Page:CromwellHugo.djvu/317

I am a dead man!
[He falls at Cromwell's feet.
Cromwell [smiling.] Ha! what dost thou there?
What devil has his teeth in thee, eh, Jew?
Manasseh [beating his head against the ground.
I am a dead man!
Cromwell. I am a dead man! Know'st thou who I am,
Thou unclean Jew?
Manasseh [in a faint voice.] Ah! 'tis in truth that hand,
Of ample width to bear the whole wide world!
Too well I recognize those lines whereon
Heav'n doth inscribe no other name than Cromwell's.
Your star did not say false.
Cromwell. Your star did not say false. Hark ye, old man:
You are but a poor worm, and, doubtless, I,
Trying upon thy bones this polished steel,
[He draws his dagger.
Could in my turn make an experiment
In anima vili. But I do not
With my own hand a paltry earth-worm crush.
Rise.

[Manasseh rises. Cromwell points to a stone bench near the gate.

Rise. Sit thou there.

[Manasseh seats himself, as if paralyzed with terror, on the dark corner of the bench.

Rise. Sit thou there. Above all, hold thy peace.
One word, and hence thy soul will take its flight,
And thou'lt have ample leisure to complete
Thy dead men's alphabet!

[Manasseh lets his head fall on his breast. Cromwell returns to the front of the stage, and continues, looking askance at him.

Thy dead men's alphabet! This wretched Jew