning into snakes.)

What's this?
LUCIFER.
I warned in vain!

EVE.
Help!

ADAM.
Not so loud!
Pray do not scream, you will attract the crowd;
And gems a thousand fold more costly, I
Will give to thee.

EVE.
Begone, I say! Mercy.
Two jugglers and a witch, in devil's pay,
A pure and honest maid have led astray.
(The people begin to gather. The gypsy 'woman comes with police officers.)

GYPSY WOMAN.
They must be here, that counterfeiting band;
Quicksilver like, it melted in my hand,
The coin they gave me.

LUCIFER.
And it may, I ween,
The fault, old hag, of thy lank hand have been.
Away! it waxeth warm here, Adam.
(They go on to the Tower, while the commotion increases below. Adam and Lucifer again appear on the bastion of the Tower.)

ADAM.
Vain
Is all, for I have been deceived again.
The ghastly apparitions of the past,
Old prejudice to vanquish and to cast
Away, and to opposing forces yield
A new, a broad, an all embracing field,
I thought to be enough. A mighty screw
From out this mechanism then I drew
Holy piety — but failed to place
A stronger one there in its stead. The race
Of man is still in its unequal strife.
What sort of combat is this in their life,
When mighty swords a naked man oppose?
What kind of independence doth disclose
A state of things, in which a hundred must
Be sufferers, for want of their daily crust?
Because they will not bear the yoke of one?
It is a fight of famished dogs that run
After a bone, just thrown away. I hope
Into its place, an epoch new to ope:
Society, which will protect, and which
Will in rewards, that will inspire, be rich,
That causes man no fear, but spurs him on,
Where all its powers act in unison,
As science, blossoming sublimely grand,
And reason pure, that doth its rules command.
That thus the world will be, e'en now I feel
Take me there, Lucifer, hear my appeal.

LUCIFER.
Vain man ! because so limited thy sight,
Thou see'st but chaos there; that to unite
Those forces, there be no work combined;
But in the workshop of our lives, can'st find
It all, if thou wilt view with spirit's eye
Their work for us and not their dwarfish /.
(It has grown dark. All in the market place have formed a group, digging a grave in the centre, and into which some mutely, some speaking, alternately jump.)

CHORUS.
To work! now let the spade resound;
For to-day it must be done;
To-morrow, it will be too late,
The mighty work that is begun
Though ages pass, will never end.
Cradle, coffin, are but one;
What on the morrow will begin
Ever hungry, ever sated,
It gapes anew, what e'er therein,
May enter.

(The death knell tolls.)
'Tis o'er — we rest. — At morn
The mighty work will be resumed
By those who to new life are born.

THE PUNCH AND JUDY MAN.
The comedy is out;
They ring the curtain down,
I entertained the crowd;
Who entertained the clown?

THE INNKEEPER.
Empty the glasses
Of each honored guest ;
Good night, my dear friends;
I go to my rest.

LITTLE MAID.
The little violets are faded now,
But others o'er my grave will bloom, I trow.

GYPSY WOMAN.
Each one would see revealed, the future's night;
But now they hide their eyes, dumb with affright.

LOVELL.
No joy to me, from riches e'er did come ;
But now, I'll find repose within the tomb.

WORKMAN.
The week is gone, and Saturday night is here ;
My labor o'er at last, and rest is near.

STUDENT.
Sweet things I dreamt, but ever did awake.
Come, beauteous dream! naught now the spell can
break.

SOLDIER.
Full of conceit, I thought myself so brave;
When lo! I stumble into this mean cave.

COURTESAN.
The orgies are done, and paled, the pigment's bloom ;
How cold it is here; is it warm down in the tomb?

PRISONER.
Fetters, remain above the worthless dust!
I feel, there is beyond a judge more just.

CHARLATAN.
How we deceived each other, claiming all to know ;
Confounded now we stand, 'fore that which truth
doth show.

EVE.
Why at my feet dost lie, thou depth of night?
Think me not by thy darkness to affright;
For with the halo thee I can defy.
The dust, the earth-born, in thy depths must lie;
The angel of youth, of poetry and love;
For me shall ope th' eternal gates above.
My smile to earth, will bring bliss from above,
Such bliss will bring, as sun rays leave
On hallowed faces.

(Drops her veil into the grave and is carried heavenward in a halo.)

LUCIFER.
Dost know her?
ADAM.
Ah! Eve! Eve!