->} 
 
 Zaphnatli-Paaneah 
 
 :o: :o: :o: :o: :o: :o; :o. 
 
 A PLAY IN FIVE ACTS. 
 
 By C. L. Phifer 
 
 / 
 
A 
 
Zaphnath-Paaneah 
 
 A PLAY IN FIVE ACTS 
 
 !>^i-f6^^ 
 
 ^^."^^HIFE 
 
 ER 
 
 author's private edition 
 
 California, Mo., 1887 
 
 Copyrighted, 1887, by the Author 
 
 "O 
 

 DRAMATIS PERSONS. 
 
 Zaphnath-Paaneah (the man to whom God 
 hath revealed secrets), son of Israel and 
 Rachel ; same as Joseph. 
 
 Israel, (prevailer), same as Jacob. 
 
 Rkubkn, 
 Simeon, 
 Levi, 
 
 JUDAH, 
 
 Dan, 
 
 Nai'htai.i 
 
 Gad, 
 
 ASHER, 
 IhSACHAR, 
 
 Ze}?ulun. 
 
 'i Israel's sons by Leah. (The 
 [ children of Israel are named 
 j here in order of precedence.) 
 
 1 Israel's sons by Rachel's hand- 
 
 ) maid, Hilhah. 
 
 ) Israel's sons by Zilpah, Lenh's 
 
 I handmaid. 
 
 ) 
 
 •■ Israel's sons by Leah. 
 Joseph — Bknjamin, Israel's sons by Rachel. 
 Pharaoh, Ruler of Egypt. 
 POTAPHAR, In command of Pharaoh's army. 
 
 Poti-Phkrah, Priest at On. 
 IIaran, An Ishmpelitish merchant. 
 
 P^^wi, I Wives to Israel. 
 Rachel, j 
 
 Dinah, Daughter of Israel and Leah. Her 
 husband, Shechem, had been kille<l by 
 Simeon and Levi. 
 Zklkika, Wife of P(^taphar. The name is 
 from the Koran, and as ii seems Greek, 
 I have supposed her to be a Grecian. 
 AsENATH, Daughter of Poti-pherah. cousin of 
 Potiphar, and wife to Zaphnath-Paaneah. 
 Baker to Pharaoh. Butlar to Pharaoh. Keep- 
 er of prison. Manassah and Epliraim, 
 Joseph's sons. Hilhah and Zilpah. Lorr*s 
 and Ladies. Senators. Astrologers. Ser- 
 vants. Throngs of Citizens. Chorus as 
 Famine. Etc. 
 
 SCENE--Ancient Egypt and Caanan. 
 
ZAPHNATH-PAANEAH. 
 
 PKOLUOUE. 
 
 Interior of Museum in Hulaq, Egypt. Various 
 catafalques and sphynxes, and nnimmies of 
 Setis, Sesostris, Nefer-ari et. al. are exposed. 
 The khedive and retenue pass and exit, fol- 
 lowed by men from various nations in varied 
 costumes. Then, enter American and En- 
 glish consuls, and Maspero, the arch;\;olo- 
 gist, who stop at the casket of Sesostris. 
 K. C. — Poh 1 smell the ancient, musty cere- 
 ments. 
 A. C. — I smelled them at a funeral in Boston: 
 They smell like beans. 
 
 Mas. Setis is this; this is Sesostris, 
 
 As the Greeks call him, else Kameses the great. 
 Kor money was his alabaster tomb 
 Well hidden, broke, and sacred relics sold ; 
 Their robes and treasures and their winding- 
 sheets, 
 The hand of one old king, another's head : 
 And when we found the king's sarcophagus, 
 The A rails sat about like vultures, keen 
 To pounce upon the dead and glut themselves: 
 1 speak in figures ; not as canabals, 
 Hut to slip off the bones of kings for back- 
 shesh. 
 A. C — They say of us Americans, we do 
 All things for money; so did they, it seems. 
 But which is worse, to sell old kings for bread, 
 Or stick them up to show to everyone 
 At such a price ? Were 1 the king in question 
 (Hut thank the Lord, I 'm plain American) 
 1 'd choose the former. O you shrewd Maspero, 
 A little varience makes a mighty virtue : 
 But you must paint more bold to make us stare. 
 Mas.— I will example you, merry republican. 
 To honor men we strip them, make them stone, 
 1 abel them and stand them in the weather. 
 All further answer let great Stanley make. 
 For this is science, science rules to-day. 
 So goes this world ; so nations rise and fall 
 And are forgotten, till men would dipute 
 (As they do fiethle'm's star) it such had been, 
 Hut for these relics. When this god-king died, 
 'I'he frightened sul:)jects tore their hair and 
 
 wept, 
 Never so troubled save when died their bull. 
 For this king was a god who worshipped self. 
 They to the sacred stream threw otTerings 
 As passed the royal barque with mighty ilead 
 Down to the secret palace windowless 
 Where dwelt his fathers and where he should 
 
 dwell 
 Unseen of eyes forever, in a land 
 Under the ground no living man could find. 
 
 Vet he Is found, Osiris is no more. 
 
 The curious look at him, and Israel's God, 
 
 Ignore<l by him, is mightiest of earth. 
 
 A. C. — Suppose you this Sesostris, living, 
 
 dreamed 
 Of pale-face men from nations then unborn, 
 And of a world unheard-of in his day, 
 Looking upon his corse, three thousand years 
 After he died, and seeing how he looked ? 
 Suppose you it e'er entered on his thought 
 The stars and stripes and Andrew's cross 
 
 would come 
 And have ambassadors where he had reigned? 
 E. C. — Those were thoughts royal e'en for 
 
 royalty. 
 Yet why be hidden, save through fear that we 
 North races might secure his royal dust 
 And "slop a chink to keep the cold away ?" 
 
 Mas. — We do not dream of thirty centuries 
 And nations yet unborn to rule the world 
 And have their navies mistresses of seas 
 When Uncle Sam and John l^ull are no more ; 
 Nor we assume they ever will decay, 
 St. Paul's be ruined, Windsor lie in heaps, 
 Bartholdi's "Liberty" a fallen bronze. 
 And all but rubbish where degenerate 
 Poor creatures creep and quavering ask back- 
 
 shesh. 
 E. C. — Yei England has some ruins that are 
 
 ruins. 
 A. C. — Excejn for mounds, totems, edge 
 
 tool and beads 
 Of a race so old as to be forgotten, 
 America is bright as a new pin. 
 Old man, your bald head and your yellowed 
 
 beard 
 Are gazed on by a race remote from you : 
 Your heavy chin calls you a tyrant, sir ; 
 'Tis due the Israelites to tell you so. 
 Now will you have me strangled ? Vour 
 
 strangling days 
 Are past. Poor man ! I wish him well. FTe has 
 A cross loud-painted on his breast — a cross — 
 See, on his breast — as talisman ; the sign 
 By which we hope to conquer death, and I 
 Would dread to think e'en he were burning 
 
 now. 
 I would all tyrants could gaze at him so, 
 His neck all shriveled to his vert«bra. 
 And his most royal body left exposed 
 To vulgar gaze of curious. 
 
 Mas. ' We all 
 
 May learn the futileness of war and pomp 
 From seeing the great kings at Westminster 
 Trodden upon, or these tombs, buildings 
 
 which 
 
ZAPHN ATH-PAANE AH . 
 
 Act I, Scene i 
 
 \Ver5 lifetime work, ritled of emperors 
 Aiul princesses, so they may naked lie 
 Before all Britians, all Americans ; 
 These dainty princesses who walked on hearts 
 Showing their charms promiscuous, milky 
 
 breasts 
 Shriveled to dry skins. Beauty, honor, fame, 
 These but perpetuate deformity, 
 While want, that slept in life, sleeps well in 
 
 death. 
 A. C— I would I could awaken from their 
 
 sleep 
 These more than seven sleepers in this cave, 
 And bid the old life on bef(»re my eyes. 
 
 Mas.— Karnac renewed ! Balbec restored 
 
 again ! 
 The sphynx the excavators have unearthed 
 From the deep sands of thirty centuries 
 Crowded about with votaries ! 
 
 A. C. Behold 
 
 The Israelites brick-making without straw 
 At this man's royal word, worn out of life 
 So he could build his grave-house! Moses' 
 
 work 
 Before the masters of the Black Art, when 
 The snaky rod of Aaron's stretched its mouth 
 For forty feet, as if to gulp the palace ! 
 
 E, C_I have a thought— We '11 wake old 
 
 Karnac up. 
 I have an actor friend, St. Clair by name — 
 You know him by repute, — but lately wed 
 To a tragedienna, Mile. Zayn, 
 A lovely star of the first magnitude. 
 They drink their honeymoon on old Olympus, 
 ?>esh from the hand of sunny Ganamede, 
 And in that gladatorial theatre. 
 The CoUesium, with their companies, 
 Dream for a holiday, or marvel o'er 
 The tragic tableaux of old Pompeii. 
 They also come to see our monoliths, 
 And spend some days afloat upon the Nile. 
 Seeking the romance Avon's bard enwreaths 
 Around the dusky Egypt's incense ship. 
 Here is my scheme (the khedive will approve): 
 We 'II fit out Karnac as a theatre, 
 And have the actors '*put upon the boards" 
 (To use a phrase) what once was acted there. 
 A. C— The idea shines. Have a Havana, 
 
 sir, 
 As a reward for brilliancy. Maspero, 
 If the incense of contemplation will 
 Offend not this god-king here, smoke with me. 
 "No smoking here" — an omnipresent sign. 
 I bet I Ml see that when I get to heaven. 
 Well, pocket snipes ; we '11 take them on the 
 
 wing. 
 Contains their repertoire a play like that? 
 E. C— There is an old play, and I 've seen 
 
 them play it. 
 Wherein there are some fairly pretty scenes. 
 Mas.— But does Scsostris figure in that play? 
 E. C— The play is called Zaphnath-Paa- 
 
 neah. 
 3\, C.— Was this Jack-pot-Pay-and-me-yon 
 
 a Russian, sire ? 
 
 The name's familiar, sure. 
 
 E. C. The story is 
 
 The Bible tale of Joseph, varied some. 
 
 Mas. — He was before Rameses li, he 
 Who now is gossipped of. 
 
 A. G. Near Cheops, eh ? 
 
 I haven't been to Sunday school for years. 
 
 Mas. — After Cheo[)s ; after 'I'crmisgitis, 
 That thrice-grand — Mason, and astrologer. 
 
 A. C. — That fellow Joseph brought his 
 brethren down 
 For this nian here to tyrannize, I think. 
 Thus getting even for their selling him. 
 Zounds ! it is fine to see that acted here. 
 As though the ages past had come to life 
 And Egypt's dead were walking Egypt's soil. 
 Imagine ill [Exeunt and curtain. 
 
 ACT I. 
 
 SCENE I.— Plain near Dothan. Enter Sim- 
 eon and Levi. 
 
 Kku. — But, Simeon, art thou sure 
 Of what thou sayest? 
 
 Sim. I tell thee. Reuben, 
 
 'Ihis stripling dreameth of pre-eminence. 
 And would thy birthright filch. 
 
 Rku. It must be so; 
 
 And were 1 sure, I'd teach him how to steal. 
 
 Sim. — ' Tis naught to me, fur have lhi»u the 
 birthright 
 Or have this Joseph it, I keep my place. 
 And yet, seeing thee robbed I have cried out. 
 Were I thee I would nip the treason now. 
 But till thou give the word we cannot move 
 To save, without like treason on our parts. 
 There is a way — [Enter Judah and brethren.] 
 Did either of you hear our brother's dream 
 About the sun, moon and eleven stars 
 Doing him honor of a potentate ? 
 Reuben doth doubt. 
 
 KhU. O Simeon, I do not. 
 
 Sim. — Well, Judah, of the dream. 
 
 JUD. He had two dreams ; 
 
 One was that we were each one binding sheaves 
 When all our bundles bowed unto his sheaf; 
 The other that the sun, moon and eleven stars 
 Did him obesiance. 
 
 Reu. a grievous fault. 
 
 And I am grieved to see my brother sin 
 And not be grieved. 
 
 Rku. What mean the dreams ? 
 
 JUD. — Canst thou not sec when it is plain 
 as day, 
 Or art thou like an owl? but if thou wast. 
 Seeing at night thou shouldst see in dark 
 
 sayings. 
 Our sheaves acknowledged this child for their 
 
 lord ; 
 And for the next dream, Israel is the sun, 
 The moon is Rachel, the ten stars are we, 
 The sons of Israel and Leah and 
 Of Rachel's handmaid (for so would this snip 
 
Act r, Scene i. 
 
 ZAPHNATH-PAANEAH. 
 
 5 
 
 Clad royally, push brothers from the nest. 
 As well as the nenr brood that fed with him) ; 
 The other star is Leah : she a star, 
 And Rachel as a moon by Israel. 
 
 Sim. — Now, Reuben, what think' st thou? 
 
 Rku. He ought to die. 
 
 I have been thinking what a handy thing 
 Our hand is : we can do all with hands ; 
 We bend them to the instrument we wish 
 And with a little change make many tools : 
 And twenty hands had ought to outgrip two. 
 Xot but I think he ought to die: but I, 
 Having advantage of nine loyal brothers. 
 As heir, next Israel, to rulership. should not 
 Judge heatedly ; it is not like a king. 
 So. ere I sentence pass, what do you think? 
 
 Le. — There's justice for you ! there's a king 
 indeed ! 
 I have in mind, how great a thing is mind — 
 If it is used. But since we'll try him fair, 
 He ought to die, because we think he ouiht 
 
 Gad. — If one unmarried, and a servant's 
 son 
 Not yet arrived at manhood and at wisdom, 
 May speak herein, I 'd say he ought to die. 
 
 Rf.u. — Let all speak freely. 
 
 Ask. I would deserve death, 
 
 If I. being youngest, plotted to be highest, 
 As Joseph doih. 
 
 Dan a young man like mself. 
 
 And Naohtali. being sons of Rachel's maid. 
 Should hardly speak before our elder brothers. 
 Save to drive '^ff the wolf of natural fear 
 From the true lamp of our genile thoughts 
 Toward you ; for we are Joseph's brethren 
 After kin only and not after spirit. 
 At Bethel, as Gad and Ashur know, 
 And Zebidun, we all rebuked his dreams. 
 And like a girl the lad told father of it. 
 
 Rku. — This knowledge of your loyalty doth 
 cheer. 
 
 Jui\ — As thou wouldst try him. let us see 
 his aim, 
 .And not be talking what we think of him. 
 Abram had two sons, and the youngest one, 
 Isaac, inherited the first-born's Vight; 
 Isaac had two sons — Jacob, youngest-born, 
 J'eigning the hairy Esau, took hisright ; 
 Now, Joseph, youngest-born, ol homage dreams 
 .\nd wears the royal coat of many colors. 
 
 Rku.— Kings make that death : if one put 
 on a coat 
 The king hath worn, 'tis death ; if one should 
 
 dream 
 He were the king, though he did sleep, he dies. 
 J)ifl judgment not hang on mv hr-ad as eldest, 
 I 'd have his Idood : but no, I must be calm. 
 
 Sim.— Whv all this talk io hide apparent 
 crime? 
 'rhe case is clear, the punishment is death. 
 Kings must have order, or their kingdoms fall, 
 Families their precedence and rules, or fail, 
 And by all law and usage he should die, 
 Because he doth reliel at precedence, 
 And strikes at order, which is mutual safety. 
 
 Our safety makes demand that he should die. 
 Reu. — Thou sayest well : he ought to die. 
 Sim. — And having Reuben's word, that is 
 our right ; 
 He that first sees the lad, if he is loyal. 
 Let him destroy one traitor. 
 
 [Exit. Gad, Ash,, Iss., Naph. and Zeb.] 
 Where go they ? 
 1")an — That dreamer cometh. 
 Sim. Where? 
 
 Dan — There, on the rise of yon declevity. 
 [Exit. Sim., Levi, Judah.] 
 Stay, Reubel. 
 
 Rku — Bring here the lad, alive. What 
 
 wilt thou. Dan ? 
 Dan — O Reuben, but remember Cain and 
 Abel. 
 Joseph thy brother is. Wouldst stain thy soul 
 With crime to foul, the smell would fill the 
 
 heaven. 
 And turn God's face from thee, till, void of 
 
 light, 
 Thon creep in shame and misery to hell. 
 While bloody demons calk above thy head ? 
 Rku. — So find I ib.ee ! thou art a traitor,too. 
 Dan — O Reuben, leave their counsels ere 
 too late ; 
 Oniit the sin which cannot be undone. 
 
 Rku. — 1 do not bin ; 'tis thou and Joseph 
 
 sin. 
 Dan — Is Simeon not next thee, Levi, third? 
 And thou being dead, who then would have 
 
 thebirthriglu? 
 Levi and Simeon are bloody men ; 
 .Already is your sister widowed by them ; 
 .And if thou give consent for Joseph's death. 
 Then they may slay thee, saying thou didst 
 
 teach them 
 To slay for birthright's sake. 
 
 KeV. I thought not ; it is true. 
 
 Not one hair of the lad shall fall, my brother, 
 And for those plotters — 
 
 Dain No word of this. I Ml to the sheep. 
 Exit. Dan. Re-enter Sim.,Levi, Judah and Gad 
 with Joseph, cuffing him and slipping him 
 of his coat.] 
 
 Rku. — And ye unmarried children, to the 
 sheep. [Waving others back. 
 
 Lkvi— Go, bring our sheaves, that they may 
 prostrate fall, 
 Doing him honors of a potentate. 
 
 SiM.— .And let the sun and stars come out 
 of heaven 
 To do obesiance to our little king. 
 Jos. — I don't know what you mt ^n,to treat 
 me so. 
 And snap upon my coming hke as wolves. 
 SlM. — Brat! call us wolves? [Striking him. 
 Jos.— I called you not wolves, but ye act as 
 wolves. 
 To pounce upon me so. What have I done ? 
 I brought you victual, and at Shechem was 
 Directed here, and hitherward I came, 
 And for my vtctual you requite me so. 
 
ZAPIINATfl-PAANEAH. 
 
 Act I, Scene i 
 
 Sim. — Thou wouklst we'd give thee man- 
 ners due a king. 
 Jos. — I would you 'd give me manners due 
 a brother. 
 Brothers are from one fount, and rise equally. 
 Sim. — They do? Hear, Reul)en. 
 
 [Draws a dagger.] 
 Reu. Stop. Simeon 1 
 
 We '11 have no crime. Stop, plotter, stay ! 
 Help, Judah ! Gad! 
 
 JUD. Obey ! back, I say .' 
 
 Now, Reuben, take the child and do thy will. 
 
 [Exit, Reuben, with Joseph. Levi follows] 
 Brothers, you had forgot Reuben is eldest. 
 Sim.— The changeling! Joseph's more fit 
 to rule. 
 Thou liar lion-heart, but true lamb's-heart, 
 What hast thou gained ? The evil ihou invitest. 
 And is writ in thy hands, o'ertake thee now. 
 jUD. — And were my hands all checkered 
 v^'ith bad lines, 
 With heart and head I 'd win my way, nor fear; 
 For hands are not all, but the hear) is much 
 Toward making one a man ; and by this sign 
 Thou art no man, and dare not face a man, 
 But only stab a child, or slay a man 
 Helpless from wounds. 
 
 Sim. He is not half a man 
 
 Who '11 not defend a sister. 
 
 JUD. Against her husband, 
 
 Who hath already borne a wound for her. 
 Gad- For shame, be still. Von caravan 
 will hear you. 
 Come, bottle wrath, nor give it to the winds. 
 
 jUD.— If we could sell the lad to distant land, 
 W^ere that not better than to take his life ? 
 [Enter Haran and caravan.] 
 jj^R.— Shepherdsof many flocks and riches 
 great, 
 Ve favored offspring, of the heavens beloved, 
 Haran, an Ishmael dog, would give ye greeting. 
 Sim. — Though we arc weak, the weak can 
 also bow, 
 And we would praise thee, lord of camels, he 
 Whose acres are th' extent of the whole earth, 
 And whose tent-bow is bent by God in heaven, 
 And pray you to so honor ua, your slaves. 
 As to partake with us our frugal meal. 
 
 Har.— The dogs may not eat at the mas- 
 ter's table ; 
 Yet would we gather crumbs from 'neath your 
 
 feet, 
 But that time bids us hurry. Need ye aught 
 That we can give you ? have ye aught to sell ? 
 [Re-enter Levi and Dan with Jos.] 
 Sim.— We lack not aught. But if it please 
 thee, we 
 Have an aunt's son.child of a man who wrong'd 
 Thy father Ishmael, the son of Isaac, 
 Whom we would give thee, thus enabling tbee 
 To sip revenge and sell thy enemy. 
 
 1{ak. — Revenge is sweet ; but how much is 
 his price? 
 
