ZACHARIAH, SALOMITH, THE CHOIR.

SALOMITH.
Dear Zachariah, well! what have you learnt?


ZACHARIAH.
Redouble to the Lord your fervent prayers:
Perhaps we are approaching our last hour;
The order's given for the horrid conflict.


SALOMITH.
What is Joas doing?


ZACHARIAH.
He has just been crowned:
On him the high-priest's poured the holy oil.
O heaven, what joy was seen in every eye,
Beholding him, the ransomed from the tomb!
My sisters, still is seen the dagger's scar.
Also his faithful nurse appeared to us,
Who guarding that dear charge has had no eye
To note her cares but God's and Josabet's.
Our Levites wept with joy and tenderness,%
And mixed their sobs with shouts of ecstacy.
He, midst those transports, courteous, without pride,
To one his hand, to others gave his look,
And swore to govern by their frank advice,
Naming them all his brothers or his sires.


SALOMITH.
Think you this secret's spread beyond these walls?


ZACHARIAH.
This secret to the temple's still confined;
The band of Levi's race, distributed,
Have placed themselves all silent at the doors;
All are to rush together on the foe,
And for the signal cry, "Long live King Joas!"
My father wills that Zachariah guard
The king, forbidden to expose himself.
Meanwhile the queen, with poniard in her hand,
Laughs at the feeble check of our brass gates.
To crush them she attends the fatal engines,
Breathing, in short, but blood and devastation.
Some priests, my sister, at the first proposed,
That in a secret cave, our fathers' dug,
The precious ark at least should be concealed.
"O base insulting fear my father cried,
The ark which caused so many gorgeous towers
To fall, and forced the Jordan's backward course;
So many times triumphant o'er the gods
Of nations, must it flee at the approach
Of insolent woman?" My mother, near
The king, in deadly trouble, now her eye
Being on the altar, and now turned on him,
Silent, and sinking 'neath the weight of dread,
Would have extorted tears from eyes of brass.
The king from time to time embracing her
Consoled her: then she said, "my sisters dear,
All follow me, and if our king to-day
Must perish, let one fate unite ourselves
With him."


SALOMITH.
What rugged hand knocks with repeated blows?
Why those disordered Levites put to flight?
And what precaution makes them hide their arms?
Is the temple stormed?


ZACHARIAH.
Disperse your fears, God sends us Abner.