The waking dreams of Shimei, in his chains And darkness, were not altogether those Foreshadowed by the soldier bitterly To him--dreams of foreboding and despair Only; that Roman had not learned that Jew. The touch and prick of uttermost dismay Stung him to one more struggle for himself. Ere Julius, with the morning, had him forth To inquest from his dungeon, that quick brain Had ripe and ready, conjured up in thought, For self-defense, with snare involved for Paul, A desperate last compacture of deceit; Desperate, yet deftly woven, and staggering, Till the contriver was now quite undone, Confronted with ascendant truth and power.
"What sayest thou, Jew," with challenge lowering stern, Asked the centurion of his prisoner, "In answer to the charge against thee laid?" "What say?" with shrug of shoulder Shimei said; "Why, that thy soldier was too strong for me, And haled me and bestowed me as he would, While at his leisure then his tale he told, Forestalling mine, to prepossess thine ear. I come too late; for I should speak in vain." "Worse than in vain such words as those thou speakest. Out on thine insolence, thou Hebrew dog!" Savagely the centurion said. "'Too late'! 'Too late'! Know, Jew, too late it never is, Where Roman justice undertakes, for one Accused of crime to answer for himself. True judge's ear cannot be 'prepossessed.' Even now, deserving, as thou art, to be Buffeted, rather than aught further heard, Speak on and say thy say; but give good heed Thou curb thy tongue from insolence and lies."
"From lying I shall have no need my tongue To guard," said Shimei; "but from insolence-- Beseech thy grace, a plain blunt man am I, Will it be insolence, if I inquire What is the crime that I am charged withal?" Curtly the Roman said: "Attempt to bribe A soldier, and a Roman soldier he, To break his oath and be a murderer." "No stint of generous measure to the charge," Said Shimei; "yet I ought not to complain, I, who a charge of ampler measure would Myself have brought (as well as he knew who now, And for that very cause, accuses me) Had I been first; and first I should have been, But for duress, and also this he knew, Thence the duress--outrageous act from _him_, Lese-majesty committed against thee!-- I say, had I beforehand been with him To gain thine ear and a foul plot disclose."