 Sim. — He should bring eighty silver pieces. 
 Har. — My lord would not ask that much 
 for that lad ; 
 For twenty silver pieces are too much. 
 
 JUD. (aside) Thou would'st not sell him 
 
 without Reuben's sanction ? 
 Sim. (aside) O Reuben is a lamb led of all 
 crooks, 
 And if we call him, he '11 hold court ag ain, 
 Make a decision and then rail at it ; 
 While, if he sees him sold and gets the silver, 
 He will be richer, and be rid a foe. 
 Brother, forgive me ; it were kindness to. 
 JUD. (aside) Well— so thou get two pieces 
 for each one. 
 And four for Reuben. 
 
 Har. I '11 give thee twenty pieces; sweet 
 
 is revenge. 
 Sim. — The eldest-born should have a dou- 
 ble portion. 
 Which would make twenty-two. 
 
 fiAR. I will not give it. 
 
 Le\'I (aside) The younger children, not of 
 age to claim 
 Their portion, will remit part, giving Reuben 
 His doulile share, if he should call for it ; 
 And why shouldst thou have larger care for 
 him ? 
 Jui) (aside) I am content. 
 Sim. Then take the lad for twenty. 
 
 Har.— [Holding his thumbs up. 
 
 [Ishmaililes sieze Jos. and bear him away.] 
 Jo^. — O brf)thers. to do this I I came to you 
 Bearing you victual, nor have thought you ill, 
 And thus you would requite me. Ostriches 
 Desert their eggs, and deserts all unkind 
 That starve the caravan and bleach the bones 
 Do mother them, but there is nothing like 
 This in the world, where creatures sell their 
 
 flesh 
 To slaveiy. The lion walks too proud to slay 
 Except as needful. Have a crocodile's heart, 
 For though it must slay, yet it sheds a tear 
 Because it must ; but ye, who are not forced, 
 Stand here dry-eyed. 
 
 Hak. [Paying money] He is a shrewish brat. 
 Jos. — Sirs, we are brethren ; they have sold 
 their llesh 
 For money. 'I'here is the cake my mother 
 
 baked. 
 And I did bring it, and they sell their brother. 
 Sim.— O ihou a brother! art thou not a king? 
 fos. — And were I, I 'd have mercy. I 'd 
 not sell 
 You into slavery, were I a king. 
 O Reuben ! Reuben ! Reuben ! 
 
 Har. Slave, be still. 
 
 Peace be upf>n you, brethren , health and honor. 
 And may the sun or moon ne'er blind your 
 
 eyes 
 To many blessings. 
 
 Le\ . May you have revenge. 
 
 And God deliver enemies to you 
 Always, as thus he hath this lad. Farewell. 
 
Act I, Scene 2. 
 
 ZAniNATH-PAANEAIJ 
 
 Har.— Farewell. [Exit caravan with Jos. 
 
 Jos. (outside) Keuben ! Reuben ! 
 
 Lkvi We must kill a kid, 
 
 Dabble this coat with blood, and bear it home, 
 That father may believe a beast hath slain 
 him. [Exeunt. 
 
 come back, Joseph, come 
 
 SCENE 2.— By Jacob's well. Israel, wives 
 and children under a tree. Enter various 
 of Israel's sons. 
 IsR.— Children, for toil well 
 and rest : 
 And may you by good toil aye merit rest: 
 The flocks do well ; r.od siill doth prosper me. 
 My children, where is Joseph? 
 
 Sim. Is he not here ? 
 
 ISR. — He left us now a fortnight since, to 
 bear 
 Our greeting to you. and a mess of things 
 Rachel his mother had prepared for you. 
 Did he not find you ? I mistrust the chiUl 
 Is lost. 
 
 SiM. — Our father, on the way we found this 
 coat. 
 And thought it might be Joseph's, so we bro't 
 It here, knowing that ihou couldst tell. 
 
 Rach. — My son's coat. — A beast's work — 
 
 he 's dead. 
 BlLHAH — We trust not : calm thyself. 
 IsR. I '11 send 
 
 A party for him who shall find the lad. 
 
 Rach — Ah. who by searching can find out 
 
 the dead ? 
 IsR.— But if he be not dead. O dearest wife. 
 My fair, my beautiful, we must bear up. 
 Such trials come to all ; and God is good : 
 He has been good to us. i^ear up. my dear, 
 For his sake who shall be, the comforter 
 (iod sendeth as an angel from the throne 
 With heart's-ease for our broken, wounded 
 
 hearts : 
 Perhaps the Ishia long expected, who 
 Shall comfort all ; and we are humbled so, 
 Lest the great honor should enlarge us much. 
 Rach. — So comes the end. Is it for this. 
 O God, 
 We plan upon the future, bear our sons. 
 And set our store by them, to see th^in fa'l, 
 Smitten by lower creatures of th» iMiild "' 
 How vain our life is ! — candle that oIdw s out 
 At any little gust. All our empty joy? 
 Are morning flowers, purple hued and rose. 
 That fade away before the noon has come, 
 And never bloom again, never again, never 
 
 again ; 
 Bubbles that break as we cry out for ioy : 
 Smoke vanishing. O dear my son, my son 1 
 ISK. — Rachel, dear Rachel, don't. 
 Rach. I must, I n.ust. 
 
 Thou canst not.husband, damn the tide of tears 
 With argument, nor with thy leaden words, 
 Beating the bruised spirit, sound the depths 
 Of mother-love — thou canst not understand. 
 
 Joseph, come back 
 
 back ! 
 Thou wilt not come to-morrow or next week ; 
 We may not look for thee in seven months. 
 No, for a year, no, for a hundred years. 
 Where art thou, Toseph? art thou on the plain 
 Bleaching upon the desert, rent and toin'/ 
 My poor boy, when I only have but one. 
 With only these lips, red like thine, to speak, 
 "Farewell, my mother !" O ihou eloquent I 
 Red lips [kissing coat], red lips, red lips, I 
 kiss you. 
 one sit here Speak, son, in kisses. Hast thou forgotten love 
 And been dead but a week ? 
 
 BiL. Come, mistress, rest. 
 
 Rach,— I go to rest, for when I die I'll rest. 
 Dinah — Come, mother, cheer thyself; Jo- 
 seph yet lives. 
 Rach.— Who says he lives? 
 Din. Not who, but something whispers, 
 Dinah, bereaved Dinah, they who slew 
 Thy honorable husband, Shechem, liave a plot, 
 And Joseph lives. 
 
 Lear Thou shameless strumpet I 
 
 To slander so the men who saved thy honor. 
 Joseph is dead. God's judgment 'tis on her. 
 [Exit Leah, angrily. 
 Din. — ITe may be dead, but O bereaved one, 
 Sometliing still whispers to the heart of Dinah, 
 Joseph still lives. It hath the voice of Shechem. 
 IsR. — Peace ! 'tis no time for fancies so dis- 
 traught. 
 Rach. — They drive the sad away. Come, 
 Dinah, come. 
 Let us seek out a place, and weep, and weep. 
 O it is such a fatal thing to love. [Exit the two. 
 ISR. — Now, must my grey hairs go in sor- 
 row down 
 To death, because of thee, my lovely boy, 
 My son, my son. because thou art no more. 
 Why did I let him go ? Why did the earth 
 Not open up her jaws and gulp me down 
 Befoic I ?-dw the day that thou didst die? 
 Why roa?- the heavens not in anguish now, 
 Shedding their lightnings to beat on my breast, 
 As thus I do. to let my poor heart out. 
 Instead of being one great placid blue? 
 Why do the old live and the young depart, 
 The ancients live in anguish, and the young 
 Pass ere the dews of morning cease to shine 
 Into the blackness of eternal night ? 
 Why, why. why ? O why, why, why, why ? 
 JUD. — Come, father, father. 
 ISR. Be still, and let me roar. 
 
 O that I e'er was born ! would I were dead I 
 Life hath been furrowed with deep woes for me, 
 And O that I have evpr breeded life. 
 The terrible, the terrible, that ends in death. 
 I'k sed the eunuch, blessed is the maid. 
 Blessed the child that dies in infancy. 
 And doubly blessed not to be at all. 
 Rachel, what sorrows I have brought to thee ! 
 Better for thee had I ne'er seen thy face. 
 But go — go quickly. 
 JUD. Where ? 
 
8 
 
 ZAPHNATH-PAANEAH. 
 
 Act I, Scene 3 
 
 ISR. To hunt the lad. 
 
 Ye who are married, stay; comfort your wives 
 While ye can, for there comes a time 
 When comfort dies. Go, Dan, and search. 
 
 [Exeunt. 
 
 SCENE 3. — General market at Thebes. Pass- 
 ing throngs. Among the slaves on sale, Jo- 
 seph. Polaphar, Zeleika, Haran. 
 
 Pot. (pointing to an ugly negro) I think 
 that is the one we want : is n't it, wife ? 
 
 Zel. — O yes, indeed. He will be such an 
 ornament in the court : let him go naked, and 
 he will shine like clay veneer, terra cotta, ebo- 
 ny wood, or black marble from the sources of 
 the Nile: a piece of furniture that visitors will 
 admire so much they will chip of!" pieces for 
 keepsakes. 
 
 Pot. — He will not do : he might be knocked 
 to atoms by relic hunters, and friends desirous 
 of mementos of our taste, and callers wishing 
 to get a piece to match with for the purchase 
 of a counterpart. But how is this one here ? 
 
 Zkl. — That venerable pile? I am certain he 
 is prehistoric; and how much he could re- 
 member, if his memory is good ! Perhaps he 
 was one of the angels that the women- fell in 
 love with, of old. A look at him would be an 
 appetiser for a feast; or if he do accompany a 
 visitor to the door, the beauty of his counte- 
 nance will be an invitation that cannot be re- 
 sisted, but will make occasional callers fast 
 friends. His smile has welcome written on it 
 a cubit long. 
 
 Pot. — Welcome for food, thou meanest. 
 
 Zel. — All other mouth-welcome is but 
 tongue-deep. 
 
 Pot. — Has n't that Abysinian a magnificent 
 form? By the divine Osiiis. she is beautiful. 
 
 Zel. — Well, my master Potaphar, I will 
 trudge on home, and leave thee to thy Aby- 
 sinian. A slave, and such a slave ! 
 
 Pot. — " My master Potaphar." O what a 
 tf rm I You women are remarkable creatures. 
 Now, the hosts of Pharaoh move at my com- 
 mand, and yet at a twist of the finger thou 
 dost drive and compel me. as though I were a 
 slave indeed : commander of the commander 
 art thou, and yet thou dost "lord" and "mas- 
 ter" me: that's good. We free men go and 
 pick women to rule us, propose that we capit- 
 ulate, and so pass into endless servitude. How 
 many conquerors are conquered by women ! 
 How do you do it, Hi tie one? 
 
 Zkl. — Great slaves ye are. I pity men, my 
 lord, 
 Who must be fondled, coddled ever, or 
 They raise a breeze that drives us to shipwreck. 
 And who when fondled cry out they arc slaves. 
 Men are exacting. Man's desire is flesh — 
 Cooked flesh for eating, soft flesh for his sport; 
 For these he rages; woman giving these. 
 Tames him, and so may live : and that is all. 
 
 Pot. — And yet I serve thee, and buy thee 
 slaves to serve thee, and am no servant. O 
 wife, and art thou angry ? Thou hast so rough 
 a time. Come, what reward wilt thou givt v^e. 
 for the slave I mean to buy thee ? nothin.^ ,,.1 
 an£;er? 
 
 Zkl. — O what reward ? something most ? a- 
 cellent. 
 
 Pot.— What is it, wife ? 
 
 Zkl. — I will not tell thee now ; some other 
 time ; to-night, we '11 say. As soon as we 
 shall come to our chamber thou wil'. remind 
 me of thy wages. 
 
 Pot. — Thou naughty Greek ! 
 
 Zkl.— By Juno, no. 
 If thou couldst see the Eleusinian games 
 (And O thou oughest see Athenians strive), 
 Thou'd not say that. Thou naughty, naughty 
 
 man, 
 We women but lie 'neath your naughtiness. 
 There is a bright youth 1 is he not, indeed? 
 Buy him, my dear. [Indicating Joseph. 
 
 Pot. I think this one is better. 
 
 Zel. — No, I want him. 
 
 Pot. So thou hast found a lover. 
 
 Zel.— Out of revenge for thy Abysinian. 
 
 Pot.™ Is he much handsomer than I? 
 
 Zel.— Ever so much. Hurry, dear, bid. 
 
 PoT-"-What asketh thou for this fellow? 
 
 IIar. — Osirus, Ra, and all gods bless thee, 
 sir. 
 
 Pot. — Thanks, merchant. But what is this 
 slave's price? 
 
 Har. — The market 's full, my lord. 
 
 Pot. Quite full. What is his price ? 
 
 Hak. — It seems the many-mouthed Nile 
 with them r^ll doih bless 
 Egypt this season, good my lord. 
 
 Pot. Why. so it doth. 
 
 J see tnou hast a slave : what is his price ? 
 
 Har. — He is a youth tliat, though so yi>ung, 
 is skilled 
 In all the games, his muscles trained with clubs 
 And wrestling; and his mind is raised above 
 Vulgar, though he a slave is, by the knowledge 
 Of mathematics and philosphy : 
 For he is war's chance, not a slave by birth ; 
 Of Greece, my lord, yet knowing Hebrew, too, 
 And worthy of a lord so high as thou. 
 A hundred silver pieces is low price for him. 
 
 Pot. — A nice tale ihat. 
 
 Zkl. O splendid .' is n't it ? 
 
 Hak. — Madam, he is 
 A prize for thee: discreet, a perfect man, 
 Bright,mobile face: the gods have favored him. 
 
 Pol. — \ nice tale that : thou hast thy story 
 well. 
 
 Har — My lord, would I lie for a slave'? 
 Farewell. 
 
 ZiiL. — Now, Potaphar I 
 
 I'ur. I meant not thou didst lie, 
 
 (Though well enough I know that thou didst 
 
 lie) [aside. 
 
 liut Ihow hast fixed thy price above the clouds. 
 
 The which I cannot scale. 
 
Act II, Scene i. 
 
 ZAPHNATH PAANEAH. 
 
 Har. Farewell, my lord. 
 
 Zbl. — O get him me. 1 want bim, husband 
 dear. 
 I '11 never speak to thee unless thou dost. 
 Pot. — That fellow's price is heavier than 
 
 my purse. 
 Har.— Oh, ho, my lord ! a paltiy sum like 
 that 
 Heavier than the purse of my good lord, 
 With Pharaoh and all the land to back it t 
 That is a splendid joke, indeed, my lord. 
 Pot. — No joke, forsooth. I cannot stand 
 
 the price. 
 Har. — What wilt thou give ? 
 Pot. Why, seventy 's enough. 
 
 Har. — Ninety, I say. 
 Pot. Eighty, then. 
 
 Har. So be it ; 
 
 An angry fate decrees I shall be poor. 
 Do my lord or his lady wish aught else? 
 Pot. — We have enough— more than we want, 
 
 I think. 
 Har. — Indeed ye have enough for what ye 
 
 gave. 
 Pot. — Bring him and his indentures to my 
 house — 
 Inquire for Potaphar, — and get thy pay. 
 And now, Zeleika — 
 
 Zel. Thou darling boy ! 
 
 I '11 kiss thee eighty times ior doing this, 
 When we get home. Now, merchant. 
 Hast thou these talked-of glasses that reveal 
 The very thing that one desires to see ? 
 Hast thou the trees that sing? the talking birds? 
 The maiden zone that keeps one always young? 
 Thou see'st so much that thou should have 
 these. 
 Har. — Here are perfumes from Ceylon, and 
 new fruits, 
 And here a magic ointment — 
 
 Zel. Wool fat, sir. 
 
 Cosmetics I use not, nor aught such stuff. 
 Pot. — The merchant must mistake ; this 
 mirror shows 
 The very thing most women want to see ; 
 Look, wife. 
 
 Zel. Poh ! O see those fabrics yonder. 
 
 [Exit, followed,by Pot.; and curtain. 
 
 ACT II. 
 
 SCENE I.— Interior of El Kamac, on fete 
 occasion. Zeleika, Asenath and Joseph in 
 box in foreground. Joseph seats them, and 
 conducts himself as a slave. 
 Zel. — Cousin Asenath.thou art learned in all 
 
 The rituals and mysteries : instruct 
 
 A Grecian. 
 ASRN. All I know I '11 tell. 
 
 If father were here ! he doth know so much. 
 
 There 's much that I have learned from him, 
 while pUying 
 
 When he was at his rolls and instruments ; 
 For I heard much he did not think I heard. 
 He is so wise. He' is a holy man : 
 Never his beard or eyebrows grow. I went 
 With him once to the field, and learned a song; 
 The fellah plowing — O a big man — sung ; 
 It goes thus: 
 
 '* Thresh for yourselves. 
 Thresh for yourselves, 
 O Oxen." 
 And I forget the rest. 
 
 Zel. Why, chatterer, 
 
 Thou talkest like a child : where is thy doll ? 
 ASKN. — O 1 'm a sorry age ; not child or 
 woman. 
 They 've taken dolls away, and I have left 
 Nothing but to watch ; and so I learn. 
 I 'd like to be a woman. 
 
 Zkl. Wouldst thou wed ? 
 
 AsKN. — Oh, of course. 
 Zel. What for a man wouldst thou like ? 
 Asen. — I don't like men— save father; he 
 
 is good. 
 Zel, — Dost thou not like this man who waits 
 
 on us ? [Indicating Joseph. 
 
 Asen, — O, he 's a boy 1 he 's good to fan us 
 so. 
 Cousin, dost thou like him ? O ho ! O ho ! 
 
 ZKX.-Thou rogue! open thy mouth in a crowd 
 .\nd someone will gel ttiy tongue ; beware! 
 lie is a prudent lad. 
 Asen. Prudent ? what do n't he tell ? 
 
 Zkl. — I mean he is a likely one. 
 Asen. Like to do what ? 
 
 Z»«L. — Like to like bad girls. Ask him if 
 
 'tis so. 
 Asen. — Not I. 
 Zef. Why, girl? 
 
 AsKN. — Only bad girls would ask that. 
 Zel. — If words are checkers, then thou 
 
 playest well. 
 Asen.— If speech is batting, thou hast 
 
 knocked thy fall. 
 Zel. — And so we keep the ball on. Asenath, 
 Riddle the likeness 'twixt a medicine-eel 
 And that head gear. 
 Asen. Why, they are both to sea (sec.) 
 
 Zel. — Wrong. They are both shocking. 
 I would Potaphar heard this ; it's a good one- 
 What 's the resemblance twixt a cat and bread? 
 Asen. — They both were made to eat, 
 Zel. No, there's "b" in both, 
 
 AshN. — I do not see the point. 
 Zjsl. Dost thou expect to? 
 
 The point of jokes is like a razor's edge, 
 And breaks and wires entering dull heads. 
 AsKN. — Or coming through thick tongue. 
 Let 's cease girl's talk, 
 And criticise folks, as the women do. 
 O ho ! the rites begin. The great lord of the 
 
 earth 
 Comes in procession. 
 
 [Enter, Pharaoh, borne under purple canoply, 
 and attended by fan bearers and other ser> 
 vants ; trumpeters and band at van, followed 
 
ZAPHNATH PAANEAH. 
 
 Act II, Scene 2 
 
 by officers bearing Pharaoh's armor and in- 
 signia of office, these preceding Pharaoh ; 
 beliind him, 20 priests bearing censers and 
 images of the gods ; behind them, Apis, at- 
 tended by nurses ; and army. 
 
 Uoth he not seem a god. 
 Lent from the heavens for our guidiance? 
 Yonder is father. [Trovvs him a kiss. 
 
 That image is the mighty Ptah, the god 
 Who rules the sun, and gives us heat and life; 
 Lord of the truth, the ruler of the sky. 
 King of both worlds, weaver of the beginning, 
 Producer of the egg that hatched the sun 
 And moon, the double god: hence, for his head 
 The beetle, that is double, and brings forth 
 Of self alone. 
 
 See, there is Ra,— four Ras : 
 The little child upon a lotus leaf. 
 For so he wanes in winter; then, a youth ; 
 A bearded man then ; then an aged one. 
 " The old man doth again become a child." 
 ' Jos. — Lady, might I ask what he rules ? 
 
 ASKV. The year. 
 
 He 's red as fire, and bears a winged sun. ■ 
 Around the world he daily makes his way. 
 At night rowed by great spirits, to the east, 
 Through waters of the underworld. 
 
 There Osiris is. 
 And Isis, royal spouse. They both are green, 
 For they are parents of all plants and trees. 
 Father and mother of all fruits : behold 
 The laden tioat of Isis. 
 
 Jos. Lady, pardon a slave, 
 
 But why those mourners ? 
 
