The words died into silence audible; Soft, like a wavelet sinking, ceased his breath, And there Gamaliel lay, a breathless peace.
Paul joyful, knowing that his aged friend Had found peace in believing, did not dream That it had been the last of life for him, The first of life indeed, Paul would have deemed; But thinking, 'He has fallen asleep once more,' Gave silent thanks to God and himself slept, With Stephen then already safe asleep.
When, with the earliest dawn, four elders came, Gamaliel's equals, to Antonia, In reverent wise to bear him thence away, They found the many-wrinkled brow that was, Smoothed out most placid fair, and on the cheek A bloomy heavenly hue, as if of youth Revived, or immortality begun.
But Paul and Stephen, summoned to depart, The sleeper's sleep were minded not to break; There in the dead and middle of the night, They knelt to kiss the forehead in farewell, And were surprised to feel the touch was cold.
Paul, accompanied by young Stephen, is started at about midnight, under strong military escort, for Cæsarea. At the gate of the castle, Shimei, lurking there, is arrested, and brought before the chiliarch, Claudius Lysias by name. A conversation ensues, in which Shimei, for a time with some success, practises on the chiliarch his characteristic arts of deception. At last, the chiliarch, denouncing him for what he is, and putting him under heavy bonds to respond in person, whenever and wherever afterward commanded by the Roman authorities, dismisses him from presence, chagrined and dismayed.
Ere midnight, had reveillé to those twain Sounded, and from brief slumber rallied them. They passed from the surprise of that farewell Kissed on the coolness of Gamaliel's brow-- He his reveillé waiting from the trump Of resurrection, tranced in happy sleep!-- From this passed Paul and Stephen to the court Without, where stood, made ready in array, Five hundred Roman soldiers, foot and horse, Filling the place with frequence and ferment. Armed men, and horses in caparison, And saddled asses thick together poured-- All was alive with motion and with sound. There was the stamping hoof of restless steed, The rattling bridle-rein, the bridle-bit Champed hoary, the impatient toss of head Shaking the mane disheveled, and with foam Flecking the breast, the shoulder, and the flank, Eruptive snort from nostril and from lip, The ass's long and melancholy bray, Horse's salute of recognition neighed To greet some fellow welcomed in the throng, Therewith, voices of men, scuffle of feet-- All under bickering light and shadow flung From torches, fixed or moving, fume and flame.