Jephthah

54 JEPHTHAH. JARED [aszde]. She is most gracious : I must speak and save. [Aloud.] Friends! [Aszde.] Stay—Is this a tempter voice that soothes My conscience? Art thou that Leviathan, Thou lipless monster, gnashing at my soul Abominable teeth? Art thou the fiend WhomI have seen in sleep, and waking served? O horrible distortion of all truth That I must serve thee still. Thy word’s a lie, That if I keep my silence, I do good To her, the milk-white virgin sacrifice, And only smite the bloody father down! A lie, Isay! A lie! Yet—dare I speak, Those eyes upon me, torturing my soul And threatening revenge? His fingers gross, Purple, and horrible, to blister me With infamous tearing at my throat. O Hell! Vomit thy monsters forth in myriads To putrefy this fair green earth with blood, But make not me the devilish minister Of such a deed as this! No respite ?—-Must? Irrevocable? I dare not call on God. Thou, thou wilt serve me if I do this thing? Oh, if this be a snare thou settest now, Who hast once already mocked our pact, I swear By God, I cast thee off. Leviathan! Accept the bargain. And I seal it—thus. [Writing in the air