 AsE.N. They weep Osiris' death. 
 
 Set slew him. Far, beneath the sacred sands. 
 There, under tamarasks consigned, reposes 
 Osiris. Now ruleth he the underworld. 
 Upon the setting sun men's souls are bornei 
 Thither, while still their bodies at the ferrying 
 Are wailed upon. Osirus sits on throne 
 Upborne by lotus blossoms growing from 
 The stream of life : before him come the dead. 
 Whose heart is laid upon the scale and weighed 
 With ostrich feather on the beam for weight. 
 And if the soul have not committed one 
 Of the forty-two sins, the scale uptilts aright, 
 HathorandNut pour water of lite on him. 
 And to immortal dwelling passeth he. 
 
 . Zkl. — Is that not sublime? but little one, 
 How canst thou know so much ? I will forget. 
 ■■ AsEN.— I '11 bring thee book-;. 
 
 Zhl.-- Bring Joseph them. 
 
 And he can read and teach me : I hate stiidy. 
 AsE.\. — Next Horus comes ; Osiris shall re- 
 vive : 
 Horus; his son, who rides in sun-boat shall 
 Avenge his death, destroy the works of Set, 
 The mildew, serpent and the crocodile. 
 And in the spring Osiris shall revive. 
 The rites begin. [Low chant, and dancing. 
 There Hathor, Horus wife, is. 
 Who rules the dance and revel and maternity 
 And myteries of love: so many forms 
 
 She wears : and she is fettered. I know not 
 much of her. 
 But there is Apis that they consecrate. 
 The black bull Mnervis. See his massive flanks. 
 Is he not strongs and of a pretty black? 
 Ptah's beetle is beneath his tongue. But there ! 
 I '11 say no more. ..." Apis is found." For 
 
 forty days 
 Thedeath-of Apis hath been mourned,andnow 
 The new one that hath fed those forty days 
 In Nelopolis meadows is led here 
 To be anointed, and then borne away 
 To Memphis, to the temple of great Ptah. 
 They burn incense before him. 
 Priests (chanting) — 
 Ptah, the begetter. 
 We bring thy bull before thee. 
 Thou that makest thyself to be a god, 
 
 hear us. 
 And as thoti hast made Apis, even so 
 
 make Egypt fruitful. 
 Mnervis, child of Ra, be victorious. 
 AsKN. — Ah, there is cousin Potaphar. 
 
 PoTi-PiiK. [Addressing people from pulpit. 
 Love truth, ye people, and revere your ruler, 
 Who hath the care of you, and hateth lies. 
 An ostrich feather will outweigh the soul 
 Of hypocrite or liar or a drunkard. 
 Or babbler, or him guilty of another sin. 
 Be strong as Apis is, to do the right. 
 And as the Ibis that destroyeth serpents, 
 Do ye undo the evils Satan wrought 
 By laboring virtuously and meddling not. 
 Sons, daughters, when the ostrich sees the sun 
 He hides his head : do ye look on the sun, 
 [Indicating Pharaoh. 
 And worship as this great god prays for you. 
 [All kneel, as Pharaoh burns incense succes- 
 sively before eaeh image and Apis. Sub- 
 dued music during rite. Curtain. 
 
 SCENE II.— Room in Potaphar's houses- 
 mummy in case, leant against the wall, and 
 other appropriate furnishing. Potaphar. in 
 white apron, and uniform of soldiers of the 
 upper Nile ; and Zeleika. 
 Pot. — Kiss me, wife. 
 Zkl. No, sir I 
 
 I will not till thou buy that (rock I want. 
 Pot. — Hermes instructs me that a wife who 
 sells 
 Her kisses to her husban<i will, no doubt. 
 Give them to others ; that 't is best"to take 
 What is our right, nor humor woman's whims. 
 Zel. — Then Hermes is a fool. You men all 
 hol'd 
 The purse-strings till we have to beg for life, 
 Or else abstract the coins by stealth, ta buy 
 What things we need and are en titled to ;• r 
 Or if not by these method.*:, then must sejl i 
 The favors we can give, as if a bawd>,/ 
 
Act II, Scene 2 
 
 ZAPHNATH PAANEAH. 
 
 Bargaining with our husbands for the means 
 Our lives demand, by selling our embraces. 
 Give us our dues, end you may have your fill 
 Without a term, sir lord. 
 
 Pot. Poor girl ! poor Greek ! 
 
 How thou art tyrannized, thou pretty doll ! 
 
 Zel. — Hand me that fan. I 'm tired of thy 
 ways. 
 
 Pot. — My poor wife — 
 
 Zel. Do n't call me poor. If anything 
 
 Rouses my ire, it is sympathy. 
 Don't pity rne. 
 
 * Pot. I merely wished to ask 
 
 How our new slave is doing — he I bought 
 For eighty silver pieces at thy word, 
 And was pledged eighty kisses from thy lips : 
 But thy lips have denied me what I bought. 
 
 Zel. — Joseph? O sweet, he is too nice a man; 
 Just splendid, husband. Our guests admire 
 
 him. 
 Marvel about him, treat him as a lord 
 (As thou dost know he is), and say tome— 
 
 Pot,— Bah ! they will spoil him. Art thou 
 not aware 
 A good slave makes a miserable master? 
 And if thou humor him, he will be spoiled. 
 Zkl.— Shoo ! thou art a rough man, used to 
 command. 
 And knowest only criminals and soldiers, 
 Camels and hounds that must be lorded o'er; 
 But honors wear as light on Joseph, dear. 
 As were he lord indeed : in everything 
 He is exact, awnre of his true place. 
 And ne'er usurping by a word or look. 
 None but a master could so serve a man. 
 
 Pot.— More praise than thon hast given me 
 
 for years. 
 Zel. — You men want praises regular as 
 meals. 
 Yet will not let us give their dues to others. 
 Lest praise of them impoverish you. I'm mad. 
 Pot.— Forgive me, dear; I only spake in 
 
 jest. 
 Zel.— I hate to be trifled with. 
 T'ot. I '11 not more ofTend. 
 
 Joseph I know is worthy, the best man 
 I ever had, and versed in sciences. 
 
 Zel. — Tax him to bear more of thy cares 
 
 for thee. 
 Pot.— What cares, thou silly woman ? Why, 
 already, 
 He is the overseer of our slaves. 
 Zkl.— Make him W keep accounts, thy 
 hardest work. 
 He is a man most fittt ■ ^or the house. 
 
 Pot. — O thou woul. make a mess of it, 
 thou goose. 
 Why, little woman, art •'- >u bright to-day ? 
 Zkl. — Yea, very bright. 
 Pot. a woman cannot plan. 
 
 Zkl — I '11 warrant thee. Just try my word 
 a month. 
 Thou sayest we'd run counter in our plans, 
 And now I want to prove this plan of mine, 
 
 Pot. — Ah, what a mess you folks would 
 
 make of it ! 
 Zel. — Ah. what a mess you men have made 
 
 made of it! 
 Pot. — Dost thou think thou canst manage 
 
 like a man ? 
 Zel. — No, I hope not ; 1 'd manage so much 
 
 better. 
 Pot. — And thou a woman merely ? 
 Zel. I can prove it. 
 
 Pot. — Thou mean, mean girl, thou 'It have 
 
 thy way, it seems. 
 Zel. — Thou mean, mean boy, of course I '11 
 
 have my way. 
 Pot. — Goose, it would ruin me. 
 Zkl. Try it, thou bear, 
 
 Try it and see ; 't is easier on thee. 
 
 Pot. — Humor a child or woman and thou'lt 
 
 spoil them. 
 ZitL. — Thou 'rt in bad humor, and it runs, 
 
 to-day. 
 Pot.— I cannot risk it. 
 Zel. O thou cannot now ! 
 
 I prison thy denials in thy throat 
 With hands and kisses. Now wilt thou accede? 
 Pot. — No, it would be — 
 ZitL. Then lie in prison yet. 
 
 There 's twenty kisses more. Dost thou yield 
 now? 
 Pot. — Yield while thou kissest me ? No, 
 I '11 deny, 
 To gain the favor of thy kisses still. 
 
 Zkl.— Then thou art free : but wilt thou 
 
 grant me now ? 
 Pot.— Not till thou payest me the eighty 
 
 kisses. 
 ZftL.— If I do that? 
 
 Pot. Why, then I '11 make the trial. 
 
 Zkl. — O thou dear husband, thou art good 
 to me, 
 Far better than I merit. I do wish 
 That I was better, husband, for thy sake, 
 For I am such a fickle, silly piece, 
 'lormenting thee and giving thee no joy. 
 
 Pot. — Dear,thou art just the very wife I want 
 And I would not exchange thee for the world. 
 Zel.— But I deny thee kisses that are thine, 
 When thou dost give me everything I want. 
 Poi. — What, goosey! crying ? thou art like 
 the nut 
 Hid in a prickly burr, but good at heart. 
 And no one knoweth it so well as I. 
 We men do prize things as we pay for them ; 
 Kisses we coax from maidens seem so sweet. 
 But wires who give them when unasked, altho' 
 The kisses are as sweet, are not esteemed. 
 Since not so rare as to be luxury. 
 Now, child, do not so chide thyself with this. 
 Zel. — But O I'm not so good as I should be. 
 Pot. — Child, no one i.s. I love thee, little 
 
 one. 
 Zel. — Thou lovest me so well,poor Potaphar, 
 I fear I cannot love thee well enough. 
 
 Pot. — Didst thou not love me, I know thou 
 wouldst not 
 
ZAPHNATH PAANEAH. 
 
 Act II. Scene 
 
 Fear thou dost fail of lovinj; me enough. 
 
 Zel. — O trusting boy, thou art too good for 
 me. 
 Believe me, Potaphar. I love thee well: 
 And yet I wish that I did love thee more, 
 Thou art so noble and so kind to me. 
 
 Pot. — Nay,not so^ood a<; I would like to be, 
 My wee one, for the sake of my bad wife- 
 What wilt thou do when I am gone? 
 
 Zel. How long thy stay T 
 
 Pov. — The space of two moons. 
 
 Zki.. What will I do ? 
 
 I 'II think of thee, Potaphar. [Enter, Jos. 
 
 Po I .--Joseph. I have a mind when I am gone, 
 To leave the charge of my affairs with thee. 
 Thou know est figuring? 
 
 Jos. Fairly, my lord. 
 
 Po r.— Keep the accounts, then ; see what 
 things are wanted, 
 And cancel all the wants : and indoor 
 Have charge of all. Zeleika, love, farewell. 
 
 Zkl. — Good husband, farewell. 
 
 Pot. And again, farewell. 
 
 Joseph, remember. [Exit. 
 
 Ze[.. Potaphar is glad 
 
 To be rid of these figures, for he counts 
 Them slowly on his fingers ; but I had a lime, 
 A rare time, Joseph, getting him to yield. 
 How dost thou like thy place? 
 
 Jos. How else but well ".' 
 
 My master is a kind and noble man. 
 
 Zkl. — A splendid soldier, blunt as such 
 men are, 
 Quick in perceiving tactics, strong and kind, 
 But slow in marshaling a company 
 Of figures. 
 
 Jos.— Lady, no man is treat in everything. 
 They that do everything do nothing well ; 
 But geniuses apply to just one point. 
 And climbing there assiduously, at length 
 Gain eminence where all the world beholds. 
 So is thy husband, my good Potaphar. 
 These trivial things we slaves can manage well 
 Should not harass him and divide his mind 
 Till he can put but half-heart in his work. 
 
 Zel. — What I think, too. But I could nev- 
 er speak 
 Nicely as that. Thou art a Greek : the Greeks 
 Speak O so nicely: and when first I saw thee 
 I knew thee for my countryman (I 'm Greek), 
 And had my husband buy thee. 
 
 Jos. I am a Hebrew. 
 
 Zkl. — Thou'rt young and modest, but as 
 Greek as both. 
 None can observe us here. 
 
 Jos. I read upon a tomb : 
 
 '• W' hat in secret we declare, * 
 Of that He is aware ; 
 He hath made us-— we are known ; 
 Present He when we are alone." 
 
 *Free rendition of an inscription on an Egyp- 
 tian tomb. Supposed to be the oldest writing 
 in existence. 
 
 Zei .— O thou art wise. Well, well, we '11 
 have our time. 
 I feel not well, and must more quiet seek. 
 Fetch that roll good Asenaih brought, unto 
 My chamber, presently, and read to me ; 
 And see if that will medicine my grief. 
 
 Jos.— -Ves, lady. [Exeunt, and curtail. 
 
 SCENE HI.— Zeleika's chaml)er. Zelieka 
 at mirror. Enter, Joseph. 
 
 Zkl.-— Close to the door. How dost thou 
 like my gown ? 
 Thou hast an eye for beauty : is it not pretty? 
 Jos— -My lady, thou art very beautiful. 
 "Zkl.— Dost thou think so ? O then I aip 
 so glad. [Seating herself in his lap. 
 It was for thee I so arrayed myself, 
 Because I love thee, Joseph. O thou sweet, 
 Acute surprise floih whelm me the more, 
 
 Josep.h Joseph, Joseph, helj) me, dear : 
 Thou canst not understand how I am tried. 
 All through my love for thee, thou pretty boy: 
 And when a woman stoops to tell her love. 
 Laying her modesty aside to do it. 
 
 And standing forth in spirit nakedness, 
 Thou mayest be certain that the love is true. 
 True, Joseph, true. Kiss me, dear, 
 
 Jos.— Lady, what means this ? Thou art 
 not Itiyself. 
 Only thy husband hath a right to these : 
 Do n't, do n't. my lady, but bethink thyself: 
 Thou hast a husband. 
 
 Zel. Ah, the cruel fates I 
 
 1 know it. Joseph : but I wedded him 
 When young and giddy ; and can such as I 
 Love a great Coptic who is sIovt and dull ? 
 Thou art my kind. Dismiss thy iciness, 
 And we will have a time, and no one know. 
 
 Jos.— Lady, am I a dog, that I should do 
 this thing? 
 Dost thou not love thy husband ? 
 
 Zkl. I so thought, along 
 
 My days that nathless had an emptiness. 
 Till once I saw thee, and then love was born 
 Suddenly, but mighty as the grave, 
 Sudden as death ; and now I see how I 
 Have spoiled my life by that one great mistake, 
 O Joseph, sometimes what we laughing do 
 Begins a drift that clogs our lives, until 
 The waters of our passions overflow. 
 And inundate and devestate the heart. 
 
 Joseph, I do beg thee, I. thy mistress. 
 To pity me : for slave as thou art here. 
 Thou art not crossed in love, and so art happy. 
 There 's many a slave more happy in his chains 
 Than those bejewelcd beings that he serves. 
 Nor half the slave before the sight of heaven, 
 
 1 am the slave, thou master : pity me, 
 
 O Joseph, Joseph, Joseph, thou dear darling 
 boy, 
 
 Jos. — Do n't ; this is wrong. 
 
 Zet. O is it wrong ? 
 
 Kisses are wrong! Why, Joseph.that we should 
 
Act III, Scene 3 
 
 ZAPHNATH-l'AANEAH. 
 
 >3 
 
 Give all our kisses to one man alone 
 Is only a decree of selfishness. 
 And only a short lime ago, my dear. 
 Egyptian women, when they wedded, took 
 Keceipt for all the goods they brought their 
 
 husbands, 
 And when they wanted went with someone else, 
 First taking back the goods : and this was law. 
 If I love thee, I am behind the limes, 
 And doing only as the mothers did. 
 
 Jos. — Still, this is wrong? 
 
 Zi£L. Wilt blame the dead ? 
 
 But thou dost say it. and that makes it wrong. 
 Thy word my law: 'lis wrong if so thou 
 
 think it. 
 Forgive me ; pity me. I never loved 
 Until I saw thee, though I thought I did, 
 And love with woman is the all-in-all, 
 Not the bright toy it is with iiatterin<^ man, 
 Amusing him awhile, then thrown aside. 
 'T is wrong : and yei. O Joseph, love for thee 
 Has caused me to buy thee from slavery, 
 Give thee a home, and beg for thy own go-id. 
 Until thou art advanced above all odiers. 
 Is love so bad a thing ? 
 
 Jos. Indeed. I pity thee. 
 
 I would be most inhuman, did I not. 
 
 my good mistress, for thy own true peace 
 
 1 would I had been sold to a hard man, 
 And made to delve as lowest artisan, 
 Rather than, being exalted by thv kindness. 
 Ruin thy happiness because thou 'rt good. 
 An ill fate seems to dog me : everything 
 
 I touch withers and is smitien dead. 
 
 Zhl. — Do not, my dear, upbraid thyself. 
 No, no ! 
 Ah, all my life had been in darkness cast. 
 Iladst thou not as a sun arose on me, 
 Dispelled the winter of my loneliness, 
 And by thy shining called forth flowers of joy, 
 Birds of thanksgiving, watersprings of hope : 
 Thy coming an oasis in a life 
 Desert and barren. 
 
 Jos. O lady. 
 
 Zkl. Call me Zelcika. 
 
 Jos. — Mistress Zeleika, restrain thyself. 
 And thou wilt yet find happiness and calm 
 In giving all to thy most generous spouse. 
 I wouldsl thou iiadst a child by him, my lady. 
 For then the child would link yon two together. 
 Marriage is not completed till there 's issue. 
 As for myself, I pity thee, I do; 
 For all are prone to err, even in loving, 
 And erring therein is a blight to life, 
 llowl^eit, if thou reasonest aright, 
 Thou wilt agree that this is best repressed ; 
 Nor merely best, but the necessity. 
 I would not be rough, lady, but 't is true. 
 And this my firmness is the greatest kindness: 
 This must not be. 
 
 Zki.. O Joseph, bea/ with me. 
 
 I know I am a goose, a silly thing, 
 But thou didst promise to do my command : 
 Do then embrace me, if that we must part. 
 
 Jos. — Thy husband and my master Potaphar 
 
 Would sanction not this last command of thine, 
 And in obedience to him, I '11 not. 
 
 Zel. — I am thy mistress, I shall bid thee,sir. 
 
 Jos. — But I am servant of ihe Most High 
 God, 
 To whom I owe my welcome in this land. 
 And He says. No. His word I will obey 
 At any event. [Rising to go. 
 
 Zel. (clinging to him), O thy god indeed ! 
 What doth he know of mortals and their needs? 
 Could he but understand the fiery thoughts 
 That sweep our beings, if he had a spark 
 Of knowledge not all-tyrannous, he would 
 Command us to enjoy, not say, repress. 
 I like our gods the best, for thro' their veins 
 Runs hot blood that can sympathize with us. 
 1 laihor doth amour men — gives them her best 
 Upon her god-like limbs and snowy breast ; 
 Apis is worshipped for his strength of loin ; 
 And Isis for her womb that sprouts all green ; 
 Tiicy all delight in sports all creatures crave, 
 Witnessed as lawful by the sex they gave. 
 Thou hast a gloomy and unsocial god. 
 And thou art cold; we put hot lips to thee, 
 And thou dost peel them like a frosted metal, 
 Though thou arl young, sweet one, a beardless 
 
 boy, 
 Whom one would think were warm as sum- 
 mertime. 
 No, thou shall not leave. Many mighty ones 
 Would give a fortune for thy place, my dear. 
 We women aie not dangerous, or black, 
 .As thou, most cruel stripling, doth suppose. 
 Try me, thou 'h find I am well shapen, boy. 
 Feel here : my heart is beating hotly : see. 
 And 1 have greater sweets, all. all for ihec. 
 Wouldsl see my charms ? 
 
 Jos. O lady, let me go. 
 
 Why, thou dost tremble like a quaking asp. 
 
 Zkl.— My passion overpowers me.thou sweet. 
 Surely my raging fire must stir thee. 
 My lips are leeches, that forever could 
 Suck on thy dear lips,glued there by thy sweets. 
 
 Jos. — Alas! I boil; and yet I cannot yield. 
 Thou, dear, my mistress, art with-holden me, 
 'Iliou only of thy husband's vast estate. 
 Of bounden right, and were I to submit. 
 The fire of our passion, when burned out, 
 
 would leave 
 Thy mouth filled full of ashes and of dust. 
 And make me — 
 
 Zkl. O Joseph, just a span to jojs 
 
 For which we yearn. Am I not beautifnl? 
 
 Jos. — Sweet woman, all too beautiful for 
 safety. 
 [Breaking away, tlees, Zel. retaining his gar- 
 ment.] 
 
 Zel. (solus) Gone, gone, my fate ! Just as I 
 grasp the flower 
 It falls to pieces. I embrace but shadows. 
 O Joseph, love, this garment has been on thee, 
 Embraced thee close but oftener than I — 
 More blessed therein than poor Zelcika is : 
 -Mere senseless fabric is more blest than I. 
 O thou dear garment, 1 could baby-like 
 
u 
 
 ZAPHNATH-PAANEAH. 
 
