Act II: Scene VII

JOSABET (to the two Levites).You, servants of the Lord, upon those childrenSo dear, so precious, keep a fixed regard.

ABNER (to Josabet).Princess, have courage, they are in my care.

ATHALIAH.O heaven! the more I look at him, the moreI scrutinize--'Tis he! my facultiesAgain are seized with horror! JosabetIs that your son?

JOSABET.Who, he, Madam?

ATHALIAH.He.

JOSABET.His mother I am not. This is my son.

ATHALIAH (to Joas.)And you, my boy, who is your father then?Come child reply.

JOSABET.Heaven till to-day--

ATHALIAH.Why do you hurry to reply for him?

JOSABET.From such a tender age can you expectMuch information?

ATHALIAH.That age is artless, its ingenuousnessDoes not as yet pervert the simple truth.Let him explain the whole concerning him.

JOSABET.Great God, O place Thy wisdom in his mouth!

ATHALIAH.What is your name?

JOAS.Eliacin.

They say I am an orphan,Cast from my birth into the arms of God,And who my parents were I never knew.

ATHALIAH.Have you no parents?

JOAS.They abandoned me.

ATHALIAH.How? And how long ago?

JOAS.At my birth.

ATHALIAH.Do they, at least, not know your native country?

JOAS.This temple is my country; none I knowBesides--

ATHALIAH.Your father?Where is it said that chance discovered you?

JOAS.Among the cruel wolves, their helpless prey.

ATHALIAH.Who placed you in this temple?

JOAS.An unknown woman, never looked on since,Who did not say her name.

ATHALIAH.But who took charge of your most early years?

JOAS.Does God e'er let his children want in vain?He gives the smallest birds their nourishment,And over all His works extends His goodness.Each day I call on Him. His care paternalNourishes me with gifts presented atThe altar.

ATHALIAH.What strange event again perplexeth me?The sweetness of his voice, his youthful grace,Cause my aversion imperceptablyTo be succeeded--I could be inclinedTo pity.

ABNER.Is this, then, Madam, that terrific foe '?The fraud of your false dreams is manifest:Unless 'tis sympathy that touches you,It is that fatal blow which makes you tremble.

ATHALIAH (to Joas and Josabet).Are you going?

JOSABET.His story you have heard:His further stay would be importunate.

ATHALIAH.No, No, return. What do you every day?

JOAS.Adore the Lord; they train me in His law,They teach me how to read His sacred book,And now I copy it with mine own hand.

ATHALIAH.How does that law instruct you?

JOAS.That love is what the Lord desires; that HeSooner or later will avenge His name,His holy name blasphemed; that He protectsThe timid orphan, that He breaks the proud,And punishes the murderer.

ATHALIAH.I understand. But what do all the peopleEnclosed within that place?

JOAS.They praise, and bless the Lord.

ATHALIAH.And does He wish that one should always prayAnd meditate.

JOAS.All deeds profane are banished from His temple.

ATHALIAH.What are your pleasures, then?

JOAS.Sometimes unto the high priest I presentEither the salt or incense at the altar:I hear them sing of God's unbounded greatness,I see the sumptuous order of His rites.

ATHALIAH.Alas! have you no pastimes more delightful?I pity the sad fate of one like you.Come to my palace, see my splendour there.

JOAS.I! I should lose the memory of God's blessings!

ATHALIAH.No. I would not constrain you to forget Him.

JOAS.You do not pray to Him.

ATHALIAH.But you can pray to Him.

JOAS.But I should see another god invoked.

ATHALIAH.I have my god to serve, and you have yours.They both are powerful gods.

JOAS.Mine must be feared, for He alone is God,And yours is nothing, Madam.

ATHALIAH.Pleasures, near me, will seek you out, in crowds.

JOAS.The blessings of the wicked pass away,As doth a torrent

ATHALIAH.The wicked! Who are they?

JOSABET.Pray, Madam! excuse a child.

ATHALIAHI like to see how you are training him.At length, Eliacin, you have amused me;You're, doubtless, not an ordinary child.You see I am a queen, without an heir:Cast off these garments, quit this menial trade,And all my riches I will share with you.Try the conclusion of my promises:Beside me at my table, everywhere,I promise you shall sit as my own son.

JOAS.As your own son?

ATHALIAH.Yes, would it please you?

JOAS.Ah what a father I should leave, and for--

ATHALIAH.Well!

JOAS.What kind of mother!

ATHALIAH.His memory's faithful; and in all he saysI recognise your animus and Joad's.Behold, how here, corrupting simple youth,You both employ the peace I leave you in!Their hate and fury you already foster:Only with horror you pronounce my nameTo them.

JOSABET.Can we conceal the history of our wrongs?All know it, and you boast of it yourself.

ATHALIAH.Yes, of my righteous rage, and I am proudTo avenge my parents on posterity.My father and my brother saw I slaughtered;My mother from her palace window hurled;And even in one day murdered at once--Dread sight!--more than twice twenty sons of kings:And wherefore? To avenge some nameless prophetsWhom she had punished for their senseless frenzy:And I, cold queen, and daughter without love,Slave of a cowardly and frivolous folly,Shall even not return to this blind rageInsult for insult, death for every death,And shall not treat all David's progenyAs Ahab's wretched remnant were by them!Where should I be to-day, had I not hadA tenderness for my torn, strangled mother;And, conquering my weakness, with my handShedding in torrents my own people's blood,Had not repressed your plots by that fierce blow!At length, the inflexible vengeance of your God,Betwixt our houses all alliance breaks:David of me's in horror; and his sons,Though of my blood, are strangers unto me.

JOSABET.In all you have succeeded. Let God seeAnd judge.

ATHALIAH.That God, a long time past, your only refuge,Of what effect will be His prophecies?Let Him produce that King, told to the nations,That Son of David, your support, your hope--But we shall meet again. Adieu, I go,Quite satisfied. I wished to see: I have seen.

ABNER (to Josabet).I promised you; and I return the chargeThat you committed to me.