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One word: is she redeemed?
One word: is she redeemed?
Elizabeth Browning
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In bartering love;
God's love for man's.
_First Angel. _
We may reprove
The world for this, not only her:
Let me approach to breathe away
This dust o' the heart with holy air.
_Second Angel. _
Stand off! She sleeps, and did not pray.
_First Angel. _
Did none pray for her?
_Second Angel. _
Ay, a child,--
Who never, praying, wept before:
While, in a mother undefiled,
Prayer goeth on in sleep, as true
And pauseless as the pulses do.
_First Angel. _
Then I approach.
_Second Angel. _
It is not WILLED.
_First Angel.
_
One word: is she redeemed?
_Second Angel. _
No more!
The place is filled. [Angels _vanish_
_Evil Spirit (in a Nun's garb by the bed). _
Forbear that dream--forbear that dream! too near to heaven it leaned.
_Onora (in sleep). _
Nay, leave me this--but only this! 't is but a dream, sweet fiend!
_Evil Spirit. _
It is a _thought_.
_Onora (in sleep). _
A sleeping thought--most innocent of good:
It doth the Devil no harm, sweet fiend! it cannot if it would.
I say in it no holy hymn, I do no holy work,
I scarcely hear the sabbath-bell that chimeth from the kirk.
In bartering love;
God's love for man's.
_First Angel. _
We may reprove
The world for this, not only her:
Let me approach to breathe away
This dust o' the heart with holy air.
_Second Angel. _
Stand off! She sleeps, and did not pray.
_First Angel. _
Did none pray for her?
_Second Angel. _
Ay, a child,--
Who never, praying, wept before:
While, in a mother undefiled,
Prayer goeth on in sleep, as true
And pauseless as the pulses do.
_First Angel. _
Then I approach.
_Second Angel. _
It is not WILLED.
_First Angel.
_
One word: is she redeemed?
_Second Angel. _
No more!
The place is filled. [Angels _vanish_
_Evil Spirit (in a Nun's garb by the bed). _
Forbear that dream--forbear that dream! too near to heaven it leaned.
_Onora (in sleep). _
Nay, leave me this--but only this! 't is but a dream, sweet fiend!
_Evil Spirit. _
It is a _thought_.
_Onora (in sleep). _
A sleeping thought--most innocent of good:
It doth the Devil no harm, sweet fiend! it cannot if it would.
I say in it no holy hymn, I do no holy work,
I scarcely hear the sabbath-bell that chimeth from the kirk.