 Act TT, Scene 3 
 
 Play tliou wcrt Joseph, and embrace thee so, 
 Out of the mighty love 1 bear for him ; 
 And I, hemmed in by taunting luxury, 
 Would give it all, and live in abject want, 
 Linked to a slave, could I but have my love — 
 Love is a thing so needful to our bliss. 
 I'ut women must not court : e'en Venus failed 
 To win Adonis, though he had have won 
 'I'he coldest maid with like hot argument. 
 
 What have I done 1 ye gods, what have 1 
 done? 
 I am an evil woman, I'otaphar, 
 Poor Potaphar, so kind and leal to me. 
 Thou dost not know the vampire that I anj. 
 Sucking thy life's blood as I lie by thee. 
 Poor Potaphar, how shall I meet thee now ? 
 Would I were dead, that I had died a babe. 
 [Cry without, Potaphar returns. 
 And with this tell-tale coal herein my chamber! 
 Joseph, the dog ! O how I hate, hate, hate him. 
 I '11 punish him. Help, help I help me, helj) I 
 [Rends her dress, and stamps as m a scuffle. 
 
 Enter, servants. 
 
 There, catch him, take him. hold him fast. 
 . . . Joseph, who assaulted me. [Faints. 
 
 isr SttR^■. — What will our master Potaphar 
 say to this ? 
 
 2D Serv. — He '11 rage and fume— come, 
 chafe her hands, — he '11 ,rage and fume, and 
 fume and rage, and turn things upside down. 
 I '11 never wish I was Joseph again. 1 'd 
 rather never be up than to have to come down 
 after I was up. ileighty-tighty I 
 
 Pot. (without) Damn him. Go, ye ! bring 
 him — quick I O, the ape, the asp ! 
 
 2D Skr\ . — Swearing at Joseph ! W'ater 
 here ! bathe her temples — so. [Enter Pot. 
 
 Pot. — Back, vermin ! Dear, art thou hurt ? 
 
 eyes, my two suns, open. O my fair — 
 Zu.L. (recovering) O Potaphar, my husband, 
 
 I was wrong. 
 And thou wert right; but thou art always right. 
 It will not do to much advance a man 
 Of slavish mind and habit. 
 
 Pop. No more of that, 
 
 For what is past cannot be remedied. 
 But tell me how it was. 
 
 Zkl. I was iip here, 
 
 My chamber door unlocked, when he came in. 
 Grinning a lecherous way, and asked a kiss ; 
 And when I ordered him away, took hold 
 As if to force me. Then I cried aloud. 
 And he made movement as to run away, 
 When it came over me to hold him fast 
 To meet his just deserts ; and so I clung, 
 Till, tearing loose, he left his coat with me. 
 And fled just ere these came, to succor me. 
 There is that garment. He hath torn my dress, 
 The new one, husband that thou boughtest me. 
 
 Pot. — The mangy mongrel! They will nab 
 him soon. 
 By all the gods, I '11 kill the vicious brute; 
 
 1 '11 torture him, and make death lingering, 
 That he may hare full time to think of it. 
 
 [Noise without.] They bring him. 
 
 Zel. No, dear Potaphar ; 
 
 Hear me this once, for I am right this once : 
 The fault was mine, in that I plead for him 
 To be advanced abore the sty, his place ; 
 And had he been kept down, he ne'er had 
 
 dared 
 To do this evil. Put him in a cell. 
 Break thou his spirit, make his a dog's life, 
 But let him live— Nay, hear me, Potaphar ! 
 For if thou slay him, then must come a trial, 
 Or if thou do accuse him, and bethink 
 Before the judges of the forty-two nonies 
 What crowds and questions ! O I shrink from 
 
 it 
 In natural modesty. Come, feel for me. 
 Thou mayest thrust him in the prison, dear. 
 Without a charge, and discipline thy slave 
 Without surcease. Come, do this thing for me. 
 
 Pot. — It is the best. Out, slaves, and bring 
 the jailer. [Exit, two servants. 
 
 Vet I would like the joy of choking him. 
 Would I could torture him a year for each 
 Piece that I gave for him, the low-born wretch. 
 Knowledge is the ruin of a slave. 
 
 [Enter, servants, with Joseph. 
 
 1ST Srrv. — Here he is. I caught him, mas- 
 ter. 
 
 2n SekV.— No, master, I did ; that fellow 
 lies. 
 
 30 Serv. — Ves, so dost thou? I myself did— 
 
 Poi.— Hold there! break off! Thou 
 damned, dull cur ! thou lecherous mongrel 
 dog ! (slapping Jos.) thou devil, demon, thou 
 dewrmed toad, thou viper, thou big-mouthed 
 crocodile ! O I will pay thee, fool, for this. 
 W^hat! dost thou not answer me? 
 
 Jos. — 'Tis best for thee I do .not answer 
 thee. 
 
 Pot. — Ape! answerest thou so ? [Smiting 
 him.] Shameless, lusty, plotting villain, hunt- 
 ing the bedroom of thy mistress! Shepherd, 
 snail, ingrate — what art thou not ? Look on 
 my wife — she plead with me to give thee the 
 place thou hast had in the family, and even 
 since thou hast turned upon her, and injured 
 us, she hath plead for thee, because thou wert 
 a slave ; think of that, O Crime ! 
 
 2D Serv. — I saw him down where the — 
 
 Pot. — Out, devils ! [Exit, servants.] O the 
 damned dull lot ! [Enter, Jailer.] Trust him in 
 the prison, jailer : keep him strict. 
 
 Jail. — My master Potaphar, I am at thy ser- 
 vice ; and I pray thee and thy good mistress 
 to accept my most humble greetings, with all 
 due compliments. But prithee, sir, upon what 
 charge am I to detain him ? 
 
 Pot. — What, crying beautiful ? Sir, I 've 
 no time : — for discipline : and I will never call 
 for him. Keep him forever. 
 
 [Exit, Zel., followed by Pot. 
 
 Jail. — Ah, very strange in this uxorious but 
 worthy captain. This is practically giving 
 thee to me, my good — 
 
 Jos. — Joseph, sir, 
 
Act III, Scene i 
 
 Z A PII N AT H-P A A N E A H . 
 
 15 
 
 Jail. — Joseph : and thou canst serve me 
 graciously in taking oversight of tlie prison ; 
 for am a studious man, and scarce liave time, 
 sir, for the more onerous labors of uiy office. 
 If thou art mine and never to be called for, I 
 can let thee keep the hall of the prison (for 
 thou must never be seen outside or it were up 
 with me), and read my books, and tell me 
 whatsoever things I desire to know: so we can 
 be helpful to each other, sir. But thou must 
 keep it quiet, sir : I risk my life for thee. 
 I trust thou wilt not find me such a hard mas- 
 ter but what — Ah, what a vision dawns up- 
 on our eyes. Fair wonder — [Pinter, Asenaili 
 
 AsEN. — Sir, pardon me. Is cousin Asenaih 
 not here ? where shall I find her ? But Joseph, 
 wilt do. Here is the book 1 promised to fetch 
 you ; rememberest ? take it, sir. Were there no 
 girls where thou didst come from? I leave it 
 here for him, kind sir. [Lays roll down and 
 exit.] 
 
 Jail. — Gone suddenly as a bubble, that 
 with all its spendor and magnificence, while 
 we look at it, quietly is not. And we, too, 
 must be gone. Take the book, sir ; I am a 
 very coromant in greed, hut I after the higher 
 and intellectual feasts. [Exeunt, Jos. with roll. 
 
 ACT III. 
 
 SCENE I. — Hall of prison. J->sei:)h reading 
 roll in dim background. Voices of Rutlar 
 and Baker issue from a cell. 
 Bak. — It seems like season of ihe flood, to- 
 day. 
 But. — However it doth seem, it is not so. 
 Bak. — For iny part, it doth seem like time 
 for flood 
 Each day I spend in this damp, dismal place. 
 Where all our light is murky, all is still. 
 And the bare stone and iron are so cold. 
 I cannot help but image in my mind 
 The Nile at overflow, and country folks 
 Sowing their rice upon the shallow sea. 
 As I so often saw them in my y-nth. 
 
 But. — The light is fair and biilliant out of 
 here. 
 E'en through these wal's you know we mark 
 
 the change. 
 And can distinguish when 'tis day. when night. 
 Outside, I fancy that the sun is shining. 
 And there is sound of vehicles and voices. 
 And sight of forms, and faces full of light. 
 Instead of flood. For flood, it seems to me. 
 They ofi'er sacrifice unto the Nile. 
 
 Bak. — They do not know how happy they 
 
 are now. [Sings : 
 
 Lord Toler stood by the sounding sea ; 
 
 The mist was heavy and black ; 
 And plunging monsters and men saw he. 
 In the seething ocean's track. 
 All men love sometime, and I 'vehad my time: 
 A slight girl, hardly woman, yet not girl : 
 
 And when the mother Nile cut off supply, 
 They took her as the purest maid of all, 
 To give the angry goddess. I can see 
 Her standing yei, with crowns and flowers 
 
 hung, 
 And wide eyes, lips apart, and fingers working, 
 Awaiting silently. So ends my tale. [Sings : 
 
 A mist arose, and a ghost therein — 
 The mist was heavy and black. 
 This prison life will kill me. Even now 
 It steals in sharp pains through my very bones 
 And makes a dull, fierce pressure on my 
 
 temples. 
 Besides the trouble and anxiety. [Sings. 
 
 Stretching a league its fingers thin 
 In the seething ocean's track. 
 I would be thankful for a good bed now. 
 Bur. — I cannot sleep. I had a dream last 
 night. [Jo.seph begins to unlock cell. 
 Bak. — And so did I— one that still rings 
 and rings 
 Down in my heart like a dull bell of death. 
 Ho, thou out there ! how fareth it outside? 
 Jus. (entering cell) How fare I? O I am 
 fenced oft 
 From worldly baubles that distract men's 
 
 minds. 
 Protected from temptations sown with men. 
 Fed without having even to turn my hand. 
 And given leisure in the which lo read 
 And grow wise ; best of all, these favors 
 Are made perpetual. How do ye fare? 
 
 Bak.— Thank?,bad enough; it isa heavy load 
 To wear these chains all night. 
 
 Jos. Hold out thy hands. 
 
 And I '11 remove the chains. 
 
 Bak. Is not the Nile at flood ? 
 
 I dreamed it was. 
 
 Jos. The hidden ritual says : 
 
 "The floods of spring are Nature's menstrous 
 
 flow 
 Ere she conceives the largess of the year 
 From that strange paramour, the Sun, who 
 
 comes 
 Ey day, but never deigns to spend the night 
 With her;" and this is autumn, sir. 
 When leaves the sun,not when he comes to her. 
 But. — The baker in this oven is near done 
 for. 
 He 's baking sad. [They enter hall of prison. 
 Jos. He 's drunk the wine of woe. 
 
 Bak. — I 've lain upon these cold,hard stones 
 for months ; 
 So long, these furry rodents dwelling here 
 Have grown familiar with my very face. 
 And, knowing that my anguish makes me kin 
 To all the wants of even meanest creatures, 
 Run 'round me during meals and pick up 
 
 crumbs. 
 Gnawing between my ankles, as they blink 
 Their shining eyes toward my relaxed face, 
 Smiling at them, the only friends 1 have. 
 The Sphynx keeps a secret, 
 Howbeit a woman, 
 
i6 
 
 ZAl^HNATH-PAANEAH. 
 
 Act III, Scene 
 
 ^Vhich proves her a goddess, 
 And not a mere human. 
 
 Besides the rats who wink wise eyes at me, 
 '['here's other vermin who are fond of me, 
 Who iry to kiss, else bite me, in the bed. 
 J^UT. — Thou hast someting in bed with thee, 
 sayest thou, 
 And talkest of women and secrets : what is 
 this? 
 Bak. — I had a bad dream ; water 's atrouh- 
 ulous subject, 
 And I did dream the Nile at overflow. 
 Bur. — Come, cast the horoscope — 
 Bak. And jest at death. 
 
 But. — 1 had a dream, too ; I will brinjj the 
 wine, 
 And do thou follow after with tlie bread, 
 Anri Joseph, who is learned in the books. 
 Shall l)e interpreter. 
 
 Jos. With such as you, 
 
 Professionals, to brinj; me bread and wine, 
 1 shall be much regaled. 
 
 i^^i: My dream was this : 
 
 In my slumber a great vine was before me, 
 Branching in three parts from the roots thereof, 
 And it did seem to me the vine bore buds. 
 Her blossoms and her tendrils all shot forth. 
 And then a change ; and where the blossoms 
 
 were 
 Hung clusters large and full of purple grapes. 
 I saw, and Pharaoh's cup was in my hand, 
 And I did take the grapes, and press them in 
 The cup of Pharaoh, which I took to him. 
 And he received and drank o( it, as once. 
 Before I had offended to my hurt. 
 Jos. — The books of mystery have this to say: 
 To dream of vines betokens good, 
 Health and wealth in magnitude. 
 But thus the Voice declares, and thus speaks 
 
 God, 
 Who whispered in my ear when I saw not, 
 And this is verity : Behold, saith He, 
 Thou think'st the gods do speak to men in 
 
 dreams ; 
 But there is one God far above them all. 
 Whom ye know not, but who is great in works, 
 Who, to cause you to fear and honor Him, 
 Plath chosen to reveal Kimself in dreams. 
 Shadowing events to come, to your own books. 
 The true interpretation is this sort: 
 Thou sawest a vine which spread into three 
 
 branches : 
 The branches are three days. Within that lim« 
 Shall Pharaoh think on thee, lift up thy head, 
 And give thee thy old office, so thou shah 
 Press out the grapes, and give the cup to him. 
 And now I pray thee, if this should be true, 
 Then think of me when it is well with thee. 
 And speak to Pharaoh about my case. 
 Till he shall bring me from this prison house : 
 For, sir, I si>eak the truth, the plain, good 
 
 truth, 
 I was stol'n from the country of the Hebrews 
 And sold as slave ; and in this dungeon cast, 
 
 Not for a crime or wrong that I had done, 
 But through false witness, where if I should 
 
 speak, 
 I am so hedged about, I 'd wrong a third 
 Who was my friend. Sir, wilt thou pity me? 
 Bur.— So that it proveth true, I swear I will ; 
 Because, if true, the gods have talked with 
 
 thee, 
 And they will not communicate with sin. 
 Now, baker, see thy fears. We 've had the 
 
 wine, 
 Bring now the bread, and feast on happiness. 
 Bak. — The sun may shine on thee and not 
 
 on me, 
 Though we touch hands ; to dream of waters 
 
 dark. 
 And bakemeats and all else is ill for me. 
 The chapter cndeth with my dream. 'Tisthus: 
 I dreamed of walking on my olden rounds, 
 And on my head three baskets, full of holes, 
 Woven so loosely : in the upper basket 
 All manner of bake-rneats for Pharaoh. 
 And as I walked, the birds from neichboring 
 
 cliffs ^ ^ 
 
 Flew down and pecked the pastry in the baskets 
 That were upon my head. 
 
 Jos. 'T is breakfast time. 
 
 I pray. Excuse me ; I like not the dream. 
 Bak. — Utter thy mind, I pray thee, good or 
 
 bad, 
 Scarce worse than death, which is what I ex- 
 pect. 
 Jos. — The book of mysteries hath this to 
 
 say : 
 A man \\ho dreams of baskets will 
 Receive them soon, filled full of ill. 
 
 Bak. — This is not all, sir ; I am sure of it. 
 
 Jos. — Thy dream is this: The baskets are 
 three days ; 
 In that time Pharaoh shall choose another 
 To fill thy wonted place before the range. 
 And sending to the prison, take thee hence, 
 And crucify thee on a tree. The birds 
 Shall eat thy tlesh, as in thy dream they ate 
 The bakemeats from the baskets on thy head. 
 Sir, may God pity thee and strengthen thee. 
 
 P.aIv. — I took the risk, and failing, go to 
 death. 
 Not quaking, but as going to long rest. 
 Yet that is horrible, to hang, and have 
 Uirds peck my eyes, and claw me ; horrible 
 If still I should live in another form, 
 And wander on the winds five hundred years, 
 As ostricties that use their wings for sails, 
 Before I as a phoenix burn the old 
 IJody of sin, and rise to a new life I 
 Ciods! if that girl should see me so debased, 
 And suffer in my shame ! Sweet heaven, help. 
 Sirs, par(1.->n me. I am too much a tongue. 
 We '11 now have something better than the birds 
 Will liave to dine on (though not verj- much), 
 P'or breakfast waits. [Enter, Jailer. 
 
 Jaii. — A right good morning to you, sirs? 
 How do you find yourselves ? Sir butlar. 
 
Act III, Scene 2 
 
 ZAPHNATH-PAANEAII. 
 
 17 
 
 pleasanter days be yours. There is a reason 
 why they should be pleasanter. because 1 fan- 
 cy freedom is preferrable to this, eh ? and thou 
 art to have freedom soon : not only freedom, 
 but thy old office; in three days, sir, after 
 thou hast purified thyself, sir. I '11 be thy but- 
 lar on this happy occasion, and remember thee 
 to the wine ; and do thou remember me on 
 any occasion thou canst serve me, for thou 
 canst not say but what I have treated thee fairly. 
 
 Bak. — Am I to be the skeleton at bis feast 
 of wine? 
 
 /ail. — Eh ? what dost thou mean ? Three 
 crows flew across the setting sun last eve, and 
 the augurs say that within three days some 
 guilty soul must be borne by the sun into the 
 underworld ; and at the same hour the forty- 
 two judges convicted thee. Get into that 
 cell. [Curtain. 
 
 SCENE II.— Joseph in prison, alone. Sings. 
 
 Across the fields abloom and green 
 
 Before the piquant spring. 
 Came Jacob, 'raptured at the scene, 
 
 Down hither journeying. 
 Even to Haran, where, behold, 
 From wells the servants drew ; 
 
 «' Good sirs," he cried 
 
 [Ghost of Rachel appears. 
 God of my fathers ! Am I crazed indeed ? 
 Have these cold dismal airs that numb my 
 
 bones, 
 Crept through my marrow and deranged my 
 
 brain ? [Ghost disappears. 
 
 There, it is gone ! Now do I sleep and dream? 
 Alas, my joints, stiffened with cold, dull pain. 
 And my pinched hands, chapped with in- 
 
 clemcy, 
 Declare I am awake ; I know I am : 
 Then whence this vision, this nightmare, this 
 
 form. 
 That comes upon the canvas of the eyes, 
 And seems to stand upon the solid earth ? 
 I must not think of mother or the past. 
 Help me, O God. [Ghost reappears. 
 
 There, there, O there 1 
 Mother, if that be thee, O tell me so. 
 For I have woe enough, God knoweth, and 
 This troubles me. 
 
 Gho, Joseph, ray dear son ! 
 
 Jos. — O it is mother, then, my own dear 
 mother. 
 [Seeks to embrace Ghost, which disappears.] 
 Gone again ! Indeed 1 must be crazed. 
 
 Ghost (in another place) Thou canst not 
 handle the incorporal. 
 But my dear son, en route near Bethlemen, 
 Partly from grief at losing thee (since I 
 Supposed from thy coat gory brought to me 
 A beast had slain thee), partly from the pangs 
 Of bringing forth another son, I died ; 
 I, mourning for thee, gaye another life, 
 Whom I supposed would comfort me for thee, 
 
 But giving life to him, my spirit broke 
 Forth from its shattered shell and went to 
 heaven. 
 Jos. — Alas, then, thou art dead. How thou 
 art changed ! 
 So young, so beautiful I 
 
 Ghost. I am released. 
 
 Trouble thou not. My son, our greatest woes 
 Are on the life side of the stream of death. 
 But to proceed. When rid of mortal flesh, 
 Entering the summer land of s*»uls, 
 1 met some spirits, and asked first for thee, 
 Because thou wert so dear to me in life — 
 Jos. — Asked first for me; and thou didst 
 
 think me dead. 
 Ghosi. — And learned that thou wert never 
 seen of them. 
 And after searching, that thou wert alive. 
 
 then, my son, I had a wtary time 
 Roaming o'er various lands to look for thee, 
 Made all the more fatiguing from the child 
 Tender and fair, thy brother, who was left ; 
 Because for love of him I often there 
 Recurred again, and crooned about the sleep 
 Of the poor orphan, helpless and so mute, 
 Fetching and pouring healing balm upon 
 The wounded heart of Jacob, unaware. 
 
 1 asked of various angels who had seen 
 Thee upon different times, and traced thee so. 
 Finding and nearing thee about the hour 
 
 Of thy trial and betrayal. 
 
 JOb, O my mother. 
 
