_Cain_. Why should he not?
_Lucifer_. Thy father loves him well--so does thy G.o.d. 340
_Cain_. And so do I.
_Lucifer_. "Tis well and meekly done.
_Cain_. Meekly!
_Lucifer_. He is the second born of flesh, And is his mother"s favourite.
_Cain_. Let him keep Her favour, since the Serpent was the first To win it.
_Lucifer_. And his father"s?
_Cain_. What is that To me? should I not love that which all love?
_Lucifer_. And the Jehovah--the indulgent Lord, And bounteous planter of barred Paradise-- He, too, looks smilingly on Abel.
_Cain_. I Ne"er saw him, and I know not if he smiles. 350
_Lucifer_. But you have seen his angels.
_Cain_. Rarely.
_Lucifer_. But Sufficiently to see they love your brother: _His_ sacrifices are acceptable.
_Cain_. So be they! wherefore speak to me of this?
_Lucifer_. Because thou hast thought of this ere now.
_Cain_. And if I _have_ thought, why recall a thought that---- (_he pauses as agitated_)--Spirit!
_Here_ we are in _thy_ world; speak not of _mine_.
Thou hast shown me wonders: thou hast shown me those Mighty Pre-Adamites who walked the earth Of which ours is the wreck: thou hast pointed out 360 Myriads of starry worlds, of which our own Is the dim and remote companion, in Infinity of life: thou hast shown me shadows Of that existence with the dreaded name Which my sire brought us--Death;[cj] thou hast shown me much But not all: show me where Jehovah dwells, In his especial Paradise--or _thine_: Where is it?
_Lucifer_. _Here_, and o"er all s.p.a.ce.
_Cain_. But ye Have some allotted dwelling--as all things; Clay has its earth, and other worlds their tenants; 370 All temporary breathing creatures their Peculiar element; and things which have Long ceased to breathe _our_ breath, have theirs, thou say"st; And the Jehovah and thyself have thine-- Ye do not dwell together?
_Lucifer_. No, we reign Together; but our dwellings are asunder.
_Cain_. Would there were only one of ye! perchance An unity of purpose might make union In elements which seem now jarred in storms.
How came ye, being Spirits wise and infinite, 380 To separate? Are ye not as brethren in Your essence--and your nature, and your glory?
_Lucifer_. Art not thou Abel"s brother?
_Cain_. We are brethren, And so we shall remain; but were it not so, Is spirit like to flesh? can it fall out-- Infinity with Immortality?
Jarring and turning s.p.a.ce to misery-- For what?
_Lucifer_. To reign.
_Cain_. Did ye not tell me that Ye are both eternal?
_Lucifer_. Yea!
_Cain_. And what I have seen-- Yon blue immensity, is boundless?
_Lucifer_. Aye. 390 _Cain_. And cannot ye both _reign_, then?--is there not Enough?--why should ye differ?
_Lucifer_. We _both_ reign.
_Cain_. But one of you makes evil.
_Lucifer_. Which?
_Cain_. Thou! for If thou canst do man good, why dost thou not?
_Lucifer_. And why not he who made? _I_ made ye not; Ye are _his_ creatures, and not mine.
_Cain_. Then leave us _His_ creatures, as thou say"st we are, or show me Thy dwelling, or _his_ dwelling.
_Lucifer_. I could show thee Both; but the time will come thou shalt see one Of them for evermore.[120]
_Cain_. And why not now? 400
_Lucifer_. Thy human mind hath scarcely grasp to gather The little I have shown thee into calm And clear thought: and _thou_ wouldst go on aspiring To the great double Mysteries! the _two Principles_![121]
And gaze upon them on their secret thrones!
Dust! limit thy ambition; for to see Either of these would be for thee to perish!
_Cain_. And let me perish, so I see them!
_Lucifer_. There The son of her who s.n.a.t.c.hed the apple spake!
But thou wouldst only perish, and not see them; 410 That sight is for the other state.
_Cain_. Of Death?
_Lucifer_. That is the prelude.
_Cain_. Then I dread it less, Now that I know it leads to something definite.
_Lucifer_. And now I will convey thee to thy world, Where thou shall multiply the race of Adam, Eat, drink, toil, tremble, laugh, weep, sleep--and die!
_Cain_. And to what end have I beheld these things Which thou hast shown me?
_Lucifer_. Didst thou not require Knowledge? And have I not, in what I showed, Taught thee to know thyself?
_Cain_. Alas! I seem 420 Nothing.[122]