No More Learning

_Ador. _ "Peace upon earth. " Come down to it.

_Zerah. _ Ah me!
I hear thereof uncomprehendingly.
Peace where the tempest, where the sighing is,
And worship of the idol, 'stead of His?

_Ador. _ Yea, peace, where He is.

_Zerah. _ He!
Say it again.

_Ador. _ Where He is.

_Zerah.
_ Can it be
That earth retains a tree
Whose leaves, like Eden foliage, can be swayed
By the breathing of His voice, nor shrink and fade?

_Ador. _ There is a tree! --it hath no leaf nor root;
Upon it hangs a curse for all its fruit:
Its shadow on his head is laid.
For he, the crowned Son,
Has left his crown and throne,
Walks earth in Adam's clay,
Eve's snake to bruise and slay--

_Zerah. _ Walks earth in clay?

_Ador. _ And walking in the clay which he created,
He through it shall touch death.
What do I utter? what conceive? did breath
Of demon howl it in a blasphemy?
Or was it mine own voice, informed, dilated
By the seven confluent Spirits? --Speak--answer me!

_Who_ said man's victim was his deity?

_Zerah. _ Beloved, beloved, the word came forth from thee.