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GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
BY THE SAME AUTHOR 
 Long Will: A Romance 
 
 The most perfect imaginative recon- 
 struction of the Mediaeval England of 
 Piers Plowman which has yet appeared. 
 Already a classic. 
 
 In Everyman's Library 
 
 The House of Prayer 
 
 Never have the joy and the beauty 
 of the Church's traditions and prac- 
 tices been so delightfully expressed as 
 in these delicate and lovely stories of 
 the little boy and his angel. 
 
 With 8 Illustrations 
 by Margaret Ely Webb 
 
 E. P. BUTTON & COMPANY 
 NEW YORK CITY 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 A Miracle Cycle 
 
 BY 
 
 FLORENCE CONVERSE 
 
 NEW YORK 
 
 E. P. DUTTON & COMPANY 
 
 681 FIFTH AVENUE 
 
Copyright, 1917, 1921, by 
 E. P. DUTTON & COMPANY 
 
 All Bights Reserved 
 
 
 %*\* 
 
 
 SEP 20 I9*i 
 
 Printed in the United States of America 
 
 ©CI.A622871 
 
THE CYCLE 
 
 PAGE 
 
 I. The Blessed Birthday 
 
 A Christmas Miracle Play i 
 
 II. Thy Kingdom Come 
 
 A Dream for Easter Even 49 
 
 III. Soul's Medicine 
 
 A Whitsuntide Miracle of Healing 97 
 
 IV. Santa Conversazione 
 
 An All Saints Miracle 169 
 
NOTE 
 
 The first performances of The Blessed Birth- 
 day and Santa Conversazione were given in 19 19, 
 at the Bennett School, Millbrook, New York, 
 with Edith Wynne Matthison as the American 
 Soldier in Santa Conversazione, and Charles Rann 
 Kennedy as the Spirit of Tolstoi. The Blessed 
 Birthday was first published by Messrs. E. P. 
 Dutton & Company, New York, and Messrs. 
 J. M. Dent & Sons, London, in 191 7. Thy 
 Kingdom Come is included in the Cycle by the 
 courtesy of The Atlantic Monthly. 
 
I 
 
 The Blessed Birthday 
 
 A Christmas Miracle Play 
 
What gift shall we bring to thee, 
 Christ, since thou as Man on earth 
 hast shewn thyself for us, since every 
 creature made by thee brings to thee 
 its thanksgiving? The angels bring 
 their song, the Heavens bring their 
 star, the Magi bring their gifts, the 
 shepherds^bring their awe, earth gives 
 a cave, the wilderness a manger: and 
 we the Virgin Mother bring. God be- 
 fore all worlds, have mercy upon us! 
 Amen. 
 
 First Vespers of Christmas 
 in the Greek Church. 
 
The People in the Play 
 
 The Angels: 
 
 The Angel of the Annunciation 
 The Angel of the Nativity 
 The Angel of the Resurrection 
 
 The Holy Family: 
 
 Joseph 
 
 Mary 
 
 Jesus 
 
 The Children: 
 
 John the Baptist 
 
 Abner 
 
 Hezekiah 
 
 Tobias 
 
 Eli 
 
 Ruth 
 
 Miriam 
 
 Leah 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 The Wedding Party: 
 
 The Bride 
 
 The Bridegroom 
 
 The Parents of the Bride and Bridegroom 
 
 The Guests 
 
 The Place: 
 
 Village houses, low, white, and windowless, ' 
 with flat roofs, stand about a well in an open . 
 place in Nazareth. At the left is the house of 
 the Bridegroom, with a rich eastern carpet laid 
 down over the doorsteps, and an embroidered 
 silk curtain hanging before the door. In the 
 center, at the rear, is Joseph's house. The car- 
 penter's bench can be seen within the wide 
 doorway, and there are shavings littered about 
 the steps. An outside stair crosses the front 
 of the house, going up from the right of the 
 door, to the roof. At the right is the house 
 where Abner, Ruth, and little Eli live. The 
 well is of stones, with a seat built out from the 
 base and running round it. The Angel of the 
 Annunciation, tall, and immortally young, 
 stands at the left of Joseph's door. He wears 
 4 
 
THE BLESSED BIRTHDAY 
 
 the livery of the Holy Ghost: the flame color 
 of Pentecost covers him, and his wings are 
 feathered flame. The image of a dove is em- 
 broidered on his breast, and his halo is full of 
 rays, long and short, like the rays of a mon- 
 strance. He carries Mary's lilies in his hand. 
 The Angel of the Nativity and the Angel of 
 the Resurrection stand, one above the other, on 
 the outside stairway against the wall of 
 Joseph's house. The livery of the Incarnation 
 clothes the Angel of the Nativity: Earth's 
 green and heaven's blue. He holds seven stars 
 in his hand, and the Star of Bethlehem is 
 blazoned on his breast. His halo is three golden 
 rings, one within another, like the rings of 
 Saturn. His wings are streaked and burnished 
 with the blues of the sky, the blues of night 
 and day and twilight, the blue of the zenith and 
 the horizon's blue. Beneath his leafy green 
 sure oat his robe is dim and dark like the trunks 
 of trees at dusk. The Angel of the Resurrection 
 wears the livery of the Lamb of God. He is 
 clothed with a white robe and he bears a palm 
 branch in his hands. His great wings shine 
 with a rainbow shimmer, and they are full of 
 5 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 eyes, like the feathers of a peacock. On his 
 breast, set in the midst of golden rays, is the 
 image of a zvhite lamb. Within the circle of 
 his halo shines the sign of the Cross. The 
 Child Jesus sits by the well busily polishing a 
 little wooden box, fitting its cover on and 
 taking it off, examining the edges and corners. 
 His zvhite tunic, falling a little way below his 
 knees, is embroidered around the neck and 
 sleeves with a pattern of blue and purple and 
 scarlet, and these are the mingled colors of his 
 girdle. His feet are sandaled. While he is 
 busy about his little box, the Angels chant the 
 opening words of the Gospel according to St. 
 John. Throughout the Miracle, when the 
 Angels speak, they chant or sing their words. 
 Theirs is the tongue of Holy Writ. 
 
 The Angels : In the beginning was the word, 
 and the Word was with God, and the 
 Word was God. 
 The same was in the beginning with God. 
 All things were made by him ; and without 
 him was not anything made that was 
 made. 
 
 6 
 
THE BLESSED BIRTHDAY 
 
 In him was life; and the life was the light 
 
 of men. 
 And the light shineth in darkness; and the 
 
 darkness comprehended it not. 
 That was the true Light, which lighteth 
 
 every man that cometh into the world. 
 He was in the world, and the world was 
 
 made by him and the world knew him 
 
 not. 
 He came unto his own, and his own received 
 
 him not. 
 But as many as received him, to them gave 
 
 he power to become the sons of God, even 
 
 to them that believe on his name : 
 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the 
 
 will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, 
 
 but of God. 
 'And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt 
 
 among us, (and we beheld his glory, the 
 
 glory as of the only . begotten of the 
 
 Father,) full of grace and truth. 
 
 [Mary appears in the doorway of Joseph's 
 house. She has on her blue clothes, and 
 the blue veil over her parted hair.] 
 
 7 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 Mary: Who is singing? 
 
 The Angel of Annunciation: Hail, thou 
 that art highly favored, the Lord is with 
 thee: blessed art thou among women. 
 
 Mary : Gabriel ! I thought it was your voice. 
 And this one with the stars is another old 
 friend. 
 
 Angel of Nativity: Glory to God in the 
 highest, and on earth peace, good will 
 toward men. 
 
 Mary: Yes, the night my Son was born, you 
 were there. But your brother with the 
 palm branch — 
 
 Jesus : [looking up from his work] : He is 
 another birthday messenger. 
 
 Mary : I do not remember him. 
 
 Angel of Resurrection : Behold I show you 
 a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we 
 shall all be changed. 
 Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for 
 thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the 
 earth shall cast out the dead. 
 
THE BLESSED BIRTHDAY 
 
 Mary: A mystery? — What does he say? 
 
 Jesus [coming from the well to his Mother] : 
 He says I shall have another birthday. 
 
 Mary: Oh, my little Son, many, many more! 
 [She puts her arms around him.] 
 
 Jesus: I shall have a birthday at the Feast of 
 the Passover. 
 
 Mary [explaining] : No, no; now is the time 
 of the Feast of Dedication — when they 
 built the new temple, don't you know ? 
 
 Jesus [gently] : But I shall have a birthday at 
 the Feast of the Passover. 
 
 Mary [regarding her Son for a moment with 
 mild perplexity, then turning to the Angel 
 of the Annunciation] : He has so many 
 strange little ways. But I keep all these 
 things in my heart. 
 
 Angel of Annunciation : He shall be great, 
 
 and shall be called the Son of the Highest: 
 
 and the Lord God shall give unto him the 
 
 throne of his father David: 
 
 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob 
 
 9 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 forever; and of his kingdom there shall 
 be no end. 
 
 Mary : That, too, I keep in my heart. [She 
 looks within the house. ,] Joseph, we shall 
 be late for the wedding. — He is getting a 
 little deaf. — Joseph, dear ! [She comes 
 down the doorsteps with her arm around 
 her Son.] 
 
 Joseph [appearing at the door in his brown 
 loose cloak and flowing zvhite head-cover- 
 ing bound about with a crimson turban] : 
 I am ready, Mary. [He comes out into the 
 square, sees the little box lying on the seat 
 by the well, and picks it up to examine it. ] 
 
 Mary [touching his arm] : Will you not bid 
 the visitors welcome ? 
 
 Joseph: Visitors? [He looks about him.] 
 
 Mary : The angels who have come to greet my 
 Son on his birthday. 
 
 Joseph: Angels, do you say? Well, well! I 
 have not seen an angel since Herod slew 
 the innocents. Where? 
 
 IO 
 
THE BLESSED BIRTHDAY 
 
 Mary: Yonder, by our house. 
 
 Joseph [peering] : You and the child have 
 better eyes. I shall have to take your 
 word for it. If it were necessary, no 
 doubt I should see them. [He holds out 
 his hand to Jesus, and draws the child to 
 him.] What is this you make? [Show- 
 ing him the box.] 
 
 Jesus: A gift for the bride. 
 
 Mary: Poor little dumb bride! He's so sorry 
 for her. 
 
 Joseph [still examining the box] : I never 
 taught you to join the corners so. 
 
 Jesus: No. 
 
 Joseph: It is a good way. 
 
 Jesus: It is the way the corners were joined in 
 the ark of the covenant, to make the cover 
 fit tight. 
 
 Joseph : The ark of the covenant ! 
 
 Jesus: That the children of Israel made for 
 
 Moses, to hold the tables of the law. 
 
 ii 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 Joseph [with kindly irony] : And I suppose 
 you will be telling me next, that Moses 
 showed you how. 
 
 Jesus [twinkling and smiling at Joseph's little 
 joke] : Oh, no ; I knew how before. 
 
 Joseph [amused, but reproving him gently] : 
 Now, now! that's no way to speak of 
 Moses. 
 
 Mary : He doesn't mean to be irreverent. 
 
 Joseph [with indulgent skepticism] : I don't 
 know what he means, but he will be a 
 good carpenter. Look at that box! 
 
 Mary: A carpenter! [Hastily], Well, per- 
 haps. Come, Joseph; come, dear. I 
 should not mind being a little late if this 
 were an ordinary wedding; but with the 
 bride struck dumb two days ago, and her 
 mother nearly out of her mind with grief, 
 — come ! 
 
 [Mary and Joseph go off together by the 
 lane opening between Joseph's house 
 and Abner's house. Jesus sits down 
 
THE BLESSED BIRTHDAY 
 
 again by the well and polishes his box. 
 The Angel of the Nativity and the 
 Angel of the Resurrection come down 
 to the door of Joseph's house, and the 
 three Angels stand side by side on the 
 doorstep and chant together certain 
 passages from the Book of the Prophet 
 Isaiah. The Child fits the box and its 
 cover neatly together and sets the box 
 on the broad well-curb. He rests with 
 his arm on the well-curb and his head 
 on his hand 3 listening to the Angels. ] 
 The Angels: For my thoughts are not your 
 thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, 
 saith the Lord. 
 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, 
 so are my ways higher than your ways, 
 and my thoughts than your thoughts. 
 I am he ; I am the first, I also am the last. 
 Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of 
 the earth, and my right hand hath spanned 
 the heavens: when I call unto them, they 
 stand up together. 
 Come ye near unto me, hear ye this ; I have 
 not spoken in secret from the beginning; 
 13 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 from the time that it was, there am I: 
 and now the Lord God and his Spirit hath 
 sent me. 
 Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and 
 to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the be- 
 ginning, is now, and ever shall be, world 
 without end — Amen. 
 
 [Children are heard shouting and laugh- 
 ing. Young John the Baptist enters 
 by the lane at the left, between the 
 Bridegroom's house and Joseph's. He 
 is running and is pursued by Hezekiah, 
 Tobias, Miriam, and Leah. John's tunic 
 is rough undyed homespun; his girdle 
 and sandals are of leather; a lambskin 
 hangs over one shoulder and down his 
 back. In his hand he carries a slender 
 staff with a crosspiece near the top, and 
 a little basket hangs on the crosspiece. 
 The other children wear garments of 
 red, green, orange, brown, blue, or such 
 colors as may be convenient.'] 
 
 Hezekiah [twitching John's lambskin]: Wild 
 boy! Wild boy! Look at the wild boy! 
 14 
 
THE BLESSED BIRTHDAY 
 
 Leah : A Nazarite ! See his long hair ! [She 
 gives John's hair a tweak,] 
 
 Tobias [to Jesus, who has risen and is stand- 
 ing by the well] : He says he lives with 
 an old holy man, in the desert. 
 
 Miriam [to Jesus] : He says he's your cousin. 
 
 Jesus: Yes ; my cousin John. 
 
 [The two boys regard each other gravely, 
 with shy awkwardness. The other chil- 
 dren watch them curiously. Abner and 
 Ruth and little Eli have come running 
 out of their house, at the noise. They 
 stand on their doorstep.] 
 
 Ruth [crying out suddenly]: Oh, angels! 
 
 Abner [rudely] : Call that an angel ! That's a 
 wild boy from the desert. [He moves 
 over to the well, to join the other chil- 
 dren.] 
 
 Ruth : No ; I mean over there. 
 
 John [to Jesus] : Yesterday, my mother came 
 to see me in the wilderness where I live 
 
 15 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 with the old man, and she said this was 
 your birthday; so I came — I came — [he 
 falters shyly] — to tell you I am glad you 
 were born. > 
 
 Jesus [shyly, lovingly, taking John's hand] : 
 Oh, John ! — Oh, thank you, John ! 
 
 John [holding out the staff with the little 
 basket swinging from it] : I brought you 
 a piece of wild honeycomb, — saved from 
 my breakfast. 
 
 Tobias [snatching at the basket] : Honey ! 
 Wild honey! 
 
 John [lifting the staff, with the basket hanging 
 from the crosspiece, high above his head] : 
 Leave it be. It's not for you. 
 
 [Tobias, Hezekiah, T Abner and Leah 
 struggle for the honey. Miriam stands 
 a little apart, zvatching them. While 
 Tobias clasps John round the middle, 
 trying to throw him, the others leap and 
 stretch for the basket.] 
 
 Jesus : Don't let's fight. We'll all have a taste. 
 16 
 
THE BLESSED BIRTHDAY 
 
 John [struggling] : No ; I brought it for you. 
 
 Abner [to Tobias]: Trip him, — can't you? 
 Here! Let me get a grip. 
 [The Angel of the Nativity has come 
 down from Joseph's doorway. He lifts 
 his arm over the heads of the wrestling 
 children, and takes the basket off the 
 crosspiece of the staff. ] 
 
 Miriam: Look out! You've shaken off the 
 basket. Don't step on it. 
 
 Leah [looking among the boy's feet] : Where ! 
 Where! * 
 
 [The Angel of the Nativity goes back to 
 Joseph's doorstep, the little basket hang- 
 ing from his finger.] 
 
 Miriam : It dropped. I saw it. 
 Abner: Hezekiah, you've got it. 
 Hezekiah: I have not. 
 
 Ruth [speaking from her doorway, where she 
 stands holding little Eli's hand] : It didn't 
 drop. The angel took it off the staff. The 
 angel with the seven stars. 
 17 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 The Other Children except John [fright- 
 ened]: Angels! [They stand still, look- 
 ing over their shoulders, fearfully.] 
 
 Ruth : Over there by Joseph's house. Three 
 of them. Eli sees them; don't you* baby? 
 
 Eli: Eli sees angels. One, two, seven, forty- 
 leven. 
 
 Tobias [to John] : Do you see them? 
 
 John: Why, yes. They've been there all 
 along. 
 
 Miriam : I see — something. Yes, — I see one 
 — very faint. 
 
 Ruth: The starry one? 
 
 Miriam : I see a lily. I see a dove. 
 
 Abner: They don't see a thing. They're doing 
 it to scare us. 
 
 Hezekiah [frightened] : I see peacock's 
 feathers. 
 
 18 
 
THE BLESSED BIRTHDAY 
 
 Leah : What else ? 
 
 Hezekiah : Just peacock's feathers — Oh ! [He 
 covers his eyes.] 
 
 Ruth : I know ! TheyVe come to the wedding. 
 They're here to welcome the bride. 
 
 Miriam : Then they've made a mistake in the 
 house. That's not the bride's house. You 
 tell them, Ruth. You see them better than 
 Ida 
 
 Jesus: They came because it's my birthday. 
 They didn't make a mistake. 
 
 Abner: Angels! — For your birthday! [He 
 laughs mockingly.] Who are you? You're 
 nobody. 
 
 [Jesus looks at him silently.] 
 
 Ruth [coming from her house to join the 
 other children]: Shame on you, Abner! 
 Hush! 
 
 Abner : Nobody ! — Nobody ! — I bet he picked 
 up the basket and hid it. 
 19 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 John: Well, if he did, it's his. I brought it 
 to him. 
 
 Abner [approaching Jesus] : Where's the 
 honey, Nobody? 
 
 Jesus [standing quite still] : I am— Somebody. 
 
 John [to Abner] : You leave my cousin alone. 
 [The three Angels come down Joseph's 
 two doorsteps swiftly, their garments 
 flying,] 
 
 Ruth: Abner, Abner, the angels are angry! 
 [Abner, startled by Ruth, backs away 
 from Jesus involuntarily.] 
 
 Jesus: They won't hurt you. 
 
 Abner [recovering himself] : There ain't any 
 
 angels. I don't see 'em. 
 
 [The three Angels slowly move backward 
 and stand once more on Joseph's thresh- 
 old. Abner has backed toward his own 
 house, a little way. ] 
 
 Abner: Think you can frighten me with 
 angels, — you — Nobody ! — Born in a 
 stable ! 
 
 20 
 
THE BLESSED BIRTHDAY 
 
 Tobias and Hezekiah [taunting] : Born in a 
 stable ! 
 
 Ruth and Miriam [reproving] : No, boys ; 
 don't. 
 
 Leah : Well, it's true. 
 
 Abner: Nobody! Nobody! You don't even 
 know who's your father. 
 
 Jesus [quickly] : Oh, yes, I do. 
 
 Abner: Who? 
 
 Jesus : I'll tell you some day. 
 
 Abner: Who? 
 
 [Jesus looks at him silently. Abner sees 
 the little box on the well-curb. He runs 
 and snatches it up.] 
 
 Abner: Tell me, or I'll throw this down the 
 well. 
 
 Ruth: No, no, Abner! He made it for the 
 bride. 
 
 [Jesus looks at him silently.] 
 21 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 Abner: Going to tell me? — When I count 
 three, it goes down the well. — Going to 
 tell me ? — One ! 
 
 Hezekiah : Say, Abner, no fair ! 
 
 Tobias: Shut up, Hezekian. Don't you mix 
 in. Let them fight it out. 
 
 Abner [scornfully] : Him fight ! 
 
 [Jesus looks silently at Abner, who mounts 
 the seat by the well and holds the box 
 over the well's mouth.] 
 
 Abner: Going to tell me ? — Two ! 
 
 John [passionately] : You're a bad, bad boy. 
 You'd better be sorry for what you're 
 doing. If you throw that box down the 
 well, Jesus and I will duck you, head 
 down; won't we, Jesus? 
 
 Jesus [tranquilly] : But, John, that wouldn't 
 make him sorry. 
 
 John [disconcerted, and regarding Jesus with 
 some exasperation]: But we're going to 
 do something to him, aren't we? 
 
 22 
 
THE BLESSED BIRTHDAY 
 
 Jesus [his face lighting up with sudden merri- 
 ment'] : Yes ; something. 
 
 Abner: Laugh at me, will you?—- Think I 
 won't do it, do you? — Once more! — 
 Going to tell me who your father is? 
 
 Jesus: I'll tell you some day. 
 
 Abner: Three! [He drops the box into the 
 well. It splashes.] 
 
 [There is a moment of shocked silence* 
 The Angels look at one another and 
 shake their heads in disapproval.] 
 
 Tobias [with a little squeal] : He did it! 
 
 Ruth: His little box! His pretty little box 
 that he made for the bride. — Oh ! 
 
 Hezekiah : It wasn't fair. 
 
 Miriam: No; it was not. 
 
 Leah: Lick him, Jesus! Turn the angels on 
 him, why don't you? 
 
 Abner: Angels! Your Grandmother! [To 
 lesus:] Why don't you say something? 
 23 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 — Think you can scare me? Go home, 
 
 Nobody ! 
 
 [Jesus gases silently at Abner.] 
 
 John: Jesus, Jesus! Let me fight him for 
 you. Please ! 
 
 Abner [to Jesus] : Go home! We don't want 
 to play with you. Born in a stable! 
 
 Tobias: Born in a 
 
 Hezekiah: Shut up! 
 
 Abner: Go home, I say! — We don't want 
 
 you. [He stoops, picks up a stone, and 
 
 swings his arm up.] Go ho — ah! [He 
 
 shrieks. The stone falls from his hand, 
 
 and with it a little snake.] 
 
 [The children scream and start backward, 
 
 all but John, who runs to the little snake 
 
 and beats it with his staff. Abner, 
 
 between the well and his own house, 
 
 stands stupidly holding out his hand 
 
 and looking at it.] 
 
 John: It's dead. 
 
 24 
 
THE BLESSED BIRTHDAY 
 
 Ruth [bending over it]: A viper! [She 
 screams.] 
 
 The Other Children: A viper! [They all 
 gaze at Abner in horror.] 
 
 Ruth [crying] : He'll die ! My brother will 
 die! 
 
 [Leah and little Eli, who clings to Ruth, 
 also begin to cry. The other children 
 stand silent and horror-stricken.] 
 
 Jesus [going up to Abner] : Don't be fright- 
 ened, Abner. Don't be frightened, dear 
 Abner. 
 
 [Abner stands rigid, looking at his out- 
 stretched hand. Jesus takes the hand 
 in his, bends his head down, and gently, 
 slowly, kisses the open palm. Then he 
 closes the fingers over the palm, bends 
 the arm at the elbow, and lays the 
 closed hand against Abner 3 s breast.] 
 
