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Which were before you； have been persecuted。〃
Enter JOHN ENDICOTT。
JOHN ENDICOTT。
Edith！
EDITH。
Who is it that speaketh？
JOHN ENDICOTT。
Saul of Tarsus：
As thou didst call me once。
EDITH （coming forward）。
Yea； I remember。
Thou art the Governor's son。
JOHN ENDICOTT。
I am ashamed
Thou shouldst remember me。
EDITH。
Why comest thou
Into this dark guest…chamber in the night？
What seekest thou？
JOHN ENDICOTT。
Forgiveness！
EDITH。
I forgive
All who have injured me。 What hast thou done？
JOHN ENDICOTT。
I have betrayed thee； thinking that in this
I did God service。 Now； in deep contrition；
I come to rescue thee。
EDITH。
From what？
JOHN ENDICOTT。
From prison。
EDITH。
I am safe here within these gloomy walls。
JOHN ENDICOTT。
From scourging in the streets； and in three towns！
EDITH。
Remembering who was scourged for me； I shrink not
Nor shudder at the forty stripes save one。
JOHN ENDICOTT。
Perhaps from death itself！
EDITH。
I fear not death；
Knowing who died for me。
JOHN ENDICOTT （aside）。
Surely some divine
Ambassador is speaking through those lips
And looking through those eyes！ I cannot answer！
EDITH。
If all these prison doors stood opened wide
I would not cross the threshold；not one step。
There are invisible bars I cannot break；
There are invisible doors that shut me in；
And keep me ever steadfast to my purpose。
JOHN ENDICOTT。
Thou hast the patience and the faith of Saints！
EDITH。
Thy Priest hath been with me this day to save me；
Not only from the death that comes to all；
But from the second death！
JOHN ENDICOTT。
The Pharisee！
My heart revolts against him and his creed！
Alas！ the coat that was without a seam
Is rent asunder by contending sects；
Each bears away a portion of the garment；
Blindly believing that he has the whole！
EDITH。
When Death； the Healer； shall have touched our eyes
With moist clay of the grave； then shall we see
The truth as we have never yet beheld it。
But he that overcometh shall not be
Hurt of the second death。 Has he forgotten
The many mansions in our father's house？
JOHN ENDICOTT。
There is no pity in his iron heart！
The hands that now bear stamped upon their palms
The burning sign of Heresy； hereafter
Shall be uplifted against such accusers；
And then the imprinted letter and its meaning
Will not be Heresy； but Holiness！
EDITH。
Remember； thou condemnest thine own father！
JOHN ENDICOTT。
I have no father！ He has cast me off。
I am as homeless as the wind that moans
And wanders through the streets。 Oh； come with me！
Do not delay。 Thy God shall be my God；
And where thou goest I will go。
EDITH。
I cannot。
Yet will I not deny it； nor conceal it；
From the first moment I beheld thy face
I felt a tenderness in my soul towards thee。
My mind has since been inward to the Lord；
Waiting his word。 It has not yet been spoken。
JOHN ENDICOTT。
I cannot wait。 Trust me。 Oh； come with me！
EDITH。
In the next room； my father； an old man；
Sitteth imprisoned and condemned to death；
Willing to prove his faith by martyrdom；
And thinkest thou his daughter would do less？
JOHN ENDICOTT。
Oh； life is sweet； and death is terrible！
EDITH。
I have too long walked hand in hand with death
To shudder at that pale familiar face。
But leave me now。 I wish to be alone。
JOHN ENDICOTT。
Not yet。 Oh； let me stay。
EDITH。
Urge me no more。
JOHN ENDICOTT。
Alas！ good…night。 I will not say good…by！
EDITH。
Put this temptation underneath thy feet。
To him that overcometh shall be given
The white stone with the new name written on it；
That no man knows save him that doth receive it；
And I will give thee a new name； and call thee
Paul of Damascus； and not Saul of Tarsus。
＇Exit ENDICOTT。 EDITH sits down again to read the Bible。
ACT IV。
SCENE I。 King Street； in front of the town…house。 KEMPTHORN
in the pillory。 MERRY and a crowd of lookers…on。
KEMPTHORN （sings）。
The world is full of care；
Much like unto a bubble；
Women and care； and care and women；
And women and care and trouble。
Good Master Merry； may I say confound？
MERRY。
Ay； that you may。
KEMPTHORN。
Well； then； with your permission；
Confound the Pillory！
MERRY。
That's the very thing
The joiner said who made the Shrewsbury stocks。
He said； Confound the stocks； because they put him
Into his own。 He was the first man in them。
KEMPTHORN。
For swearing； was it？
MERRY。
No； it was for charging；
He charged the town too much； and so the town；
To make things square； set him in his own stocks；
And fined him five pounds sterling；just enough
To settle his own bill。
KEMPTHORN。
And served him right；
But； Master Merry； is it not eight bells？
MERRY。
Not quite。
KEMPTHORN。
For； do you see？ I'm getting tired
Of being perched aloft here in this cro' nest
Like the first mate of a whaler； or a Middy
Mast…headed； looking out for land！ Sail ho！
Here comes a heavy…laden merchant…man
With the lee clews eased off and running free
Before the wind。 A solid man of Boston。
A comfortable man； with dividends；
And the first salmon； and the first green peas。
A gentleman passes。
He does not even turn his head to look。
He's gone without a word。 Here comes another；
A different kind of craft on a taut bow…line；
Deacon Giles Firmin the apothecary；
A pious and a ponderous citizen；
Looking as rubicund and round and splendid
As the great bottle in his own shop window！
DEACON FIRMIN passes。
And here's my host of the Three Mariners；
My creditor and trusty taverner；
My corporal in the Great Artillery！
He's not a man to pass me without speaking。
COLE looks away and passes。
Don't yaw so； keep your luff； old hypocrite！
Respectable； ah yes； respectable；
You； with your seat in the new Meeting…house；
Your cow…right on the Common！ But who's this？
I did not know the Mary Ann was in！
And yet this is my old friend； Captain Goldsmith；
As sure as I stand in the bilboes here。
Why； Ralph； my boy！
Enter RALPH GOLDSMITH。
GOLDSMITH。
Why； Simon； is it you？
Set in the bilboes？
KEMPTHORN。
Chock…a…block； you see；
And without chafing…gear。
GOLDSMITH。
And what's it for？
KEMPTHORN。
Ask that starbowline with the boat…hook there；
That handsome man。