 Ghost. — Mortals are aided oft by the un- 
 seen. 
 But when my power failed to keep thee from 
 The prison's confines, then I went to God, 
 Petitioning His aid, but thus was told : 
 " Release him now, and thou wilt spoil his 
 
 honor. 
 A man like him must have the burnishing 
 Of dire aflliction, or, advanced to power. 
 He would be harsh, proud and censorious. 
 The uncut diamond is a common stone. 
 While tears on opals makes them pale ; so grief 
 Affects men difierently ; he is one 
 Hard usage will make better in the end. 
 And if he be not down he cannot rise. 
 Men dig foundations deep for mighty struc- 
 tures. 
 Remember now his dream about the sheaves." 
 So, then, thou wert left herp for to be-schooled; 
 But I have often been about thee, boy. 
 And when the baker and the butlar dreamed, 
 I was commissioned by the King, to bear 
 The revelation of it to thy heart. 
 But this form ih^' I take dissolveth now. 
 
 [Grows indistinct. 
 Jos. — Thou art not going, mother ? Stay, 
 O stay. 
 When thou dost speak i am outside these walls, 
 Upon my native heaih, and there the tent. 
 Yonder the flocks, just as they used to be. 
 
 Ghost. — I may be near thee, but invisible, 
 And hear thee speak, yet be inaudible. 
 Joseph — [beckons. 
 
i8 
 
 ZAPHNATH-PAANEAH. 
 
 Act III, Scene 3 
 
 Jos. Speak before thou goest. 
 
 Ghost. A little while 
 
 And light shall rise for thee. Farewell. 
 
 [Disappears. 
 
 Jos. Gone into viewless air, 
 
 Into incorporate and empty air, 
 Faded and gone, as all our hopes do fade. 
 And, mother, thou hast entered peace at last. 
 And I have a wee brother. O I wish 
 That I could see him, that 1 miyht return ; 
 But Leah's cruel children would forbid, 
 And these impenetrable walls forbid. 
 Help me, Jehovah ! help, my fathers' God, 
 For I have been afflicted wrongfully. 
 And am the S(m of him whom thou didst bless, 
 Saying, to him and to his children's seed. 
 For dream, or apparation, or the thought 
 Of a diseased mind, this is from Thee, 
 To give me comfort in my loneliness. 
 I lean on Thee. Let Thy good will be done ; 
 Except it be done. Thou art not the Lord, 
 And so not my will. Lord, forsake me not. 
 Enter, Jailer. 
 
 Jail. — How dost thou feel this morning, 
 Joseph ? 
 
 Tos. — With thanks, sir, well- 
 
 Ja!L.— Dost thou not feel a little strange ? 
 
 Jos. — Strange ? yes, sir. But why dost thou 
 ask such a question ? 
 
 Jail. — Only because— a reason that is no 
 reason. I think what is about to occui some- 
 times impresses itself on one's mind ; that 
 friends at a distance can communicate in soul ; 
 that if one thinks or talks about thee, be he 
 never so tar away, thou wilt know it by a cer- 
 tain warming at the heart, itching of the ear, 
 and prickling in the blood — eh ? 
 
 Jos. — Why, I know not ; yet I have felt 
 strangely this morning. What has occurred, 
 that thou dost speak so ? 
 
 Jail. — Joseph, good news ! thou art called 
 before Pharaoh. 
 
 Jos.--Praisc God, the ghost. 
 
 Jaii..— The what? 
 
 Jos. — The strange thing that we spake about. 
 
 Jail.— Say, hast there been a ghost? Ugh ! 
 Surely, not a ghost here in this prison. By our 
 lady, if there's been a ghost here I '11 not con- 
 sider it polite to confine prisoners here. 
 
 Jos. — Nothing, sir, nothing. But tell me, 
 how doth it come about that I am to appear 
 before Pharaoh ? 
 
 Jail.-— Thou dost remember, some two 
 years ago, two servants of Pharaoh, the chief 
 butlar and baker, that were thrown in prison 
 for ofiending his majesty. 
 
 Jos. — Remember ihem? Assuredly. Tell 
 me. has the butlar at last spoken of me? 
 
 Jail.— They each dreamed a dream, one 
 night, each man something wherein the num- 
 ber three figured. 
 
 Jos. — I remember ir. 
 
 Jail. — And they told thee these dreams 
 severally, and thou didst interpret to each of 
 them his dream ; telling how the chi«f butlar 
 
 was to be released and restored to his place 
 and office within three days, and the chief 
 baker was, in the same three days, to be taken 
 out and hanged for his crime, and be left sus- 
 pended where the vultures would devour him. 
 
 Jos — Yes, yes, I know. 
 
 Jail. — All of which came to pass according 
 to the tenor of thy interpretation. 
 
 Jos.— Surely. Has the butlar remembered 
 me to Pharaoh? 
 
 Jail.— When he was restored to his place, 
 like so many in prosperity, he forgot all about 
 the days of adversity, and thought no more 
 of thee— 
 
 Jos.— Then it is the ghost. 
 
 Jail.— The what ? 
 
 Jos. — Nothing. 
 
 Jail. — Thought no more of thee until to- 
 day, when a circumstance recalled his dream, 
 and, as he thought of thee, and knowing that 
 thou didst tell him and the unfortunate Baker 
 truly, as there was a great cry for anyone who 
 could unravel the mysteries of sleep, and none 
 other seemed able to do it, then the chief but- 
 lar spake of thee to his master Pharaoh ; who 
 hath commanded me to cause thee to appear 
 before his court so soon as thou canst be 
 purified and prepared. Thou must have thy 
 head and eyebrows shaved, and appear like an 
 holy man, or thou w ilt not be heard in an holy 
 man's cause: the liarber and bath await thee. 
 Drink with me, sir. Ah, spoken like a holy 
 man, who may not <lrink wine. I .^aw discreet 
 parts in thee. Joseph, and acknowledge I have 
 been more of a failier to thee than a jailer ; 
 and I trust thou wilt not make me ashamed of 
 thee when thou appearest before Pharaoh. 
 But come. The heavenly ruler is so agitated 
 by his dream he hath neglected his ambassa- 
 dors, his bath, his walk, and will do nothing 
 but consult his wise men. [Exeunt, curtain. 
 
 Scene HI. — Senate chamber. Pharaoh and 
 
 Court. Enter, Joseph in priestly robes, and 
 
 escort. 
 
 Pha. — Peace, lords and priests. 
 
 But. — Here is the man I told thee of, O 
 Pharaoh, 
 Whose wisdom did forecast me. 
 
 Pha. Let him .tpeak. 
 
 fo*. — Before thy majesty I bow the knee. 
 Meahh and long life, most gracious of man- 
 kind, 
 Lent of the heavens to lead the world aright. 
 
 Pha. — Stand up, thou mortal to whom 
 speuk'st the gods. 
 I had a dream upon my bek at night. 
 Wherein rhegoils revealed themselves in signs. 
 And i have gatliered my magicians here. 
 My wise men and astrologers, from out 
 My realms from the sea to the Nile's source, 
 lUit none of them could show me what it 
 meant ; 
 
Act III, Scene 3 
 
 ZAPHNATH-PAANEAH. 
 
 19 
 
 When came my butlar, saying ihou didst tell 
 
 Him and my baker truly of their dreams, 
 
 As proven afterward, diyining well 
 
 By potent god new to us : for which cause 
 
 I sent for thee to know if it be so. 
 
 Now, therefore, canst thou undersund the 
 
 dream, 
 And read me what the gods would say to me ? 
 Jos.— The knowledge of these things is not 
 with me, 
 But in the heart of Him above all fiesh ; 
 Howbeit, God shall answer thee in peace, 
 According tn the word of this young man, 
 Whom I do thank for his remembrance. 
 Pha.— Then hear the dream. I stood upon 
 the bank 
 Of Nile, the mightiest river in the word. 
 And in a mist, as from the water's midst, 
 Came and appeared upon the grassy bank 
 Seven fat kine, well-favored and fuU-tleshed 
 And fed upon the meadow sward near by. 
 And after them came seven other kine 
 From out the river, but the last were lank, 
 Lean and ill-favored, such as I have not seen 
 In all the land of Egypt ; but they ate. 
 Devouring up the seven goodly kine, 
 Nor after that appeared increased in tlesh, 
 But were ill-favored as they were at first : 
 And as I looked, the meadow disappeared. 
 So I awoke and pondered on the dream. 
 But then a second time I fell asleep, 
 And lo ; a stool of corn ; and seven ears 
 Came up from it, all full and very good, 
 So that the heads hung downward from their 
 
 weight : 
 But after them, behold ! another stool, 
 Bearing its seven stalks of blasted ears. 
 All thin and swivcled by the eastern wind : 
 And the thin ears devoured the good ears : 
 When therefore the good ears had disappeared, 
 I turned to look upon the shrireled ears, 
 And they were not increased, biit meagre yet. 
 Jos. — The dreams of Pharaoh are one; 
 and God 
 Hath shown to Pharaoh what shall shortly be. 
 The seven favored kine are seven years ; 
 The seven good ears, too, are seven years : 
 The dreams are one. Also the seven kine 
 Lank and ill-favored, they are seven years ; 
 And seven years the seven blasted ears. 
 W'hat God will do He tells to Pharaoh. 
 There shall come first a seven years of plenty. 
 Throughout the entire length and breadth of 
 
 Egypt; 
 And after them rise seven other years 
 Of famine and distress, so that the plenty 
 Shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt ; 
 So grievious it, it shall consume the land. 
 And as the kine came from the Nile, so shall 
 Plenty and famine both come out of it. 
 According as the Hood is great or small. 
 Of this God warneth Pharaoh in dreams ; 
 And for that it was doubled to him, twice. 
 The thing is certain and shall shortly be. 
 Now therefore, let not Pharaoh take offence, 
 
 But let him find a man discreet and wise, 
 And set him over the great land of Egypt : 
 Let him appoint him under officers 
 To take up a fifth part of what is raised 
 The seven plenteous years, and keep in bins. 
 Gathering it together in great store 
 W^ithin the cities where the people trade : 
 W'hich food shall be reserve against the years 
 Of want and famine that shall follow these, 
 That Egypt may not suffer in those years 
 Neither the people die for lack of food. 
 
 Pha.— Much doth thy word commend itself 
 to us. 
 What think you, judges, wise men and astrol- 
 oger*. 
 Priests, counsellors and Pharaoh's favorites ? 
 
 [Chief justice, priests and astrologers hold a 
 consultation in pantominc.] 
 
 C. J.— Great sovereign, grant me lief to 
 question him. 
 
 Pha. — Say on. 
 
 C. J. Priest of this new religion. 
 
 There may be many gods we know not of, 
 But it is well to ask thee of thyself. 
 Who art thou? what hast thou to say to us? 
 
 Jos.— Most reverend sir, of this new God, 
 not new. 
 Whom I serve, thus doth great Hermes speak: 
 •• What is truth, though we sing praise to it ? 
 Or what is good, though it is sung in praise ? 
 n All, receive the homage of all things. 
 Thou art true God." As for myself, I am 
 The slave of Pharaoh, and son of Abraham, 
 Who one lime was a scholar in this land 
 Of some repute. 
 
 C.J. Art thou of Abraham ? 
 
 Pharaoh, Lords and Wise Men,I have fpund 
 This youth the son of a most ripened scholar. 
 Who, as the records show, was much esteeme^l 
 By the wise fathers of thy Maje.sty, 
 
 Who strait enjoined no disrespect to him 
 Or to his God. As for the dream, I find 
 The gods do often speak by sevens. The stars 
 Of Pleaides are seven, and they herein 
 Are honored by four sevens. And to the books. 
 Numbers in dreams refer to days or years. 
 Want, too, and plenty rise up from the Nile, 
 Whence in the dream the fourteen cattle came. 
 The youth and word commend themselves, 
 
 my liege. 
 Nor would I find fault, lest I should be wrong. 
 
 Pha,— It pleaseth me to hoard a portion up. 
 Whether the famine come as he hath said, 
 Or whether he hath misinterpreted : 
 So is his counsel good in either case. 
 What is thy name ? 
 
 Jos. My name is Joseph. 
 
 1 am a Hebrew, my most gracious leige. 
 
 Pha.— No, not Hebrew now ; thou art 
 Egyptian ; 
 And thy name shall be Zaphnath-Paaneah. 
 Son, forasmuch as god hath showed thee this, 
 When all the old astrologers aje dumb. 
 There is none found discreet and wise as thou, 
 For since the gods are with thee,where thou art 
 
ZAPHNATH-PAANEAH. 
 
 Act III, Scene 4 
 
 Must be prosperty. Now at thy word 
 My people shall be led as thou hast said, 
 And thou shalt gather a fifth part each year, 
 So long as plenty smileth on our land, 
 To store in cities 'gainst a day of want. 
 Cousin, we hand thee here the royal ring 
 In token of our word, and put this chain 
 About thy neck ; give thee the lower palace. 
 And shall give thee to wife the one thou choose 
 Of the lords' daughters. Lords, we are Pha- 
 raoh. 
 Without him shall no man lift up his hand 
 In any project throughout all the land. 
 
 [Acclamation by the lords. 
 Clothe him in linen vestments as his state. 
 And let him ride in mine own chariot, 
 While ye proclaim before him, Bow the knee. 
 
 [Curtain, 
 
 SCENE IV.— Feast in Pharaoh's palace. Pha- 
 raoh on throne in background, surrounded 
 by lords and ladies ; tables in remote back- 
 ground. Before Pharaoh, juggling and 
 dancing. Enter, Zaphnath-Paaneah and 
 Asenath in foreground. 
 Zaph. — Lady, it seems like 1 have known 
 
 thee years. 
 AsEN. — I 'm sorry thou dost think so ill 
 of me. 
 For I must be poor company, if these 
 Five minutes thou hast spent with me seem 
 years. 
 Jos. — Not that, but for real years I have 
 known one 
 Ideally a woman, so and so, 
 So far ideal I had never met her. 
 Till in thy ways and mein and lineaments 
 I trace the outlines of ideal friend. 
 
 AsKN. — Then thou dost honor me to call 
 me friend, 
 And term the friendship old ; for it is said. 
 Bush in old wine, comfort in an old shoe, 
 Reliance in an old friend : so be it. 
 But women like not to be called veiy old. 
 Jos. — Suppose I say we have been friends 
 two years : 
 No woman will disclaim an age like that : 
 A»d having known thee thus long, I will not 
 Seem all a stranger sueing for thy hand, 
 And so — 
 
 AsBN.— O there is cousin Zeleika ! 
 Thou must meet her. 
 
 Jos. Yea, but just now 
 
 I have no time but to converse with Ihee. 
 And being friends.I urge old friendship's claim. 
 AsEN. — Thou shouldst meet Potaphar, the 
 General ; 
 My cousin, sir. He is a great man, sir. 
 Men in the public j^aze are statues high 
 On pedestal where if they stir they fall. 
 It takes cool heads lo stand at their great 
 height. 
 Jos. — Much have I heard bis greatness high 
 extolled. 
 
 But hath thy heart been given to a man f 
 AsEK. — Why, no, my lord, I still have need 
 of it, 
 And why should I give my heart to a man ? 
 Jos. — Then, lady, hear me for my passion's 
 
 sake. 
 AsKN. — My lord, thou speakest louder than 
 
 thou ought. 
 Jos. — Since I beheld thee, I,who never loved 
 A woman save my mother, feel thy charms 
 As if a strong chain bound around my heart 
 And drawing me to thee, fair Asenath. 
 Tell me that I may hope. 
 AsKM. I hope all men may hope. 
 
 Joi. — May I ask Pharaoh to give thee to me? 
 AsKN. — Thou hast a tongue and mayest ask 
 anything, 
 But I think thou shouldst ask me for the gift 
 Before thou dost another. 
 
 Jos. I know not how to court, 
 
 Vet do thou take what should be said, as said, 
 And answer me that thou will be my wife. 
 AsKN. — True maids mock not an awardness 
 in love. 
 But would prefer it show apprentice-work ; 
 And I am equally as new as thou, 
 And know not how to answer, save, I love thee. 
 
 [Curtain. 
 
 ACT IV. 
 
 INTRODUCTION.— Enter, Famine, mum- 
 bling a bone. 
 
 Vulture of the earth am I, 
 Tearing the human family, 
 Gorgeing much in every age, 
 Powerless to my lust assuage, 
 Though I glut 'mid battle roar, 
 Or upon the filthy poor 
 Lying cooped in rags and cold 
 Ready for my fangs to hold, [Gnaws. 
 
 But I hear interrogation 
 Of the pertinant occasion 
 In Egypt land, in Joseph's day ; 
 Was I present then ? you say. 
 Yea, and I for seven years 
 Blasted harvests, munched the ears, 
 And hollowed grain as it was planted — 
 I alone had all I wanted. [Gnaws. 
 
 And the poet bids me take 
 The roll of musty days, and break. 
 As ye have the rock inclosures 
 Where many a mummied king reposes, 
 Reading from the roll as though 
 Present was the long ago. [Reads. 
 
 So: Asenath, wedded wife. 
 Hath for two sons nourished life 
 By Zaphnath-Paaneah, he 
 Over Egypt's husbandry; 
 Seven years of grace have past ; 
 Each, more l)ounteous than the last, 
 
Act IV, Scene 
 
 ZAPIINATH-PAANEAH. 
 
 Hath bestrewed the land with grain, 
 
 Which they strive to reap in vain. 
 
 But Zaphnath, sending servants forth, 
 
 Hath garnered all the waste of earth, 
 
 At a trifling value paid, 
 
 Piling barns and graneries wide. 
 
 So the fruit was hoarded high 
 
 When from out my dungeon I, 
 
 Bound by Titans since the flood, 
 
 By the river famished stood ; 
 
 And two seasons I have fed 
 
 Wheresoe'er my fancy led. 
 
 Vet am empty. Now the land 
 
 Is fed from Zaphnath-paaneah's hand, 
 
 From the bins he filled before ; 
 
 And he reaps a golden store. [Gnaws. 
 
 Eleven years from the baker's doom 
 The poet will his tale resume. [Exit. 
 
 SCENE I. — Plains of Canaan. Israel (very 
 
 feeble), and sons. 
 
 IsK. — Why look ye angrily upon each other? 
 Hath want turned you into a jealous horde, 
 That ye with scowls shoot arrows from the 
 
 tongue • 
 Toward the vital heart? Such arrows stick, 
 Rankle and fester, till they do much ill. 
 
 JUD. — Better be dead than lacking what we 
 need. 
 
 IsR. — Courage, my children. God hath 
 promised us 
 A kingdom — 
 
 JUD. Fagh ! we have a kingdom now, 
 
 And starve in it. 
 
 ISR? Son, I am thy father. 
 
 God hath a kingdom promisecl us, my sons, 
 Flowing with milk and honey ; be assured 
 He will give us this kingdom. To do that 
 He must preserve our lives ; and be ye warned, 
 This famine shall not gnaw us like these looks. 
 Nursing pent feelings is a dangerous thing 
 At the eruption. So : hold back your heads. 
 Look squarely at the world, not surly down. 
 Or it like a wild beast will pounce on you. 
 A caravan is coming. I will hail them, 
 And will divide our crust with them : if we 
 Divide with poor, God will divide with us. 
 
 [Exit, followed by Dan. 
 
 JUD. — Best eat the crust, and then curse 
 God and die. 
 
 SlM. — Judah, thou hast not seemed right 
 since thou didst sell Joseph. It is that, and 
 not the famine that troubles thee. 
 
 Jut). — I 'd like to see anything save an ache 
 or pain of thine own trouble thee. 
 
 Sim. — It must be terrible to have such guilt. 
 
 JUD. — Such guilt indeed ! how terrible, thou 
 — what shall I call thee ? — 
 
 Sim. — Brother, perhaps. 
 
 JUD. — Thou hast not only slain Joseph, but 
 thy own self as well. Thou art too dead in 
 evil to have any feeling. Thou and Levi art 
 guilty of this and of Shcchem's — 
 
 Sim. — Righteons instruments, my brother. 
 
 JUD. — Ask Dinah as to that. 
 
 Levi — 'T was Simeon set the whole of us 
 
 agog. 
 
 Sim. — And that 's a lie. Thou know'st all 
 
 action hangs 
 
 Upon the first-born: Kcuben was the leader. 
 
 Sim. — O thou dost know I hid the lad away. 
 
 Reu. — I know that thou didst curse him : 
 
 so do these. 
 Reu. — Why, I was not there when yc sold 
 
 the lad. 
 Lkvi — 'T was Simeon's work. He acted as 
 
 first-born. 
 Sim. — How thou canst lie, as well as sell 
 thy brother ! 
 By heaven, thou liest near as well as Judah, — 
 Though he outfigured thee in selling Joseph. 
 TuD. — I plead for Joseph, and I will not lie 
 Under this weight of obloquy. By heaven ! — 
 [Re-enter, Dan. 
 Dan — It is Haran, brothers! Haran, Haran, 
 
 Haran. 
 JuD. — To hell with Haran ! Who is Ha- 
 ran, Dan ? 
 Dan. — I knew him when I set my eyes on 
 him. 
 Though he is older, and could swear 't is he. 
 Jul/. — Of course 't is he; but tell us, who 
 
 is he. 
 Dan— Haran, the man to whom we sold 
 
 our brother. 
 JUD. — Art sure? 
 Dan Yea, positive. 
 