 Little Eli [who stopped crying when Jesus 
 spoke to Abner] : Jesus kissed the place 
 and made it all well. 
 25 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 [The children sigh. Abner, still dazed, 
 opens his hand and looks at it. Then 
 he looks at Jesus gravely. While Abner 
 and Jesus are looking into each other's 
 eyes, the Angels chant these words 
 from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah.] 
 
 The Angels: I will mention the loving kind- 
 nesses of the Lord, and the praises of the 
 Lord, according to all that the Lord hath 
 bestowed on us, and the great goodness 
 toward the house of Israel, which he hath 
 bestowed on them according to his 
 mercies, and according to the multitude 
 of his loving kindnesses. 
 For he said, Surely they are my people, 
 children that will not lie : so he was their 
 Saviour. 
 
 Abner [suddenly bursting into tears and hid- 
 ing his face in his arm] : I can't bear it ! 
 I can't bear it! I threw his little box 
 down the well. — I called him names. — 
 I can't bear it ! [Still with his arm before 
 his eyes, he turns and runs blindly azuay 
 from the children and stumbles up against 
 26 
 
THE BLESSED BIRTHDAY 
 
 the Angel of the Resurrection. He 
 clutches the Angel and sobs, burying his 
 face in the white robe. The Angel of 
 the Resurrection pats him and smooths 
 his hair.] 
 
 Miriam : He might have died ! — People do. 
 
 John: I'm glad he's sorry at last. 
 
 Jesus [softly] : He didn't know what he was 
 doing. Don't let's talk about it any more. 
 Let's eat the honey. 
 
 John : Yes, let's. 
 
 Jesus [looking at little Eli and smiling] : 
 Where's the honey, baby? 
 
 Eli: Eli knows. 
 
 Jesus : Will you go find it for Jesus ? 
 
 [Eli runs to the door of Joseph's house, 
 and stops before the Angel of the 
 Nativity. Eli puts his finger in his 
 mouth shyly.] 
 
 Tobias : There are Angels ! — I see them ! 
 
 27 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 Leah : So do I ! 
 
 Miriam: Three! — and such beauties! 
 
 [The Angel of the Nativity stoops and 
 gives the little basket to Eli.] 
 
 Ruth : Make your bow, baby. 
 
 [Eli takes his finger out of his mouth, 
 pulls the curl that hangs over his fore- 
 head, and bobs his little head. The 
 Angels smile. Eli comes back to Jesus 
 and gives him the honey basket. The 
 children gather close around Jesus.] 
 
 Hezekiah : There isn't much. Do you think 
 it'll go round? 
 
 Jesus: Oh, yes! 
 
 Ruth : Jesus knows how to make things go 
 round. I've noticed that whenever he 
 goes shares there's always enough for 
 everybody. 
 
 Miriam : So have I. Umm ! Good honey ! 
 
 Leah : Don't give me so much, Jesus. 
 28 
 
THE BLESSED BIRTHDAY 
 
 John: You needn't count me in. I can have 
 it any time. 
 
 Jesus: But there's plenty, John. 
 
 Tobias : Have you got some left for yourself ? 
 
 Jesus: Abner, here's your piece. 
 
 Leah: After he's been so mean! 
 
 Jesus: We can't begin to eat till you come, 
 Abner; won't you come? 
 
 [Abner lifts his face from the folds of 
 the Angel's robe. The Angel wipes 
 •away his tears. Reluctantly, shame- 
 facedly, Abner comes back to the chil- 
 dren. Jesus gives him, a piece of the 
 honeycomb. They look at each other 
 shyly. Their hands move to their 
 mouths in embarrassed silence. They 
 bite the honeycomb simultaneously , and 
 simultaneously they smile at each other. 
 The other children all laugh. And the 
 Angels chant certain verses from the 
 Nineteenth Psalm.] 
 29 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 The Angels: The law of the Lord is per- 
 fect, converting the soul: the testimony 
 of the Lord is sure, making wise the 
 simple. 
 
 The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoic- 
 ing the heart: the commandment of the 
 Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. 
 
 The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for- 
 ever: the judgments of the Lord are true 
 and righteous altogether. 
 
 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, 
 than much fine gold: sweeter also than 
 honey and the honeycomb. 
 
 Ruth: Listen! The Angels! Do you hear 
 them? 
 
 Angel of Nativity: Glory to God in the 
 highest ! 
 Glory to God in the highest! 
 
 Angel of Annunciation: And on earth 
 peace ! 
 Glory to God in the highest ! 
 
 Angel of Resurrection: And on earth 
 peace, 
 
 30 
 
THE BLESSED BIRTHDAY 
 
 Good will toward men! 
 Glory to God in the highest ! 
 
 The Three Angels: Glory to God in the 
 highest ! 
 And on earth peace, 
 Goodwill toward men! 
 Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! 
 
 Miriam : What song is that ? 
 
 Jesus: My birthday song. The angels sang 
 it the night that I was born. 
 
 Leah: But it's not true that you were born in 
 a stable. 
 
 Jesus: Oh, yes; it's true. 
 
 i [The children have been standing in a 
 little group in front of the well, eating 
 their honey. They look at one another, 
 abashed.] 
 
 Miriam: Do you remember it? 
 
 Jesus: Yes; quite well. 
 
 Leah: How did it feel to lie in hay, in a 
 3i 
 
 manger ? 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 Jesus [merrily] : It tickled. 
 [The children laugh.] 
 
 Hezekiah: My mother told me there were 
 shepherds saw you in that stable. 
 
 Angel of Nativity [coming dozvn Joseph's 
 steps, lifting his hand to command atten- 
 tion, and singing in a loud voice] : 
 Behold, I bring you good tidings! 
 
 Ruth: He's going to tell us something. He 
 
 wants us to be still. 
 
 [Ruth, Miriam, and little Eli sit down on 
 the steps of the Bridegroom's house, on 
 the bright carpet. Tobias, Hezekiah, 
 and Leah scamper up the outside stair- 
 case of Joseph's house and sit about 
 halfway up, Hezekiah and Tobias side 
 by side on one stair, and Leah two stairs 
 above them. John the Baptist is kneel- 
 ing on the well-seat with his elboius 
 on the well-curb and his chin in his 
 hands, looking across the well at the 
 angels. Abner leans against the wall 
 of his house and Jesus goes and leans 
 32 
 
THE BLESSED BIRTHDAY 
 
 beside him, against the house. Pres- 
 ently Abner links arms with Jesus.] 
 
 Angel of Nativity [chanting certain por- 
 tions of the Gospel according to St. 
 Luke] : It came to pass in those days, 
 that there went out a decree from Csesar 
 Augustus, that all the world should be 
 taxed. 
 
 And all went to be taxed, everyone into his 
 own city. 
 
 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out 
 of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto 
 the city of David, which is called Beth- 
 lehem; (because he was of the house and 
 lineage of David:) 
 
 To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, 
 being great with child. 
 
 And so it was, that, while they were there, 
 the days were accomplished that she 
 should be delivered. 
 
 And she brought forth her first-born son, 
 and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, 
 and laid him in a manger; because there 
 was no room for them in the inn. 
 33 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 And there were in the same country shep- 
 herds abiding in the field, keeping watch 
 over their flocks by night. 
 
 Angel of Annunciation [moving down one 
 step and taking up the tale] : And, lo, the 
 angel of the Lord came upon them, and 
 the glory of the Lord shone round about 
 them: and they were sore afraid. 
 And the angel said unto them: 
 
 Angel of Nativity [in his clear triumphant 
 
 voice]: Fear not: for, behold, I bring 
 
 you good tidings of great joy, which shall 
 
 be to all people. 
 For unto you is born this day in the city 
 
 of David a Saviour, which is Christ the 
 
 Lord. 
 And this shall be a sign unto you: Ye shall 
 
 find the babe wrapped in swaddling 
 
 clothes, lying in a manger. 
 
 Angel of Annunciation: And suddenly, 
 there was with the angel a multitude of 
 the heavenly host praising God, and say- 
 ing,— 
 
 34 
 
THE BLESSED BIRTHDAY 
 
 The Three Angels: Glory to God in the 
 highest, and on earth peace, good will 
 toward men. 
 
 Angel of Annunciation: And it came to 
 pass, as the angels were gone away from 
 them into heaven, the shepherds said one 
 to another, — 
 
 The Three Angels: Let us now go even 
 unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which 
 is come to pass, which the Lord hath 
 made known unto us. 
 
 Angel of Annunciation: And they came 
 with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, 
 and the babe lying in a manger. 
 
 And when they had seen it, they made 
 known abroad the saying which was told 
 them concerning this child. 
 
 And all they that heard it wondered at those 
 things which were told them by the shep- 
 herds. 
 
 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered 
 them in her heart. 
 
 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and 
 35 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 praising God for all the things that they 
 had heard and seen, as it was told unto 
 them. 
 
 Miriam : Oh, what a darling story ! Isn't 
 there more? 
 
 Hezekiah and Leah: More! More! 
 
 Tobias: What about those kings? My father 
 said there was a story about kings, but 
 he didn't believe it. Neither did I. Was 
 it true? 
 
 John the Baptist: True! Of course it was 
 true ! There were three of them. 
 
 Hezekiah [to the Angels] : Oh, do tell us 
 about the kings. 
 
 Angel of Annunciation [chanting certain 
 portions of the Gospel according to St. 
 Matthew] : Now when Jesus was born in 
 Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod 
 the king, behold, there came wise men 
 from the east to Jerusalem, saying, — 
 
 Angel of Nativity: Where is he that is born 
 King of the Jews? for we have seen his 
 36 
 
THE BLESSED BIRTHDAY 
 
 star in the east and are come to worship 
 him. 
 
 Angel of Annunciation : When Herod the 
 king had heard these things, he was 
 troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. 
 And when he had gathered all the chief 
 priests and scribes of the people together, 
 he demanded of them where Christ 
 should be born. And they said unto 
 him, — 
 
 Angel of Resurrection [moving down to 
 stand beside the Angel of the Annuncia- 
 tion]: In Bethlehem of Judsea: for thus 
 it is written by the prophet, 
 And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, 
 art not the least among the princes of 
 Judah: for out of thee shall come a Gov- 
 ernor, that shall rule my people Israel. 
 
 Angel of Annunciation: Then Herod, 
 
 when he had privily called the wise men, 
 
 enquired of them diligently what time the 
 
 star appeared. 
 
 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, — 
 
 37 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 Angel of Nativity : Go and search diligently 
 for the young child; and when ye have 
 found him, bring me word again, that I 
 may come and worship him also. 
 
 Angel of Annunciation: When they had 
 heard the king, they departed ; and, lo, the 
 star, which they saw in the east, went 
 before them, till it came and stood over 
 where the young child was. 
 
 Angel of Nativity: When they saw the star, 
 they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. 
 
 The Three Angels: And when they were 
 come into the house, they saw the young 
 child with Mary his mother, and fell down 
 and worshiped him: and when they had 
 opened their treasures, they presented 
 unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, 
 and myrrh. 
 
 Hezekiah [jumping up, and running dozvn 
 the stairway] : Jesus is our king ! Jesus 
 is our king ! 
 
 38 
 
THE BLESSED BIRTHDAY 
 
 Ruth and Miriam [running to Jesus and tak- 
 ing his hands] : Come, Jesus ! Come and 
 be king! 
 
 Tobias and Leah [hurrying to join the other 
 children] : Come sit by the well, Jesus ! 
 Play it's your throne! 
 
 [The Angels and John the Baptist go to 
 the door of the Bridegroom's house, 
 and take up the carpet by the four cor- 
 ners, and spread the carpet over the 
 seat by the well. The children pull and 
 push Jesus to the well and make him sit 
 down. The Angel of the Resurrection 
 goes to the well, behind Jesus, on the 
 other side of the well-mouth, and 
 mounts to the well-curb. Standing up- 
 right on top of the broad well-curb, 
 with his great wings spread wide, he is 
 the back of the throne. The Angel of 
 the Annunciation stands on the curving 
 well-seat at the left of Jesus, and the 
 Angel of the Nativity stands on his 
 right. So these two, standing upright, 
 but a little below the Angel of the 
 39 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 Resurrection, and with their wings 
 spread wide, are the arms of the throne. 
 And the three take hands. Between 
 and beneath them, as under a canopy 
 of cherubim and glory, sits the child 
 Jesus, smiling at his playmates. The 
 children stand before Jesus, at the right 
 and the left of the throne. Abner, John 
 the Baptist, Ruth, and little Eli are on 
 the left hand. Leah, Miriam, Tobias, 
 and Hezekiah are on the right. .] 
 
 John: We ought to have a crown. 
 
 Ruth : We can make believe he has many- 
 crowns on his head. 
 
 Miriam: We can make believe a scepter. 
 
 Tobias: Jesus, when we're grown up we'll 
 give you a crown, and a scepter in your 
 hand, and we'll put a purple robe on you. 
 
 [The three Angels bend their heads and 
 hide their faces in their hands. Jesus 
 gazes straight ahead, gravely, as if he 
 saw something sad a long way off.] 
 40 
 
THE BLESSED BIRTHDAY 
 
 Hezekiah [shouting, and lifting up his 
 arms']: Hail, King of the Jews! 
 
 Ruth [lifting up her arms] : Hail, Every- 
 body's King! 
 
 The Children [standing with uplifted 
 arms] : Hail ! — Hail ! — Hail ! 
 
 [When the children cry Hail! the Angels 
 lift up on high the palm branch, the 
 lilies, and the seven stars. Little Eli 
 runs to Jesus, scrambles up on the seat 
 beside him, puts his arms around 
 Jesus's neck and kisses him. And 
 Jesus hugs little Eli. In the distance 
 trumpets are heard.] 
 
 Abner [crying out in anguish] : The wed- 
 ding ! Oh, can't we get the little box out 
 of the well? Can't we? 
 
 Jesus : Don't cry, Abner. I'll give the Bride 
 something else. 
 
 [Jesus gets up from his throne; all the 
 
 other children, except Abner, have run 
 
 to look down the lane between Joseph's 
 
 house and Abner' s. The Angels de- 
 
 41 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 scend from the well and carry the 
 Bride's carpet back to the Bridegroom's 
 house. They spread the carpet tidily 
 before the door and over the steps. The 
 trumpets are heard again, nearer. Jesus 
 and Abner are left by the well. Abner 
 kneels on the well-seat, looking over the 
 curb, down the well.]' 
 
 Abner: I want her to have the little box. I 
 shall always want her to have the little 
 box. 
 
 Jesus [putting his arm over Abner 's shoulder] : 
 I'm sorry, Abner. 
 
 Abner [turning and flinging his arms around 
 Jesus] : Oh, Jesus, why did I do it ? Why 
 did I? 
 
 Jesus: Abner, I love you; and you love me. 
 We're friends. 
 
 Abner [lifting his head and smiling]: Yes; 
 we're friends. 
 
 [The trumpets sound close by. The Angels 
 have gone up the outside stairway of 
 42 
 
THE BLESSED BIRTHDAY 
 
 Joseph's house and stand one above 
 another , on the stairs; the Angel of the 
 Resurrection at the top, and the Angel 
 of the Nativity and the Angel of the 
 Annunciation in order below him.] 
 
 Leah : Hurry, Jesus ! Abner, here they come ! 
 
 Miriam : See the Bride ! How sad she looks ! 
 Only three days ago she could speak, like 
 us. And now she's dumb. 
 
 Tobias: And the Bridegroom is sad, look! 
 He didn't have to marry her when she lost 
 her tongue. But he stuck to his bargain. 
 My father says he's a good fellow. 
 
 Hezekiah: It's too bad Jesus can't give her 
 the little box. I hope my bride won't go 
 dumb when I get married. 
 
 Ruth: Hush — ssh! They'll hear you ! 
 
 [The Bride and Bridegroom, their parents, 
 Mary, Joseph, and other wedding 
 guests, some with trumpets and cymbals, 
 come into the little square by the lane 
 between Joseph's house and the house 
 43 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 of Abner. They wear the wedding gar- 
 ments of the East. The faces of the 
 Bride and Bridegroom are sad. As he 
 leads her past Joseph's house she looks 
 up and sees the Angels on the stairs. 
 She stands still, pulls the Bridegroom's 
 sleeve, points up at the Angels. The 
 wedding procession halts behind her.] 
 
 Bridegroom [trying to lead her on] : Not this 
 house, the next is ours. 
 
 [The Bride falls on her knees and lifts up 
 her hands to the Angels. They lift their 
 hands and point to Jesus.] 
 
 Bride's Mother : My daughter, my daughter ! 
 What new affliction is this? Come home 
 to your husband's house. 
 
 Ruth: She sees the Angels. 
 
 The People [looking up and gaping] : Angels ! 
 Where? Where? 
 
 Bridegroom's Father: Nonsense! Come, my 
 
 son, we must get her into the house. 
 
 44 
 
THE BLESSED BIRTHDAY 
 
 [The Bridegroom and his Father lift up 
 the Bride and support her between them 
 to the threshold of the Bridegroom's 
 house. She looks at them beseechingly 
 and moves her lips but without a sound. 
 Jesus has joined his Mother, and they 
 have come from the rear of the proces- 
 sion, circling the front of the well, osnd 
 are standing at the Bridegroom's 
 threshold when the Bride is brought 
 there. ] 
 
 Bridegroom: Speak to her, Mary. She is 
 frightened. Welcome her; comfort her. 
 You know how to comfort. 
 
 Mary: Do not tremble so, little dove. Wel- 
 come to Nazareth ! Welcome, dear neigh- 
 bor ! See, this is my little Son. He has 
 a gift for you. 
 
 [The Bride looks at Jesus and her face 
 becomes quiet. After a moment she puts 
 out her hands and draws him to her. 
 He lifts his face, standing on tiptoe, and 
 she bends hers. They kiss. The Bride 
 looks up from the kiss, startled. Joy 
 45 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 and amazement light her face. She 
 opens her mouth and bursts into sing- 
 ing. Jesus stands, gazing up at her, and 
 smiling happily. The people are trans- 
 fixed in amazement.'] 
 
 The Bride [singing portions of the One Hun- 
 dred and Third Psalm] : Bless the Lord, 
 O my soul : and all that is within me, bless 
 his holy name. 
 
 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not 
 all his benefits : 
 
 Who f orgiveth all thine iniquities ; who heal- 
 eth all thy diseases; 
 
 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; 
 who crowneth thee with loving kindness 
 and tender mercies; 
 
 Who satisfteth thy mouth with good things ; 
 so that thy youth is renewed like the 
 eagle's. 
 
 Like as a father pitieth his children, so the 
 Lord pitieth them that fear him. 
 
 The Lord hath prepared his throne in the 
 heavens ; and his kingdom ruleth over all. 
 
 Bless the Lord, ye his angels, that excel in 
 46 
 
THE BLESSED BIRTHDAY 
 
 strength, that do his commandments, 
 hearkening unto his word. 
 
 Bless ye the Lord, all ye his hosts ; ye min- 
 isters of his, that do his pleasure. 
 
 Bless the Lord, all his works in all places of 
 his dominion: bless the Lord, O my soul. 
 
 The People [crying out in astonishment] : A 
 miracle ! A miracle ! 
 
 The Angel of the Resurrection [standing 
 at the top of the stairway, he chants from 
 the Book of the Prophet Isaiah'] : Thus 
 saith the high and lofty One that inhabit- 
 eth eternity, whose name is Holy ; I dwell 
 in the high and holy place, with him also 
 that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to 
 revive the spirit of the humble, and to re- 
 vive the heart of the contrite ones. 
 
 I have seen his ways, and I will heal him: I 
 will lead him also, and restore comforts 
 unto him and to his mourners. 
 
 I create the fruit of the lips: Peace, peace to 
 him that is far off, and to him that is near, 
 saith the Lord ; and I will heal him. 
 47 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 The Children [suddenly bursting out into 
 the Birthday Song] : Glory to God in the 
 highest, and on earth peace, good will 
 toward men. 
 
 The Angels [singing with the children] : 
 Glory to God in the highest ! 
 Glory to God in the highest ! 
 And on earth peace! 
 
 The People [singing with the Children and 
 the Angels] : 
 And on earth peace ! 
 And on earth peace ! 
 Good will toward men! 
 Good will ! Good will ! 
 Glory to God in the highest, 
 And on earth peace, 
 Good will toward men! 
 
 Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! 
 
II 
 Thy Kingdom Come 
 
 A Dream for Easter Even 
 
Who shall despair, though round us be 
 
 confusion ; 
 Though not for us the perfect order 
 
 dawn? 
 The Day-Star is seen, the darkness is 
 departing ! 
 O come, Son of Mary, 
 Jesu, our Redeemer, 
 O come, King triumphant, and reign on 
 earth! 
 
 Selwyn Image, 
 
The Place 
 
 The Tomb of the Saviour in a Garden 
 
 The Time 
 
 The First Easter Even; the Soldier's Vigil 
 
 The People 
 
 The Three Soldiers who guard the Tomb: 
 The Soldier who plaited the Crown of 
 
 Thorns 
 The Soldier who pierced the Side of Jesus 
 The Soldier who won the Seamless Coat 
 
 The Galilean Children : 
 
 The little Daughter of Jairus 
 
 The Boy who was an Epileptic 
 
 The Lad who once had five Barley Loaves 
 
 and two Fishes 
 A Child whom Jesus blessed 
 
 THE ANGELS: 
 
 The Angels who roll the Stone away 
 
 5i 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 THE DREAMS : 
 The Child with the Crown of Thorns 
 The Child with the Lance 
 The Child with the Seamless Coat 
 The Child with the Cross 
 
 It is chilly dusk and the soldiers have kindled 
 a fire in a brazier before the tomb, and stuck a 
 tall torch upright in the earth between the tomb 
 and a long stone bench. The spring flozvers of 
 the garden twinkle and flush within the torch- 
 light's wavering circle, and a flowering almond 
 tree glows softly above the stone bench. One 
 of the soldiers has stretched himself along the 
 bench beneath the rosy tree, with feet crossed 
 and arms clasped under his head. His helmet 
 is on the ground within reach of his hand. 
 Another soldier crouches beside the brazier, 
 feeding the fire and shivering. The third paces 
 uneasily to and fro before the sepulchre, from 
 the young cedar at one side of the tomb to the 
 torch at the other, from shadow into light, and 
 back again. The three soldiers zvear the Roman 
 insignia. The reclining soldier is the one who 
 pierced the side of Jesus. The chilly soldier is 
 52 
 
THY KINGDOM COME 
 
 the one who won the Seamless Coat. The rest- 
 less soldier is the one who plaited the Crown 
 of Thorns. 
 
 The Soldier of the Thorns [pausing before 
 the tomb and looking up at it darkly] : So 
 here's the end of Him and His Kingdom ? 
 [He strikes the rock savagely with his 
 
 bare hand, winces, and sucks the injured 
 
 hand. ] 
 
 The Soldier of the Lance [glancing side- 
 wise out of the corner of his eye] : Hurt 
 yourself? 
 
 The Soldier of the Thorns: A thorn. 
 
 The Soldier of the Lance: Funny place to 
 pick up a thorn. 
 
 The Soldier of the Thorns: I run it in 
 yesterday, when I was playm' smarty. 
 
