Page:The Works of Lord Byron (ed. Coleridge, Prothero) - Volume 5.djvu/250

222 Says he is something dreadful, and my mother Weeps when he's named; and Abel lifts his eyes To Heaven, and Zillah casts hers to the earth, And sighs a prayer; and Adah looks on me. And speaks not.
 * Lucifer.And thou ?
 * Cain.Thoughts unspeakable

Crowd in my breast to burning, when I hear Of this almighty Death, who is, it seems, Inevitable. Could I wrestle with him? I wrestled with the lion, when a boy, In play, till he ran roaring from my gripe.
 * Lucifer. It has no shape; but will absorb all things

That bear the form of earth-born being.
 * Cain.Ah!

I thought it was a being: who could do Such evil things to beings save a being?
 * Lucifer. Ask the Destroyer.
 * Cain.Who ?
 * Lucifer.The Maker—Call him

Which name thou wilt: he makes but to destroy.
 * Cain. I knew not that, yet thought it, since I heard

Of Death: although I know not what it is— Yet it seems horrible. I have looked out In the vast desolate night in search of him; And when I saw gigantic shadows in The umbrage of the walls of Eden, chequered By the far-flashing of the Cherubs' swords, I watched for what I thought his coming; for With fear rose longing in my heart to know What 'twas which shook us all—but nothing came. And then I turned my weary eyes from off Our native and forbidden Paradise, Up to the lights above us, in the azure, Which are so beautiful: shall they, too, die?
 * Lucifer. Perhaps—but long outlive both thine and thee.
 * Cain. I'm glad of that: I would not have them die—

They are so lovely. What is Death? I fear, I feel, it is a dreadful thing; but what, I cannot compass: 'tis denounced against us,