 JuD. Did he see thee? 
 
 Da.n — No ; if he had. and known me, he 
 had spoke 
 About the slave he bought, and father then 
 Had plied with questions, and all would have 
 
 slipped. 
 Trust me for that much wisdom. . . They are 
 
 gone. 
 I crept up unobserved by anyone. [Re-enter,Isr 
 ISK. — They are of Ishmael, slave merchant- 
 men. 
 And tell a wondrous story. Years ago. 
 They say, a wise man went to Pharaoh, 
 Declaring of this famine, how, in time. 
 This angel should appear and reap the earth. 
 And recommended that his Majesty 
 Gather the surplus of his land, and store 
 Against the evil : this did Pharaoh, 
 Appointing the wise youth to glean the fields ; 
 And then for seven years, as well we know, 
 The genial earth, impregnant by the sun, 
 Brought forth abundantly; the which they 
 
 saved 
 And stored away, where we but wasted it ; 
 So that they have enough to feed their all. 
 Dan.— Is this all? 
 
 IsE. It may mean much to us. 
 
 For seven years the famine is to last. 
 Dan— Is this all, father? 
 IsR. Son, it is enough. 
 
 Be thankful to the Lord it is this much. 
 
ZAPHNATH-PAANEAH. 
 
 Act IV, Scene 2 
 
 It may be means whereby to save our lives, 
 For if we tell the man of our distress 
 He may be pitiful and sell us corn. 
 
 JUD.— I shall try him. 
 
 Lrvi And r. 
 
 Sim. \nd I. 
 
 IsR. Do so, my sons. 
 
 [Exeunt and curtain. 
 
 SCENE If. — Custom house at Thebes. 
 Zaphnath-Paaneah and officers. 
 
 ZAPH.—Steward. 
 
 STJfi. — My lord. 
 
 Zaph.— It is evident that money fails among 
 the people. Therefore send thou runners to 
 all officers in the forty-two nomes, saying : 
 When the people come to buy.if they say they 
 have no money, ask them what cattle they 
 have, and give them the grain in exchange 
 for their cattle, herds and llocks. Cattle are 
 an incumbrance on the people without food 
 to give them, and are already too reduced in 
 flesh to make them meat. 
 
 Stic — Yes, my lord. 
 
 Zaph. — Charge them to allow fair prices, 
 but no more; for then the cattle shall be on 
 our charge. Have the herds and flocks sent 
 for the present to Ramses' land for pasturing. 
 Send, meantime, searchers for new pasture- 
 fields, to oases in the desert, and far up the 
 Nile. [Enter, boy. 
 
 STK."-It shall be so, my lord. 
 
 Zaph. — Have also the officers of every prov- 
 ince to send us report of their transactions, 
 and the money they have received for grain. 
 My boy, what is it ? 
 
 Boy — Please, sir. and there are some He- 
 brews come down from Canaan to buy corn. 
 
 Zaph.— Hebrews ! Bring them in ; I wish 
 to question them. [Exit, boy.] Some foreign- 
 ers are coming, steward. Keep them waiting 
 at the arras, and when they speak, bear what 
 they say to me, and take them my answer. 
 Dost thou understand ? 
 
 Stkw.— I do, my lord. 
 Exit, Zaph. behind the arras. Enter, Judah 
 
 et. al. Throughout the following conversa- 
 tion the steward hears messages, walks to 
 
 the arraSjConverses in pantomine, and brmgs 
 
 back his master's instructions. 
 
 JUD. — Our master, Zaphnalh- Paaneah, 
 called us in. 
 
 SiK.— He will not see you, but would learn 
 your mission. 
 
 JUD.— Commend our worship to my lord. 
 We dwell in Canaan, where, too, the famine 
 
 hath 
 Eaten the earth, yet there far worse than here ; 
 For we, unwarned, have nothing hoarded by 
 As ye have here ; for we lacked bee's wisdom 
 Who lay by foriheir need. We've heard the 
 fame 
 
 Of our good lord who sits next Pharaoh, 
 And how his wisdom hath outwitted death 
 In snatching life from hungry famine's jaws. 
 Also, we hear he hath enough laid up, 
 Not only for his people, but to spare. 
 And we are come to buy ; and we entreat. 
 Turn us not empty from your hoarded barns. 
 For if ye do, we starve. 
 
 Stkw. My master says, 
 
 Nay, ye are spies : to spy the nakedness 
 Of Egypt are ye come, intending then 
 To bring forth warriors on our helplessness. 
 
 JUD. — Nay, tell my lord 
 That we are true men ; and ourselves in want. 
 Have heard how you are full, and come to you; 
 Sixty and six souls, counting our wives and 
 
 babes, 
 Praying to be sheltered in your shadow. 
 We all are sons of one man, and are true. 
 Ask him if spies be all one family. 
 
 SiEW. — My mastei thinks ye spies, and will 
 not sell. 
 Howbeit, he bids ask if ye have other brother. 
 
 JUD. — We all are sons of one, and he Isold: 
 And there are twelve of us ; but one is dead. 
 And one, a mere child, tarried with his father. 
 
 ScEW.— Thus saith my master: That it is 
 indeed 
 As I have said, and ye are spies, not brethren. 
 Ye shall be proven. By the life of Pharaoh, 
 Ye shall not all depart until you bring 
 This younger brother that ye tell me of. 
 Send one of you to bring him, and the rest 
 Shall lie in prison till he hath been brought. 
 
 JuD. (aside) My God ! what shall we do ? 
 
 Naph. (aside) God tarries in his judgment, 
 not forgets. 
 But metes it to the plummet and the square. 
 This Cometh of our selling Joseph, when 
 He plead with us; but we wouhl not regard, 
 And now will God not hear us, tho' we plead. 
 
 Rku. (aside) God knoweth what our broth- 
 er hath endured. 
 And He will make us each one bear the same. 
 
 AsH. (aside) To Egypt sold we him ; in 
 Egypt comes 
 His angel in avengement on us. 
 
 Zei5. (aside) Had we been wise we never 
 had come here. 
 
 Naph. (aside) God meant we should come, 
 to receive our doom. 
 And there is no man that can say Him nay. 
 
 Rku. (aside) I feared this evil, and I hid 
 the lad ; 
 And yet you pout the lip out at my speech. 
 
 SiNf. (aside) Thou didst not take thy portion, 
 O no, no. 
 
 Rku. (aside) You would not hear me, and 
 our sorrow came. 
 
 Dan— Fie! quarrel not so before this gen- 
 tlemen. 
 Bickering as if strangers and not brothers. 
 There is a way. Sir, f would speak with thee. 
 Go, tell thy master we are loyal men. 
 And what was said is true ; but we have wives 
 
Act IV, Scene 3 
 
 ZAPHNATH-PAANEAH. 
 
 23 
 
 And liitle ones, and aged parents, who 
 Require the food to keep them from the grave; 
 Nor can one bear what all their needs demand. 
 IVay him, therefore, to take out one of us, 
 And keep him as a hostage in the dungeon, 
 But send the others, with their corn, away. 
 To bring the brother that we tell thee of. 
 
 Stew. — My master will not hear but ye are 
 spies. 
 And one may volunteer to die for the others. 
 
 Da> — Tell him to choose one. Would all 
 volunteer. 
 Were we not brethren, as we say we are? 
 Yea, some must starve if nine cannot return. 
 Ask him, if he doth reverence the gods. 
 To pity us. 
 
 Stkw. My master bids me say, 
 He doth fear God, and will accede your terms. 
 Ho, fellows! [Slaves appear.] Didst thou 
 say thou wouldst stay ? 
 
 Dan — I will, if it doth please my lord. 
 
 Stew. — Our master tells you to bind fast 
 
 this man, [Indicating Simeon 
 
 And cast him in the prison. [They sieze him. 
 
 Sim. — Let go, off, off! Help, some of you ! 
 Am I to be taken and put m prison at the in- 
 stance of Dan ?— here, let loose ! — and against 
 my will ? Now this doih shame the wrong ye 
 did to Joseph. I '11 lemember you for this. 
 
 [They bear him away. 
 
 Dan. — Well, this is wonderful. 
 
 Rhu. — The deed of God. It was Simeon 
 who was most bitter against Joseph, and now 
 the trouble cloth recoil on him. God knoweih 
 who is guilty. 
 
 JUD. — Who is not guilty ? let us be careful 
 how we censure others. 
 
 SiEw. — Sirs, ye rnay go, and take the food 
 ye want. 
 There at the side your vessels will be filled. 
 [Exit, Judah, et. ah, silently. Enter, Zaph. 
 
 Zaph.— Steward. 
 
 Stew. — My lord. 
 
 Zaph. — Receive their money from them, yet 
 when they know not, restore every man his 
 money in his sack. 
 
 Ste. — It shall be so, my lord. 
 
 [Exeunt and curtain. 
 
 SCENE HI.— Plains of Canaan. Tent. Is- 
 rael and sons. 
 
 IsR. — Now that the greetings have been 
 given, and slaves 
 Are storing and unloading food ye brought. 
 Let us repair unto the tent and talk. 
 [Exit, Isr., Judah, Levi and Dan, in the tent. 
 
 Enter, Benjamin. 
 
 Ben. — O are ye back ? I wish I could have 
 gone. 
 Ye must have seen great sights. 
 
 Zkb. Brother, we did. 
 
 O Egypt is a wondrous country, brother. 
 
 Such building as they have ! their massive 
 
 piles 
 Surely eclipse the famous tower of Babel. 
 Their marble tombs o'ertop our Gerezim. 
 How they have raised the heavy building stone. 
 Dragging the cubes and blocks from head of 
 
 Nile, 
 Surpasses my conjecture. They are great, 
 Ruling the eastern half of Africa, 
 And barberous people dwelling by the lakes. 
 Approached through grass high as a horses' 
 
 back, 
 Of whom we have no cognizance. They have 
 Tackles and rigging that is wonderful. 
 Enabling one man to do fifty's work. 
 They daub the creases with concreted mortar. 
 That turns io solid stone. 
 
 Ben. O not to stone. 
 
 Zkb. — To stone, so that thou canst not tell 
 where joints 
 Are made in it, but all seems one cut block. 
 
 Ash. — Benjamin, the pyramids 
 Are acres huge, and high as twenty trees 
 Hollowed, and filled with strange appliances 
 For mirrowing and bringing near the stars. 
 And various mysteries of alchemy. 
 
 Naph. — And there 's a goddess carved from 
 mountain rock. 
 With head and breast of woman, lion body, 
 Couched on hind feet ; large enough for priests 
 To oficr sacrifice between the paws. 
 There worshipping. 
 
 Bkn. That must be wonderful. 
 
 The incense from the burning altar fires 
 Ascends and fills her nostrils, that appear 
 Like chimnies on her face. 
 
 Bh;n. O how strange! 
 
 Gad — At Thebes' eastern gate great Mcm- 
 non stands. 
 Straddling the passage way: he is as high 
 As ten ship masts, and sees the sun arise 
 Upon the eastern ocean. Men behold 
 Its brow diffused in light, when all below 
 Is darkness ; and when the sun dips from the 
 
 spray. 
 The statue then is vocal as the birds, 
 W^hich they do fable have learned song from it. 
 
 Bkn. — What! doth stone sing? 
 
 Gad Y^ea, it is musical : 
 
 Strike flint against a flint, ane thou wilt see. 
 All things are musical. 
 
 IsSA. At Isambul 
 
 They tell us of great quarries, and a mountain 
 Carved into temples and to images, 
 With entrances through doors between the feet 
 Of sitting statues, and apartments there 
 Could swallow yunder hill ; upon the lap 
 Of every one can stand a thousand men. 
 
 Ben. — O I would Hke to go. 
 
 Ash. And thou canst. 
 
 The ruler of the people asked for thee. 
 And made us promise to bring thee along. 
 
 Bkn. — How did he hear of me ? 
 
 Ash. We told him, lad. 
 
 [Re-enter, Isr. and Judah. 
 
24 
 
 ZAPHNATH-PAANEAH. 
 
 Act IV, Scene 4 
 
 JUD. — Zaphnath-Paaneah, since the famine 
 came, 
 And selling food hath filled the kinglj purse, 
 Hath set the idle husbandmen to work, 
 Making conduits, aqueducts, canals, 
 For irregating all land tillable, 
 hj which he hopes, through making water- 
 ways 
 From ocean, under {, round, thro' all the land, 
 He will make e'en the desert arable. 
 Precluding such another dearth as this. 
 
 IsR. — The growth of ideas is astonishing, 
 And will o'erwhelm and upturn the world. 
 
 [Enter, Leah. 
 Leah — I see not Simeon ; where is he, sons? 
 Ash. — Simeon ? he *s in — O nothing, 
 
 mother. 
 Lkah — Where didst thou say he was ? 
 Ash. Well— in prison. 
 
 ISR. — My son in prison? what means this? 
 
 speak ! 
 JUD. — It is small matter, do not be alarmed. 
 The man in charge of Egypt's graneries 
 Refused to sell to us. said we were spies 
 Come from a power to note their salient points; 
 And when, refuting, we said we were brethren, 
 He asked i( we had other brother ; we said, 
 
 One; 
 Then he did sell us food, and bade us go. 
 Detaining Simeon till we come again. 
 And bring him Benjamin to prove us true. 
 I?K. — To send to you or by you, then, is 
 fatal. 
 Joseph is not, and Simeon is not, 
 And now you would take Benjamin away. 
 }vi^- — On Egypt's honor, Simeon is safe. 
 ISR.— What need had ye to speak of Ben- 
 jamin ? 
 JUD.— Could we know he would bid us bring 
 the lad 
 When he inquired. Hare ye other brother ? 
 IsR.— O Rachel, thou and thy sons are 
 abused. 
 And thou art dead, and no one takes their part. 
 Leah — Now, husband, this is wrong, and is 
 not true. 
 I have'been mothef to my sister's son. 
 And as for Joseph, what know they of him ? 
 'T was Rachel's fault, and thy fault, and not 
 
 theirs, 
 Because ye sent him to the wilderness. 
 Where wild beasts prowl and fain would light 
 
 on him. 
 How can their father call them murderers? 
 IsR.— What dost thou know of grief? 
 Lkah What do I know? 
 
 Didst thou bear Simeon? Is he not mine ? 
 ^fow, where is thy trust in God, my husband ? 
 Erstwhile thou called me cold, and said I 
 
 lacked 
 The zeal of worship that I ought to have. 
 Yet I can trust in God to mend this thing. 
 And thou art raging. Now, believe thy sons. 
 Thou gavest both Rachel's children gorgeous 
 cloaks, 
 
 And humorest them, yet I have borne with thee. 
 But my sons thou dost chide,do what they may; 
 And question when they tell us he is safe. 
 I do believe that Simeon is safe. 
 The man could not know but our sons were 
 
 spies. 
 And ought to have a sign ; and when thou send 
 The brother him, attesting what they said, 
 He will release his hostage, Simeon. 
 And send them all back safely to our land. 
 
 Dan — But for my words, he 'd kept us all, 
 save one. 
 
 Rku.-— The man required but security, 
 And will not harm one of us. 
 
 If>R. Bat Benjamin 
 
 Shall not go. 
 
 Bk.n. — Please, father, let me go ; I want to go. 
 The king sent f<3r me, father. 
 
 IsR. — He is a child. 
 
 Leah But he doth want to go. 
 
 Wilt thou leave Simeon in his dijpair? 
 
 IsR. — I must take care of Rachel's only son. 
 Now she is dead. 
 
 JUD. ' r is either go or starve, 
 
 When this shall fail ; and go, or Simeon dies. 
 I '11 pledge my life and all for Benjamin. 
 
 Dan — Besides, when we were lodging at 
 the inn. 
 We found our money tied in each man's sack, 
 And it is go or forfeit honesty 
 Before the man. 
 
 IsR. How wiley is the man ! 
 
 It is a trick, and Simeon is not, 
 And he would call away my little lad 
 To sell him into slavery. O sons — 
 
 Ben. — I 'm not afraid ; please, father, let 
 me go. 
 
 IsR. — Thou art a child. 
 
 Litvi We might harangue all day 
 
 And not convince our father ; let us go. 
 Some men think them so higher than all else 
 Their own thoughts only have a feather's 
 weight. [Exit, Levi, et. al. 
 
 IsR. — And thus it -goes, and we know not 
 
 what next. 
 
 Save that some thorn doth prick us every step. 
 
 As we race for our lives and end in death. 
 
 Yet come what will,/ate tells me they must go. 
 
 [Exit and curtain. 
 
 SCENE IV. — Custom house in Thebes. 
 
 Zaphnath-Paaneah and officers. Enter, ten 
 
 Israelites. 
 
 Stkw. — Welcome, ye Hebrews. As ye en- 
 tered here 
 My master saw the lad of whom ye spake, 
 Discerning him from his resemblance to you. 
 And knew ye were true men. Now, as he hath 
 Detained your brother in the prison house, 
 (He is already sent for) he will do 
 What reparation seemeth meet. Ye are 
 To dine with him to-day in his own house. 
 
 [They hold a whispered consultation. 
 
Act IV, Scene 4 
 
 ZAPHNATM-PAANEAII. 
 
 25 
 
 Dav (aside) What shall we do? This man 
 Is noted for his subtlety, and weaves 
 His web thus. 
 
 Rku. (aside) Dost thou think so? 
 
 Dan (aside) 'T is like cnouj^h. 
 
 This follows with the coins put in our sacks. 
 Best tell his steward now. 
 
 JUD. O sir, 
 
 \Ve came indeed the first time to buy corn, 
 And are true men, our hearts upon our words; 
 But when we opened up our sacks, behold 
 We found the money that we brought returned. 
 And we convey it back to you again. 
 With other money also, to buy food. 
 We cannot tell who put it in our sacks, 
 And pray thee not to hold us for the deed. 
 
 Stew. — Peace be to you, fear not ; I had 
 your money: 
 Your god saw your distress and gave you 
 
 treasure. 
 But shall I tell my master you accept ? 
 I did not catch the drift of what you said. 
 
 JUD.— Thy pardon, sir. Our worship to our 
 lord, 
 And our compliments bear thou to him ; 
 And thoBgh unworthy e'en to see his face, 
 We '11 not refuse this honor of a lifetime. 
 
 [Enter, Simeon, escorted. 
 
 Stkw. — Here is your brother safe returned 
 to you. 
 
 Dan — (jood morrow, Simeon. 
 
 Sim. 1 '11 good morrow thee. 
 
 [Assays to strike Dan, but is restrained.] 
 Leave loose here I O thou hidden viper. 
 Burying thy designs so thou canst wound. 
 Hands off,! say. 
 
 JUD. Peace, Simeon. 
 
 Hast thou no manners in the land of Egypt ? 
 
 Sim. — Damn Egypt! Egypt's a prison 
 house. 
 That's all I know of Egypt. 
 
 JUD. Brother! — 
 
 SteW. Sir, 
 
 My master would repair the wrong he did 
 
 thee, 
 By having thee to dine with hicn this day; 
 And since your god hath given you this 
 
 money 
 (Peihaps he meant it for the selfsame purpose) 
 Why not pour it upon your brother's wound? 
 
 JUD. — I am content, 5f it be not my lord's. 
 
 Stkw. — Then take the treasure coming to 
 them strange. 
 And mayest thou live to see much good in 
 
 Sim. — Pardon me, sir. I am hot-headed, sir. 
 But yet my master did but what was right. 
 I pray thee, tell him not what 1 have said. 
 StilW. (to serv.) Conduct them to the pal- 
 ace, bathe their feet, 
 And give thorn change of raiment while they 
 
 wait. 
 The peace of Egypt be upon you, sirs. 
 
 [Exeunt and curtain. 
 
 SCENE V. — Room in Zaplinath-Paaneah's 
 house, with presents for the host displayed. 
 Eleven brethren. Enter, ZajjhuRlh-Paaneah, 
 who receives homage. 
 
 JUD. — My lord, thy lame, like delicate per- 
 fume 
 From violets wafted on the humid air, 
 Hath .spread to Canaan where the drouth 
 
 prevails. 
 And filled it with the hope of better things. 
 My lord, take it not in unkindness, pray, 
 But our father, whom we told thee of, 
 Hath sent thee a small present, yet the best 
 Our famished land can yield : a little balm, 
 Hunry, my lord, spices and myrrh, nuts and 
 
 almonds. 
 Take not offense, but know we are true men. 
 Zaph. — Up— lie of cheer! Your presents, 
 rare and fine. 
 Dainties, and loved by us, reveal your souls 
 Spotless of taint, as 1 have found already. 
 And I receive them very gratefully. 
 1 much regret how 1 have treated you. 
 