 The Soldier of the Lance [indifferently] : 
 Playin' smarty? 
 
 The Soldier of the Thorns [sulkily] : 
 Plaitin' a crown o' thorns. 
 
 53 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 The Soldier of the Seamless Coat [looking 
 round over his shoulder, but still zvarming 
 his hands at the fire] : You was that joker, 
 was you? 
 
 The Soldier of the Thorns [ignoring the 
 question and examining his hand by the 
 light of the fire] : If I'd known the things 
 could hurt so much 
 
 [There is a thoughtful silence.] 
 
 The Soldier of the Coat [turning back to 
 the fire] : Better have it looked at. Some- 
 times them things swell. 
 
 The Soldier of the Lance [still indifferent] : 
 Maybe He put a curse on your hand. I 
 would. 
 
 The Soldier of the Thorns : You — yes ! — 
 Not Him.— He never cursed a curse all 
 day, from the time we took Him. 
 
 The Soldier of the Coat [staring into the 
 fire and shivering] : Father, forgive 
 
 them 
 
 54 
 
THY KINGDOM COME 
 
 The Soldier of the Thorns [violently] : 
 Aw cut it out! [He begins to pace 
 up and down again.] 
 
 The Soldier of the Lance [yawning and 
 stretching on the bench] : Who takes first 
 watch? Don't everybody speak at once! 
 
 The Soldier of the Coat: I'd just as lief. 
 I'm too cold to sleep, and anyway — I'd 
 like to be awake if He — if He should 
 
 [He glances again over his shoulder, fear- 
 fully, at the tomb.] 
 
 The Soldier of the Lance [grimly] : Did 
 you ever stick a spear into a dead man ? 
 
 The Soldier of the Coat [defiantly] : What's 
 that got to do with it? 
 
 The Soldier of the Lance : You'd know He 
 was dead — that's all. 
 
 The Soldier of the Thorns [pausing beside 
 the bench] : Let's have a look at the spear. 
 
 The Soldier of the Lance: Left it home. 
 
 55 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 The Soldier of the Thorns: We was told 
 to come armed. 
 
 The Soldier of the Lance: Well, what's a 
 sword ? [He draws his short szvord half 
 out of its scabbard and thrusts it back 
 again.'] Fve done all I want to with 
 spears — for one while. 
 
 The Soldier of the Coat [speaking hesi- 
 tantly across the brazier] : You don't 
 think — even if He was dead — He'd ? 
 
 The Soldier of the Lance: Well, do you? 
 [There is another silence, doubtful, incon- 
 clusive.] 
 
 The Soldier of the Thorns [again resuming 
 his restless march] : That old blighter, 
 Caiaphas, ain't afraid of the dead. It's 
 the livin' he's out after. 
 
 The Soldier of the Coat: Them fishermen? 
 
 The Soldier of the Lance: The trouble 
 with the High Priest is, he thinks every- 
 body else is as foxy as he is. But I'm not 
 going to lose my sleep waiting for Simon 
 56 
 
THY KINGDOM COME 
 
 and the sons of Zebedee to hatch a plot 
 to rob a tomb. I'd develop insomnia per- 
 manent, if I did. [He closes his eyes.] 
 
 The Soldier of the Thorns: There's Joseph 
 of Arimathea? — Or Nicodemus — what? 
 
 The Soldier of the Lance [still with his 
 eyes closed] : Too respectable. Besides^ 
 they want to be convinced, themselves. 
 And you don't convince yourself a man's 
 risen from the dead by swiping his corpse ; 
 now, do you? 
 
 [He opens his eyes and looks up at the 
 Soldier of the Thorns, who has paused 
 by the bench. They stare at each other 
 silently a moment, and the Soldier of 
 the Thorns takes up his march again.] 
 
 The Soldier of the Coat [shuddering] : I'll 
 be glad when the night's safe over. 
 
 The Soldier of the Lance [indifferently] : 
 Same here. Say, if you're cold, sittin' in 
 the fire, what do you think I am, layin' out 
 on this frosty bench? Where's your 
 prophet's mantle you won so slick yester- 
 57 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 day afternoon? If you're not go in' to use 
 it, you might tuck it round me and kiss me 
 good-night. 
 
 [The Soldier of the Thorns laughs.] 
 
 The Soldier of the Coat: Our baby was 
 asleep in it when I left home. He's been 
 sick for two days, and I ain't had a wink 
 o' sleep. My wife thinks he — he — knew 
 the coat. He snuggled right down and 
 dropped off, quiet as you please. 
 
 The Soldier of the Thorns [moodily'] : He 
 blessed my kids, too. Great one for kids, 
 He was. 
 
 The Soldier of the Lance [musing with his 
 eyes shut] : Kids are all right in their 
 place. I'm as fond of a good kid as any- 
 body. But a whole Kingdom come, of 
 nothin' but kids 
 
 The Soldier of the Thorns [with a laugh] : 
 Well, you don't need to worry. It's all 
 off. 
 
 58 
 
THY KINGDOM COME 
 
 The Soldier of the Coat [tentatively] : You 
 think there won't nothin' come of it? 
 
 The Soldier of the Lance [contemptu- 
 ously] : He's dead, ain't he ? 
 
 The Soldier of the Coat [hesitating] : But 
 we're not. 
 
 The Soldier of the Lance [truculent]: 
 What do you mean? — We're not? 
 
 The Soldier of the Coat [troubled] : Well, 
 we're not; are we? 
 
 The Soldier of the Lance [turning his head 
 sidezvise on the bench and regarding the 
 Soldier of the Seamless Coat quizzically] : 
 Feel sorter responsible, now his mantle's 
 descended on you, do you ? [He turns his 
 face once more to the sky and shuts his 
 eyes, ] You poor fish ! 
 
 The Soldier of the Coat [pondering] : 
 They say He said the Kingdom's inside of 
 us. 
 
 59 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 The Soldier of the Thorns: Rome, for 
 mine! There's something you can take 
 hold on. 
 
 The Soldier of the Coat [puzdcd] : But 
 He never talked against Rome. 
 
 The Soldier of the Lance [intoning, his 
 eyes closed}: No man can serve two 
 masters. 
 
 The Soldier of the Coat [piteously] : But I 
 can't find no Kingdom inside of me to 
 serve. 
 
 The Soldier of the Thorns [pausing beside 
 the brazier and looking down good- 
 naturedly at his comrade] : Nothin' but 
 guts, heh? Well, guts ain't so worse. 
 
 The Soldier of the Coat: You think He's 
 not goin' to rise from the dead ? 
 
 The Soldier of the Thorns [noncommit- 
 tal] : 'Tain't mornin' yet. What do you 
 say, Longinus? 
 
 The Soldier of the Lance [after a pause, 
 always with eyes shut and face turned up 
 60 
 
THY KINGDOM COME 
 
 to the sky] : I say — there won't be any 
 Kingdom come unless He does rise from 
 the dead. 
 
 [The Soldier of the Thorns returns to his 
 beat, back and forth before the tomb.] 
 
 The Voice of a Child [heard from a dis- 
 tance] : Not that way! This way! 
 
 The Voice of Another Child [also heard 
 from a distance] : Yes, yes ! This way ! 
 I see a light ! 
 
 A Third Child's Voice: Wait for me! Wait 
 for me ! Don't run so fast ! 
 
 A Fourth Child's Voice: Take my hand! 
 Upsy-daisy ! Did you hurt yourself ? 
 
 The Third Child's Voice: Just my toe — 
 stubbed. 
 
 The Soldier of the Thorns [peering 
 through the dusk beyond the cedar tree, 
 and laughing] : Here's your robber band! 
 [The Galilean Children come into the fire- 
 light from round the cedar tree. They 
 carry palms and spring flowers in their 
 61 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 arms. The little Daughter of J aims 
 and a little Girl whom Jesus blessed are 
 hand-in-hand. The four children stand 
 abashed and shy when they see the 
 Soldiers.] 
 
 The Soldier of the Lance [Sitting up on 
 the bench and putting his feet to the 
 ground] : Hullo ! Kinder late for little 
 folks, isn't it ? 
 
 The Lad of the Loaves [with dignity] : I'm 
 older than I look. 
 [The Soldiers laugh goodnaturedly .] 
 
 The Boy who was Epileptic: Father said 1 
 might. Since the Master cured me, I don't 
 have to wait for grown people to take me 
 places. Our inn isn't far. 
 
 The Soldier of the Coat [eagerly] : Cured 
 you, did He? What of? 
 
 The Epileptic Boy [awkwardly] : I used to 
 fall down, just anywhere. Once I fell in 
 the fire ; and — and — I was 'most drownded 
 
 once — and — and — I don't know 
 
 62 
 
THY KINGDOM COME 
 
 The Soldier of the Thorns [nodding sagely 
 to his comrades] : Fits. 
 
 [They all nod, and stare stolidly at the 
 boy.] 
 
 The Soldier of the Lance [holding out his 
 hand to J aims' s Daughter] : Come over 
 here and sit by me, Missy, and tell me 
 where you live when you're at home. You 
 know [solemnly], us soldiers have to 
 guard this tomb, and we can't let sus- 
 picious-looking characters come around. 
 
 Jairus's Daughter [going over to the bench 
 and laying her hand in the soldier's] : I'm 
 not a suspicious-looking character. My 
 father is one of the rulers of the Syna- 
 gogue in Capernaum. 
 
 The Soldier of the Lance [holding out his 
 other hand to the little girl who has fol- 
 lowed Jairus's Daughter] : Galileans? 
 
 [Jairus's Daughter sits beside him on the 
 bench. The younger child allows him 
 to lift her on his knee.] 
 63 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 The Lad of the Loaves: We came up for the 
 Passover; my family, and his, and hers, 
 and hers. We're staying at the inn. 
 Everybody said this Passover would be 
 different from all the other Passovers. 
 They said the Master would come into his 
 Kingdom. 
 
 The Soldier of the Lance [quietly stroking 
 the child's hair] : And what do they say 
 now? 
 
 The Lad of the Loaves [passionately] : I 
 
 don't care what they say. 
 
 [He goes to the tomb and lays his palm 
 and his flowers before the rock-bound 
 door. Then, standing upright with face 
 uplifted toward the tomb, and arms 
 stretched upward, he says gently.] 
 Master, remember me when you come into 
 
 your Kingdom. 
 
 [He steps back to the fire.] 
 
 The Epileptic Boy [laying his palm and his 
 flowers before the tomb, and standing 
 with uplifted face and hands]: Master, 
 64 
 
THY KINGDOM COME 
 
 remember me when you come into your 
 Kingdom. 
 
 [He moves to one side and stands beside 
 the torch.] 
 
 Jairus's Daughter [slipping off the bench, 
 crossing to the tomb, laying her palm and 
 her flowers beside the offerings of the 
 other two, and standing with uplifted face 
 and hands'] : Master, remember me when 
 you come into your Kingdom. 
 [She returns to the bench.] 
 
 The Child [who has been watching her play- 
 fellows, speaking now to the Soldier of 
 the Lance, on whose knee she sits]: I 
 want to put mine up there, on top. Will 
 you lift me up? 
 
 The Soldier of the Lance: Sure I will! 
 [He carries the child to the tomb, sets her 
 on his shoulder, and stands still while 
 she puts her palm and her flowers on 
 top of the tomb.] 
 
 The Child [sitting on the Soldier's shoulder 
 and lifting up her face and her hands] : 
 
 65 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 Master, remember me when you come into 
 your Kingdom. 
 
 [The Soldier of the Lance carries the 
 child back to the bench and sits down, 
 taking her again on his knee. ] 
 
 The Soldier of the Thorns [gruffly} : But 
 He's dead, you know, so how 
 
 The Soldier ok tmk Lance [interrupting 
 angrily]: Shut your mouth, you! 
 
 The Soldier of the Thorns [turning sul- 
 len] Shut your mouth yourself! Wasn't 
 it you said He was dead, in the first place? 
 
 Jairus's Daughter [quietly] : The Master 
 raised me from the dead. 
 
 [There is a startled silence. The three 
 soldiers stare, speechless, at Jairus's 
 Daughter. The Soldier of the Lance 
 edges away from her slowly, along the 
 bench. The Soldier of the Seamless 
 Coat, squatting by the brazier, rises to 
 his knees and clasps his hands. The 
 Soldier of the Thorns, standing by the 
 66 
 
THY KINGDOM COME 
 
 torch, throws out his hands in a gesture 
 of terror, OS if to keep her off. \ 
 
 Tiik SOLDIEB OF THE LANCE: Who told 
 yOU that, Missy? 
 
 Jairus's I )Aii(iiii i.k: r I c called mc, 
 
 The Soldi kr of tiik Thorns: I Fe? 
 
 Jairus's Daughter: The Master. 
 
 Tin-; Soldier ok tiik Coat: Called yon? 
 [lie glances fearfully over his shoulder 
 at the tomb]. 
 
 Jairus's Daughter: He said, "Maid, arise." 
 
 And I heard Mini, and came hack again, 
 and got Up off the }h'(\. And Tie told them 
 to give me something to eat. 
 
 The Soldier of the Lance [always 
 
 quietly] : How docs it feci to be dead ? 
 
 Jairus's Dauotitkr [simply] : T don't know 
 how to tell it. T came hack a long way. 
 
 The Soldier of the Coat [on his knees by 
 the brazier, flinging out his hands in a 
 67 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 gesture of entreaty, his voice trembling 
 with eagerness] : What do you say to 
 that, Longinus? 
 
 The Soldier of the Lance [clasping both 
 arms round the child, and speaking mood- 
 ily'] : I say, there came out water and 
 blood from the wound. What else can 
 I say? 
 
 The Soldier of the Coat: The man at 
 Bethany was four days in his grave. 
 
 The Soldier of the Thorns [reluctantly'] : 
 And somebody told me there was a 
 widow's son at Nain- 
 
 The Soldier of the Lance [brooding, with 
 his arms clasped tight round the child] : 
 He saved others 
 
 The Child [on his knee] : Are you afraid He 
 won't wake up in time to-morrow morn- 
 ing? 
 
 The Soldier of the Lance: Well, you see, 
 ducky, He waked little sister here — maybe 
 68 
 
THY KINGDOM COME 
 
 — but who'll wake Him? My voice don't 
 carry very far. 
 
 The Child: Oh, He'll wake Himself. Just 
 as I do when I say, "To-morrow morning 
 I'll wake up at six." And then I do wake 
 up at six. 
 
 The Soldier of the Coat: That's so! 
 
 The Soldier of the Thorns: And are you 
 kids going to stay here the rest of the 
 night? 
 
 The Lad of the Loaves: No; I had to prom- 
 ise we'd come back in half an hour, or 
 they wouldn't have let us come. 
 
 The Epileptic Boy: My father's discouraged. 
 We're starting home at dawn. 
 
 Jairus's Daughter: So is my father. He 
 seems to think the Cross was the end of 
 it all, when it's only the beginning. 
 
 The Soldier of the Lance : The beginning 
 of what, Missy? 
 
 Jairus's Daughter: Of the Kingdom. 
 69 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 The Soldier of the Thorns [bitterly] : A 
 fine Kingdom — a dead man on a gibbet. 
 
 The Other Two Soldiers [speaking to- 
 gether, hastily] : Sshsh-h, you ! 
 
 Jairus's Daughter [tranquilly]: The Mas- 
 ter said, only this week, "I, if I be lifted 
 up from the earth, will draw all men unto 
 me." And then He was lifted up on the 
 Cross. 
 
 The Soldier of the Lance [quizzing her 
 gently] : And now — where's He going to 
 lift the rest of us up to — more crosses? 
 
 Jairus's Daughter [always serene] : But I'd 
 so much rather be on a cross with the 
 Master than on a throne with Herod. 
 
 The Lad of the Loaves: Or on the Judg- 
 ment Seat with Pilate. , 
 
 The Epileptic Boy: Or in the Holy of 
 Holies with Caiaphas. 
 
 The Child [turning on the Soldier's knee and 
 looking up into his face] : Wouldn't you? 
 70 
 
THY KINGDOM COME 
 
 The Soldier of the Lance [laughing rue- 
 fully] : Well, ducky darlin', if you put it 
 that way, — I s'pose I would. 
 
 The Soldier of the Thorns [gazing at his 
 injured hand] : If one little thorn in your 
 hand can hurt so bad, what must it be 
 like— ?— still 
 
 The Soldier of the Coat [wringing his 
 hands in anguish] : I drove the nails ! I 
 drove the nails ! Ah, but the Cross would 
 be a soft bed — a soft bed indeed, for me ! 
 I'm thinkin' I'll never rest quiet till I'm 
 laid on it. 
 
 [The children are gazing in round-eyed 
 compassion at the Soldier of the Seam- 
 less Coat.] 
 
 The Soldier of the Lance [to the Soldier of 
 the Seamless Coat, roughly] : Quit your 
 whining, you ! Do you want to scare the 
 kids? — [To the Lad of the Loaves]. — 
 Tell us about this yere Kingdom of yours, 
 youngster. Nobody over fourteen al- 
 lowed inside, what? Infants admitted 
 7i 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 free? — Say, couldn't you squeeze me 
 through the gate if I stooped down and 
 crawled in? [This to the child on his 
 knee.] — Or I could sit in the baby's go- 
 cart and you could push me. 
 
 The Child : Wouldn't that be funny — you in 
 a go-cart! The Master would surely 
 laugh. But he didn't say you had to be 
 children. 
 
 The Soldier of the Lance: Didn't He, 
 now? 
 
 The Child: No; He said — [she pauses as if 
 recalling something] — He said, "Whoso- 
 ever shall not receive the Kingdom of 
 God as a little child, he shall not enter 
 therein." He said, "Suffer little children 
 to come unto me, and forbid them not: 
 for of such is the Kingdom of God." 
 Don't you see? — as a little child. 
 
 The Soldier of the Lance: Just what I 
 said — in a go-cart ; and you wheeling me ! 
 
 72 
 
THY KINGDOM COME 
 
 The Child [laughing, but doubtful] : But I 
 couldn't wheel you if you were too 
 grown-up. 
 
 The Soldier of the Lance: But if I 
 promise not to grow up any more? 
 
 The Child [smiling, with her head on one 
 side] : Perhaps 
 
 The Soldier of the Lance: And then, when 
 we got inside — then what? 
 
 The Lad of the Loaves: Then you'd never 
 be hungry any more. Nobody's ever 
 hungry. 
 
 The Soldier of the Thorns: That's good 
 hearing. How would you manage it? 
 
 The Lad of the Loaves : The Master would 
 show us how. You ought to have seen 
 Him do it — that day we were outside 
 Bethsaida — such a crowd! My father 
 gave me a basket of barley bread, five 
 loaves, and a couple of fishes, — little fel- 
 lows they were. "You may be able to 
 sell them," my father said. "Some of 
 73 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 these guys are sure to go off without 
 their lunch." And there wasn't anybody 
 had anything to eat there that day — any- 
 body but me; they didn't know it was 
 going to be an all-day affair, I guess. And 
 the Master looked up to heaven and 
 blessed the bread and the fishes, and 
 divided it up, and everybody had some 
 and ate all they wanted. 
 
 The Soldier of the Thorns: How many 
 was there? 
 
 The Lad of the Loaves: Five thousand. 
 
 The Soldier of the Coat [eagerly] : I 
 heard about that! 
 
 The Soldier of the Thorns [to the Lad]: 
 Did you eat some? 
 
 The Lad of the Loaves: I ate some that was 
 left. There was twelve baskets of bread 
 and fish, scraps, left over. 
 
 The Soldier of the Thorns: Oh, say, kid, 
 you dreamed it! 
 
 74 
 
THY KINGDOM COME 
 
 The Lad of the Loaves: I was there. 
 
 The Soldier of the Coat: Yes; I heard 
 about them twelve baskets. 
 [For a few moments there is silence.] 
 
 The Soldier of the Lance [rousing from 
 his reverie] : Well, so that's the first 
 thing: no more hungry folks in your 
 Kingdom, eh? 
 
 The Lad of the Loaves: In the Master's 
 Kingdom. 
 
 Iairus's Daughter: But it takes more than 
 fishes and barley bread to keep you from 
 being hungry. In the Master's Kingdom 
 we shall have the Bread of God, "which 
 cometh down from Heaven and giveth life 
 unto the world." 
 
 The Soldier of the Coat: Who said that? 
 
 Jairus's Daughter: The Master. 
 
 The Soldier of the Coat: What is that 
 Bread of God? 
 
 Jairus's Daughter: The Master. 
 
 75 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 The Soldier of the Thorns: What does 
 the kid mean, Longmus? 
 
 The Soldier of the Lance: Why should I 
 know? Am I a rabbi? 
 
 The Child [looking up earnestly, reproach- 
 fully, into his face] : Oh, but you do 
 know! 
 
 The Soldier of the Lance [kissing her] : 
 Kiddie; you're a mind-reader. [Turning 
 to the Epileptic Boy] Well? Bread 
 enough and to spare — barley bread and 
 Bread of Heaven — and then what? 
 
 The Epileptic Boy: No sick boys, like I used 
 to be. 
 
 The Soldier of the Thorns: Not a bad 
 idea, what! Rosy cheeks; no snuffles; 
 everybody in bloomin' health. Say, you 
 kids have got the notion all right. 
 
 The Epileptic Boy: Oh, but it's not our 
 notion, you know. It's the Master's. 
 
 The Soldier of the Lance [glancing at the 
 tomb"] : No Kingdom without the Master? 
 76 
 
THY KINGDOM COME 
 
 The Epileptic Boy: How could there be? 
 
 The Soldier of the Thorns [his eyes on the 
 tomb] : But He's d 
 
 The Soldier of the Lance [interrupting 
 hastily]: Nobody hungry; nobody sick. 
 Now, ducky, your turn 
 
 The Child: I know a story about the King- 
 dom. Shall I tell it? 
 
 The Soldier of the Lance: Do! 
 
 The Child: It's one of the Master's stories. 
 I can't tell it as good as He could. 
 
 The Soldier of the Lance: Never mind. 
 We'll make allowance. Tune up, sweetie. 
 
 The Child: Well — Once upon a time — the 
 Kingdom of Heaven is like a man that 
 got up early one morning and went down 
 town to hire some laborers to work in 
 his vineyard. 
 
 The Soldier of the Coat: So there'll be 
 work in the Kingdom? 
 
 77 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 The Lad of the Loaves: Sure! Enough for 
 all. Bread and work. 
 
 The Child [shaking her finger mildly at the 
 lad] : You mustn't interrupt; else may be 
 I'll forget what came next. And the man 
 said he'd pay them a penny a day. And 
 they said, "That suits us, boss." And I 
 believe that was about six o'clock in the 
 morning. And about nine o'clock he went 
 out to see if he couldn't get some more 
 help. And there were still lots of men 
 hanging round the market-place 
 
 The Soldier of the Thorns: Sure! I've 
 
 The Child: And he hired some more, and 
 said he'd give them what was right. And 
 they said 
 
 The Soldier of the Thorns: "We're with 
 you boss." 
 
 The Child: Yes; I guess that's what they 
 said. Only you mustn't interrupt. And 
 at noon and at three o'clock there was still 
 
 78 
 
THY KINGDOM COME 
 
 such a lot of work to be done in the vine- 
 yard that he hired some more, and some 
 more. 
 
