Shimei meantime had otherwise bethought Himself of Stephen--fearing, yet with hope Prevailing over fear: hardly would he, The soldier, risk to call such witness in.
Those twain diversely so with the same thought Secretly busy, the centurion-- Whether by some unconscious sympathy His mind drawn into current following theirs, Like idle sea-drift in the wake of ships-- Startled them both alike with his next word: "That Hebrew lad, Stephen they call him, go Fetch him; say, 'Come with me,' and no word more." This to the soldier, who soon brought the youth. "Some kin thou to the prisoner Paul, I think?" Said the centurion. "Sister's son," said he. "I had thee well reported of, my lad; Belie not thy good fame, but answer true," Julius to Stephen spoke, adjuring him. "Knowest thou aught, of thine own eye or ear, How Paul thy kinsman was bestead last night?"
Now Stephen had not yet to Paul declared Aught of the strange disclosures of the night. Seeing here the plotter of that nameless deed Demoniac, in the part of one accused, Witnessed against with damning testimony, The soldier's, all-sufficing for his doom, Before a judge as Roman sure to be Swift in his sentence upon such a crime-- Prompt in his secret mind Stephen resolved, As likeliest best to please his kinsman Paul, Not to go further than compelled, to add Superfluous proof against the wretched man.
Sincerely wretched now indeed once more Shimei appeared; effrontery of fraud And his vain confidence of hope forlorn Abashed in him, intolerably rebuked-- Not more by this access of evidence (Unlooked for, since that muzzle to his mouth Had so well served to hold the soldier mute From mention of the Hebrew lad)--not more Abashed thus and rebuked, than by the mere Aspect of the clear innocence and truth And virtue, honor and high mind, in fair And noble person there embodied seen In Stephen beamy with his taintless youth. Was it some promise of retrieving yet Possible for this soul, so lost to good, That, broken from that festive confidence Once his in the omnipotence of fraud To answer all his ends, he thus should feel Pain in the neighborhood of nobleness? Unconsciously so working, like a wand Wielded that cancels a magician's spell, To shame back wretched Shimei to himself, Nor ever guessing, in his guileless mind, Of possible other posture to affairs Than full exposure of the criminal Already reached, no need of word from him-- Stephen to Julius frugally replied: "Paul's case was happy, sir, if this thou meanest, How fared he in the hap which him befell;" Then, conscious of a look not satisfied In Julius, added: "If instead thou meanest What hap was threatened him but came to naught, Then I shall need to answer otherwise." "This I would learn," said Julius, "dost thou know, Of certain knowledge, thine own eye or ear, Where Paul was, and what doing, through the hours Of last night's darkness? How was he bestead? That tell me, if thou knowest, naught else but that. Fact, first; thereafter, fancy--if at all."