 Sim. — ' r was wisdom, and let not my lord 
 
 feel grieved. 
 Zaph, (flapping his hands) How is your 
 father that ye told me of. 
 That aged man whose hairs are ripened sheaves 
 Of wisdom? (Servant appears.) Bring thou 
 
 my wife and sons. 
 And set the viands now before my guests. 
 
 [Exit, servant. 
 JUD. — Thy servant, our father, he is wcll» 
 
 my lord. 
 Zaph. — Is this the youngest brother that 
 
 ye spake of ? 
 JUD.— It is, my lord. 
 
 Zaph. God be with thee, son. 
 
 [Enter, Asenath, Manasseh and Flphraim.] 
 
 This is my wife ; my two sons are these lads. 
 
 Companions for the time wiih this one here. 
 
 Wife, wilt thou serve us, honoring so these 
 
 guests? [Exit, Asenath. 
 
 Manasseh, Ephraim, both of you serve him. 
 
 [Indicates Benj. Exit, Man. and Eph.] 
 Do my friends find pleasure in the sounds of 
 harps ? 
 Eknj. — O yes, sir, yes, indeed. 
 JUD. Pardon our brother. 
 
 He is a child, my lord, and speaks unihought. 
 Zaph. — Would all spake from the heart, 
 not all from lips. 
 Our music must seem stifit, constrained to you 
 Who breathe the open air and sing in heaven. 
 Yet song is universal speech, I think, 
 Linking the whole world into harmony. 
 [Servants enter, who cause all to recline on 
 divans in order of birth, with Zaph. apait 
 from the others. Soft music without. A^>en- 
 ath and servants bring in platters and trays, 
 present them to Zaph., who, spreading his 
 hands over them, blesses them ; then they 
 are set before the guests. Man. and Eph. 
 
26 
 
 ZAPHNATH-PAANEAH. 
 
 Act V, Scene i 
 
 similarly wait on Benj., thus giving liim a 
 
 (ioul»le portion of all things. 
 
 Levi — Pardon, my lord, but Reuben is the 
 
 eldest. 
 Zaph. — So I divined, and put him at tTie 
 head : 
 Hut my charms tell me it is customary 
 To give the youngest double portion in your 
 
 tribe. 
 These shark's fins, and this jelly-fish, 
 Are reckoned delicacies with us, 
 But, being new to you, I fear their flavor 
 Will give offense. Bring them some oysters, 
 
 wife. 
 And turtle ; can you eat an ostrich egg? 
 Thinking your native fare might suit your taste, 
 I here have mutton, which I hope will not 
 Seem less sweet from the place where it was 
 
 slain — 
 For it was consecrated in the square. 
 Before the image of ih' incarnate god 
 In th' bull, Osiris. 
 
 J no. Pardon us, my lord ; 
 
 'T is not our custom to eat such. 
 
 Zaph. Bear it away. 
 
 Try now this argus ; or do you wish fruits ? 
 Then here are citrons, dates and oranges. 
 How like ye Egypt, sirs ? 
 
 Tun. — Egypt is queen of every country, sir ; 
 f ler crown is Thebes,whose two-hundred gates 
 Sparkle all sides like amethists in light. 
 Your splendid building, statues sprinkled thick, 
 Especially adown the Avenue, 
 Are wonderful. So much we do admire 
 Our tongues are powerless to speak their praise. 
 Zaph. — 'T is a great city. 
 Ash. Would my father saw it. 
 
 Zaph.— Is he old? 
 
 Ash. White as the desert sands. 
 
 Zaph. — Drink to your lather, who hatli 
 given life 
 From his own body to your joys and hopes 
 Lodged in your hearts : and reverence your 
 sire. [ Fhey drink. 
 
 Rku. — What wine is this ! as ancients and 
 as good 
 As legends of the ancients. 
 
 Servant enters, bearing a skeleton, with a pa- 
 pyrus roll in its hand ; taking and unfolding 
 the roll, the servant recites: 
 
 Take the roll from out death's hand, 
 Read his thoughts, and understand. 
 I was once as ye are, ye 
 As I am shall shortly be. 
 (^uaft ye wine — it moves, it lives : 
 Quafi ye wine — a wound it gives ; 
 There is life in death, and death 
 Issuing with your every breath. 
 Now proceed, and eat, and drink, 
 Not as beasts, but learn to ihink. [Exit. 
 Zaph. — Drink to your mothers. (Jod hath 
 given man 
 No truer, better friend than his own mother. 
 
 Some mothers are on earth, and some in 
 
 heaved. 
 But those on earth make heaven for a man, 
 While leaving him for heaven turns earth 
 hell. [They drink. 
 
 Dan (aside) Didst notice how he used the 
 plural, mothers? 
 That man can see to Canaan in that cup, 
 And read the very secrets of our lives. 
 
 Gad (aside) Speak not so loud. 
 
 Dav (aside) Why, he can hear our thoughts. 
 
 Zaph. — Drink to the dead with silence and 
 a prayer ; 
 That when they bear us down the Avenue 
 Lined thickly with immortals and the gods. 
 To cross the Sacred Pool, awhile the priest 
 Doth sprinkle us, and people scatter palms, 
 The forty and two judges may decide 
 Us worthy of interment, and pronounce 
 High eulogies, and the grim boatman bear 
 Our bodies to their endless resting place 
 Deep in the rocky breast of mother earth. 
 And that our hearts may tip the scales aright. 
 O may we wisely thread life's Labyrinth. 
 Drink to the dead with silence and a prayer. 
 [As they drink, curtain. 
 
 ACT V. 
 
 SCENE I.— Outside the gale of Thebes. Car- 
 avan of Israelites Enter, messenger Jrom 
 
 Zaphnath-Paaneah. 
 
 Mes. — Ho, stop ye, stay? 
 
 JUD. — What wilt thou, sir? 
 
 MttS. — Is this the gratitude you show my 
 master. 
 Who entertained you and hath sold you food 
 Whereon your lives and happiness depend? 
 Ungrateful men, you pull disaslcr on you. 
 
 JuD. — W'e know not what thou meanest. 
 
 Mes. Know not, sir? 
 
 So speak all men while seeking to enmantle 
 The wolf in the white garment of the lamb. 
 We 'II show you what we mean. ]|^Yc have the 
 
 cup, 
 The magic cup by which my lord divines, 
 The gift of Pharaoh, which ye have stolen. 
 Wist not thai such as my lord can divine ? 
 
 JUD. — Come, search our stuff, and if thou 
 findest it, 
 Then we will be the servants of our lord. 
 And he who hath it shall be put to death. 
 
 Mttii.^-We '11 search and see. 
 
 [Opens Reuben's sack. 
 
 Rhu. — Am I a thief? [Opens Simeon's. 
 
 SiM. — What right hast thou? Leave honest 
 folks alone. 
 I have been shamefully misused by him. 
 And he seeks more occasion. [Opens Levi's. 
 
 Lkvi Thou 'rt in thy cups, 
 
 Or thou wonldst not seek cups of Leah s sons. 
 
Act V, Scene 2 
 
 ZAPHNATH-PAANEAH. 
 
 27 
 
 Go ihou to Benjamin, who is that stock. 
 
 [Opens Judah's. 
 JUD. — Look through them all ; an honest 
 man is open 
 To scrutiny of all. and loves the light ; 
 But thieves and mean men covet secrecy. 
 
 [Opens Dan's. 
 Da.n. — We thus shall prove we take no 
 
 money back. [Opens Naphiali's. 
 
 Naph. — What ! is it empty ? [Opens Gad's. 
 Gad. — Best dig the grain. [Opens Asher's. 
 Ash. — Thou searchest for our innocence, 
 and findesl. Opens Zebulun's. 
 
 Mes. — The rest have spoken ; what hast 
 
 thou to say ? 
 Zeb. — Just what ihou 'It find, sir, in my sack. 
 Mks. And that ? 
 
 Zeb. — Nothing, sir. 
 
 [Open Benjamin's, finding cup. 
 Levi What did I tell you? 
 
 I never knew a pretty woman's son, 
 Or one luxurious, who came to much. 
 
 Be.nJ. — O brothers, help me ! Now what 
 shall I do? 
 Sir, I unvail ray breast — I did not know ; 
 I cannot tell how it came in my sack. 
 
 Mes. — Sirs, we no further would unsettle 
 you ; 
 Return ye to your land. This child alone 
 W^e hold ameniable. 
 
 JUD. (rending his garment) We will not go, 
 But we will bear the burden of our brother. 
 [Exeunt toward 'I hebes. 
 
 SCENE II — Custom house in Thebes. Ken- 
 jamin in custody and other Israelites bcfuie 
 Zaphnath-Paaneah. 
 
 Zaph. — And so you found the cup wjth him? 
 
 Mes. _ ^ My lord, 
 
 We did, in sack of this the youngest one. 
 ^ Zaph. — Then hold him culpable let others 
 go- 
 
 JuD. — My lord, I pray thee, listen to my 
 plea. 
 
 Zaph.— Say on. 
 
 JUD. — We came first in distress to buy us 
 corn. 
 Leaving our parents, wives and little ones. 
 And thou didst (for so it seemed good in thy 
 
 sight) 
 Detain our brother Simeon from his babes 
 Until we brought this lad. Our sire, sir. 
 Hath two wives, and we ten are of the one, 
 But Rachel, whom he loved, bore only one : 
 Her elder-born was torn apart by beasts, 
 And she kept pining in our father's sight 
 Until this child was born, then passed away ; 
 And thou dost see he is a little child. 
 Having no mother to direct his steps. 
 And if he slipped upon the city's ways, 
 All new to him, take pity for the child 
 Who had no mother's training. 
 
 My lord, I now recall thy toast where thou 
 
 didst say, 
 A mother leaving earth for heaven leaves earth 
 
 hell 
 For children that remain : consider, then 
 The hell in which this little child hath walked, 
 And let that be his punishment. 
 My lord, it may be thou (bereavement takes 
 Unwelcome board with every man, both high 
 And low) wast in thy early days bereft 
 Of mother's guidiance ; or if not so 
 Consider, I do pray thee, if thy child 
 (But heaven defend thine from such fate) had 
 
 been 
 From babyhood without a mother's care. 
 And he perchance had made this slip. 
 Now, the aged man, our father,who doth stand 
 Over the tomb, doth dote upon this child. 
 Since he w as born just as his mother passed, 
 Their spirits meeting on the mystic way. 
 And would not send him even lor his son, 
 To ransom him, nor for our urgent need. 
 And all the hunger of our little ones, 
 Until I pledged my own life for the child, 
 Seruriiy that he should be returned ; 
 And if we go without this little one, 
 Then will our father die. 
 O sir, he is a child, nor knows his sin : 
 Therefore, I pray thee, let him go with them. 
 And keep me in his stead, to bear his guilt, 
 And 1 Will be thy slave through all my days. 
 Zaph. — Officer, put every man from out 
 the room. 
 Save these alone, and lock the doors. 
 
 [Ejectment takes place. 
 
 Judah, Judah, thou hast nobly said. 
 
 1 am your brother Joseph, whom ye sold, 
 O brethren, it is true, believe in me; 
 
 He not so cold, nor fear me ; draw to me ; 
 I'^or I have yearned toward you from the first. 
 My brother Benjamin, thou art as I, 
 Beloved, but motherless ; thou hast not seen 
 The dear face of our mother evermore ; 
 But 1 have seen her; for her spirit came 
 To me in prison, and told me of thee, 
 Even before I learned of thee from these. 
 
 [They kiss and embrace Zaphnath-I'aaneah, 
 successively, as he calls their names.] 
 
 Reuben, thou didst not mean a wrong to me. 
 For ihou didst hide me. 
 
 Ri"U, O my brother, 
 
 But I was guilty ; yet forgive me, pray. 
 
 Zaph. — Peace be to 'It , Simeon, forgive 
 My putting thee to ja) 
 
 Sim. roigive my sin. 
 
 There is no evil except jealou.sy. 
 
 Zaph. — Peace, peace, my brother. Levi, 
 peace to thee. 
 
 Lkvi — Praise be to God. 
 
 Zaph. Noble, noble Judah; 
 
 Who gives his all for others hides his sins. 
 Peace, brother Naphtali, and Dan — 
 Gad — Asher : praise the Lord ! and Isacchar; 
 Peace, Zebulun. The world is glad lo-day, 
 
28 
 
 ZAPHNATH-PAANEAH. 
 
 Act V, Scene 2 
 
 And heaven draws the burdens from men's 
 
 hearts, 
 Giving the reconciling kiss to all. 
 1 think I never saw so bright a day. 
 Is it not bright? 
 
 JuD. O how we wronged thee, brother! 
 
 Zaph.— Nay, charge yourselves not with 
 this weight of grief 
 Because you sold me, for it was of God, 
 And I was sent here to preserve your lives 
 During the famine ; for the High One works 
 Mysteriously, and yet he rules mankmd, 
 And plays us on the chessboard of the years, 
 ("Cyphers and bishops, knights and kings alike, 
 J^y making reasons forcing us to move. 
 Ye knew it not. nor either did 1 know, 
 But it was in His plan to bring me here, 
 That those dreams that I had might be ful- 
 filled. 
 Jt was God's doing, and 'tis marvellous. 
 
 Dan. — Brother, how came thy glory ? 
 Did our great sin pile many woes on thee? 
 
 ZaPh. — Exposed in a slave market in this 
 city, 
 I was disposed of to an officer 
 Of Pharaoh in high rank, and there advanced 
 To steward of his house: but evil came. 
 And I was thrust in prison, where I lay 
 For two full years where Simeon v\as awhile. 
 Then Pharaoh's chief butlar, in disrepute, 
 Fell in the dungeon, and he dreamed a dream, 
 From which I prophesied his quick release, 
 Which happened to the tenor of my words. 
 After my two years were expired there, 
 God pictured unto Pharaoh m a dream 
 'I'he seven years of plenty, and this famine ; 
 And when he had convened the sorcerers. 
 And they could not reveal to him his dream, 
 The butlar went to him and spake of me. 
 And I was brought into the senate chambei. 
 I recommended therefore to my lord 
 That every year a fifth part of the crop 
 Be stored away against a day of want ; 
 And finding that I was of Abraham 
 (Famed as a scholar and astronomer), 
 1 was advanced to what ye see to-day, 
 And since have served in that capacity. 
 
 JUD. — It seems that they who sin should 
 bear the grief, 
 But here the sinned against bore punishment. 
 
 As HER — We heard of thee in Canaan, aud 
 his dreams, 
 But nerer thought it was our brother Joseph. 
 
 Dan — Haran told us of thee. Him we sold 
 thee to. 
 
 ZAPif. — When first ye came I thought to 
 draw you all 
 Down to this land (for so I would fulfill 
 My dreams, as well as meet all, but I see 
 (iod shapes our destinies, and not ourselves). 
 Ere I unmasked myself, and to that en<l, 
 Held Simeon, and sent your money back — 
 
 Sim. — My lord, the steward said he had the 
 money. 
 But here it ii. 
 
 Zaph. Had, and returned it, brother. 
 Keep it,'tis thine. When Benjamin came down 
 I meant to hold him till my father came. 
 Feeling he would be drawn here for his child. 
 And so I privately conveyed my cup 
 To Benjamin's sack. 
 
 Benj. There, brethren, there I 
 
 I was not guilty — now ! 
 Zaph.— Not guilty? no. I should have 
 said so sooner, 
 But in the joy of greeting I forgot. 
 At leisure we will gather up the ends. 
 Now let us turn the shadows of the eve 
 Of father's life behind him, till his sun 
 Set unobscured. I will send with ye back 
 Wagons and asses, and ye all shall come. 
 With all your flocks and herds and household 
 
 stuff. 
 And through the hard years I will nourish you. 
 JUD. — Nay, if thou wilt forgive, and leave 
 us go. 
 That were enough, and we will live apart 
 And bless thee; while for this lad here 
 Who hath not wronged thee, and our father, 
 
 they 
 May come and eat thy salt, for they are worthy. 
 Z \PH.— Foh ! Ye've already eaten of my salt, 
 And in that eating brotherhood was sealed. 
 JUD. — Yet, though thou thus doth gracious- 
 ly forgive, 
 It is not meet we hang upon thy sides. 
 When that perchance shall give thy lord offence 
 Zaph. — Nay it shall please him. Shall he 
 say me. Nay, 
 When I have made his land rich when 't is 
 
 poor, 
 When I have filled his purse, when I have 
 
 bought 
 All flocks and henls for him, and will all land 
 And every person ere the famine fail? 
 I make all Egypt his, its people his, 
 And him the richest munarcti on the earth, 
 And shall he say me, Nay? Nay, ye shall 
 
 come. [Knocking without. 
 
 Someone please open there. [Enter, Mess. 
 Mes — My lord, I am from Pharaoh. 
 Zaph. — What says his majesty ? 
 Mes. — Pharaoh doth hear thy brethren are 
 come down. 
 And sends them welcome, bidding them so- 
 journ, 
 And eat his bread until the famine fail. 
 Now therefore he doth bid thee, mighty lord. 
 To give them asses, provender and money. 
 Victual und vestments, wagons and what not, 
 And tell them to repair to their own land. 
 And bring their families and flocks and herds, 
 And come and live with us ; to not regard 
 Their household stuft", for^that shall be sup- 
 plied. 
 And wheresoever they shall please to dwell, 
 The land is their's throughout our^, utmost 
 
 borders, 
 And all the fat of Egypt shall be their's. 
 
 [Curtain. 
 
Act V, Scene 3 
 
 ZAPHNATH-PAANEAH. 
 
 29 
 
 SCENE III — Plains of Canaan. Israel and 
 
 tents ; sons of Israel. 
 
 Bknj. — Father,we found our brother Joseph. 
 
 ISR. — Jest not at death ; we know he is no 
 more. 
 
 BE^J. — We thought so, but he lives, and I 
 have seen him. 
 
 IsR. — Thou never didst see him. 
 
 Benj. O but I have. 
 
 He is the ruler of the land of Egypt. 
 
 JuD. — Father, 'tis true ; our brother is alive, 
 And he it is who did foretell the want, 
 And was made governor of all the land, 
 Aud he hath sent for thee with many wains. 
 [Israel faints. 
 Loosen his girdle and chafe at his wrisis : 
 Bring thou the mules that he may sec and 
 
 know. [Exit, several. Isr. groans. 
 Open thy eyes that yet shall see thy son. 
 
 IsR. (recovering) Who says Joseph lives? 
 
 JUD. I, father, I. 
 
 JSR. — Asher, is it true?. 
 
 Ash. I saw him, father. 
 
 IsR.— Reubel? 
 
 Reu. It is true. 
 
 Isr. Simeon, art tho" safe ? 
 
 Sim. — Safe, father ; Joseph, too, is safe. 
 
 IsR. Dead ? 
 
 Sim. ' Living. 
 
 IsR. — Is Rachel living? and is Dinah yet 
 alive ? 
 Have I been sleeping and dreamed they were 
 dead? 
 
 JUD. — They have departed, but he is alive. 
 Sorrows and age have dimmed thy vi.si«)n, 
 
 father. 
 But thou at living and he is alive. 
 And thou shalt rest thee underneath his wing, 
 For he is grown great, as his dreams foretoki, 
 And he shall hover us throughout the ill. 
 See there the wagons he hath sent for us, 
 Asses and raiment, silver and victuals, too. 
 
 Isr. — I see, it is enougli, I do believe, 
 And will go down and see him ere I die. 
 
 [Curtain. 
 
 SCENE IV.— Plain on the frontier of Egypt. 
 Enter, from one side, Israel borne on an 
 ox-cart, with Leah beside him, and several 
 Israelites near ; from the opposite side 
 Zaphnath-Paaneah enters in k chariot, at- 
 tended. 
 
 Zaph. (alighting) My father, father ! 
 IsR. Joseph, is it thou ? 
 
 Now heaven be blest that I have seen thy face. 
 My son, my son. I am content to die, 
 Now I have seen thee. It were best to die, 
 Before another shadow cloud my life. 
 
 ZaPH. — Is not all well? No, sure thou shalt 
 not die. 
 No further shadow shall fall on thy life ; 
 Art thou well, father? O how thou art 
 changed ! 
 
 ISR.— I have not been well till this hour, I 
 think, 
 But now I am well. Yet— my child, my child ! 
 Thou wast a child when I last saw thy face. 
 And now thou art a child no more. 
 