 The Soldier of the Thorns: In luck, 
 wasn't they? 
 
 The Child [sternly] : You mustn't interrupt. 
 And at five o'clock, just an hour before 
 closing time, he said, "See here, if I'm 
 going to finish this job to-day, I've got 
 
 to hustle " 
 
 [The Soldiers laugh delightedly.] 
 
 The Child: And so he went to the market- 
 place one more last time, and he said to 
 the men that were there, "What are you 
 fellows loafin' round here all day for, 
 doin' nothin'?" And they said, "Because 
 we can't find a job." 
 
 The Soldier of the Thorns [to the Soldier 
 of the Lance] : Smart kid, what ? 
 
 The Child [ignoring him] : And so he said, 
 "Well, you go to my vineyard, too, and 
 you'll get what's right." 
 79 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 The Soldier of the Thorns: And they 
 said 
 
 The Child [regarding him with gentle 1 dis- 
 approval] : They didn't say anything. 
 They just went. 
 
 The Soldier of the Thorns [laughing] : 
 The workin' men I know ain't so trustin'. 
 
 The Child: Oh, but wait till you hear. This 
 is the best part of the story. Because in 
 the evening, the man said to his foreman : 
 "Call the men and pay them ; and pay the 
 ones that were hired last, first/' And every 
 man that was hired at five o'clock in the 
 afternoon got a penny. Now, what do 
 you think of that? 
 
 The Soldier of the Coat: That sure was 
 white of the boss, wasn't it? 
 
 The Child: And then, of course, the ones 
 that had been working since six in the 
 morning thought they were going to get 
 more. But they didn't. Just the penny 
 they said they'd work for. That's all 
 they got. And so then they made a fuss 
 80 
 
THY KINGDOM COME 
 
 and said it wasn't fair, because they had 
 
 worked all day, and the others only an 
 
 hour. But the man said — let me see if I 
 
 can remember the words. — The man — 
 
 said — "Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst 
 
 not thou agree with me for a penny? 
 
 Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will 
 
 give unto this last, even as unto thee." 
 
 [There is a pause, during which the 
 
 three Soldiers glance at each other 
 
 amusedly, and wink, over the child's 
 
 head.'] 
 
 The Soldier of the Lance: You're sure 
 you got the last part of the story straight, 
 kiddie? 
 
 The Child [astonished] : Yes ! 
 
 Jairus's Daughter : Yes ; she got it straight. 
 
 The Soldier of the Lance: And you think 
 it was fair? 
 
 Jairus's Daughter: For everybody to have 
 as much as he needs to live on? Why, 
 yes ! Don't you ? 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 The Soldier of the Lance: Whether they 
 work for it or not? 
 
 Jairus's Daughter: Oh, but they did work 
 for it, as long as they were given a chance 
 to work. There they stood in the mar- 
 ket-place, ready to be hired. Could they 
 help it if nobody hired them till five 
 o'clock ? 
 
 The Soldier of the Lance [Smiling] : It's 
 a new idea in business, that's all. 
 
 The Child: Why is it new? 
 
 The Soldier of the Lance: Say, ducky, ask 
 me another. 
 
 The Soldier of the Coat: Just the same, 
 it's a fine story, little darlin' ; and you told 
 it fine. If it ain't true, it ought to be. 
 
 The Child: But it is true — once upon a time, 
 in the Kingdom. 
 
 The Soldier of the Lance [to Jairus's 
 Daughter] : And now you, little Missy ; 
 what else is true in the Kingdom, once 
 upon a time? 
 
 82 
 
THE KINGDOM COME 
 
 Jairus's Daughter [with her tranquil smile] : 
 Everybody'll be alive, in the Kingdom. 
 
 The Soldier of the Thorns: Alive! — 
 What's the matter with us? 
 
 Jairus's Daughter: Oh, I don't mean just 
 breathing and eating and walking and 
 talking. I mean, really alive — like the 
 Master. 
 
 The Soldier of the Coat: The Master! 
 [He turns from the fire, on his knees, and 
 gazes at the tomb with praying hands.] 
 
 The Soldier of the Thorns: The Master! 
 
 But He's 
 
 [He pauses, his eyes fixed on the tomb.] 
 
 The Soldier of the Lance [gently, looking 
 over his shoulder at the tomb] : And if 
 
 the Master — isn't 
 
 [A voice in the distance, calling.] 
 
 Voice : Children ! — Children ! 
 
 The Child: Mother's calling. We must go. 
 83 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 Jairus's Daughter [to the Soldier of the 
 Lane el : And if the Master isn't what? 
 
 The Soldier of the Lance: Nothing. No 
 matter. — So you don't think I'm alive, 
 Missy? 
 
 Jairus's Daughter [rising to go, and regard- 
 ing him thoughtfully'] : Coming alive. 
 
 Voice : Children ! — Bedtime ! 
 
 The Lad of the Loaves: Coming! — Com- 
 ing! 
 
 The Epileptic Boy [pausing before the door 
 of the tomb] : Thy Kingdom come! 
 
 The Lad of the Loaves [pausing before the 
 door of the tomb]: Thy will be done! 
 
 Jairus's Daughter [pausing before the door 
 of the tomb] : On earth as it is in heaven ! 
 
 [The three move away from the door, 
 looking back lingeringly at the tomb, as 
 they disappear one by one beyond the 
 cedar] . 
 
 84 
 
THY KINGDOM COME 
 
 The Child [slipping off the knee of the Sol- 
 dier of the Lance, running to the tomb i 
 and laying her cheek against the rocky 
 door] : Hosanna ! Blessed is He that 
 cometh in the name of the Lord: 
 Blessed be the Kingdom of our father 
 David, that cometh in the name of the 
 Lord : Hosanna in the highest ! 
 
 [She runs out after the others, beyond 
 the cedar.] 
 
 Voice: Children! 
 
 Children [from a distance] : Coming ! 
 
 [The Soldier of the Seamless Coat puts 
 more twigs on the fire. The Soldier 
 of the Thorns begins his slow, steady 
 beat, up and down before the tomb. 
 The Soldier of the Lance stretches out 
 once more on the bench. There is a 
 brief silence.] 
 
 The Soldier of the Lance [looking over 
 Ms shoulder at the Soldier of the 
 Thorns] : How's a fellow to.get his forty 
 
 85 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 winks, with you clankin' up an* down, 
 clankin' up and down ? 
 
 The Soldier of the Thorns: Nerves. 
 That's what's the matter with you. 
 [He slumps dozvn with his back against 
 the cedar and his legs sprawled out on 
 the ground before him.~\ 
 
 The Soldier of the Coat: I don't believe 
 the little kid got twisted in her story. I 
 believe He told it that way. It would be 
 like Him. 
 
 The Soldier of the Thorns: I don't know 
 what I believe. 
 
 [He yawns, and presently his head drops 
 forward on his chest — and he sleeps.} 
 
 The Soldier of the Coat [stretching out on 
 the ground by the brazier]: I, if I be 
 lifted up — lifted up. A soft bed — 
 Cross. Never rest quiet — never rest 
 quiet — till I'm laid on it. [He sleeps, 
 murmuring'] Never rest quiet — cold. 
 Rest on the Cross. [In his sleep he turns 
 86 
 
THY KINGDOM COME 
 
 on his back and flings his arms out on the 
 ground in the shape of a cross.] I — if 
 I be lifted up — lifted up — all men unto 
 me. 
 
 The Soldier of the Thorns [wincing in his 
 sleep] : If I'd known that one little thorn 
 could — Father, they know not what they 
 do — Father, forgive them. 
 [There is silence for a brief space.] 
 
 The Soldier of the Lance [lying on the 
 bench with face upturned to the stars and 
 eyes closed] : Coming alive ! — Coming ! — 
 Coming alive! 
 
 Silence. The Soldiers sleep. From behind 
 the flowering almond tree their dreams come 
 drifting in. The Soldiers are dreaming of 
 children. 
 
 The Soldier of the Thorns dreams of a child 
 with shadowy hair and clad in a dim, filmy 
 purple gozvn. She bears a purple cushion in 
 her two hands. There is a crown of thorns 
 on the cushion. Noiselessly the child passes 
 87 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 before the Soldier and kneels beside him, her 
 shoulder against his. Their two faces are 
 turned the one way, side by side. His eyes are 
 shut, for he is asleep; but the eyes of his 
 Dream are set wide open, gazing upon the 
 crown of thorns out-held upon the purple 
 cushion. 
 
 The Dream of the Soldier of the Lance slips 
 round the almond tree and sits at his head, on 
 the bench. She has a tall spear. She is a little 
 gray dream, but there are silver gleams within 
 her gray veils, and the veil over her hair is 
 bound with a silver circlet. She sits with little 
 gray feet dangling from the bench, steadying 
 herself with clasped hands against the upright 
 spear. Her small face looks straight forward, 
 wide-eyed. 
 
 The Soldier of the Seamless Coat dreams 
 of a child with pale, flying hair, and a dim, 
 blue transparent gown. In her right hand she 
 holds three great iron nails. Over her left 
 arm hangs, fold on floating fold, a dim blue 
 cloak. The child kneels above her prostrate 
 Soldier and holds the three nails over his face. 
 The cloak, thin as a shadow, trails, a dark pool 
 88 
 
THY KINGDOM COME 
 
 on the ground about her knees. Her eyes are 
 on the three nails. 
 
 Yet another Dream comes presently from 
 behind the almond tree and stands beside the 
 brazier. The three soldiers sigh. The fourth 
 Dream is a russet-brovm child, translucent in 
 the firelight. This little Dream carries a cross. 
 
 The Soldier of the Thorns [in the mono- 
 tone of one who talks in his sleep] : Then 
 the soldiers of the governor took Jesus 
 into the palace and gathered unto him the 
 whole band, and they stripped him and 
 put on him a scarlet robe. And they 
 plaited a crown of thorns [the voice 
 falters] , a crown of thorns, and put it on 
 his head, and a reed in his right hand, 
 and they kneeled down before him and 
 mocked him saying, Hail, King of the 
 Jews [the voice falters]. And they spat 
 upon him and took the reed and smote 
 him on the head. 
 
 The Soldier of the Coat [crying out] : 
 When they had mocked him, they took off 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 from him the robe and put on him his 
 garments and led him away to .crucify 
 him. And when they had crucified him, 
 they parted his garments among them 
 [the voice falters] casting lots. And they 
 sat and watched him there. 
 
 The Soldier of the Lance [in a thoughtful 
 monotone] : Jesus said, Father forgive 
 them for they know not what they do. 
 
 The Soldier of the Thorns [in his level 
 voice] : The soldiers led him away within 
 the court which is the Prsetorium and they 
 call together the whole band. And they 
 clothe him in purple, and plaiting a crown 
 of thorns [the voice falters], they put it 
 on him and they began to salute him, Hail 
 King of the Jews. And they smote his 
 head with a reed and did spit upon him 
 and bowing their knees worshiped him. 
 
 The Soldier of the Lance [in his musing 
 voice] : He said unto him, Verily I say 
 unto thee to-day shalt thou be with me in 
 Paradise. 
 
 90 
 
THY KINGDOM COME 
 
 The Soldier of the Coat [in a clear, high 
 voice] : When they had mocked him, they 
 took off from him the purple and put on 
 him his garments. And they lead him out 
 to crucify him. And they crucify him 
 [the voice falters], and part his garments 
 among them casting lots upon them [the 
 voice falters], what each should take. 
 And it was the third hour. 
 
 The Soldier of the Lance [gently] : He 
 saith unto his Mother, Woman behold 
 thy son. 
 
 The Soldier of the Coat [in anguish] : 
 Casting lots upon them! 
 
 The Soldier of the Lance [gently] : Then 
 saith He to the disciple, Behold thy 
 Mother. 
 
 The Soldier of the Thorns [steadily]: 
 Herod with his soldiers set him at nought 
 and mocked him, and arraying him in gor- 
 geous apparel, sent him back to Pilate. 
 91 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 The Soldier of the Coat [crying out rest- 
 lessly] : Parting his garments, they cast 
 lots, and the people stood by beholding. 
 
 The Soldier of the Lance [in his inward, 
 brooding voice] : Jesus saith, I thirst 
 
 The Soldier of the Thorns [in his slow 
 monotone] : The soldiers plaited a crown 
 of thorns [the voice falters] and put it 
 on his head and arrayed him in a purple 
 garment [the voice falters]. They struck 
 him with their hands. 
 
 The Soldier of the Lance [softly] : About 
 the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud 
 voice saying [in agony], My God, my 
 God, why hast thou forsaken me? 
 
 The Soldier of the Coat [in the monotone 
 of sleep] : The soldiers, therefore, when 
 they had crucified Jesus, took his garments 
 and made four parts, to every soldier a 
 part, and also the coat. Now the coat [the 
 voice falters] was without seam, woven 
 from the top throughout. They said there- 
 fore one to another, Let us not rend it but 
 92 
 
THY KINGDOM COME 
 
 cast lots for it whose it shall be [the voice 
 falters]. These things therefore the sol- 
 diers did. 
 
 [The Dream of the Seamless Coat rises to 
 her feet, spreads wide the blue shadowy 
 veil of the dream cloak and lays it over 
 the Soldier, covering him. Then she 
 kneels again.] 
 
 The Soldier of the Lance [quietly] : When 
 Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, 
 he said, It is finished. 
 
 The Soldier of the Thorns [absorbed in his 
 dream] : The soldiers plaited a crown of 
 thorns and put it on his head. 
 
 The Soldier of the Coat [absorbed in his 
 dream] : Let us not rend it but cast lots 
 for it whose it shall be. 
 
 The Soldier of the Lance [absorbed in his 
 dream] : When Jesus had cried with a 
 loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hand 
 I commend my spirit. And having said 
 this, he gave up the ghost. 
 
 93 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 The Soldier of the Coat [absorbed in his 
 dream] : Casting lots upon them, what 
 each should take. 
 
 The Soldier of the Thorns [absorbed in his 
 dream] : They plaited a crown of thorns 
 and put it on his head. 
 
 The Soldier of the Lance [absorbed in his 
 dream] : But when they came to Jesus 
 and saw that he was dead already, they 
 brake not his legs, howbeit one of the 
 soldiers with a spear [the voice falters] 
 pierced his side; and straightway there 
 came out blood and water. And he that 
 hath seen hath borne witness and his wit- 
 ness is true [in terrible anguish]. They 
 shall look on him whom they pierced. 
 
 [A space of silence. The Dreams turn and 
 bless their Soldiers with the sign of the 
 Cross. The Dream with the Cross exalts 
 his Cross slowly. ] 
 
 The Soldier of the Thorns [in his dream] : 
 Thy Kingdom come. 
 94 
 
THY KINGDOM COME 
 
 The Soldier of the Coat [in his dream] : 
 Thy will be done, on earth as it is in 
 heaven. 
 
 The Soldier of the Lance [in his dream] : 
 Hosanna! Blessed is He that cometh in 
 the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the 
 highest ! 
 
 [The Dream of the Seamless Coat gathers 
 up the dream coat. The Dream with 
 the Cross exalts the Cross. The four 
 Dreams, bearing aloft the symbols of 
 the Passion, go past the tomb in slozv 
 procession, with the Cross leading them, 
 and out beyond the almond tree.] 
 
 The Soldier of the Lance [crying out with 
 a joyful voice in his sleep, as the Dreams 
 vanish] : Behold, by the Cross joy hath 
 come to the whole world! 
 
 The Soldier of the Thorns: By the Cross! 
 
 The Soldier of the Coat: Joy! 
 
 The Soldier of the Lance: Hath come to 
 the whole World ! 
 95 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 Silence. The soldiers sleep. The white- 
 robed angels of the Resurrection come from 
 behind the tomb. They scatter the palms and 
 flowers of the Galilean Children in a little path- 
 zvay before the tomb. They set their winged 
 shoulders to the great stone and roll it slozvly, 
 quietly away from the mouth of the tomb. 
 They stand, one on each side of the open door- 
 way of the tomb, their great wings arched 
 above their bowed heads, their reverent hands 
 folded over their eyes. Silence. The darkness 
 before dawn. 
 
 96 
 
Ill 
 
 Soul's Medicine 
 
 A Whitsuntide Miracle of Healing 
 
Hark! the alleluias of the great salva- 
 tion! 
 
 Still beginning, never ending, still 
 begin, 
 
 The thunder of an endless adoration: 
 
 Open ye the gates, that the righteous 
 nation 
 
 Which have kept the truth may enter 
 in. 
 
 Christina Rossetti. 
 
The Everyday Folk 
 
 Mother Eglantine: A holy anchoress 
 
 Felelolie: Her young handmaiden 
 
 John o' Dreams: Who would turn the world 
 
 topsy turvy 
 Conrad: Of the University 
 Master Theobald: A physician 
 Master Humphrey: A lazvyer 
 Master Valentine: A merchant 
 Father Martin : A parson 
 Sir Randal: Who owns the land roundabout 
 Clarimonde: His fair daughter 
 
 The Lordly Phantasms 
 
 The Harper: A hoary ancient in a white- 
 hooded robe, who carries a harp 
 
 A Knight of the Round Table: On Quest, 
 and clad in Pentecostal scarlet 
 
 A Sick Knight: Swathed in bandages and 
 borne on a litter 
 
 A Damsel: His sister 
 
 99 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 King Arthur: Crowned and sceptred and 
 powerless to heal. 
 
 Knights of the Round Table: As many as 
 may be, Bors, Kay, Gawaine, Gareth, and 
 any others. 
 
 Knights who guard the Grail: Seven, 
 riding a-horseback, with a device of a 
 white dove on their shields. But if horses 
 are not convenient, they may go afoot. 
 
 Grail Maidens: Seven, garlanded; of these 
 five bear lighted tapers, and one bears a 
 spear, the seventh bears the Grail. 
 
 A roadside in spring. On the farther side of 
 the road, a grassy hill with tall up-climbing 
 trees on its slope; and under the hill, at the 
 road's edge, a little Gothic hermitage with a 
 window on the road. At the side of the house, 
 a small garden patch blooming within a low 
 hedge, the gabled door of the house opening 
 into the garden, and a green gate in the hedge 
 leading out to the road. On the peak of the 
 window's arch, a dove cunningly carven with 
 wings outspread and a brass censer hanging 
 from its bill by a chain. The curtain across 
 
 IOO 
 
SOUL'S MEDICINE 
 
 the window is black, with a white cross of linen 
 set in the midst, so that the Recluse within the 
 house, seeing the sunlight shine through the 
 white cross, may think upon the Dayspring 
 from on High. Beneath the window, against 
 the side of the house, a bench; and up the hill, 
 a little way above the road, between two trees, 
 another bench. On the hither side of the road, 
 a great wooden cross. 
 
 The day is Whitsunday, once upon a time. 
 
 IOI 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 [The anchoress is heard within her celt, 
 singing a hymn.] 
 
 Mother Eglantine : 
 
 "Come, Thou Holy Spirit, come! 
 And from Thy celestial home 
 Shed a ray of light divine ! 
 Come, Thou father of the poor! 
 Come, Thou source of all our store! 
 Come, within our bosoms shine !" 
 
 [While Mother Eglantine is singing, 
 Felelolie comes out of the house into the 
 garden. She is a young girl in a strait 
 russet gown with a hempen girdle about 
 her middle and a flowered kerchief 
 loosely knotted at her throat; a red 
 pocket with a white dove embroidered 
 on it, swings from her girdle; and she 
 has also thrust through her girdle a 
 small pair of tongs. She walks care- 
 fully, for she carries in her hands a little 
 brazier with red coals blazing in it. 
 She pushes the green gate open with her 
 knee and comes around the house to the 
 window. ~\ 
 
 102 
 
SOUL'S MEDICINE 
 
 Mother Eglantine : 
 
 "Thou, of comforters the best; 
 Thou, the soul's most welcome guest ; 
 Sweet refreshment here below ;" 
 
 [Felelolie sets the brazier on the ground 
 under the window, and stepping up on 
 the bench, unhooks the censer from its 
 chain.] 
 
 Mother Eglantine : 
 
 "In our labor, rest most sweet ; 
 Grateful coolness in the heat ; 
 Solace in the midst of woe." 
 
 [Felelolie is kneeling on the ground beside 
 the brazier, plucking red coals out of 
 the fire with the tongs, and dropping 
 them into the censer. Mother Eglantine 
 draws the curtain aside and looks out 
 of doors. She wears a gray habit and 
 a white wimple. ] 
 
 Felelolie: It is only I, Mother Eglantine, 
 making your Whitsunday fire. 
 103 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 [Mother Eglantine watches Felelolie fill 
 the censer and climb again upon the 
 bench to hang it in place."] 
 
 Mother Eglantine [suddenly, as from a 
 reverie]: Sing, child, — sing! 
 
 [And as they are singing together, Felelo- 
 lie hangs up the censer, opens her red 
 pocket, takes out a twisted squill of in- 
 cense and sprinkles it over the coals.] 
 
 Mother Eglantine and Felelolie [singing 
 together] : 
 "O most blessed Light divine, 
 Shine within these hearts of Thine, 
 
 And our inmost being fill ! 
 Where Thou art not, man hath naught, 
 Nothing good in deed or thought, 
 Nothing free from taint of ill." 
 [Still singing, they watch the fragrant 
 smoke rise from the censer, Felelolie 
 standing on the bench, Mother Eglan- 
 tine in the window.] 
 "Heal our wounds ; our strength renew ; 
 On our dryness pour Thy dew ; 
 Wash the stains of guilt away: 
 104 
 
SOUL'S MEDICINE 
 
 Bend the stubborn heart and will; 
 
 Melt the frozen, warm the chill; 
 Guide the steps that go astray. ,, 
 
 [FSlelolie steps down from the bench and 
 busies herself with the brazier and the 
 tongs. The seven Grail Knights ride 
 by, at a slow pace. They are in silver 
 mail, with flame-colored surcoats, and 
 there are doves blazoned on their 
 shields. Felelolie, not noticing them, 
 takes up the brazier, to go back into the 
 house. 1 
 
 Mother Eglantine [rapt] : The seven gifts 
 of the Spirit ! See ! 
 
 Felelolie: Where? — What? [She stares at 
 Mother Eglantine."] 
 
 Mother Eglantine [with hands folded on 
 her breast] : 
 "On the faithful, who adore 
 And confess Thee, evermore 
 
 In Thy sevenfold gifts descend; 
 Give them virtue's sure reward; 
 Give them Thy salvation, Lord; 
 Give them joys that never end." 
 105 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 Felelolie: Amen! O Mother Eglantine, 
 what did you see ? 
 
 Mother Eglantine: I saw the gifts of the 
 Spirit go riding by, like seven Knights of 
 God; the gift of Holy Fear, the gift of 
 Piety which is Mercy, the gift of Knowl- 
 edge which is Discretion, the gift of 
 Ghostly Strength, the gift of Counsel 
 whereby man learns to say "Thy Kingdom 
 come, Thy will be done," the gift of Un- 
 derstanding, which unites us with God and 
 reveals Truth, and quickens Love, the gift 
 of Savouring Wisdom, which is the first 
 gift but also the last. And they were 
 arrayed in the flame of Pentecost, and 
 there was a Dove on their shields. 
 
