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THE MURDER OF ABEL.
Candor, which true appears, the sweet accustomed Sound of his voice, restrain me : and my arm
And anger fall. — But, shall a foolish pity
Rob me forever of my property ? . . .
Alas ! what to resolve ? what do ?
Abel — What say'st thou
Apart ? Turn towards me : look at me : in vain Thou hid'st from me thy face : amidst thy fierce And dreadful ravings, from thy moistened eye Gleamed there upon me just one passing ray
Of love fraternal and of pity. Take,
I pray thee, pity on my tender youth,
And on thyself. O ! dost thou think that God Can afterwards take pleasure in thy prayers,
Or gifts, if with the blood of thine own brother He sees thee dyed ? And then our excellent Unhappy mother, wouldst thou rob her thus
Of both her sons ? for, certainly, if thou Shouldst slay me, thou wouldst never dare again To show thyself before her. Ah, just think How that unhappy one can live without us : Think too . . .
Cain — Ah, brother ! thou dost rend my heart :
I pardon thee : in this
Embrace . . . What do I? and what said I? Base one,
Rise, then, arise :
Thy tears are but a juggle : and not doubtful Thy treason is ; thou dost not merit pardon ; I will not pardon thee.
Abel — What see I? Fiercer Dost thou become than ever ?
Cain — I become
What I should be to thee. Come now what may ; The good denied me, none shall have instead. — No more of pardon, no more pity ; thou
Hast now no brother, father, mother more.
My eye is dimmed already with thick blood :
I see a monster at my feet. Now, die !
What holds me back ? What seizes on my arm ? What voice is thundering ?
Abel — God sees us. Cain—
Methinks I hear Him : now methinks I Pursuing me in fearful wise : already
I see my own ensanguined ax fall down Upon my guilty head with crashing sound !
God? see Him,
THE MURDER OF ABEL. 47
Abel—His senses he has lost. Sad sight ! I tremble . . . From head to foot . . .
Cain — Thou, Abel, do thou take This ax ; and strike with both thy hands, upon My head. Why dost thou tarry ? now behold,
I offer no defense : be quick, and slay me :
Slay me ; for in no other way canst thou Escape my fury, which is fast returning : I pray thee then, make haste.
Abel — What do I hear ? That I should strike thee ? Why, if I still love thee As much as ever ? Calm thyself : become
Thyself again : let's both our father seek :
He waits for thee . . .
Cain —
Go now with thee ?
The mention of his name Fiercer than ever wakens all my rage.
Hast thou betrayed.
My father ? to my father I understand : thyself
Once more then, die thou, die. [Strikes him. Abel— Alas! . . . I feel
My strength depart . . . O mother ! . . .
Cain — What, O what
,j,
[Flies.
Have I now done ? his blood spurts o'er my face !
He falls ; he faints . . . Where hide myself ? 0 Heavens ! What have I done ? Accursed ax, begone
Forever from my hand, my eyes . . . What hear I ?
Alas ! already doth the thund'ring voice
Of God upon me call . . . O where to fly ?
There, raves my father in wild fury . . . Here,
My dying brother's sobs . . . Where hide myself ?
I fly.
Abel [dying], then Adam.
Ah dreadful pain ! . . . 0, how my blood
Is running down ! . . .
Adam — Already towards the west
The sun approaches fast, and I as yet
Have found them not ! The livelong day have I And Eve consumed in searching for them both, And all without success . . . But this is surely
The track of Abel : Abel —
Alas ! help, help ! . . . O mother ! . . . Adam —
[Advances.
O, what hear I
I will follow it
?
18
THE MURDER OF ABEL.
Sobs of a human being, like the wails
Of Abel! . . . Heavens ! what see Ithere ? a stream Ofblood? . . . Alas! abody furtheron? . . . Abel! My son, thou here? . . . Uponthy body Let me at least breathe forth my own last breath !
Abel —
My father's voice, methinks . . . O ! is it thou ? . . . My eyes are dim, and ill I see . . . Ah, tell me, ShallIagainbehold. . . my. . . darling mother? . . .
Adam —
My son ! . . . sad day ! . . . sad sight ! . . . How deep
and large
The wound with which his guiltless head is cloven !
Alas ! there is no remedy. My son,
Whogave thee suchablow? and whattheweapon? . . . O Heavens ! Is't not Cain's pickax that I see
Lying all-bloody there ? . . . O grief ! O madness !
And is it possible that Cain has slain thee ?
A brother kill his brother ?
Will arm, with thy own arms ; and find thee out,
And with my own hands slay thee.
O thou just Almighty God, didst Thou behold this crime,
And suffer it ? breathes still the murderer ?
Where is the villain ? Didst not Thou, great God, Beneath the feet of such a monster cause
The very earth to gape and swallow him
In its profound abyss ? Then, 'tis Thy will,
Ah yes ! that by my hand should punished be
This crime irreparable : 'tis Thy will
That I should follow on the bloody track
Of that base villain : here it is : from me,
Thou wicked Cain, shalt thou receive thy death . . .
O God ! But leave my Abel breathing still . . .
Abel —
Father ! . . . return, return ! . . .
I fain would tell thee . . . Abel — He was . . . indeed . . .
Adam —
My son, but how could Cain . . .
. . . itwas not he . . . Moreover . . . He is thy son . . . O pardon him, . . . as I do . . .
Beside himself :
Adam —
Thou only art my son. Devotion true !
O Abel ! my own image ! thou, my all ! . . . How could that fierce . . .
Abel — Ah, father ! . . . tell me . . . truly ;
I
myself
THE MURDER OF ABEL.
Didst thou e'er plan . . . to take away . . . from Cain, . . . Andgive . . . tome . . . some mighty good, . . . whichlies Beyond . . . the river ?
Adam — What dost mean ? one son Alone I deemed that I possessed in both.
Abel—
Deceived. . . wasCainthen;. . . thishesaidtome. . . Ofttimes, . . . inflamed with rage . . . The only cause . .
. . . he had . . . a conflict fierce . . . and long . . .
Was this:
Within himself . . . atfirst ; . . . but . . . then . . . o'ercome
He struck me . . . and then fled . . . — But now . . . my
breath,
Father, . . . is failing . . .
Adam — —
O God ! . . . He dies.
Has that last sob cut off at once his voice
And life as well ! — Behold thee, then, at last,
Death terrible and cruel, who the daughter
Of my transgression art ! O ruthless Death,
Is, then, the first to fall before thy blows
A guileless youth like this ? 'Twas me the first,
And me alone, whom thou shouldst have struck down . . . — What shall I do without my children now ?
And this dear lifeless body, how can I
From Eve conceal it ? Hide from her the truth ?
In vain : but, how to tell her ? And, then, where,
Where bury my dear Abel ? O my God !
How tear myself from him ? — But, what behold I ?
Eve is approaching me with weary steps
From far ! She promised me that she would wait Beyond the wood for me . . . Alas ! —But I
Must meet her and detain her ; such a sight
Might in one moment kill her . . . How I tremble I Already she has seen me, and makes haste . . .
Adam —
Why, woman, hast thou come ? 'tis not allowed Farther to go : return ; return at once
Unto our cottage ; there will I erelong
Rejoin thee.
Eve — Heavens ! what see I ? in thy face What new and dreadful trouble do I see ?
Hast thou not found them ?
Adam — No : but, very soon . . ,. Do thou meanwhile retrace thy steps, I pray . . .
Kiss me . . .
He is dying . . . Unhappy father ! How
Eve, and Adam [running to meet her].
THE MURDER OF ABEL.
Eve —
And leave thee ?