 Zapu. Nay, years are past 
 
 Since thou didst send me tripping in gay coat 
 A little journey, and the Spirit led 
 Me on a great ways, through the length of 
 
 years, 
 Ere I return and we are met again. 
 Thy pilgrimage is drawing to a close. 
 And I have journeyed up the hill of life 
 Further than Egypt is remote from Caaaan. 
 [Other brethren enter. Leah kneels to Zaph.] 
 What ! art thou kneeling to me, mother 
 Leah ? 
 Rise, and thrice Welcome. I should seen thee 
 
 sooner. 
 But that my eyes were so absorbed by him. 
 Welcome to all. My heart o'erflows in welcome 
 And hides my tongue. Rise,mother Leah.rise. 
 Lkah — Nay, let me kneel; for, first, it is 
 thy due ; 
 And secondly, it so fulfills thy dream. 
 And I thus worship God who wrought His will 
 So marvelously : and then third, I want 
 'i"o plead with thee for my sons, and to thank 
 Thee for them, for thou didst invite all here. 
 And in forgiving showed thy greatness great 
 Beyond most kings. Now, therefore, hear my 
 
 prayer : 
 Rise greater, nor require it of them, 
 Nor tell thy master till their babes be shamed. 
 [Ghost of Rachel and Dinah appear. 
 Rach. — 1 he dead wish justice done them. 
 I>,R.— Merciful heavens ! what can this por- 
 tend ? ^ 
 Rachel, my wife! 
 
 Kach. Aye, my former lore. 
 
 And not forgotten or forsaken now. 
 We spiiit ones who have united you, 
 Come, just as thee moon bows down before 
 
 my son. 
 To show you how his dreams have been ful- 
 filled. 
 The justice that wc crave is this ; Because 
 My son's dream showed eleven stars and moon, 
 When there were but ten brethen, these ten 
 
 thought 
 My sibter was dishonored as a star. 
 When lo ! before the powerful day arrives 
 Mine then unborn makes up eleven stars. 
 And I am gone, and Leah is the moon. 
 Leah — Sister, forgive them. 
 Rac. Peace and love henceforth 
 
 Rule this united family. 
 Din. Amen. 
 
 Rach.— Son, promise that my sister asked. 
 Zaph. i ^^0. 
 
 Both Gho. (disappearing) Now I can rest. 
 
 Ye are absolved from sin. 
 Ish.— Now hath my God showed me my 
 wife again, 
 My daughter and my son, and so my life 
 
30 
 
 ZAPHNATH-PAANEAH. 
 
 Act V, Scene 4 
 
 Rounds into peace. And while we linger here 
 
 On sacred ground, my voice I will uplift 
 
 In blessing. Blessed be the God of Abraham, 
 
 Of Isaac and of wayward Israel, 
 
 Who hath fulfiled His promises to us. 
 
 Blessed be these my sous. Twelve sons had I, 
 
 But Reuben through his instability 
 
 Forfeits his birthright ; Simeon and Levi 
 
 Because of cruel plots against their brother ; 
 
 But Simeon expiated in the prison 
 
 His crime, and Levi not. This is my will : 
 
 Levi shall lose his share in Israel, 
 
 And for that he was cruel, he shall slay, 
 
 And his descendants ; they shall be the priests 
 
 For Israel; and be without allot ; 
 
 And what he forfeits shall be given Joseph, 
 
 Making him two shares, like he was firstborn: 
 
 Since Joseph is Egyptian, this shall be — 
 
 Ephraim and Manasseh are my sons, 
 
 And shall have equal parts in Israel. 
 
 Now son, 
 Direct us in the way that pleaseth thee. 
 
 Zaph. — It is not well we break through eti- 
 qaette 
 By coming in our wagons to the court, 
 So I would recommend that five of you, 
 And father, come with me, awhile the rest 
 Abide here with the goods and war fatigue 
 Till the allottment of our lands is made. 
 
 IsR. — Wise is thy word. 
 
 Zaph. Then pick me out the five. 
 
 IsR. — First, Asher, go, entreat those trav- 
 elers 
 To rest with us, and eat. [Exit, Asher. 
 
 Judah I name, 
 Levi and Simeon and Dan and Gad. 
 
 Zaph. — Then, brethren, when ye come be- 
 fore the king. 
 If he shall say. Of what trade may ye be? 
 Call not yourselves mere shepherd, but declare, 
 " Sir, we have dealt in cattle from our youth ;" 
 For shepherds are abominated here, 
 While traders are respected. 
 
 [Re-enter. Asher, with Haran. 
 
 Har. — Haran is thy Ishmaelitish slave, 
 Thou venerable man whose gracious deeds 
 Have moved the gods to lengthen out thy life. 
 
 isR. — An old man's blessings rest upon thy 
 head. 
 Wilt thou not eat with us ? 
 
 Har. I 'm sworn, my lord 
 
 To make all post to Egypt. 
 
 ISR. There go we, 
 
 And wilt thou keep us company? 
 
 Hak. My joy. 
 
 [Seeing Zaph., he stares blankly, then makes 
 obesiance.] 
 
 Dan — Dost thou remember, Haran, years 
 ago, 
 Buying a youth from us in Canaan's hills. 
 Where we were tending flock ? 
 
 Har. 'T was someone else. 
 
 JuD.— Nay, it was thou. 
 
 Har. Till now I never saw thee. 
 
 Ash. — Aye, but it was thee bought the lad 
 
 of us. 
 Har. — Sirs, ye have called me here to 
 Egypt's king 
 To bring false accusation on my life. 
 But it is false; I never bought your slave. 
 
 ZAPH.—Fear not, I came not here to try, 
 Nor will I punish thee for what thou didst. 
 But I know thou didst buy a slave of them. 
 Hak. (kneeling to Zaph.) O thou to whom 
 all secrets are revealed, 
 'T were vain to say thee nay ; but pity me. 
 Zaph.— Arise and fear not. With that slave 
 thou boughtest 
 For twenty silver pieces thou didst go 
 To Thebes, and for full eighty pieces sell 
 To Potaphar; who cast his slave in jail. 
 Now this slave could interpret dreams ; and 
 
 when 
 Pharaoh had vision of this famine, he 
 Showed it to Pharaoh, and was high advanced 
 As ruler of the land : that slave am I. 
 Nay, do nor fear, no ill is our intent. 
 Then thou didst tell in Canaan this aged man 
 Of Egypt's bread, and his sons came to buy. 
 They arc my brethren, and he is my father. 
 Hak. — Why, wonders are not ended. 
 Zaph. Come then with us, 
 
 Since thy way is to Egypt, and eat salt with 
 me. 
 Har. (kneeling) I am not worthy. But I 
 am thy slave. [Curtain. 
 
 SCENE V— Grounds near Pharaoh's capitol 
 in Thebes, showing interior of court room. 
 Enter, Asenath and sons, she with a cat in 
 her arms ; seats herself to a side. 
 
 ASEN — Run thither where your father lags 
 with them, 
 And bid him to come quick to me, alone. 
 [Exir. Man. and Eph. opposite place of entry.] 
 
 O Isis, have ( giv'n thee such offence. 
 That thou must turn my husband into ill, 
 To punish me with rent domestic ties ? 
 Take pity. Queen. When have I been unkind 
 To any creature loved of any god ? 
 Then why should they be so unkind to me? 
 Ra, help me, with that kindnesf that I show 
 To this thy cat, and turn again his heart 
 To like fidelity she shows to me. 
 [Enter, on opposite edge of stage, Zaphnath- 
 Paaneah and company. 
 
 Zaph. — Be seated, father. 
 
 IbR. Now I see thee, son, 
 
 As thou wast in the days of long ago 
 In these thy children ; but thy bearded face 
 A stranger's face is. Each of these appears 
 A separate Joseph ; and full well I said 
 They shall be my sons, and have equal parts 
 In Israel. Now bring them to me. 
 That I may bless them. 
 
Act V, Scene 5 
 
 ZAPHNATH-PAANEAH. 
 
 31 
 
 [Zaph. brings Manasseh toward Israel's right 
 
 hand, Ephraim toward his left.] 
 
 Zaph. Here are the lads. 
 
 [Israel crosses arms, laying his right hand on 
 
 Ephraim's head, and left on Manasseh's.] 
 Nay, let thy right hand rest upon this lad ; 
 He is the elder. 
 
 ISk. f know it, my son, I know it. 
 
 But thou wert youngest, and art grown the 
 greatest. 
 AsKN (solus) Aye, all things int'rest him be- 
 yond his wife : 
 Gone for a week, he still must lag with them. 
 IsR. — Manasseh also shall become a people, 
 And also shall be great, yet of a truth. 
 The younger brother shall be greater still, 
 And his seed shall become a multitude. 
 The angel which redeemed me from all evil 
 BlesSj these two lads, and let my name be 
 
 named 
 Upon them, and the name of Abraham 
 And Isaac, and may they be prospered in the 
 earth. 
 AsE^. (solus) Yet is he handsome. There 
 the inward flaw 
 More shows, in that hi'i outer form is good. 
 O Hathor, Hathor! patron of the wife, 
 Take pity, help. [Zaph. approaches.] At last 
 
 he comes. 
 Why didst tboa not come when I sent, my 
 lord? 
 Zaph.— I came soon as I could detach my- 
 self from them. 
 What wilt thou, love ? 
 
 AbEN. Tall me not that. 
 
 Go call her love who is thy love in truth, 
 But while thou findest pleasure from thy wife, 
 And art untrue to her, be true to truth 
 At least, and simulate no love to me. 
 
 Zaph. Why, wife, 
 
 What doth this mean ? Speak out the worst. 
 Nor talk so darkly. Doth a new tragedy 
 Begin, so soon as the old one hath an end ? 
 AsKN. (producing roll) Speak that for me. 
 Art thou so innocent 
 This thy familiar locked up in thy desk 
 Is suddenly become a stranger 10 thee? 
 
 Zaph. — This book, an old keepsake, is 
 
 highly prized. 
 ASKN. — That's honest, if no more. Now 
 rcadthy crime 
 Writ on the margin — praises of a half 
 The women in the city, and read this: 
 * Her hair is of a very dangerous auburn. 
 And is as flames coiled 'round her royal head 
 That catch light hearts, and set them all afire.' 
 What foreigner is this that fired thy heart, 
 Thy heart as light as tinder? Thou hast 
 
 played it fine — 
 Away and making love. And here — read this : 
 ' I love her with a more than woman's love.' 
 There is the secret record thou didst keep ! 
 O is it not a beauteous thing, my lord ? 
 Why smilest thou ? Is this not in thy book 
 
 Thou 'st treasured and kept hid from me these 
 years? 
 Zaph. — Yea, but the hand is not mine. Now 
 I '11 pay 
 Thy jealous claim back with a usury. 
 Behold, thy writing. 
 
 AsKN. What ! where hadst thou this ? 
 
 Zaph.— Thou well may'st ask. I had it of 
 a slave. 
 Who told me thou didst talk of love to him, 
 Aud urge this book upon him. 
 
 ASRN. O 't is false ! 
 
 In keeping with his other villainy. 
 1 '11 to the jail and make him swallow it 
 Zaph. — Thou dost acknowledge it. 
 AsEN. — I gave it him, while he was serving 
 there, 
 For Coz. Zeleika ; but, assaulting her, 
 Hel^was thrust in the prison, and stole this. 
 I 'm glad thou didst recover it of him. 
 Zaph.— 'Jhis is the man thou didst have 
 
 commerce with ! 
 AsEN. — I have been true to thee, and true to 
 self 
 Before I saw thee, which is true to honor ; 
 For without honor I 'd dispise myself. 
 For my own foolish jealousy, my lord, 
 Thy charge I overlook. Let us forget. 
 But tell me, husband, how thou didst get this? 
 Z APH.-I had it of him when I was in prison. 
 AsKN.— So will a iault seek out its natural 
 father 
 Amidst a hundred innocents accused. 
 Thou wast in prison then— and for what crime? 
 Zaph.-- I was a slave cast there for discipline. 
 AsEN.— Gods ! have 1 wed and had a child 
 by one 
 Both slave and criminal? 
 
 Zaph. My name was Joseph, 
 
 Ere Pharaoh bestowed my present name. 
 AsEN.- Why, then thou wert the one who 
 wronged my cousin. 
 O that I came to this ! O that I followed 
 My heart and not my eyes in marrying thee! 
 
 that I darkly clasped thee to my heart 
 And clasped the blackness of the night in thee! 
 
 Zaph. — 'T is true I knew thee two years ere 
 we wed, 
 And true my mistress would have been to me 
 A mistress in the truih, but, loving thee. 
 
 1 fled, she kept my coat, and then, accusing 
 Me, I was cast in the prison, innocent; 
 For which cause God hath thus exalted me. 
 
 ASKN. — O villainly ! not only so to wrong. 
 But to accuse the one that hath been wronged. 
 Till now I never had hard word with ihce. 
 But thou hast wounded me, and I must cry. 
 Complete thy work, and .«.lay me, hypocrite! 
 Deceiver of my cousin and myself. 
 Accuser of my cousin and myself. 
 And husband to how many the gods know. 
 O what a shame thou hast brought on our sons! 
 
 Zaph. — Make no cry now, Asenath, while 
 the king 
 
32 
 
 ZAPHNATH-PAANEAH. 
 
 Act V, Scene 5 
 
 And father are about, and I will clear 
 Shortly my skirts, for there Zeleika comes. 
 ASEN. — 'Tis ever woman's pari to hide the 
 fault 
 Of one she loves. Go to the king, be gay. 
 And I will sit here silent, bleeding; here. 
 It is thy duty — go. [Zaph. crosses to Isr. 
 [Enter, Pharaoh, attended. 
 
 1 Att.— Son of the sun, thou art to thy 
 
 familiars 
 Perpetual marvel for thy gloriousness. 
 No spots are on thee, but all flecks that show- 
 Are in thy helpers, who arc merely men — 
 As spots that smut the sun are in the air. 
 Not on that glorious luminary's face. 
 
 2 A IT. — Well hast thou thus far trodden in 
 
 the steps 
 Of thy renowned father, who now art 
 A god of yonder kindly skies, still king. 
 (Jreat were his works: he brooded on the egg 
 Of various learning, fathered what was wise, 
 Whippt^d in the disobedient, destroyed 
 The fierce Numidians, and tamed the wilds. 
 
 3 Att. — His glory was in arms and tented 
 
 fields, 
 Nor wouldst thy glory pale if, with his rigor, 
 Thou lift thy recreant jailer's head from him. 
 
 Zapk. — My lord, the mighty sun of earth. 
 
 Pha. Say on. 
 
 Zaph. — According to thy word my kin are 
 come 
 To sojourn with me ; here my father is. 
 And brethren ; pray look graciously on them. 
 [Israelites and Haran kneel, but Israel, stand- 
 ing, blesse«i Pharaoh.] 
 
 Isr. — My good lord, there are many to 
 praise thee ; 
 I have few words,but take an old man's blessing 
 For when my son was taken from my face, 
 And trouble for his loss bowed down my head. 
 Thou wast a father to him in this land. 
 May heaven do so to thee, and even more. 
 
 Pha. (Offended at his not bowing) How old 
 art thou ? 
 
 Isr. — The days of the years of my pilgrim- 
 age are an hundred and thirty years. Few and 
 evil have the days of the years of my pilgrim- 
 age been, and have not attained unto the days 
 of the years of the life of my fathers in the 
 days of their pilgrimage. 
 
 Pha. — Succor thy kinsman with the best the 
 land 
 Of Egypt can afford ; and after I 
 Have heard niy jailer's cause, I will be here 
 To see you, and wilt welcome them at length. 
 [They pass on into the capitol, where the 
 
 jailer is anaigned in pantomime. Zaph. re- 
 turns to Asen. Enter, Zel., with servant. 
 
 Zel. — Ho, cousin, for the trial ! What ! sit- 
 ting here 
 Diffusing tears ? Are tears the burni.sher 
 That makes thine eyes shine so, thou girl? 
 
 Zaph. Lady, 
 
 She wAps for thee to know thou art polluted : 
 
 Nay, it were best to make no outcry here. 
 Long have I known how thou didst tempt thy 
 
 slave. 
 And then betray him, casting him in jail. 
 But she hath not till now, and weeps for thee ; 
 Do thou therefore confess thy fault, profess 
 Friend-making penitence, and dry her eyes. 
 
 Zel. — How knowest thou? all ladies have 
 their loves ; 
 Look to thy own wife 
 
 A.sEN. O thou slanderer ! 
 
 Zkl. — Why didst thou put him up to blow 
 on me 
 Satan's hot breath of slander? O I hate thee. 
 And thou, who rapest woman's reputation, 
 Poiaphar shall know of this, and Pharaoh loo. 
 Thou 'It wish thou hadst not murdered wo- 
 man's honor 
 On th' word of a slave. 
 
 Zaph. I 'm Joseph, and I know. 
 
 Zkl. — Thou liest, villain. 
 
 Zapk. Haran. 
 
 Zjsl. Hast thou 
 
 Hired this merchant to accuse me too ? 
 But I defy you. On my innocence 
 I stand, and say I hate, hate, hate you all, 
 And will have vengeance for your plotted lies. 
 [The angel Gabriel appears. 
 
 Gab. — Wilt thou deny before me ? 
 
 Zkl. Merciful gods ! [Falls dead. 
 
 Gab. — Sooner or laier, evil mortals do 
 Confronts them past denial : see it so. 
 I, God's angel, who in prison taught him 
 Language.* rebuke thy jealousy of one 
 In this thing perfect. [Disappears. 
 
 Enter, Potaphar, Eutlar and physician. 
 
 Bur. — Pharaoh hath sent me 
 With wine for her. 
 
 Phy. Alas ! no wine 
 
 Will do her service now. 
 
 Pot. Back, leech ! 
 
 The gods wished hcr,and sent their messenger. 
 Did I not see him? B'ew are honored so. 
 But O 't was cruel. Lady, art thou gone ? 
 Thou wert a weak craft for the world's high 
 
 seas. 
 Laden with such a generous soul, the weight 
 Thereof hath foundered thee, and now thy soul, 
 Breaking thy body, hath flowed out, is free. 
 Dear heart, my better half, I cannot live 
 Without thee. May good Pharaoh pardon me. 
 
 [Stabs himself. 
 Thus shall I join thee in the land of souls. 
 [Dies. Pharaoh, dismissing court, joins the 
 group, together wiih attendents.] 
 
 Pla. — He was a brave man and good officer. 
 And since he hath appealed to gods, they shall 
 Render him judgment, and not I myself. 
 But bear them tenderly away from here, 
 And let the priests go offer sacrifice. 
 
 *There is a legend that when J'^seph was in 
 prison the angel Gabriel taught him the sev- 
 enty languages of earth. 
 
Act V, Scene 5 
 
 ZAPHNATH-PAANEAH. 
 
 33 
 
 While all prepare for worthy funeral. 
 
 Zaph. — His last warfare is past, and he hath 
 .■^-'^ peace. 
 
 No man will speak an ill word of the dead. 
 If they did ill, let it lie with them there, 
 And may the peace they find be without end. 
 
 Pha. — Ye who so speak with g»ds before 
 my face, 
 Doth it betoken ill ? 
 
 Zaph. No ill, but good, thy majesty. 
 
 [Haran and Jailer kneel to Zaph., grasping 
 his robe in supplication.] 
 
 This is my guest (indicating Har.) and he (in- 
 dicating Jail.) hath done me kindness. 
 Therefore, I pray thee, listen to my plea. 
 And let the jailer lire, and go with him 
 When he shall make return. 
 
 Pha. Rise ! be it so ; 
 
 For I have seen thee talk with one the gods, 
 And I am told the lameness of thy sire 
 rX is honor to have blemishes like that) 
 Comes from a wrestling with the like of him. 
 Whom he did overcome ; and such as do 
 These wonders shall be my friends. 
 
 Zaph. This tliou hast seen 
 
 Is but a servant of the one we serve ; 
 
 But Hermes knew our God, for he doth say, 
 " I am that which hath been, and which is, 
 
 and which shall be, 
 And none have lifted yet tlie veil which cov- 
 
 covers Me." 
 Pha. — Whence comes that odor, 
 That scent of delicate perfume, and sweet? 
 Zapk.— Thy majesty, in passing they oft 
 
 leave 
 The scent of amaranth and asphodel. 
 Flowers that grow immortal in their land. 
 Pha.— Such wonders have not happened in 
 
 the world 
 In any nation of which I have heard. 
 And by the throne of Pharaoh I declare 
 Ye shall be honored by the songs of men 
 And have your deeds carved in the solid rock, 
 To speak to ages ; and the land is your's 
 The golden land of Ramses, what ye will. 
 [Exeunt, as a furneral cortege ; curtain. 
 
 TRANSFORMATION.~On the white cur- 
 tain gradually, by magic lantern, appears 
 the ruins of Thebes as to-day existing, with 
 the moon rising behind a pillar, and owls 
 and bitterns crying in the dark. 
 
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
 
 016 165 521 1 W