MOSES ON THE NILE

"But stay! if I may surely trust mine eye,
It is the bark of Hermes, or the shell
Of Iris, wafted gently to the sighs

Of the light breeze along the rippling swell;
But no: it is a skiff where sweetly lies

An infant slumbering, and his peaceful rest
Looks as if pillowed on his mother's breast.

"He sleeps-oh, see! his little floating bed

Swims on the mighty river's fickle flow,
A white dove's nest; and there at hazard led
By the faint winds, and wandering to and fro,
The cot comes down; beneath his quiet head

71

The gulfs are moving, and each threatening wave Appears to rock the child upon a grave.

"He wakes-ah, maids of Memphis, haste, oh, haste!

He cries! alas!-what mother could confide
Her offspring to the wild and watery waste?
He stretches out his arms, the rippling tide
Murmurs around him where all rudely placed

He rests with but a few frail reeds beneath,
Between such helpless innocence and death.

"Oh! take him up! Perchance he is of those

Dark sons of Israel whom my sire proscribes;
Ah! cruel was the mandate that arose

Against most guiltless of the stranger tribes!
Poor child! my heart is yearning for his woes;
I would I were his mother; but I'll give
If not his birth, at least the right to live."

Thus Iphis spoke the royal hope and pride
Of a great monarch; while her damsels nigh
Wandered along the Nile's meandering side;

And these diminished beauties, standing by
The trembling mother, watching with eyes wide
Their graceful mistress, admired her as she stood,
More lovely than the genius of the flood.

The waters broken by her delicate feet
Receive the eager wader, as alone
By gentlest pity led she strives to meet

The wakened babe; and see, the prize is won!
She holds the weeping burden with a sweet
And virgin glow of pride upon her brow,
That knew no flush save modesty's till now.

Opening with cautious hands the reedy couch,
She brought the rescued infant slowly out
Beyond the humid sands; at her approach

Her curious maidens hurried round about
To kiss the new-born brow with gentlest touch;
Greeting the child with smiles, and bending nigh
Their faces o'er his large, astonished eye!

Haste thou, who from afar, with doubt and fear,
Dost watch, with straining eyes, the fated boy-
The loved of Heaven! Come as a stranger near,
And clasp young Moses with maternal joy;
Nor fear the speechless transport and the tear
Will e'er betray thy fond and hidden part,
For Iphis knows not yet a mother's heart.

MOSES ON THE NILE

With a glad heart, and a triumphal face,
The princess to the haughty Pharaoh led
The humble infant of a hated race,

Bathed with the bitter tears a parent shed;
While, loudly pealing round the holy place

73

Of Heaven's white throne, the voice of angel

choirs

Intoned the theme of their undying lyres.

"No longer mourn thy pilgrimage below, O Jacob! let thy tears no longer swell The torrent of th'Egyptian river. Lo!

Soon on the Jordan's banks thy tents shall dwell, And Goshen shall behold thy people go

Despite the power of Egypt's law and brand, From their sad thrall to Canaan's promised land!”

VICTOR HUGO

Translation from the Dublin University Magazine

66

22

MOSES AND THE ANGEL

Praise Him, Al-Mutâhâli! Whose decree Is wiser than the wit of Man can see.” 'Tis written in the chapter "Of the Cave," An Angel of the Lord, a minister,

Had errands upon earth, and Moses said, "Grant me to wend with thee, that I may learn God's ways with men." The Angel, answering, said, "Thou canst not bear with me; thou wilt not have Knowledge to judge; yet if thou followest me, Question me not, whatever I shall do,

Until I tell thee."

Then they found a ship

On the sea-shore, wherefrom the Angel struck Her boards, and brake them. Moses said, "Wilt drown

The mariners? This is a strange thing wrought." "Did I not say thou couldst not bear with me?" The Angel answered,--" Be thou silent now!"

Yet farther, and they met an Arab boy; Upon his eyes with mouth invisible

The Angel breathed; and all his warm blood froze,
And, with a moan, he sank to earth and died.
Then Moses said, "Slay'st thou the innocent

Who did no wrong? This is a hard thing seen!" "Did I not tell thee," said the Minister,

"Thou wouldst not bear with me? Question me not!"

MOSES AND THE ANGEL

75

Then came they to a village, where there stood

A lowly hut; the garden fence thereof
Toppled to fall; the Angel thrust it down,
A ruin of grey stones, and lime, and tiles,
Crushing the lentils, melons, saffron, beans,
The little harvest of the cottage folk.

"What hire." asked Moses, "hadst thou for this

deed,

Seeming so evil?”

Then the Angel said,

"This is the parting betwixt thee and me;

Yet will I first make manifest the things

Thou couldst not bear, not knowing; but my Lord—
'Exalted above all reproach'-be praised.
The ship I broke serveth poor fisher-folk
Whose livelihood was lost, because there came
A king that way, seizing all boats found whole;
Now they have peace. Touching the Arab boy:
In two moons he had slain his mother's son,
Being perverse; but now his brother lives,
Whose life unto his tribe was more, and he
Dieth blood-guiltless. For the garden-wall:
Two goodly youths dwell there, offspring of one
That loved his Lord, and underneath the stones
The father hid a treasure which is theirs.
This they shall find, building their ruin up,
And joy will come upon their house! But thou,
Journey no more with me, because I do

Naught of myself, but all by Allah's will."

Al-Mutâhâl! Maker of men,

Exalted art Thou past our ken.

SIR EDWIN ARNOLD