David. O hear!
Of my anointing Jonathan is 'ware,
Knows it is holy, helpless, innocent
As dawn or a drift of dreaming in the night!
Knows it unsought—out of the skies—supernal—
From the inspirèd cruse of Samuel!
For Israel it dripped upon me, and
For Israel must drip until I die!
Or till high Gath and Askalon are blown
Dust on the wind, and all Philistia
Lie peopleless and still under the stars!...
Goliath, then, a laughter evermore!...
Still, still you shrink? do you not see, not feel?
Michal. So have you breathed yourself about my heart,
Even as moonlit incense, spirit flame
Burning away all barrier!
David. But see!
Michal. And all the world has streamed a rapture in,
Till even now my lids from anger falter
And the dew falls!
David. Restrain! O do not weep!
Upon my heart each tear were as a sea
Flooding it from all duty but the course
Of thy delight!
Michal. Poor, that I should have tears!
Fury were better, tempest! O weak eyes,
When 'tis my father, and with Samuel
You creep to steal his kingdom!
David. Michal!... God!
Michal. Yes, steal it!
David. Cruel! fell accusal! Yea,
Utterly false and full of wounding!
(Struggling, then with control.) Yet,
Forgive that even when thy arrows sink
Deeper than all the skill of time can draw,
I spare thee not the furrowed face of pain ...
Delirious wings of hope that fluttered up,
At last to fall!
(Moves to go.)