 [Felelolie has been listening open- 
 mouthed, and walking backward toward 
 the green gate, with the brazier in her 
 hands.] 
 
 Felelolie [halting a moment at the gate] : 
 Like the Knights in the Grail story, that 
 
 1 06 
 
SOUL'S MEDICINE 
 
 Conrad reads to Sir Randal's daughter for 
 a French lesson ! They had doves on their 
 shields ! 
 
 [She turns and goes through the gate into 
 the garden. John o' Dreams is coming 
 down the hill through the trees, all red 
 like a wandering flame. Felelolie sees 
 him and stands still in the garden. He 
 comes to the hedge and leans his arms 
 upon it, and looks at her.] 
 
 Mother Eglantine [at her window, with 
 clasped hands and uplifted eyes] : "O God, 
 who as at this time didst teach the hearts 
 of thy faithful people, by sending to them 
 the light of thy Holy Spirit: grant us by 
 the same Spirit to have a right judgment 
 in all things, and evermore to rejoice in 
 his holy comfort; through the merits of 
 Christ Jesus our Saviour, who liveth and 
 reigneth with thee, in the unity of the 
 same Spirit, one God, world without end. 
 Amen." [She draws the curtain across 
 the window.] 
 
 107 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 John o' Dreams [quietly] : They're going to 
 drive me out of town, Felelolie; they're 
 going to make me an outlaw. 
 
 Felelolie [distressfully] : Oh no! Oh, John, 
 — no; [She halts in the middle of the 
 garden patch, staring at him, with the 
 brazier in her hands.] 
 
 John o' Dreams: I've frightened them. 
 
 Felelolie: An outlaw! — Like Robin Hood 
 and his men ? 
 
 John o' Dreams: Something like. But it 
 won't be all shooting the red deer and 
 robbing the sheriff. I'm a long way beyond 
 Robin. I'll not be waiting outside the law 
 for the King's pardon. It's Kings that'll 
 come to me to pardon them. I've more 
 than a grievance; I've a vision. 
 
 Felelolie [moving slowly toward him] : 
 Mother Eglantine has a vision almost 
 every day. Sometimes two or three. 
 
 John o' Dreams [contemptuously] : I don't 
 mean that kind. 
 
 108 
 
SOUL'S MEDICINE 
 
 Felelolie: It's a very nice kind. She had 
 one just now. She saw the Knights of 
 the Grail go riding by, with a dove on 
 their shields. 
 
 John o' Dreams [thoughtfully]: The Grail! 
 
 Felelolie [ pausing beside the hedge and 
 him] : There were seven of them, Mother 
 Eglantine saw ; the seven gifts of the Holy 
 Ghost. 
 
 John o' Dreams [still with his elbows on the 
 hedge, staring beyond her as she stands 
 beside him] : The Grail ! It's my quest, 
 too, Felelolie; it's what I'm seeking. — 
 But nobody believes me. 
 
 Felelolie: I believe you, John. 
 
 John o' Dreams [looking at her and suddenly 
 smiling] : What are you bringing me that 
 pot of charcoal for? How can I kiss you 
 across a bonfire? 
 
 Felelolie [mischievously] : You can't. 
 
 John o' Dreams: Give it here. [He takes the 
 brazier out of her hands.] 
 109 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 Felelolie : It's the Whitsunday fire, John. 
 
 John o' Dreams [looking down at the brazier 
 curiously] : This ? — I wish it could give 
 me the gift of tongues, Felelolie. I wish I 
 could make them understand, 
 
 Felelolie : Them ? 
 
 John o' Dreams : That'll run me out of town; 
 old Valentine that owns the shop, and Sir 
 Randal that owns the land, and Master 
 Humphrey their law twister; and Pillbox 
 Theobald that thinks the world is sick 
 with the gout in its great toe, and gout's 
 an hereditary taint, incurable. — I talk a 
 different language from theirs, Felelolie; 
 they don't understand a word I say ; — and 
 Parson. 
 
 Felelolie: Parson ought to understand. 
 
 John o' Dreams: He ought, — yes.- — But the 
 money for his alms-basin and his hospital, 
 and for altar candles and incense and all 
 the rest of it, comes out of their pockets. 
 He's afraid, — Oh, the others don't sur- 
 no 
 
SOUPS MEDICINE 
 
 prise me — much; but Parson I can't 
 forgive. 
 
 Felelolie: You don't mean that he's for 
 making you an outlaw ? 
 
 John o' Dreams: He's not against it. 
 
 Felelolie: Oh, John! Parson's a good man. 
 It's just that he doesn't understand. 
 
 John o' Dreams: It's his business to under- 
 stand. — Pentecostal Fire! Flame of the 
 Holy Ghost! — It's his business to talk to 
 me in my own tongue. — Felelolie, if I'm 
 cast out, will you 
 
 Felelolie: Will I what? 
 
 John o' Dreams: Oh, sweet eyes! Oh, honey- 
 sweet lips! — How much longer must I 
 hold this brazier? — Where will you have 
 it? 
 
 Felelolie: It was you, asked for it. Bring 
 
 it round to the doorstone, I'll be needing 
 
 it again at Terce, to fill the censer. Terce 
 
 is the hour of the Holy Ghost, — the third 
 
 in 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 hour, — when the Apostles saw the flames 
 and heard the wind, on Whitsunday. [She 
 takes one handle and he the other, and 
 with the hedge between them they carry 
 the brazier around to the gate, zvhere he 
 comes into the garden, and together they 
 set it on the doorstone. 
 
 John o' Dreams [as they are walking round 
 the hedge, linked by the brazier] : You 
 fill the censer for the Hours, every day? 
 [He opens the gate and enters the garden.] 
 
 Felelolie: Prime, Terce, Sext, Nones, Com- 
 pline. Not every day; but this is the 
 Festival of the Holy Spirit. When an- 
 choresses and holy hermits are set apart 
 from us common Christians, the Parson 
 prays a special prayer for them to the 
 Holy Ghost. That's why everybody comes 
 to Mother Eglantine to be counseled and 
 comforted, I'm sure. [Having set the 
 brazier on the doorstone, they stand a 
 moment, silent, looking in each other's 
 eyes. Then Felelolie says], Will I what? 
 112 
 
SOUL'S MEDICINE 
 
 John o' Dreams: If they drive me out, will 
 you come with me, Felelolie? [He takes 
 her two hands.] 
 
 Felelolie: Like Maid Marian? 
 
 John o' Dreams : Like yourself ; little darling! 
 [He kisses her.] 
 
 Felelolie: When? 
 
 John o' Dreams: To-day, — to-morrow, — all 
 in a minute, when it happens. 
 
 Felelolie: Oh, John! — But not until I found 
 someone to take care of Mother Eglantine ; 
 to go to market and cook — and all. It's 
 five years to-day since she set foot outside 
 her cell. 
 
 John o' Dreams [moodily] : If she's worth 
 her salt to the town, there'll be somebody 
 clamoring to do for her, before you're 
 gone an hour. And if she's not, — why, 
 then, — let her cook her own victuals, — I 
 say. 
 
 Felelolie [horror struck] : You ! To speak 
 so — of Mother Eglantine ! 
 113 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 John o' Dreams: Not of her more than of 
 another. It's my vision, Felelolie ; a world 
 where a man's worth what he does for his 
 neighbor, not what he makes off him. 
 
 Felelolie: But Mother Eglantine ! 
 
 John o' Dreams [patiently] : Isn't it what I'm 
 saying? Some of us are worth more to 
 the world by saying prayers than by cook- 
 ing victuals. See now, sweetheart, let's 
 not you and me lose our common tongue, 
 — love's tongue. 
 
 Felelolie [clinging to him]: Oh, no, John! 
 But then, there's the banns. 
 
 John o' Dreams : Banns! 
 
 Felelolie: To be called in church three 
 weeks, before we're married. 
 
 John o' Dreams: How could I wait for banns, 
 if I'm sent into exile to-morrow morning? 
 
 Felelolie: But then, Parson couldn't marry 
 us! 
 
 John o' Dreams: I never thought he would. 
 114 
 
SOUL'S MEDICINE 
 
 Felelolie [drawing away from him slowly] : 
 Then what did you think? 
 
 [They stand staring at each other in hor- 
 rified amazement. Felelolie turns and 
 goes into the house.] 
 
 John o' Dreams: Felelolie! — Wait! — You 
 don't understand ! 
 
 [She shuts the door, and he stands alone 
 in the little garden, staring moodily at 
 the closed door. Conrad and Clari- 
 monde are coming down the hill, among 
 the trees, hand in hand. Conrad wears 
 a scholar's black short gown and 
 trencher cap, and scarlet stockings. He 
 has a parchment-covered book under 
 his arm. Clarimonde is fair and fine in 
 a primrose yellow silken gown and a 
 jeweled girdle; primroses are woven in 
 her hair. They sit down between the 
 two trees on the bench, on the hillside. 
 Conrad opens his book, and together 
 they bend their heads over it. Mother 
 Eglantine is heard singing in her cell.] 
 
 115 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 Mother Eglantine : 
 
 "Hail thee, Festival Day! blest day that art 
 hallowed forever; 
 Day wherein God from heaven shone on the 
 world with his grace. 
 
 "Lo ! in the likeness of fire, on them that await 
 his appearing, 
 He whom the Lord foretold, suddenly, 
 swiftly descends. 
 
 "Forth from the Father he comes with his 
 sevenfold mystical dowry, 
 Pouring on human souls infinite riches of 
 God. 
 
 "Praise to the Spirit of Life, all praise to the 
 Fount of our being, 
 Light that dost lighten all, Life that in all 
 dost abide. 
 
 "God Almighty, who fillest the heaven, the 
 earth and the ocean, 
 Guard us from harm without, cleanse us from 
 evil within. 
 
 116 
 
SOUL'S MEDICINE 
 
 "Kindle our lips with the live bright coal from 
 the hands of the Seraph; 
 Shine in our minds with thy light; burn in 
 our hearts with thy love." 
 
 [While Mother Eglantine is singing, John 
 o } Dreams lifts his head to hearken; 
 then he goes to the do or stone once 
 more, picks up the brazier, regards it 
 thoughtfully a moment, and carries it 
 to the bench under the anchoress's win- 
 dow. Stepping up on the bench he un- 
 hooks the censer and, with the tongs 
 which Felelolie has left lying on the 
 bench, he takes the dead coals from the 
 censer and fills it with the live ones. As 
 he is hanging the censer in its place 
 again, standing on the bench, the 
 anchoress looks out from behind the 
 curtain. ] 
 
 Mother Eglantine: Child, it's not yet the 
 third hour ; Prime is but a little while past. 
 [She sees John o y Dreams.] I thought 
 it was the little maid. What are you 
 doing, young man? 
 117 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 John o' Dreams [looking dozvn at her]: 
 Seeking the gift of tongues, Mother 
 Eglantine, and counsel. I'm in a hard 
 place. 
 
 Mother Eglantine [setting a little dish of 
 incense on the window sill] : You might 
 as well sprinkle a bit of incense on the 
 coals, since you're so forehanded with the 
 fire. 
 
 [John o f Dreams sprinkles incense from 
 the dish upon the censer. As the sweet 
 smoke ascends, Mother Eglantine, 
 watching the young man zvith her keen, 
 kind eyes, sings again, repeating the last 
 two stanzas of the hymn.] 
 
 "God Almighty, who flllest the heaven, the 
 earth and the ocean, 
 Guard us from harm without, cleanse us 
 from evil within. 
 
 "Kindle our lips with the live bright coal from 
 the hands of the Seraph; 
 Shine in our minds with thy light; burn in 
 our hearts with thy love." 
 118 
 
SOUPS MEDICINE 
 
 John o' Dreams: Amen. [He steps down 
 from the bench and stands before her, 
 awkwardly, his cap in his hand.] 
 
 Mother Eglantine: Well, John, what's the 
 trouble ? 
 
 John o' Dreams [wide arms embracing the 
 universe] : It's a sick world, Mother Eg- 
 lantine. 
 
 Mother Eglantine: And you've a cure 
 for it? 
 
 John o' Dreams [with a gloomy gesture down 
 the road] : They don't think so. 
 
 Mother Eglantine: What do you want to 
 do, John? 
 
 John o' Dreams [passionately] : I want to 
 turn the world upside down. 
 
 Mother Eglantine: You're not the first 
 
 John o' Dreams: They're for driving me 
 out of town. 
 
 Mother Eglantine: You're lucky they're 
 not for crucifying you. 
 119 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 John o' Dreams: Crucify? — You mean ? 
 
 Mother Eglantine: I said you were not the 
 first. But is your way His? 
 
 John o' Dreams: It's not Parson's way. 
 
 Mother Eglantine [soberly] : Are you say- 
 ing that Parson's way is not the way of 
 the Crucified? What is it you're trying 
 to say, my son? 
 
 John o' Dreams: I'm saying Parson's way 
 is not my way. You can make what you 
 like out of that. 
 
 Mother Eglantine [gently] : First, I'll 
 hear what your way is. l 
 
 John o' Dreams: It's a topsy turvy way. 
 You won't understand. My way is to put 
 down the mighty from their seat, and to 
 exalt the humble and meek. I'd fill the 
 hungry with good things, and I'd send the 
 rich away empty. We'll never cure our 
 sick world till we've scattered the proud 
 in the imagination of their hearts, — 
 never ! 
 
 120 
 
SOUL'S MEDICINE 
 
 Mother Eglantine: But, my son, Parson 
 says those words over every day of his 
 life, at vespers. [She chants], 
 
 "He hath put down the mighty from their 
 seat: and hath exalted the humble and 
 meek. 
 He hath filled the hungry with good things: 
 and the rich he hath sent empty away." 
 
 John o' Dreams [bitterly] : More shame to 
 him, that he doesn't live by them. A par- 
 rot can say words over every day, but does 
 it understand? Come, now, does he live 
 by them? 
 
 Mother Eglantine [considering sadly] : But 
 Sir Randal and Master Valentine have 
 the power and the money. What can 
 Parson do? 
 
 John o' Dreams: Do? — He can ask me and 
 my kind to help him. And woe to him 
 if he doesn't! 
 
 Mother Eglantine: You threaten! Wicked 
 boy! 
 
 121 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 John o' Dreams [in great excitement] : Now 
 hear you, Mother Eglantine, you and 
 your Church! If they thrust me out, and 
 you let them thrust me out, you that cling 
 to the skirts of the mighty, — I'll destroy 
 you with them, you and Mammon, your 
 God! 
 
 Mother Eglantine [with uplifted arm and 
 stern countenance] : On your knees, on 
 your knees, John o' Dreams! Repent! 
 Repent ! Blasphemer ! 
 
 John o' Dreams [staggering to his knees, as 
 if against his wilt] : You don't under- 
 stand ! You don't understand ! O Mother 
 Eglantine, it's the Grail I'm seeking! — 
 You don't understand! [Fallen on his 
 knees, he flings himself against the bench 
 under the window, and kneels there, his 
 arms on the bench, his face buried in his 
 arms, his back to the road.] 
 
 Mother Eglantine [casting up eyes and 
 hands in prayer] : A right judgment, a 
 right judgment in all things ! O Spirit of 
 
SOUL'S MEDICINE 
 
 Truth, whom the world cannot receive, 
 because it seeth thee not, neither knoweth 
 thee : dwell with us, be in us, that we may 
 know thee. O Comforter, which art the 
 Holy Ghost, whom the Father sendeth in 
 Christ's name: teach us all things, and 
 bring all things to our remembrance, 
 whatsoever Christ hath said unto us. 
 Amen. 
 
 [The seven Knights of the Grail ride by. 
 Mother Eglantine stands in her win^ 
 dow, rapt, with uplifted hands. After 
 the seven Knights on horseback there 
 follows a zveary Knight afoot. The 
 seven ride by at a swift pace, but the 
 weary one stops at the wayside cross, 
 on the hither side of the road. He 
 'takes off his shield and his helmet and 
 lies down at the foot of the cross, on 
 his shield, and sleeps. A sick man on 
 a litter passes by. The litter bearers 
 are six, — an African decked in strings 
 of bright shells, a Mongolian with a 
 long queue and wearing the rich silk 
 garments of a mandarin, a brown 
 123 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 Indian in flowing garments and a tur- 
 ban, and three white men, a golden 
 haired Viking, a black haired trouba- 
 dour, and a brown haired burgess.] 
 
 Mother Eglantine [crying out in anguish] : 
 A sick world! — A sick world! O God! 
 And who shall heal it? 
 
 [The litter bearers pause beside the cross 
 and set down the litter. The sick man, 
 rising on his elbow, stretches out his 
 other hand in appeal to the sleeping 
 Knight, and seems to plead with him. 
 But it is Mother Eglantine who 
 pleads.] 
 
 Mother Eglantine: By the Grail only 
 shall the world be healed ! Who is he who 
 shall bring again the Grail to a sick world ? 
 "When shall this sorrow leave me, and 
 when shall the holy vessel come by me, 
 wherethrough I shall be blessed? For I 
 have endured thus long, for little tres- 
 pass. Take heed unto me that I may be 
 whole of this malady." 
 124 
 
SOUPS MEDICINE 
 
 [The sleeping Knight lies still as a stone 
 on his shield. The litter-bearers lift 
 the litter and bear the sick man away, 
 down the road. After them comes a 
 hoary ancient in a hermit's white 
 hooded gown, with a harp in his hand, 
 and sits down on the steps of the Cross, 
 beside the sleeping Knight, and strikes 
 his harp, and makes as if he were chant- 
 ing a lay. But it is Mother Eglantine 
 who chants that lay. And at the sound 
 of her chanting come Conrad and Clari- 
 monde down from their bench on the 
 hillside, and Felelolie out of the house 
 into the garden. And these three peer 
 around the corner of the hedge and see 
 John o } Dreams on his knees, and 
 Mother Eglantine singing. And they 
 stand at the green gate looking on one 
 another and listening, finger on lip, and 
 smiling. But they hear, only; their 
 eyes are on one another. The vision is 
 not for them. 
 
 125 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 Mother Eglantine [chanting] : 
 Afar in the silver twilight, 
 Where the Celtic heathen dwell, 
 And all the world is a shadow-place, 
 And the shadow moves in a spell — 
 They saw it first, they tell. 
 
 And what they saw was a cauldron, 
 And a spear-point dropping blood, 
 And whoso suppeth once that brew 
 Shall need none other food. 
 Nor Christ was yet on rood. 
 
 Anon, they will that they saw it, 
 And Christ was long years dead: 
 A stone they saw, whereon a dove 
 A holy wafer laid. 
 
 It was the stone, they said. 
 
 And Joseph of Arimathea, 
 He bare from Calvary 
 A little dish that Christ's blood caught 
 When Christ hanged on the tree — 
 That dish it well might be. 
 
 "A thing," they said, "that appeareth, 
 And vanisheth whence it came; 
 126 
 
SOUL'S MEDICINE 
 
 Yet, not one thing, but many things ; 
 The same, and not the same — 
 
 The Grail," they said, "is its name." 
 
 In good King Fisherman's castle 
 By night that thing was seen, 
 Where fast behind a dripping spear 
 A maiden, whole and clean, 
 Bare it, her hands between. 
 
 In empty wayside chapels 
 It bode a little space; 
 In desert wilds it sang and shined; 
 But most its dwelling place 
 Was dream — by Goddes grace. 
 
 And all King Arthur's menye, 
 The flow'r of chivalrie, 
 They vowed to seek that holy thing, 
 And who that might it see, 
 The best Knight he must be. 
 
 And some there be will have it 
 How Galahad was best; 
 And some do say, despite his sin, 
 The Old Book hath confessed 
 'Twas Percivale won the quest. 
 127 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 But one, the glory of Knighthood, 
 No vision hath him got, 
 That in well-loving sorely sinned, 
 And aye repented not — 
 The fair Sir Launcelot. 
 
 And haply Galahad saw it, 
 And haply Percivale, 
 But still there be that hold that quest 
 To seek the Holy Grail; 
 And still there be that fail. 
 
 And ever the land of Logres 
 Lies wasting and accurst, 
 Till one shall bring again the cup 
 To quench a Kingdom's thirst, — 
 The cup Christ tasted first. 
 
 "A thing," they said, "that appeareth, 
 
 The same, and not the same; 
 
 A little child, the Crucified, 
 
 A chalice crowned with flame — 
 
 The Grail," they said, "is its name/ 
 
 It came from out of the twilight 
 Or ever dawned the day; 
 128 
 
SOUL'S MEDICINE 
 
 It changeth oft, it vanisheth, 
 It passeth not away — 
 Nor never shall, we pray. 
 
 It lureth the valiant onward, 
 "Who knoweth Me, is blest." 
 Lay down, lay down thy darling sin, 
 And set thy lance in rest: 
 
 The Quest, brother, the Quest! 
 
 [The procession of the Grail passes by. 
 First, a maiden in the soft hues of 
 dawn and doves, bearing in her hands 
 a blood-stained spear. After her, two 
 maidens, side by side, in the tender 
 shimmering green color of young birch 
 leaves, and bearing tall lighted tapers 
 in golden candlesticks. Then, the 
 Grail-bearer, walking alone; over her 
 golden kirtle she wears a robe of rain- 
 bow; in her two hands she bears aloft 
 the Grail chalice covered with a golden 
 veil. Three maidens follow the Grail, 
 side by side, in green again, with lights. 
 All the maidens and the Grail maiden 
 are wreathed and garlanded with spring 
 129 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 flowers. They pass by at a slow pace. 
 The old man lays down his harp and 
 falls on his knees. The Knight sleeps, 
 as always, motionless upon his shield. 
 While the Grail is passing, Conrad is 
 leaning on the green gate, turning the 
 leaves of his book and talking to Clari- 
 monde and Felelolie who look over his 
 right shoulder and his left, following 
 his finger on the book's page.] 
 
 Conrad: She is telling John the story of the 
 Grail. Some of it is her own telling, but 
 some of it is in this very book. Do you 
 see? I will make it English. [He points 
 to the page and they follow his finger.] 
 
 "When shall this sorrow leave me, and 
 when shall the holy vessel come by me, 
 wherethrough I shall be blessed." The 
 very words of the book — and here 
 again 
 
 Felelolie : I think you are mistaken, Conrad. 
 I think John is confessing his sins. 
 130 
 
SOUL'S MEDICINE 
 
 Clarimonde: But you cannot read, Felelolie; 
 what can you know ? Here are the words 
 — ' 'Take — heed — unto — me — that — I — be 
 — whole — of — this — malady" 
 
 Felelolie: Still, I think John is confessing 
 his sins. He is on his knees. And — he 
 has a sin. And I think Mother Eglantine 
 is seeing a vision. 
 
 Conrad: Do you think she is seeing a vision 
 of the Grail? 
 
 Felelolie: Perhaps. She saw the seven 
 Knights of the Grail ride by this morning, 
 the seven Knights that are the seven gifts 
 of the Holy Ghost. 
 
 Clarimonde [awestruck] : Perhaps she is 
 seeing it now! What if the Grail were 
 passing by? 
 
