Look in your own heart, if your soul have eyes! (610)
You shall see reason why, though faith were fled,
Unbelief still might work the wires and move
Man, the machine, to play a faithful part.
Preside your college, Cardinal, in your cape,
or,—having got above his head, grown Pope,—
Abate, gird your loins and wash my feet!
Do you suppose I am at loss at all
Why you crook, why you cringe, why fast or feast?
Praise, blame, sit, stand, lie or go!—all of it,
In each of you, purest unbelief may prompt, (620)
And wit explain to who has eyes to see.
But, lo, I wave wand, make the false the true!
Here’s Rome believes in Christianity!
What an explosion, how the fragments fly
Of what was surface, mask, and make- believe!
Begin now,—look at this Pope’s-halberdier
In wasp-like black and yellow foolery!
He, doing duty at the corridor,
Wakes from a muse and stands convinced of sin!
Down he flings halbert, leaps the passage- length, (630)
Pushes into the presence, pantingly
Submits the extreme peril of the case
To the Pope’s self,—whom in the world beside?—
And the Pope breaks talk with ambassador,
Bids aside bishop, wills the whole world wait
Till he secure that prize, outweighs the world,
A soul, relieve the sentry of his qualm!
His Altitude the Referendary,—
Robed right, and ready for the usher’s word
To pay devoir,—is, of all times, just then (640)
’Ware of a master-stroke of argument
Will cut the spinal cord…ugh, ugh!…I mean,
Paralyse Molinism for evermore!
Straight he leaves lobby, trundles, two and two,
Down steps, to reach home, write if but a word
Shall end the impudence: he leaves who likes
Go pacify the Pope: there’s Christ to serve!
How otherwise would men display their zeal?
If the same sentry had the least surmise
A powder-barrel ’neath the pavement lay (650)
In neighbourhood with what might prove a match,
Meant to blow sky-high Pope and presence both—
Would he not break through courtiers, rank and file,
Bundle up, bear off and save body so,
O’ the Pope, no matter for his priceless soul?
There’s no fool’s-freak here, nought to soundly swinge,
Only a man in earnest, you’ll so praise
And pay and prate about, that earth shall ring!
Had thought possessed the Referendary
His jewel-case at home was left ajar, (660)
What would be wrong in running, robes awry,
To be beforehand with the pilferer?
What talk then of indecent haste? Which means,
That both these, each in his degree, would do
Just that,—for a comparative nothing’s sake,
And thereby gain approval and reward—
Which, done for what Christ says is worth the world,
Procures the doer curses, cuffs, and kicks.
I call such difference ’twixt act and act,
Sheer lunacy unless your truth on lip (670)
Be recognised a lie in heart of you!
How do you all act, promptly or in doubt,
When there’s a guest poisoned at supper-time
And he sits chatting on with spot on cheek?
“Pluck him by the skirt, and round him in the ears,
“Have at him by the beard, warn anyhow!”
Good, and this other friend that’s cheat and thief
And dissolute,—go stop the devil’s feast,
Withdraw him from the imminent hell-fire!
Why, for your life, you dare not tell your friend (680)
“You lie, and I admonish you for Christ!”
Who yet dare seek that same man at the Mass
To warn him—on his knees, and tinkle near,—
He left a cask a-tilt, a tap unturned,
The Trebbian running: what a grateful jump
Out of the Church rewards your vigilance!
Perform that self-same service just a thought
More maladroitly,—since a bishop sits
At function!—and he budges not, bites lip,—
“You see my case: how can I quit my post? (690)
“He has an eye to any such default.
“See to it, neighbour, I beseech your love!”
He and you know the relative worth of things,
What is permissible or inopportune.
Contort your brows! You know I speak the truth:
Gold is called gold, and dross called dross, i’ the Book:
Gold you let lie and dross pick up and prize!
—Despite your master of some fifty monks
And nuns a-maundering here and mumping there,
Who could, and on occasion would, spurn dross, (700)
Clutch gold, and prove their faith a fact so far,—
I grant you! Fifty times the number squeak
And gibber in the madhouse—firm of faith,
This fellow, that his nose supports the moon,
The other, that his straw hat crowns him Pope:
Does that prove all the world outside insane?
Do fifty miracle-mongers match the mob
That acts on the frank faithless principle,
Born-baptised-and-bred Christian-atheists, each
With just as much a right to judge as you,— (710)
As many senses in his soul, or nerves
I’ neck of him as I,—whom, soul and sense,
Neck and nerve, you abolish presently,—
I being the unit in creation now
Who pay the Maker, in this speech of mine,
A creature’s duty, spend my last of breath
In bearing witness, even by my worst fault
To the creature’s obligation, absolute,
Perpetual: my worst fault protests, “The faith
“Claims all of me: I would give all she claims, (720)
“But for a spice of doubt: the risk’s too rash:
“Double or quits, I play, but, all or nought,
“Exceeds my courage: therefore, I descend
“To the next faith with no dubiety—
“Faith in the present life, made last as long
“And prove as full of pleasure as may hap,
“Whatever pain it cause the world.” I’m wrong?
I’ve had my life, whate’er I lose: I’m right?
I’ve got the single good there was to gain.
Entire faith, or else complete unbelief,— (730)
Aught between has my loathing and contempt,
Mine and God’s also, doubtless: ask yourself,
Cardinal, where and how you like a man!
Why, either with your feet upon his head,
Confessed
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