Clarel/Part 1/Canto 8

8. The Votary
Sinner?—So spake the saint, a man Long tarrying in Jewry's court. With him the faith so well could sort His home he'd left, nor turned again, His home by Narraganset's marge, Giving those years on death which verge Fondly to that enthusiast part Oft coming of a stricken heart Unselfish, which finds solace so. Though none in sooth might hope to know, And few surmise his forepast bane, Such needs have been; since seldom yet Lone liver was, or wanderer met, Except he closeted some pain Or memory thereof. But thence, May be, was given him deeper sense Of all that travail life can lend. Which man may scarce articulate Better than herds which share. What end? How hope? turn whither? where was gate For expectation, save the one Of beryl, pointed by St. John? That gate would open, yea, and Christ Thence issue, come unto His own, And earth be reimparadised. Passages, presages he knew: Zion restore, convert the Jew, Reseat him here, the waste bedew; Then Christ returneth: so it ran. No founded mission chartered him; Single in person as in plan, Absorbed he ranged, in method dim, A flitting tractdispensing man: Tracts in each text scribe ever proved In East which he of Tarsus roved. Though well such heart might sainthood claim, Unjust alloy to reverence came. In Smyrna's mart (sojourning there Waiting a ship for Joppa's stair) Pestered he passed thro' Gentile throngs Teased by an eddying urchin host, His tracts all fluttering like tongues The fireflakes of the Pentecost. Deep read he was in seers devout, The which forecast Christ's second prime, And on his slate would cipher out The mystic days and dates sublime, And "Time and times and halfa time" Expound he could; and more reveal; Yet frequent would he feebly steal Close to one's side, asking, in way Of weary age—the hour of day. But how he lived, and what his fare, Ravens and angels, few beside, Dreamed or divined. His garments spare True marvel seemed, nor unallied To clothes worn by that wandering band Which ranged and ranged the desert sand With Moses; and for forty years, Which two score times reclad the spheres In green, and plumed the birds anew, One vesture wore. From home he brought The garb which still met sun and dew, Ashen in shade, by rustics wrought. Latin, Armenian, Greek, and Jew Full well the harmless vagrant kenned, The small meek face, the habit gray: In him they owned our human clay. The Turk went further: let him wend; Him Allah cares for, holy one: A Santon held him; and was none Bigot enough scorn's shaft to send. For, say what cynic will or can, Man sinless is revered by man Thro' all the forms which creeds may lend. And so, secure, nor pointed at, Among brave Turbans freely roamed the Hat.