 [They all three stare out upon the road, 
 unseeing. The Grail passes out of sight, 
 down the road. The hoary ancient rises 
 from his knees and takes his harp as if 
 he would follow after. The Knight 
 awakes from his sleep, sits up and beats 
 131 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 his breast, as if he made a lamentation. 
 But the words of the lamentation come 
 from the lips of John o } Dreams, who 
 has lifted his head and his arms, and 
 speaks, from his knees, to Mother 
 Eglantine.] 
 
 John o' Dreams: Mea culpa! My sin hath 
 found me out. Pride ! Who so proud as 
 the peasant? Or who so proud as the 
 common man working with his hands ? I 
 am he ! — I said, Christ gave me the secret 
 to save the world. I am the only one. I 
 alone! — I said, the glory shall be mine. 
 Lo, I will enslave my brother ! — For why ? 
 — Did not my brother hold me in bond- 
 age ? — Pride ! — Pride ! — I have sinned 
 against fellowship. I have sinned against 
 love. Christ have mercy ! 
 
 Mother Eglantine: Lord have mercy! 
 
 John o' Dreams [beating his breast] : Mea 
 
 culpa! My sin hath found me out! — 
 
 Wrath ! I said, I am trodden under foot 
 
 of the rich. I starve; body and soul! 
 
 132 
 
SOUL'S MEDICINE 
 
 Rise up, rise up, and slay the oppressor, O 
 Hungry and Downtrodden and Scorned! 
 And in my heart I slew him — Wrath! — 
 Wrath ! — I have sinned against fellowship. 
 I have sinned against love. Christ have 
 mercy ! 
 
 Mother Eglantine: Lord have mercy! 
 
 John o' Dreams: Wrath! — I said to my op- 
 pressor, if I envy, whose fault? — If I 
 covet, whose fault? — If I am greedy, 
 whose fault? — If I am dull and slothful, 
 whose fault? — Who has kept me hungry 
 and naked and stupid, O my oppressor ? — 
 And I was angry with my brother. 
 Wrath ! — Red wrath ! Mea culpa ! I have 
 sinned against fellowship! I have sinned 
 against fellowship ! I have sinned against 
 love ! Christ have mercy ! 
 
 Mother Eglantine : Lord have mercy ! 
 
 John o' Dreams: Mea culpa! [He beats his 
 breast.] Lust! He that betrayeth the be- 
 loved, betrayeth his very self. I made a 
 a boast to set the world free, but I have 
 
 i33 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 dishonored liberty. O blind, destroying 
 lust! — I have sinned against fellowship! 
 I have sinned against love. Mea culpa! 
 Lord have mercy! 
 
 Mother Eglantine : Christ have mercy ! 
 
 John o' Dreams: Fellowship! Fellowship! 
 O my dream, I have sinned against thee! 
 Christ have mercy! 
 
 Mother Eglantine : Lord have mercy ! 
 
 John o' Dreams: "My sin and my wickedness 
 have brought me unto great dishonor. For 
 when I sought worldly adventures for 
 worldly desires, I ever achieved them and 
 had the better in every place, and never 
 was I discomfit in no quarrel, were it right 
 or wrong. And now I take upon me the 
 adventures of holy things, and now I see 
 and understand that mine old sin hinder- 
 eth me and shameth me, so that I had no 
 power to stir nor speak when the holy 
 blood appeareth before me." 
 
 Conrad [excited]: The words of the book! 
 See! — I tell you, he is seeing a vision of 
 
 J 34 
 
SOUL'S MEDICINE 
 
 the Grail out of the old Romance. "And 
 now I take upon me the adventures of 
 holy things'' 
 
 Felelolie : I tell you, he is confessing his sins. 
 Clarimonde: Then ought we to listen? 
 
 Conrad: Hark! 
 
 [And now the old man with the harp 
 seems to be admonishing the Knight, by 
 the Cross. But the admonition comes 
 from the lips of Mother Eglantine."] 
 
 Mother Eglantine [to John o' Dreams'] : 
 "Ye ought to thank God — for He hath 
 caused you to have more worldly worship 
 than any Knight that now liveth. And for 
 your presumption to take upon you in 
 deadly sin for to be in His presence, where 
 His flesh and His blood was, that caused 
 you ye might not see it with worldly eyes ; 
 for He will not appear where such sinners 
 be, but if it be unto their great hurt and 
 unto their great shame; and there is no 
 knight living now that ought to give God 
 i3S 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 so great thank as ye, for He hath given 
 you beauty, seemliness, and great strength 
 above all other; and therefore ye are the 
 more beholding unto God than any other 
 man, to love Him and dread Him, for 
 your strength and manhood will little avail 
 you an God be against you." 
 
 John o' Dreams: "I pray you counsel me." 
 
 Mother Eglantine: "Now take heed, in all 
 the world men shall not find one — to 
 whom Our Lord hath given so much of 
 grace as He hath given you, for He hath 
 given you fairness with seemliness, He 
 hath given thee wit, discretion to know 
 good from evil, He hath given thee prow- 
 ess and hardiness, — and now Our Lord 
 will suffer thee no longer, but that thou 
 shalt know Him whether thou wilt or 
 nylt." 
 
 John o' Dreams: "Certes, all that you have 
 said is true, and from hence forward I 
 cast me, by the grace of God, never to be 
 so wicked as I have been." 
 136 
 
SOUL'S MEDICINE 
 
 [The old man with the harp makes the 
 sign of the cross upon the brow of the 
 Knight, and at the same time Mother 
 Eglantine makes the sign of the cross 
 upon the brow of John o' Dreams. The 
 old man goes dozvn the road playing his 
 harp. The Knight takes up his shield 
 and follozvs after.] 
 
 John o' Dreams [chanting on his knees] : 
 And ever the land of Logres 
 Lies wasting and accurst, 
 Till one shall bring again the cup 
 To quench a Kingdom's thirst, — 
 The cup Christ tasted first. 
 
 Mother Eglantine [passing her hand over 
 her eyes and gazing about her in bewilder- 
 ment] : A right judgment, — a right judg- 
 ment in all things, O God! [Abruptly] 
 John o' Dreams! 
 
 John o' Dreams [rising from his knees and 
 rubbing his eyes] : Yes, Mother Eglan- 
 tine. 
 
 i37 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 Mother Eglantine: Go you into town and 
 bring me Master Valentine and Master 
 Humphrey and Master Theobald and 
 
 John o' Dreams : They'll never come at my 
 bidding. 
 
 Mother Eglantine [musing] : Likely not. — 
 Have you no friends, John? 
 
 John o' Dreams: Conrad, of the University, 
 is half-way my friend, some days. 
 
 Conrad [hurrying round the corner of the 
 house, followed by Clarimonde and Felelo- 
 lie, and speaking zvith gay impudence] : 
 This is one of my friendly days; let me 
 bring them, Mother Eglantine; I think 
 they'll come for me. 
 
 Mother Eglantine: What do you know 
 about it, Conrad? 
 
 Conrad [slightly abashed] : I was listening. 
 
 Mother Eglantine [regarding him humor- 
 ously] : The observer ! I hope you were 
 edified. 
 
 138 
 
SOUL'S MEDICINE 
 
 Conrad [hanging his head] : No ; only puzzled. 
 
 Mother Eglantine : Bring them here to me, 
 and let us see if we can clear up the puzzle. 
 And Clarimonde will go up to the manor 
 house and bring her father. You, Felelolie, 
 run to the parsonage and bid Parson come 
 — at the third hour. [She draws the cur- 
 tain across her window.] 
 
 John o' Dreams [eagerly] : Did you see the 
 Knight asleep at the Cross, Conrad ? — Did 
 you see the old man singing the song of 
 the Grail to his harp? — Did you see — the 
 Grail — pass by? 
 
 Clarimonde [in eager awe] : Did — the Grail 
 — pass by? 
 
 Conrad: We saw the road, and the wayside 
 Cross yonder, and the wild flowers in the 
 meadow, and the spring sunshine. But 
 no one passed by on the road. 
 
 Clarimonde: We heard you and Mother 
 Eglantine saying the words out of the 
 
 Book of the Grail 
 
 i39 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 John o' Dreams: Mother Eglantine and I said 
 nothing. 
 
 Conrad [opening the book] : "And now Our 
 Lord will suffer thee no longer, but that 
 thou shalt know Him whether thou wilt 
 or nylt." 
 
 John o' Dreams: It was not Mother Eglan- 
 tine, it was the old white hermit with the 
 harp. 
 
 Conrad: And you said [reading,] "Certes, all 
 that you have said is true, and from hence- 
 forward I cast me, by the grace of God, 
 never to be so wicked as I have been." 
 
 John o' Dreams: How could you hear me 
 say them ? It was the Knight by the Cross 
 who said them. I saw him. I heard Him. 
 
 Conrad: But you were kneeling with your 
 back to the road, John. 
 
 John o' Dreams: I saw him. I heard him. 
 [He pauses, musing.] But it is true, I 
 said them, too — in my heart. — "My sin 
 and my wickedness have brought me unto 
 
 140 
 
SOUL'S MEDICINE 
 
 great dishonor," — who said that? — Did 
 
 he?— Did I? Pride— Wrath— Lust— 
 
 mea culpa. — Who was confessing my sins ? 
 "So that I had no power to stir nor speak 
 when the holy blood appeared before me." 
 Did I say it ? 
 
 Clarimonde: And you saw — the Grail? 
 
 John o' Dreams: I must not speak of that. 
 
 [He covers his eyes with his arms.] 
 
 [They gaze at him, hushed, for a little 
 space; then, without further speech, 
 Conrad goes down the road toward the 
 town, with head bent in deep thought, 
 and Clarimonde goes up the hill slowly, 
 looking back once or twice.] 
 
 Felelolie [touching his elbow, timidly] : 
 John, — it wasn't nice of us, — but we heard 
 you repenting of your sins. 
 
 John o' Dreams [uncovering his face and 
 looking at her with slow smile] : And who 
 should have a better right than you, to 
 hear me repent of my sins ? 
 141 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 Felelolie [hurriedly] : I must go for Parson. 
 
 [She runs dozvn the road, looks back, and 
 he kisses his hand to her. She waves. 
 John o' Dreams sits down on the top 
 step of the Cross with his head leaning 
 against the upright beam and his hands 
 clasped around one kneeJ\ 
 
 John o' Dreams: 
 
 And haply Galahad saw it, 
 And haply Percivale, 
 But still there be that hold that quest 
 To seek the Holy Grail ; 
 And still there be that fail. 
 
 And still there be that fail. — Oh, John, — 
 John o' Dreams, and you only a common 
 workingman with a simple heart! If the 
 gentry can't do it, what chance for you? 
 
 And ever the land of Logres 
 Lies wasting and accurst, 
 Till one shall bring again the cup 
 To quench a Kingdom's thirst, — 
 The cup Christ tasted first. 
 142 
 
SOUL'S MEDICINE 
 
 [A! sick world! And when I say drink and 
 be healed, it doesn't understand. But who 
 am I, to expect it to understand? Who 
 am I, to dare to offer a sick world the cup 
 of sacrifice? I am not worthy to be the 
 cup-bearer. 
 
 [He muses, his chin in his hand, silently 
 for a little space. Presently, he speaks 
 again.'] 
 
 But it must drink; — how shall I make it 
 understand ? 
 
 [He kneels on the top step of the Cross, 
 with his clasped hands above his head, 
 and his forehead pressed against the up- 
 right beam of the Cross.] 
 
 "God, who art Giver of all good gifts and 
 Lover of Concord, 
 
 "Kindle my lips with the live bright coal 
 from the hands of the Seraph." 
 
 Give me the voice of humility, give me the 
 word of imagination, give me the tongue 
 of love. Give me the gift of understand- 
 ing all men, that I may be understood of 
 all men. For His sake who came that we 
 
 *43 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 might have life, and that we might have it 
 more abundantly. Amen. 
 
 [He sits again on the steps of the Cross, 
 his hands clasped around his knee, his 
 head leaning against the upright beam. 
 He meditates silently, for a brief while; 
 then he says:] 
 
 If Parson would only meet me half way. — 
 If Mother Eglantine would but persuade 
 him. 
 
 [Clarimonde and Sir Randal are seen 
 coming down the hill. Sir Randal is a 
 courtly gentleman of middle age, in a 
 dark brown velvet short gown with 
 hanging sleeves, fur trimmed; his long 
 stockings and boots are tawny orange 
 color. His voice is raised in dudgeon.] 
 
 Sir Randal: The first Randal had this land 
 from William the Conqueror. The record 
 is in Domesday Book. It's my land. 
 
 Clarimonde: Mother Eglantine says, "The 
 earth is the Lord's, and all that therein is ; 
 144 
 
SOUL'S MEDICINE 
 
 the compass of the world, and they that 
 dwell therein." 
 
 Sir Randal: Don't quote Scripture at me, 
 young woman. Mother Eglantine would 
 soon find out who owned the land, if I 
 shut up the anchorage and sent her pack- 
 ing. But she's a sensible woman; she 
 knows which side her bread's buttered on. 
 
 Clarimonde : She doesn't eat butter. 
 
 Sir Randal [glaring at his daughter, and then 
 laughing helplessly] : It's plain that you 
 do, — little slippery tongue! If I did my 
 duty by you, I'd shut you up on bread and 
 water, for a month. [He pauses at the 
 bench on the hillside.] We'll sit here till 
 the others gather. I don't care to bandy 
 words with yonder fellow. 
 
 Clarimonde: But how will you ever under- 
 stand what he's driving at, father, if you'll 
 never talk with him, man to man ? 
 
 Sir Randal [testily] : I'm not interested in 
 what he's driving at. 
 
 i45 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 Clari monde [wistfully] : But I am. 
 
 Sir Randal [moodily] : This comes of trying 
 to cram a boy's schooling into a girl's 
 noddle. This comes of tutoring and lan- 
 guages. I'll send the tutor packing, next. 
 
 Clarimonde [gently] : Then I'll go with him, 
 father. 
 
 Sir Randal [regarding her without surprise, 
 but- with bitter grief] : And break your 
 father's loving heart? 
 
 Clarimonde : You'd have the land, father. 
 [He turns his face away from her and 
 stares out through the trees. Presently, 
 he draws a large handkerchief from his 
 pouch and blozvs his nose. Clarimonde 
 sidles to him, along the bench, and pits 
 her arm round his neck. And so they 
 sit, but with averted faces. Voices are 
 heard, coming down the road. John o' 
 Dreams gets to his feet, crosses the road, 
 and kneels beside the brazier, by the 
 bench, stirring the coals and blowing 
 upon them.] 
 
 146 
 
SOUL'S MEDICINE 
 
 The Voice of Conrad: No; I saw nothing 
 myself, but Mother Eglantine and John 
 were both rapt, in the spirit. Mother 
 Eglantine was chanting of the Grail. 
 
 Voices: The Grail! 
 
 [Conrad, Master Theobald, Master Hum- 
 phrey, and Master Valentine come 
 along the road. Master Humphrey has 
 Conrad by the right arm; he wears a 
 rich gray green gown, girded with a 
 sash of striped Roman silk. Master 
 Valentine has Conrad by the left arm; 
 he wears a rich gown and hose of the 
 colors of heliotrope and amethyst, zvith 
 a Flemish beaver hat of those same 
 colors and gray boots of fine leather; his 
 garments are edged with gray fur. 
 Clinging to his other arm is Master 
 Theobald, in a dull blue gown and hose, 
 and his long sleeves lined with taffeta, 
 striped blue and black. They are all 
 three men of middle age, and a sober 
 and prosperous port.] 
 i47 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 Master Valentine: Do you think it was the 
 Grail they saw? 
 
 Conrad: I didn't see it. 
 
 Master Humphrey [slily] : Fm told it only 
 appears to the pure in heart. 
 
 Master Valentine: Why should that fellow 
 see it, then ? 
 
 Master Theobald: May be the Devil's in it. 
 [They pause by the Cross.] 
 
 Conrad : But Mother Eglantine saw it, too. 
 
 Master Theobald [sitting down on the steps 
 of the Cross] : These hermits and recluses 
 are sometimes easier deceived by the Devil 
 than us ordinary folk. It's a part of their 
 guilelessness. 
 
 Master Humphrey [sitting down beside him 
 on the steps of the Cross and poking him 
 in the ribs] : Skeptic ! 
 
 Master Valentine [sitting down heavily] : 
 If she's brought me here to wheedle me 
 148 
 
SOUL'S MEDICINE 
 
 into turning my shop over to that young 
 windbag, I'm certain sure the Devil's in it. 
 
 [The others laugh. John is still busy with 
 the brazier. The Parson and Felelolie 
 come hurrying along the road. The 
 Parson wears his cassock and shovel 
 hat.] 
 
 Father Martin [to Felelolie]: My child, 
 these are not affairs on which a priest and 
 parson can expect to have an opinion. 
 These are affairs of buying and selling, 
 affairs of food and clothes and drink and 
 housing. A parson's realm is the human 
 soul. 
 
 Master Valentine [clapping his hands] : 
 Hear ! Hear ! You were always one after 
 my own heart, Father Martin. [He makes 
 room for the Parson on the step beside 
 him.] 
 
 Felelolie [standing in the road and regarding 
 the group on the steps of the Cross with 
 disapproval] : Mother Eglantine read to 
 149 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 me out of the Gospels, where Jesus said, 
 "How hardly shall they that have riches 
 enter into the Kingdom of God! For it 
 is easier for a camel to go through a 
 needle's eye than for a rich man to enter 
 the Kingdom of God." [Conrad, zvho is 
 also standing in the road, gazing at the 
 group beneath the Cross, laughs suddenly, 
 and Felelolie continues.'] That looks as 
 if buying and selling, and food and drink 
 and clothes and houses had something to 
 do with souls. 
 
 Master Valentine [shaking his finger at 
 Felelolie'] : Mother Eglantine would do 
 better to box your ears instead of filling 
 them with words too wise for you to 
 understand. 
 
 Master Theobald: The girl is bilious. It's 
 the spring in her blood. 
 
 John o' Dreams [suddenly calling out, from 
 where he kneels beside the brazier] : Yes; 
 it's the spring in our blood ; it's the resur- 
 rection tide. Mother Eglantine says it is 
 
 150 
 
SOUL'S MEDICINE 
 
 written in the Scriptures, "Behold, I make 
 all things new." The spring is in our 
 blood, mine and Felelolie's. 
 
 Conrad : And mine, — I hope. 
 
 Clari mondE [calling from the hillside, down 
 which she and her father are winding] : 
 And mine! — And mine! 
 
 [Mother Eglantine begins to sing, behind 
 her windozv curtain. Felelolie hurries 
 over to the windozv. John o' Dreams 
 climbs upon the bench and unhooks the 
 censer. He hands it to Felelolie, who 
 selects the reddest coals from the bra- 
 zier and drops them into the censer with 
 the tongs. She hands the censer up 
 to John o' Dreams, who hangs it in 
 the dove's beak. Felelolie opens her 
 pocket and takes out a squill of incense. 
 She hands this to John, who untwists 
 it and sprinkles the incense into the cen- 
 ser. Meanwhile, Mother Eglantine, 
 always singing, has pushed aside her 
 curtain.] 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 Mother Eglantine: 
 
 When Christ our Lord had passed once more 
 Into the heaven he left before, 
 He sent a Comforter below, 
 The Father's promise to bestow. 
 
 The solemn time was soon to fall 
 Which told the number mystical; 
 For since the Resurrection day, 
 A week of weeks had passed away. 
 
 At the third hour a rushing noise 
 Came like the tempest's sudden voice, 
 And mingled with the Apostles' prayer, 
 Proclaiming loud that God was there. 
 
 From out the Father's light it came, 
 That beautiful and kindly flame, 
 To kindle every Christian heart, 
 And fervour of the Word impart. 
 
 John o' Dreams and Felelolie [singing 
 with Mother Eglantine'] : 
 As then, O Lord, thou didst fulfil, 
 Each holy heart to do thy will, 
 So now do thou our sins forgive 
 And make the world in peace to live. 
 
 152 
 
SOUL'S MEDICINE 
 
 Conrad and Clarimonde [singing with the 
 other three] : 
 To God the Father, God the Son, 
 And God the Spirit; praise be done; 
 May Christ the Lord upon us pour 
 The Spirit's gift forevermore. Amen. 
 
 [When the Amen is sung, they all hurry 
 toward Mother Eglantine's window. 
 Conrad, Parson, the merchant, the 
 lawyer, the doctor, cross the road, run- 
 ning; Clarimonde and Sir Randal come 
 swiftly round the corner of the garden; 
 Felelolie and John o' Dreams turn to 
 the anchoress eager hands and faces. 
 The hands and faces of all are uplifted, 
 and every mouth is opened as if hasting 
 to speak.] 
 
 Mother Eglantine [lifting a warning arm] : 
 It is the third Hour. The Spirit of the 
 Lord filleth the world. Alleluia! O un- 
 ruly tongues, beware lest ye speak that 
 which is displeasing to the Holy Ghost! 
 O unloving hearts, hush! — Be still! 
 [They are arrested, suddenly, even as they 
 i53 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 run. And so they stand, dumb, with 
 arms uplifted and heads upflung. And 
 awe creeps into their faces, and terror 
 into their eyes, and one by one they 
 sink to their knees and bozv their heads 
 in their hands. Felelolie and John o' 
 Dreams are kneeling facing each other, 
 one at each end of the bench under the 
 window; Conrad and Clarimonde are 
 kneeling side by side, their heads bent 
 on the bench immediately below Mother 
 Eglantine. The others kneel on the 
 grass behind those four, and the faces 
 of all are turned away from the road. 
 The seven Knights of the Spirit ride 
 by, at a solemn pace. Mother Eglan- 
 tine stands at the window, with hands 
 clasped as if in prayer. After the seven 
 Knights, the Court of King Arthur 
 walks, afoot, with pages to hold up the 
 mantles of the King and Queen, and a 
 sufficient number of Knights and ladies. 
 The Court of King Arthur pauses 
 beside the Cross. The sick man on his 
 litter is borne along the road, and a fair 
 i54 
 
SOUL'S MEDICINE 
 
 lady walks beside the litter, with a long 
 fan to ease the breathing of the sick 
 man, and pages bear his shield and 
 sword. The bearers set down the litter 
 at the foot of the Cross, in the midst 
 of the Court of King Arthur. And 
 now, in dumb show, the fair lady kneels 
 to King Arthur, asking that he search 
 the wounds of the sick Knight, to heal 
 him. And King Arthur essays to heal 
 the sick Knight, but without avail. 
 And one by one, other knights search 
 the seven wounds of the sick Knight, 
 but without avail. And all this is a 
 vision in dumb show, but as one knight 
 and another fail to heal the sick Knight, 
 the voices, novo of the merchant, now 
 of the lazvyer, now of the doctor, are 
 heard to cry aloud, Mea Culpa! Mea 
 Culpa ! And each one as he cries aloud 
 is seen to beat his breast. And the 
 voice of Parson cries, like an echo, 
 after each one, Mea Culpa! And 
 Parson is seen to cast himself prostrate 
 upon the ground. Then, when the 
 i55 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 Knights of the vision have failed, Con- 
 rad arises from his knees like a sleep- 
 walker and turns about and crosses the 
 road, and Clarimonde following; and 
 Conrad stands in the midst of the 
 vision of Arthur's Court and essays to 
 heal the sick man, but Conrad's arms 
 are heavy at his side, he cannot lift 
 them to touch the sick man. And 
 standing still as an image in the midst 
 of the vision he cries, Mea Culpa ! Mea 
 Culpa! But he cannot lift his arms to 
 beat his breast. And Clarimonde stands 
 beside him. Then John o' Dreams leaps 
 up from his knees, with rapt face and 
 visionary eyes, and runs down to the 
 road, and with him Felelolie. And 
 John o' Dreams, also as one that walks 
 in his sleep, halts in the middle of the 
 road, and standing with face uplifted 
 to heaven and eyes fixed, cries out 
 aloud.] 
 
