the Princess. And there flew a splinter, and it entered into the mouth of the Princess; and she perceived that she had conceived . . . all that she desired.

And when the days had multiplied after this, she brought forth a male child, and they went to the King and said to him, "There is born to thee a male child."

And the child was brought, and there were given to it a nurse and waiting woman; and rejoicings were made through the whole land. They sat down to make a holiday (and they gave him his name), and His Majesty at once loved him exceedingly and raised him to the dignity of Prince of Æthiopia.

But when the days had multiplied after this, His Majesty made him hereditary Prince of the whole land.

And when the days had multiplied after this, and he had completed many years as hereditary Prince . . . His Majesty flew up to heaven; and (the Prince) said, "Let the Princes and Nobles of His Majesty be summoned, and I shall inform them of all the events which have happened to me. . . ." His wife was brought to him, and he had a reckoning with her in presence of them, and they spoke their speech.

And his elder brother was brought to him, and he made him hereditary Prince of the whole land. And he reigned for thirty years as King of Egypt.

And when he had completed (those) thirty years of life, his elder brother arose in his place, on the day of his death.

Myrah, depart; yet stay, and first arrange
My sandal, that unseemly doth escape.

Higher still there, where the transparent silk
Tapers towards the ankle. Have a care;
Let me not have to chide this fault again.

Joseph

Madam, I have a message from my lord.

[Exit Attendant.

Phraxanor

Put that to rest. Give me that golden box,
"Tis filled with precious spikenard, queen of scents.
[She spills it on his head.

Joseph

Madam, what must I say? My state is low,
Yet you do treat me as you might my lord

When he besought your hand.

Must I get up,

And cast myself in thy sustaining arms,

To sink thee to a seat? - Come, sit thou here.
Now I will neighbor thee and tell thee why

I cast that ointment on thee.

You breathed upon me as you did advance,
And sweets do love sweets for an offering.
My breath is sweet and subtle, yet I dared
Not put my lips half close enough to thine
To render back the favor; so I say

The obligation did demand as much -
Why, what amaze is now upon thy face-
Will nothing please?

Joseph

Phraxanor

Madam, your arm

pray move.

You peevish bird - like a sick eagle I Could fain devour, but may not. Joseph

I beseech you, If you respect your place, or my fair name, Undo your prisoning arms and let me go. Phraxanor

Tremble to fear the woman you might love. Joseph

Indeed, I would far sooner honor her.
Phraxanor

Cold, cold, still cold; I eye you like to one
That dieth in my arms: beware you chill
Me too: you do a wrong, and herein court
Much danger. I would risk the world for you;
But blow me cold with your sharp frosty breath,
And these same arms that gird you round about
May turn to bitter chains. We are most dear
In our affections; in vengeance most resolved.

Joseph

Madam, I have a spirit beyond fear.

God knows the duty that I owe your lord
Would break my heart did I commit this sin.
But, madam, hear the reason that I have,
Why my lord's honor dearer is than life.
I do remember me, when first I came
Into this land of Egypt, fugitive,

Forlorn, and wretched, bruisèd at the heart,
An iron collar round about my neck,
Degrading mark of bitter servitude,
Stalled in the press of slaves upon the mart,
Brimful of misery unto the crown,
Forlorn, cast out, abandoned, and bereaved,
A certain man did look into my face,
As though to penetrate my very soul.
By slow degrees conviction worked on him,
And through my sufferings he read my heart,
And all his features melted at the sight.
A sacred pity stole into his eyes,
That dwelt on me in gentle tenderness.
Oh! balm of sweetness, what a holy joy
Poured like a flood into my thousand wounds
Of soul and body's sore affliction.
Whereof I languished in my pilgrimage!
With his own hands he drew my collar off,
Nor bartered with the merchant for my price.
He took me to his house, put me in trust,
Justly and wisely kept his eyes on me,
Weighing with care my actions and desert,
And by degrees received me to his breast,
O'erloaded me with benefits, and changed
A chain of iron for a chain of gold,
A wolfskin kirtle for a purple cloak,
A life of wretchedness for one of peace,
A broken heart to love and tenderness.
This man, so full of human charities,
Had many precious treasures, which he gave
To me in trust, but far above the rest
Was one in which all others were absorbed,
As in a holy consecrated shrine,
Source of his life, his honor's nourishment,
The loss of which would be a fell decree
Of shame, despair, and infamy, and death.
Madam, this honored, honorable man
Was noble Potiphar, your lord and mine.

I pray you let us talk on common things.

Why, here's a waste of party-colored words
High-sounding phrases, empty eloquence.
"My lord! my lord!" It scenteth of reproach.
Sir, have a care-blood waits on insult, ha!
One way or other I will have your heart.

Joseph [aside]

This wondrous creature is of faultless mold,

And grace plays o'er the movement of her limbs,
Her marvelous beauty irresistible,

A double charm, abandons languishment,

In soft repose hints at oblivion.

In motion her imperious dignity,

At secret hours, might dictate to the king.

A most unscrupulous voluptuousness
Mars Nature in her marvelous qualities;

A fascinating monster, fatal equally

In action or reaction of her love;

Fair flower of poisonous perfume born to kill.
Never the demon had an agency

Where he had nought to do in work that's done.
[Aloud.]

Take pity on yourself, on me, on him,

On me, for you would hate me mortally

When once you were awakened from this dream,
To see the hideous monster you had made.
So utterly impossible this seems,

That I am prone to think it is a feint
To try my truth and prove my honesty.
Phraxanor-

Ah! 'tis a feint that burns my body up,

And stirs my spirit like a raging sea.

Think you to pay in words? - deeds deeds!

For I can tell you that you have in hand

One who will have no debts.

Joseph

It is enough.

'Tis time this hopeless contest had an end.
I have borne this besieging patiently,

Still hoping to arouse your modesty.

Oh! do not force the loathing which lies hid
Within my gall to rush into my face.

Phraxanor

This is the greatest blessing that you shun. Joseph

Or the worst sin.

Phraxanor

Joseph

Oh! weigh not with such scales.

Oh! madam, have a care.

Phraxanor

Listen, or else
I'll set my little foot upon thy neck;
Thou art like a beautiful and drowsy snake,
Cold, and inanimate, and coiled around
Upon a bank of rarest sun-blown flowers.
My eye shall be the renovating sun
Joseph-

Madam, forbear; I'm sick to think of it.
Phraxanor

You overdo this art, for Nature sure
Never did put disgust upon a lip

So near a woman's: an empoisoned cup
Might curdle all the features of thy face;
But this same blandishment upon my brow
Could never chase the color from thy cheeks.
Joseph-

Love, being forced, so sickeneth the sense,
That dull monotony is nothing to it. -

A pallid appetite is sweeter far

Than shocked modesty and fierce distaste. Phraxanor

You are too dead a weight.

Joseph

Phraxanor

Why, let me go.

My arms are faint; smile thou, they're ribs of steel. Joseph

The sun ne'er shinèd in a pitch-black night.

Oh! ignorant boy, it is the secret hour

The sun of love doth shine most goodly fair.
Contemptible darkness never yet did dull
The splendor of love's palpitating light.

At love's slight curtains, that are made of sighs,
Though e'er so dark, silence is seen to stand
Like to a flower closèd in the night;

Or like a lovely image drooping down
With its fair head aslant and finger raised,
And mutely on its shoulder slumbering.