Her grace, but more her graciousness, prevailed;
For won upon by her demeanor meek,
Majestic, and that awe of womanhood
Instinctive in a noble breast of man,
The Roman, with even a flush of shame at last
Not altogether hidden as he turned
His bronzéd cheek away, spoke out aloud:
"Varenus!" so he called the soldier's name
Whose turn it was that watch to sentry Paul—
The same that Shimei late had sought to bribe—
"Go bid up Shimei hither from the hold!"
Haggard, dejected, squalid from the filth
And fetor of his dungeon, in surprise
With terror, doubting what awaited him—
Dazed in the sudden light his blinking eyes—
The more bewildered that he could not frame
With any true and steady sight to see
Color, or shape, of person or of thing
Before him or about him anywhere,
Shimei stepped halt and staggering on the deck.
A spectacle for pity to abhor,
And for abhorrence shuddering to behold
With pity—wreck and remnant of a man!
The soldier would not touch to steady him,
But let him shuffle as he might his way.
Scarce more than one or two uncertain steps,
And Shimei insecure of standing stood,
Shaken in all the fabric of the man—
Like some decrepit crazy edifice
Wind-shaken trembling on the point to fall.
Paul saw, and felt his heart within him moved.
To the unmoved centurion thus he spoke:
"Wilt thou not let him rest awhile retired
Apart a little till his force revive
And his eyes grow rewonted to the light?"
"Have thou thy will with him," the Roman said,
"So far as of his chains to ease him not.
Thou art right perhaps; a little added strength
Were well, were timely, in his present plight—
May save him over to added punishment.
So nurse him fair, ye brotherhood," said he,
"And sisterhood, of mercy ill-bestowed!"
And round the Roman glanced, with Roman scorn
Masking some sense of admiration shamed,
Upon the group of ready hearts and hands,
The circle of Paul's fellowship in faith,
Now gathered nigh with looks of wish to help.
BOOK XI.
THE LAST OF SHIMEI.
Shimei in his feebleness and distress is ministered to by the companions of Paul. Thus relieved, he falls asleep and dreams. On his waking, ministration to his needs is renewed; and, strengthened now with nourishment, he sleeps out the night. The next morning he finds himself an altered man. He at length makes some loth acknowledgment to Paul, who in turn expresses his own sorrow for high words spoken in pride against Shimei. A storm some days after rises, and Shimei meets a sudden and awful doom.