 John o' Dreams: I know the way! — I know 
 the way! — But of myself I am nothing. 
 156 
 
SOUL'S MEDICINE 
 
 Oh, brothers, brothers, help me, for 
 Christ's sake! 
 
 [The procession of the Grail comes down 
 the road. Parson rises up from 
 the grass where he has lain prostrate, 
 and gropes his way like a blind man 
 to the road. The Grail bearer comes 
 to Parson, lifts the chalice-veil and 
 places the cup in Parson's groping 
 hands. John o } Dreams and Felelolie 
 kneel at his feet and pluck at his cas- 
 sock. He holds out the cup and they 
 drink, in turn. John o y Dreams and 
 Felelolie rise from their knees, and one 
 on the one side of Parson, another 
 on the other side, they guide him into 
 the midst of the vision by the Cross. 
 The Court of King Arthur, and Con- 
 rad and Clarimonde are as images be- 
 spelled, awaiting the approach of Par- 
 son with the cup. The procession of 
 the Grail waits, on the road. John o' 
 Dreams and Felelolie bring Parson 
 to the litter. John puts his hand on 
 i57 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 the sick num. Then, on a sudden, all 
 the Knights of the Court and King 
 Arthur start forward and lay hands, all 
 of them, and Conrad, on the sick man, 
 and they lift him off the litter and 
 stand him upright on his feet, and lower 
 him to his knees. Parson gives 
 him to drink of the cup. The Grail 
 Bearer now comes from the procession, 
 takes the cup from Parson, and 
 goes back to the procession, which still 
 stands in the road. John o' Dreams 
 and the others lift the sick man to his 
 feet. Felelolie girds on his sword, 
 Clarimonde gives him his shield. The 
 Grail procession moves down the road 
 followed by the healed Knight and his 
 lady, King Arthur and his Court, and 
 the empty litter borne by the litter 
 bearers. 
 
 Mother Eglantine [chanting, as the vision 
 vanishes down the road] : 
 
 And ever the land of Logres 
 Lies wasting and accurst, 
 158 
 
SOUL'S MEDICINE 
 
 Till one shall bring again the cup 
 To quench a Kingdom's thirst, — 
 The cup Christ tasted first. 
 
 "A thing," they said, "that appeareth, 
 The same, and not the same ; 
 A little child, the Crucified — 
 A chalice crowned with flame — 
 The Grail," they said, "is its name. ,, 
 
 It came from out of the twilight 
 Or ever dawned the day ; 
 It changeth oft, it vanisheth, 
 It passeth not away — 
 Nor never shall, we pray. 
 
 It lureth the valiant onward, 
 "Who knoweth Me, is blest" 
 Lay down, lay down thy darling sin, 
 And set thy lance in rest: 
 The Quest, brother, the Quest ! 
 
 [Conrad, Clarimonde, FeleloHe, John o' 
 Dreams, and Parson, are left stand- 
 ing like creatures in a dream, facing 
 the wayside cross. Master Valentine, 
 Master Humphrey, Master Theobald, 
 
 i59 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 and Sir Randal, kneel, as always, with 
 their faces toward Mother Eglantine. 
 The procession has vanished. Those 
 by the Cross turn slowly and gaze upon 
 one another. Those by the anchorage 
 rise stiffly from their knees and gaze 
 upon one another. Mother Eglantine 
 passes her hand slowly across her eyes. 
 All the others, by the Cross and by the 
 anchorage, pass their hands slowly 
 across their eyes.] 
 
 Mother Eglantine: It is the Third Hour. 
 The Spirit of the Lord fllleth the world. 
 Alleluia ! Let us speak now, as the Spirit 
 shall give us utterance. Let us say the 
 words that shall be understood of every 
 nation under heaven. 
 
 All [crying aloud and beating their breasts] : 
 My fault, my fault, my own most grievous 
 fault ! — My sin hath found me out. I have 
 hated my brother, — Woe ! Woe ! — I have 
 forgotten my God. — Lord have mercy! 
 — Christ have mercy! 
 160 
 
SOUL'S MEDICINE 
 
 [They all look upon one another curi- 
 ously, with troubled eyes. Then, one 
 by one, they speak.~\ 
 
 Master Valentine [suddenly, to no one in 
 particular, his eyes fixed on the distance, 
 his voice passionate and brooding] : I be- 
 held my Conscience, face to face. I saw 
 myself as I am. 
 
 Mother Eglantine [gently] : Not as you 
 are, Master Valentine ; as you were. 
 
 Master Valentine [hesitating] : As I was? 
 — God grant it! — I saw myself as I was. 
 I dreamed that my name was Dives, and 
 I was giving a feast. And there was a 
 beggar at the gate, full of sores ; his name 
 was Lazarus. [He makes a gesture of 
 despair] You know the story, — Dives! 
 [He covers his face with his hands and 
 falls on his knees.] O Christ, give me a 
 new name! 
 
 Master Humphrey: My dream came down 
 the road, yonder. [He points. Those by 
 the Cross move across the road slowly, 
 161 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 listening to Master Humphrey. ] I 
 dreamed of a traveler who fell among 
 thieves. I saw him beaten and stripped. 
 I saw the priest go by. I saw the Levite 
 go by. I saw the Samaritan 
 
 Conrad [in a hushed voice] : Who were you? 
 
 Master Humphrey [hanging his head] : A 
 certain lawyer. I had asked the law's 
 eternal question — Who is my neighbor? 
 — I know now. [He stands with head 
 drooped on his breast.] 
 
 Master Theobald : I dreamed the world was 
 sick, here, — at the foot of the hill. I 
 dreamed the sick world was a sick boy 
 fallen in a fit. And I was sure I could 
 cure him, — but I couldn't. He frothed 
 and foamed at the mouth, — he shrieked 
 and struggled and fell upon the ground. 
 He was the world, and he was sick. And 
 I was helpless. And someone came down 
 the hill, and the crowd got in my way. 
 I couldn't see. But I heard someone say 
 "This kind can come forth by nothing, 
 162 
 
SOUL'S MEDICINE 
 
 but by prayer and fasting." [He sinks 
 to his knees] Lord, teach me to pray. 
 
 Sir Randal: I, too, dreamed of a feast. It 
 was not my feast ; I was bidden to it. And 
 I went in and sat down beside the Master 
 of the feast, for I looked, and I was the 
 only man of rank there. And the Master 
 of the feast asked me to move down. And 
 he set John o' Dreams and Felelolie on 
 his left and his right hand. And I was 
 below the salt. 
 
 Clarimonde [softly] : But I was beside you, 
 father ; I know I must have been. 
 
 Conrad: And I. 
 
 Sir Randal: It was so mortifying. [He 
 covers his face with his hands.] Not 
 being asked to move, — but that I should 
 have presumed to sit in the chief seat. So 
 very mortifying. 
 
 Clarimonde [tenderly] : One does those 
 things in dreams. But now we are awake, 
 Father; we sha'n't do them when we are 
 awake. 
 
 163 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 Sir Randal [wistfully] : You think not? 
 
 Conrad: I, too, saw a vision of a sick world, 
 but mine was not the dream of Master 
 Theobald. I saw a vision of the healing 
 of Sir Urre, out of my French book, here, 
 [He opens his book.] I saw the sick 
 Knight and his sister come to Arthur's 
 Court 
 
 Clarimonde : Oh Conrad, Conrad, your vision 
 and mine are one ! I saw the sick Knight. 
 I saw Arthur's Court! 
 
 Conrad: Your vision and mine are one; yes, 
 sweetheart. 
 
 Clarimonde [eagerly] : And the Knights 
 searched the wounds of the sick world, 
 but they could not heal him, and then 
 
 Conrad: And then I crossed the road, — did 
 you see me? 
 
 Clarimonde [hanging her head] : Yes. 
 
 Conrad: Tell them. 
 
 Clarimonde [wistfully]: Need we? 
 164 
 
SOUL'S MEDICINE 
 
 Conrad: I must. 
 
 Clarimonde [sadly] : And Conrad could not 
 heal the sick world. 
 
 Conrad [scorning himself] : I could not even 
 lift these arms, I could not even move 
 these fingers to search his wounds. I, who 
 had been the onlooker so long; — in my 
 vision I was even as the sick Knignt, I 
 was helpless. 
 
 Felelolie : But John came into the vision. 
 
 Clarimonde [wondering] : Was it your 
 vision, too? 
 
 Conrad : It was John who 
 
 John o' Dreams [hurriedly] : Not I alone; it 
 was all of us together. I could have done 
 nothing by myself; it was all of us to- 
 gether who did it. It was really Parson 
 who 
 
 Mother Eglantine [calling]: Father Mar- 
 tin, Father Martin, tell us your dream ! 
 
 Parson : I had no dream, I saw no vision. 
 165 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 John o' Dreams: But I, — but you ? 
 
 Parson: Darkness — and then — the voice of 
 my Saviour and my God, crying, "The 
 Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he 
 hath appointed me to preach the gospel to 
 the poor; — to preach the gospel to the 
 poor; — to the poor; — the poor/' [He 
 falls on his knees and beats his breast.] 
 Father, I have sinned against heaven and 
 before thee, and am no more worthy to be 
 called thy son. 
 
 Mother Eglantine : "As many as are led by 
 the Spirit of God, — they are the sons of 
 God. Alleluia!" 
 
 Felelolie: Mother Eglantine, tell us what 
 you saw. 
 
 Mother Eglantine: Children, I saw a world 
 repentant. I saw the proud forsaking the 
 imagination of their hearts; I saw the 
 mighty exalting the humble and the meek ; 
 I saw the rich filling the hungry with their 
 good things. I saw the Kingdom come on 
 earth. 
 
 166 
 
SOUL'S MEDICINE 
 
 John o' Dreams, Felelolie, Conrad, Clari- 
 monde, Mother Eglantine [all as with 
 one voice crying out together} : 
 
 Lay down, lay down thy darling sin 
 And set thy lance in rest: 
 
 The Quest, brother, the Quest! 
 
 All [singing, while Felelolie and John o' 
 Dreams, with coals and incense, once more 
 light the censer] : 
 
 "As then, O Lord, thou didst fulfil 
 Each holy heart to do thy will, 
 So now do thou our sins forgive 
 And make the world in peace to live. 
 To God the Father, God the Son, 
 
 And God the Spirit, praise be done; 
 May Christ the Lord upon us pour 
 The Spirit's gift forever more. Amen." 
 
 167 
 
IV 
 
 Santa Conversazione 
 
 An All Saints Miracle 
 
These through the darkness of death, 
 
 the dominion of night, 
 Swept, and they woke in white places 
 
 at morning-tide; 
 They saw with their eyes, and sang for 
 
 joy of the sight, 
 They saw with their eyes the eyes of 
 
 the Crucified. 
 
 Lionel Johnson. 
 
Those Present 
 
 In the Flesh: 
 
 A Wounded American Soldier 
 
 An English Officer 
 
 A German Prisoner 
 
 A Poilu 
 
 A Belgian Child 
 
 In the Spirit: 
 
 Jeanne d'Arc 
 
 St. Francis of Assisi 
 
 St. George of England 
 
 St. Elizabeth of Hungary and Thuringia 
 
 Tolstoy 
 
 The Tihe: 
 
 The Festival of All Saints, which is the Vigil 
 of All Souls, ip 1 7. During a bombardment. 
 
 The Place: 
 
 Inside a ruined village church, somewhere 
 in France. There are no candles in the little 
 171 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 church, but through the empty windows, and 
 through the ragged holes in the roof, light 
 comes, — the sudden bright pulse of star-shells, 
 the red burst of intermittent ?fs, the climbing 
 radiance of the hunter's moon, — light enough 
 to reveal the heaped up fragments of stone 
 saints within the riven chancel rail, the shat- 
 tered altar 'where the bomb fell, the great cruci- 
 fix untouched on the altar wall. Light enough 
 to waken sparkles of splintered fourteenth 
 century glass all over the littered floor, to touch 
 to phantom gold the bloody truss of straw 
 below the cracked baptismal font. Light is 
 shining through St. Elisabeth's filmy, splendid, 
 pale blue mantle, where she crouches huddled 
 on the altar steps, all her pearl embroideries 
 a-wink; and the moon has found the sleepy 
 yellow head of the little Belgian girl, and 
 Tolstoy's drifting beard. There are three high 
 zvindows and two long niches in the north wall, 
 a zvindow and a niche, a window and a niche, 
 and a windovo; but the images of the saints 
 that used to stand in the niches on gray toes 
 kissed all shiny Smooth, are fallen out on their 
 poor perishable noses; and Tolstoy, shadowy 
 172 
 
SANTA CONVERSAZIONE 
 
 white in his peasant's blouse, sits brooding in 
 the one niche; and in the other the little Belgian 
 lies curled round, kitten-fashion. 
 
 The church door was blown to bits yester- 
 day, and when St. Francis comes through the 
 moonlit doorway, in his habit as he lived, 
 moonshine follows his feet, and St. Elizabeth 
 brightens, and Tolstoy smiles. At this time 
 there is no one else in the little church. 
 
 *73 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 St. Francis [surprised at Tolstoy] : You here? 
 I thought you would be in Russia. 
 
 Tolstoy: But you are not in Italy. 
 
 St. Francis: I go back before dawn. But I 
 could not bear the thought of all these 
 holy places voiceless, on our festa; so a 
 group of us got together and pledged our- 
 selves to read the Gospel for the Day, in 
 the ruined churches. Athanasius, Augus- 
 tine, Chrysostom and some of the younger 
 ones are covering Poland; and Columba 
 and Patrick and Alban asked for the Bel- 
 gian district, with the local saints. Francis 
 de Sales, Francis Xavier and I offered for 
 northern France, under the direction of 
 Gregory of Tours. 
 
 Tolstoy: You must have had enough to do, 
 not to miss any. 
 
 St. Francis: Yes; in some of these villages 
 the people cannot find their church. But 
 I could always tell where it had been. 
 This is my last. 
 
 i74 
 
SANTA CONVERSAZIONE 
 
 Tolstoy [grimly] : Next year there may be 
 ruined churches in Italy. 
 
 St. Francis [covering his eyes] : Yes ; defeat 
 seems to be coming to Italy; for the 
 moment. 
 
 St. Elizabeth [gently] : Only for the mo- 
 ment. 
 
 St. Francis [still with his face bowed in his 
 hands] : Yes ; I know. But it is hard for 
 them. All their white peaks lost ! 
 
 St. Elizabeth: For the moment. 
 
 St. Francis [lifting his head to smile at her] : 
 I know, sister. I know. 
 
 Tolstoy : Knowing doesn't help — much. 
 
 St. Francis [turning his whimsical smile on 
 Tolstoy] : So you ran away from your 
 Bolsheviki millennium, even knowing? 
 
 Tolstoy [on the defensive] : Still it would be 
 the millennium, if — if 
 
 St. Francis: If the keystone of the rainbow 
 were hate. 
 
 175 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 St. Elizabeth: Ah, how to escape that? — 
 Hate! 
 
 St. Francis : Not by coming to France, sister. 
 
 St. Elizabeth: They are so hungry in my 
 Germany, my Austria, so very hungry. 
 And my old miracle is buried in my grave. 
 I cannot make bread of roses any more. 
 
 St. Francis [suggestively] : There is always 
 the Living Bread. 
 
 St. Elizabeth : Go, you, and try to make them 
 eat it. 
 
 St. Francis: They shall be filled, some day. 
 
 St. Elizabeth : I know ; I know. But the 
 babies are so weazened. [She puts her 
 hands over her ears.] I thought I might 
 not hear their little helpless, hungry cries, 
 here in the midst of the guns. 
 
 Tolstoy [in a reminding voice] : Babies 
 starved before this war. 
 
 St. Elizabeth : I don't get used to it. 
 176 
 
SANTA CONVERSAZIONE 
 
 St. Francis : Blessed are they that mourn. 
 [He moves past St. Elisabeth, up the altar 
 steps. ,] Shall I read? 
 
 St. Elizabeth : The bomb fell on the Holy 
 Book. 
 
 St. Francis [almost gaily] : Since when did 
 I need a book ? 
 
 Tolstoy [quoting, with a twinkle'] : "After 
 that thou shalt have had the psalter, thou 
 wilt be covetous and desire to have a 
 breviary also. And after that thou hast 
 gotten a breviary, thou wilt sit in a chair 
 like a great prelate and wilt say unto thy 
 brother, 'Fetch me the breviary !' " 
 
 St. Francis [smiling] : My other Brother Leo 
 used to tell that story on me. Shall I 
 read? 
 
 [St. Elisabeth and Tolstoy rise to hear 
 the Gospel.] 
 
 St. Francis: "The Holy Gospel is written in 
 the fifth chapter of the Gospel according 
 to St. Matthew, beginning at the first 
 verse. ,, 
 
 177 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 St. Elizabeth and Tolstoy: Glory be to thee, 
 OLord! 
 
 St. Francis: "Jesus seeing the multitudes, 
 
 went up into a high mountain : and when 
 
 he was set, his disciples came unto him: 
 
 i and he opened his mouth and taught them, 
 
 saying," 
 
 [While St. Francis is reading these words, 
 the wounded American Soldier appears 
 in the doorway, leaning heavily on the 
 Poilu and supported on his other side 
 by Jeanne d'Arc. In her silver mail, 
 with her white, transparent surcoat all 
 embroidered with the golden lilies of 
 France, she is a splendid ghost* St. 
 Francis pauses, waiting.] 
 
 Poilu: It is here a step. Lift up the foot, 
 mon brave. 
 
 American [halted, helpless on the threshold] : 
 "The centipede was happy quite" 
 
 Poilu : Mon Dieu ! Now he goes off his nuts. 
 
 American: Not yet, pardner. But they're 
 woozy. I've lost the way to my feet. 
 
 178 
 
SANTA CONVERSAZIONE 
 
 [Jeanne d'Arc lifts his right leg; he sets 
 his foot on the step. The Poilu and 
 Jeanne, half lifting, half dragging him, 
 at last lay him down on the straw below 
 the baptismal font. He sinks into un- 
 consciousness.'] 
 
 St. Francis [resuming the Gospel'] : "Blessed 
 are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the 
 Kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are they 
 that mourn: for they shall be comforted. 
 Blessed are the meek: for they shall in- 
 herit the earth." 
 
 [The Poilu has hastily snatched off his 
 cap and crossed himself. Jeanne d'Arc 
 stands beside the baptismal font.] 
 
 Poilu [in a startled whisper] : Qu'est ce que 
 c'est? Mon Dieu, c'est la fete! Mais oui, 
 c'est la Toussaint ! 
 
 St. Francis: "Blessed are they which do 
 hunger and thirst after righteousness: for 
 they shall be filled." 
 
 American [beginning to come out of his 
 
 swoon] : Thirst 
 
 179 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 [The Poilu pours out a little water from 
 his canteen into his cup, and holds the 
 cup to the American's lips.] 
 
 St. Francis: "Blessed are the merciful: for 
 they shall obtain mercy." 
 
 American: Merci — who's talking? 
 
 St. Francis: "Blessed are the pure in heart: 
 for they shall see God."— 
 
 American : See God ? — Who's talking ? 
 
 Poilu: Ssh, sh! It is l'Evangile. How do 
 you say? It is the word of Jesus. 
 
 American: Jesus talking? — See God? — Lem 
 me have a look? [He begins to turn his 
 face toward the altar, then hesitates.] 
 Pure in heart? — Guess I won't chance it. 
 [He turns his face back again, away from 
 the altar, and shuts his eyes.] 
 
 St. Francis: "Blessed are 
 
 [The German prisoner appears in the 
 doorway. On one side of him is the 
 young English officer, on the other, St. 
 1 80 
 
SANTA CONVERSAZIONE 
 
 George of England, each with a hand on 
 his shoulder. Over the golden armor of 
 St. George, his golden translucent sur- 
 coat gleams magnificent, with its red 
 cross embroidered from throat to hem, 
 on breast and back.] 
 
 St. Francis: "The Peacemakers" 
 
 American [opening his eyes on the group in 
 
 the doorway]: Peacemakers? 
 
 "And on his breast a bloody cross he bore, 
 
 The dear remembrance of his dying Lord. ,, 
 
 English 34, — what do you know about 
 
 that, Frenchy? I made A in that course. 
 
 [The German prisoner and his guards 
 
 cross the threshold and stand within the 
 
 church at one side of the doorway.] 
 
 St. Francis [repeating] : "Blessed are the 
 peacemakers: for they shall be called the 
 children of God." 
 
 American: Opening up with prayer? — say — 
 
 have I butted into the Peace Pow Wow? 
 
 [With an effort he lifts his head and 
 
 stares around.] Queer lookin' bunch. — 
 
 181 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 Where's Wilson ?— Ungh !— Mother ! [He 
 drops back unconscious. Jeanne d'Arc 
 kneels down beside him, tending him.] 
 
 St. Francis: "Blessed are the " 
 
 German Prisoner [staring at Jeanne d'Arc] : 
 Die Jungfrau von Orleans! Du lieber 
 Gott ! [He makes a bolt for the door, but 
 St. George is before him in the doorway, 
 with arms outspread.] Geisten! Ich bin 
 verloren ! 
 
 [The English officer springs on the 
 Prisoner, catches him by the collar and 
 throws him to his knees at the feet of 
 St. George. Together, St. George and 
 the English Officer lift the Prisoner, 
 stand him on his feet, and push him up 
 the church to the chancel rail.] 
 
 Englishman: Sorry to disturb the Service, 
 Father, but my orders were to bring him 
 in here. 
 
 [The scuffle has awakened the Belgian 
 child, who slips out of her niche, rub- 
 bing her eyes. Seeing St. Elizabeth be- 
 182 
 
SANTA CONVERSAZIONE 
 
 side the chancel rail, she hurries to her, 
 fearfully, and clasps her hand, looking 
 up hungrily into her face. St. George, 
 the German Prisoner, the English Offi- 
 cer, St. Elizabeth, and the Belgian Child, 
 stand at the broken chancel rail.] 
 
 St. Francis [to the English Officer] : Take 
 your prisoner over by the wall, brother, 
 and let him sit down in the niche. 
 
 Englishman: After the reading of the Gos- 
 pel, Father. 
 
 St. Francis: He is to sit down now. He is 
 all trembling. 
 
 [The English Officer and St. George salute 
 St. Francis and march the Prisoner to 
 the niche. He sinks into it. The Eng- 
 lishman and St. George stand, one on 
 each side of the niche.] 
 
