But when there lacked not of their number one, The Prince so joyed, as though he found reward For all the suffering he that day had known: Yet when a light permitted to regard Their garments rent, swoln hands, and faces marred, He, strong before all weakness to restrain, Not any longer might from tears refrain.
—“Dear friends, that I have dragged you down with me Into this gulf of woe, this makes my smart, That of this suffering and captivity I may not for myself claim every part: Oh this it is that causes my weak heart To die within me;—tell me you forgive Only this wrong, and I again shall live.”
Nothing they spake—but of that faithful band One after other rising from his place Drew near, and knelt and kissed the Prince’s hand, As though that hand dispersed all gifts and grace: He raised and wound them in a strict embrace One after other—“Brothers of my heart, Henceforth for good or ill we never part.”
—“Oh wish us not then any more away, Our dear, dear Lord—nor grudge to us our share In this high suffering”—so they all did say— “What could we wish more goodly or more fair, Than that when men hereafter shall declare Thy noble acts, that they should then as well Of us thy servants and true comrades tell?”
But he to them—“We know not what shall be, Nor whither these things tend—if that we bore To-day of outrage and indignity Be but the first and least, and far, far more— Yea, mortal suffering be for us in store; Or if, when God awhile our faith has proved, All suffering shall from us be then removed.
“But He who knoweth that we hither came Not in the lust of spoil, nor heat of pride, Nor with the hope to win ourselves a name, But the dear faith of Christ to spread more wide, Can give us strength in patience to abide, Till one way or another grief has end; Then let us unto him our cause commend.”
What of the night remained, when thus the smart Of their new bleeding wounds had been allayed With the sweet balm of loving words, in part Was spent in holy prayer; they knelt and made Their supplications unto God for aid; And then they did their weary eyelids close In blest oblivion of all earthly woes.
In dreams they wandered by familiar places In their own land, unto their childhood dear; And some were locked in loving, fond embraces, And sweet the voices of their home and clear Came to them;—pain was gone, and doubt and fear; And all the dreary and the dread Between Was gone, like aught which had not ever been.