 Belgian Child [to St. Elizabeth] : Madame, 
 a little piece of bread ? 
 
 St. Francis: "Blessed are the peacemakers: 
 for they shall be called the children of 
 God." " 
 
 183 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 Belgian Child: Madame, I spik Ameri- 
 cain, — a little piece of bread? 
 
 St. Francis: "Blessed are they which are 
 persecuted for righteousness sake: for 
 theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven." 
 
 Belgian Child: Madame, on a tue ma mere, 
 la bas. Est ce qu'il y a des mots Ameri- 
 cains pour dire ca? 
 
 St. Francis : "Blessed are ye, when men shall 
 revile you, and persecute you, and shall 
 say all manner of evil against you falsely, 
 for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding 
 glad; for great is your reward in heaven: 
 for so persecuted they the prophets which 
 were before you." 
 
 [St. Francis kneels in silent prayer before 
 the riven altar, below the crucifix.] 
 
 Englishman [to Tolstoy, in a low voice]: I 
 beg pardon; who is this Padre? 
 
 Tolstoy: His name is Francis. 
 
 Englishman: He omits the Creed? 
 184 
 
SANTA CONVERSAZIONE 
 
 Tolstoy: If we have the Gospel, is not that 
 enough ? 
 
 Englishman: I see; A Union Service. [Re- 
 garding Tolstoy doubtfully.] It is true, 
 the Creed is implicit in the Gospels. But 
 [his eyes are turned to the kneeling St. 
 Francis], is it not unusual for a Roman- 
 ist to conduct Union Services? 
 
 Tolstoy: Not where he comes from. 
 
 Englishman [always with his eyes on St. 
 Francis] : I have understood that they 
 wink at certain irregularities in the mis- 
 sion field, but [breaking off abruptly], — 
 Do you know the fresco of St. Francis 
 and the crucified Seraph, in Assisi? [He 
 makes a gesture toward the kneeling 
 saint] , — Remarkable ! 
 
 Tolstoy: No; quite natural. 
 
 Englishman: You say his name is [He 
 
 turns startled, baffled eyes upon Tolstoy 
 and stares at him intently.] 
 
 185 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 Belgian Child: Chere Madame, — bread? — 
 A little piece? 
 
 [St. Elisabeth leads the little Belgian to 
 the niche where the German Prisoner 
 is sitting, and stands before him 
 silently.] 
 
 Englishman [to Tolstoy, hurriedly] : You, 
 too! — I beg pardon, but your face is so 
 familiar, sir. Have I met you before? 
 
 Tolstoy: You have been in Russia? 
 
 Englishman : No ; — but — Russia ! — Pardon 
 me; the resemblance is so remarkable, but 
 
 Tolstoy is [He turns from Tolstoy 
 
 to St. Francis, and back again to Tol- 
 stoy. He looks all around him, slowly, 
 his gaze resting now on St. George, now 
 on St. Elizabeth, now on the group by the 
 font.] 
 
 American [opening his eyes upon Jeanne 
 d'Arc] : 
 
 "Her face so fair, as flesh it seemed not" 
 
 186 
 
SANTA CONVERSAZIONE 
 
 Englishman [moving over to the group by 
 the font] : They said there were angels 
 at Mons, but I never 
 
 American [to Jeanne] : Some frock, that, for 
 a bloody battlefield. [Dreamily], "All in 
 a silken Camus, lily white" — How does 
 it go? 
 
 "Which all above besprinkled was throughout 
 With golden aygulets that glistered bright, 
 Like twinkling stars." 
 
 Say, which are you, Belphoebe, Brito- 
 mart? 
 
 Jeanne [smiling] : No, no ; I am Jeanne. 
 
 American [slowly] : Jeanne? [Then with a 
 sudden shout], Jeanne the Maid! — Gee, 
 Maud Adams, how you have changed! — 
 That was one on me, wasn't it ? I thought 
 you were a Spenserian stanza, and you're 
 the real thing; you're it! Golly! but I'm 
 the happy warrior — Don't — fade out — 
 quite — yet ! [ He fain ts again. ] 
 
 Belgian Child: Bread, Madame! 
 
 187 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 St. Elizabeth [to the German Prisoner}: 
 Oh, my son, feel in your pockets. Have 
 you nothing for this child? 
 
 [The German Prisoner puts his hand re- 
 luctantly into his trousers pocket and 
 brings out a small hunk of black bread. 
 He holds the bread against his breast, 
 a moment, staring defiantly at St. Eliza- 
 beth, then slowly stretches out his hand 
 to the little Belgian, with the bread 
 lying on his open palm.] 
 
 Belgian Child [hesitating, putting out her 
 own hand, drazving it back, and looking 
 up into St. Elizabeth's face] : Madame, 
 j'ai peur qu'il a faim aussi, ce bon mon- 
 sieur. 
 
 German: Ach, Gott! [Tears stream down 
 his dirty, swollen face. He puts out his 
 other hand and draws the child between 
 his knees. He holds the bread to her lips 
 and she bites off a morsel, and then her 
 little hand guides his great hand to his 
 mouth. He pretends to nibble, and in turn 
 188 
 
SANTA CONVERSAZIONE 
 
 puts the bread to her lips. They smite 
 at each other and at St. Elizabeth.'] 
 
 Englishman [speaking to the Poilw, who is 
 fanning the American] : Is the philan- 
 thropic lady in the blue cloak a — that is, 
 is she — Who is she? 
 
 Poilu: I do not know, mon lieutenant She 
 is perhaps of that band of ladies from 
 America called Smitt Unitt, who bring 
 joy and food to the devastated villages. 
 
 Jeanne [taking the American's head in her 
 lap] : She is my sister Elizabeth, of Hun- 
 gary and Thuringia. 
 
 Englishman : The one who told the lie about 
 the bread and roses? 
 
 Jeanne [smiling] : The way you put it ! How 
 you are English! 
 
 Englishman [looking about him, puzzled, 
 musing] : What would Sir Oliver Lodge 
 make of all this, I wonder? [To the 
 Poilu], Do you see the one in the Red 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 Cross, mon vieux? That is St. George 
 of England. 
 
 Poilu: Quel type! 
 
 Englishman: And you, what do you make 
 of it all? 
 
 Poilu: Of eet all? 
 
 Englishman: Yes; of St. George,— ^of 
 Jeanne d'Arc? Did you ever hear of Tol- 
 stoy? And yonder friar, rising from his 
 knees, is Francis of Assisi, or I miss my 
 guess, — thirteenth century Saint. And 
 you, and me? What do you make of 
 us all? 
 
 Poilu f with a shrug and a quizzical smile] : 
 Mais, mon lieutenant, c'est la guerre ; que 
 voulez vous? 
 
 [St. Francis has risen from his knees and 
 joined St. Elizabeth, who, with Tol- 
 stoy, is watching the German Prisoner 
 feed the Belgian Child.] 
 
 St. Francis: Bravo, cara sorellina mia! This 
 is better than making bread out of roses. 
 190 
 
SANTA CONVERSAZIONE 
 
 Poilu: Roses! Ah, qa! Je m'en souviens. 
 And also their saints are liars, mon lieu- 
 tenant. Oh, la, la! Cest drole! 
 
 St. Francis [looking over his shoulder at the 
 Poilu] : Are we not all liars, more or less, 
 brother ? 
 
 Jeanne [to the Poilu] : I lied. When the 
 English tortured me, I lied. 
 
 Tolstoy: I lied to myself. All my life I lived 
 a lie, afraid to obey my conscience. 
 
 Poilu [with Gallic malice] : Mais Mademoi- 
 selle; mais Monsieur; to admit to the 
 enemy that one makes a faux pas,— ce 
 n'est pas la guerre. 
 
 St. Francis: Fratello mio, on the battle fields 
 where we fight, that is the first step to 
 victory. 
 
 Jeanne [to the Poilu] : But how am I the 
 enemy of Madame Elizabeth, if we fight 
 on the same side? 
 
 Poilu [amazed and disconcerted] : Comment ! 
 191 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 St. George: We are all on the one side, we 
 of our communion. 
 
 Englishman: Our side. 
 
 St. George: God's side. 
 
 Englishman: And is that not our side? 
 
 St. George: If you are of our communion, 
 you will know. 
 
 Englishman [hotly] : I do know. 
 
 German Prisoner [heavily, to St. Francis]: 
 The first step to victory, to say you did 
 wrong? Tell that to Ludendorf, to Hin- 
 denburg. Tell it to our Kaiser. 
 
 St. Francis: I have their ear. And not I 
 only. We have a committee of perpetual 
 adjuration, whispering, whispering to 
 them, Tirpitz — the Crown Prince, — the 
 Chancellor — night and day. 
 
 German: Aber, they listen, nicht. 
 
 St. Francis [speaking over his shoulder to 
 the German Prisoner, but moving toward 
 192 
 
SANTA CONVERSAZIONE 
 
 the baptismal font] : They do not listen, 
 yet; but they hear. [He bends over the 
 American Soldier] : If you are coming 
 my way, brother, I'll wait for you. 
 
 American [opening his eyes upon St. Fran- 
 cis, and declaiming in a clear voice] : 
 
 "Tyrants that make men subject to their law, 
 
 I will suppress, that they no more may reign ; 
 
 And lordings curb that commons over-awe. 
 
 And all the wealth of rich men to the poor 
 
 will draw." 
 
 Hot stuff, what! I talk it to myself in 
 the trench when I'm on sentry go. — Were 
 you saying something? 
 
 German [calling from his niche to St. 
 Francis] : Then, if they will win, they 
 got to say it too, the English. They got 
 to say they did wrong. 
 
 Englishman: Wrong to keep our word to 
 Belgium? Never! 
 
 Tolstoy [from his niche, to the Englishman] : 
 He's not talking about Belgium. The war 
 
 193 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 didn't begin with Belgium, nor with 
 Serbia. Don't cloud the issue, brother; 
 you who never break faith ! 
 
 American [who has been hunting his head 
 feebly, to try to see the speakers'] : Peace 
 Pow Wow ; I remember. Blessed are the 
 peacemakers. 
 
 Englishman [rounding upon Tolstoy] : It is 
 you Russians who cloud the issue, trying 
 to make this a question of our mistakes — 
 sins, if you like — in Egypt, in South 
 Africa, in India. Does France make it a 
 grievance, now, that we burned her Joan 
 of Arc in the fifteenth century? There 
 is no logic in you; it is all made in Ger- 
 many. 
 
 Tolstoy: I had not so much in mind Egypt, 
 India, South Africa, as some other — mis- 
 takes. 
 
 St. Francis [to the Englishman, eagerly] : O 
 
 mio f ratello, some of us are not too deeply 
 
 troubled by the present conflict. It is 
 
 noisy ; it is to be deplored ; but it is super- 
 
 194 
 
SANTA CONVERSAZIONE 
 
 ficial. The real menace is the war behind 
 the war, beyond the war, within the war. 
 
 Englishman [beivildered] : The war — be- 
 hind the war, beyond the war, within the 
 war? I don't understand. 
 
 St. George : My son, until England keeps faith 
 with England, she shall have no peace. 
 
 Englishman [still more bewildered] : Keep 
 faith with — you mean our muddle over 
 the Home Rule Bill? 
 
 American [his fever-bright eyes mocking the 
 Englishman] : 
 Open my soul and you shall see 
 Engraved on my conscience — Ireland. 
 
 He said England, you duffer. England's 
 not Ireland. He's no Sinn Feiner; he's 
 a member of the British Labor Party. 
 
 St. George [unsheathing his sword] : Amen! 
 — God and St. George for England ! 
 
 Englishman [at his wits' end] : The British 
 Labor Party, — St. George? 
 
 i95 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 American [declaiming in his clear, delirious 
 voice, while St. George stands with drawn 
 sword, at salute] : 
 
 "Men of England, heirs of glory, 
 Heroes of unwritten story, 
 Nurslings of one mighty mother, 
 Hopes of her and one another! 
 
 "Rise, like lions after slumber, 
 In unvanquishable number!" 
 
 Prompt me, Percy! — 
 
 "Men of England, wherefore plough — " 
 
 No ; I'm mixed. — Never mind ; it's all the 
 same dope; 
 
 "Men of England, wherefore plough 
 For the lords who lay ye low? 
 Wherefore weave with toil and care 
 The rich robes your tyrants wear? 
 
 "Sow seed, — but let no tyrant reap; 
 Find wealth, — let no impostor heap; 
 Weave robes, — let not the idle wear; 
 Forge arms, — in your defence to bear." 
 196 
 
SANTA CONVERSAZIONE 
 
 St. George: Until England keeps faith with 
 England, she shall have no peace. 
 [He sheathes his sword.~\ 
 
 Tolstoy: [calling across from his niche~\: 
 Still, it is not quite fair to imply that 
 Shelley advocated violence. He was a 
 non-resistant. 
 
 St. Francis: O Leo mio, who would be con- 
 sistent? Was not my whole propaganda 
 founded on an inconsistency, — the ab- 
 surdity that there must always be rich to 
 minister to the little poor ones. But do 
 I regret my propaganda? 
 
 Tolstoy: Yet we failed, Francis Petrovitch, 
 because we were inconsistent, you and I. 
 
 St. Francis: Patience, brother; blessed are 
 the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. 
 When you have lived out of the flesh a 
 while longer, you will not be so sure we 
 failed. It is true, we only scratched the 
 surface of our problem. But in our 
 scratches others are ploughing deep, and 
 the seed is in the furrow. 
 197 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 Jeanne d'Arc [musing] : Until England 
 keep faith with England, and France 
 keep faith with France. 
 
 Poilu : And coming from you who are of the 
 ancien regime, loyaliste, Mademoiselle, 
 what does that mean? 
 
 Jeanne d'Arc: I was a peasant, in France. 
 For whom did I fight, then? For whom 
 do I fight now ? 
 
 Poilu [abandoning his cynic tone, and bow- 
 ing low] : Ah, Mademoiselle, I never 
 doubted. 
 
 St. Elizabeth : Until England keep faith 
 with England, and France keep faith with 
 France, and Germany keep faith with 
 Germany, — oh, my hungry poor ! 
 
 Poilu: But you are saints, and you are un- 
 happy ? How then, are you in heaven ? 
 
 St. Elizabeth : We are as much in heaven as 
 God is; we are one with God. 
 
 St. Francis: Brother, God gave us earth; but 
 we must give Him heaven. 
 198 
 
SANTA CONVERSAZIONE 
 
 Englishman: But the war behind the war, 
 beyond the war, within the war? 
 
 German [suddenly, from his niche] : Ich ver- 
 stehe jetzt! Im Himmel die Heiligen lesen 
 Marx und Engels. 
 
 Englishman [surly and suspicious] : What 
 do you say? 
 
 German: I say that the war behind the war. 
 beyond the war, within the war, is the 
 Class War. Warum nicht ? 
 
 Englishman: Do you say so, Brother 
 Francis ? 
 
 St. Francis : Blessed are the poor in spirit, 
 for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. 
 
 Tolstoy: Or, as the Gospel according to St. 
 Luke has it, — Blessed be ye poor; for 
 yours is the Kingdom of God. 
 
 German [reasoning laboriously] : Und so, you 
 
 will say, if Heaven is the gift we give to 
 
 God, and not around the other way about ; 
 
 and if the poor, they are the ones that 
 
 199 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 make heaven, they are the Himmelsarbei- 
 tern, why — then — the more we have of 
 poor, the bigger is the gift 
 
 Englishman [impatiently, to St. Francis] : Is 
 this an answer? 
 
 St. Francis: Is it not? — Of course, I assume 
 that you accept my premise, which is 
 Christ. 
 
 Tolstoy: Take my Russia for an answer, if 
 it suits you better. 
 
 Poilu : Merci beaucoup. But if it is the King- 
 dom of Heaven in Russia, I will prefer to 
 go to Paris, en permission. 
 
 Tolstoy: Ah, no; I do not ask you to accept 
 what they do in Russia, for an answer, — 
 not yet, — but what they dream. 
 
 Poilu: I have to take already the Church on 
 that trust; not what she do but what she 
 dream. But Russia, non! How do you 
 say, mon lieutenant. — I am fool up ? 
 [The American has been lying with eyes 
 closed, as if oblivious to the discussion. 
 200 
 
SANTA CONVERSAZIONE 
 
 Now he opens his fevered eyes, and 
 looking up through and beyond the 
 faces bending above him, he chants,~\ 
 
 "Such is the weakness of all mortal hope, 
 So fickle is the state of earthly things; 
 That, ere they come unto their aimed scope, 
 They fall too short of our frail reckonings, 
 And bring us bale and bitter sorrowings'' 
 
 [He becomes aware of the listening, pity- 
 ing faces, and smiles.] Blessed are the 
 peacemakers. Wake me up when they 
 finish scrapping over Alsace-Lorraine. 
 
 [He closes his eyes, and in the voice of one 
 withdrawn, who meditates aloud, he says,] 
 
 "O, goodly usage of those antique times, 
 In which the sword was servant unto right; 
 When not for malice and contentious crimes, 
 But all for praise and proof of manly might, 
 The martial brood accustomed to fight. 
 Then honour was the meed of victory, 
 And yet the vanquished had no despite. 
 Let later age that noble use envy, 
 Vile rancour to avoid and cruel surquedry." 
 
 20J 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 [Jeanne 6! Arc motions to the Poilu, who 
 wets the American's lips.] 
 
 Englishman [in a low voice, to the Poilu] : 
 Has a surgeon seen him? 
 
 [The Poilu nods. Tolstoy comes from his 
 niche and stands with the others, look- 
 ing down on the American. The Ger- 
 man follows, with St. Elizabeth and the 
 Belgian Child.] 
 
 American [opening his eyes and smiling on 
 them all] : 
 
 "And yet the vanquished had no despite/' 
 
 Kiddie, would you mind fanning me a little 
 while ? 
 
 [The Englishman takes the cap from 
 under his own helmet and gives it to 
 the little Belgian, with a fanning ges- 
 ture. She kneels beside the American 
 and fans him gently. Tolstoy and the 
 others kneel in a half circle round the 
 wounded man. After a pause, the dis- 
 cussion is resumed quietly. The Ameri- 
 202 
 
SANTA CONVERSAZIONE 
 
 can lies with eyes closed, breathing 
 faintly.] 
 
 Englishman [to St. Francis]: From your 
 point of view, I suppose the disposition 
 of Alsace-Lorraine is not important. 
 
 St. Francis : No ; I do not say that. It is one 
 of the things that must be settled. 
 
 Englishman: And how? 
 
 St. Elizabeth [breaking into the conversa- 
 tion] : My Germany must be generous 
 and relinquish those provinces. 
 
 Poilu : Generous ! She must be just. 
 
 St. Elizabeth : Do you be just, and remem- 
 ber that long ago she had them first. Let 
 her be generous. She needs to be generous, 
 for her soul's health. 
 
 Jeanne d'Arc: And it shall be the part of 
 France to give them the plebicite. 
 
 Englishman: But Toynbee says the plebicite 
 may be defeated perhaps by the geo- 
 graphical distribution of the French and 
 203 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 German sympathizers. — Have you read 
 Toynbee ? 
 
 St. Francis: The nephew, you mean, not the 
 saint? I know his point of view. But 
 geography and race must break down if 
 conscience and goodwill storm the bar- 
 riers. It is a question of brotherly love. 
 
 Englishman: But that is a counsel of per- 
 fection. 
 
 St. Francis: What other counsel did you 
 expect from me? 
 
 Poilu: Touche! 
 
 American [smiling, with eyes closed] : Go to 
 it, fellas! 
 
 German Prisoner [to St. Elisabeth] : Gnadige 
 Frau, for why Germany must give up ? 
 
 St. Elizabeth : My son, have you not heard, 
 she is the greater aggressor in this war? 
 
 German : I don't hear that in Germany. And 
 if I hear it in France, why shall I believe 
 it? 
 
 204 
 
SANTA CONVERSAZIONE 
 
 American [speaking always with closed eyes] : 
 Oh, Fritzie, cultivate a mind of your own ; 
 be a sport. 
 
 Englishman [to St. Francis]: And do you 
 ask me to believe that this Bolshevik dis- 
 play in Russia is a manifestation of 
 brotherly love? 
 
 St. Francis : Ay di me ! No ! 
 
 Tolstoy [in a voice of anguish] : No ; but it 
 is love in the making. Ah, brother, do not 
 spoil the brew. Yours is the touchstone 
 to transmute this alchemy, and will you 
 have it hell-broth? O France! O Eng- 
 land! O mine Enemy! — We must all 
 drink of that cup. America! America! 
 
 American [opening wide eyes and panting 
 slightly] : Somebody called me — Was it 
 France? — I was a long way off — some- 
 where — thinking about the — pure in heart. 
 
 St. Francis : Not France only, brother ; we 
 are all calling you. 
 205 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 American [communing with himself] : And 
 they might call and call, — and I might 
 come — and come — But if I'm not pure in 
 heart — nothing doing. [For y a moment, 
 his lips move voicelessly ; then, on a sud- 
 den, he sits erect in the midst of the 
 watchers.] For their sakes — I must see 
 God — It's up to me! [He drops back on 
 the straw.] 
 
 [The others kneel in silence a few 
 moments around the American's body. 
 Then Jeanne d'Arc folds his hands 
 across his breast, and the Poilu closes 
 the dead eyes. St. George crosses the 
 feet as crusaders' feet are crossed on 
 old tombs.] 
 
 St. Francis [making the sign of the cross 
 above the American's body] : Praised be 
 my Lord for our Sister, the death of the 
 body, from which no man escapeth — 
 Blessed are they who are found walking 
 by thy most holy will, for the second 
 death shall have no power to do them 
 harm. 
 
 206 
 
SANTA CONVERSAZIONE 
 
 Englishman: "O Almighty God, who hast 
 knit together thine elect in one communion 
 and fellowship, in the mystical body of 
 thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord; Grant us 
 grace so to follow thy blessed saints in all 
 virtuous and godly living, that we may 
 come to those unspeakable joys, which 
 thou hast prepared for those who un- 
 feignedly love thee; through Jesus Christ 
 our Lord. Amen." 
 
 The Spirit of the American [seen standing 
 in the doorway, radiant in the moonlight] : 
 Those unspeakable joys! O Brother 
 Francis, Brother Francis, will you show 
 me the shortest road to Paradise? I can- 
 not wait. — We'll just stop long enough, on 
 our way, to buck up the Alpini. 
 
 St. Francis [joining the Spirit of the Ameri- 
 can in the doorway, and lifting up hands 
 in benediction upon those others, who 
 kneel in the church beside the dead body] : 
 Praised be my Lord for all those who 
 pardon one another for his love's sake, and 
 who endure weakness and tribulation: 
 207 
 
GARMENTS OF PRAISE 
 
 blessed are they who peaceably shall en- 
 dure, for thou, O Most Highest, shall 
 give them a crown. 
 
 American Spirit [holding out nis hands in 
 joy fid appeal] : Blessed are the pure in 
 heart! — Wish me luck, fellas! 
 
 Belgian Child [rising from her knees, and 
 kissing her hand to the Spirit of the Amer- 
 ican]: Au revoir, Monsieur TAmericain; 
 sois beni ! 
 
 208 
 
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