Star of the evening’s darkening sky,
    Gemming the lonely hill,
Whisper to her that I am nigh,
Waiting in hope for her reply;
    Tell her I love her still!

The song had ended; Rachel stood erect,
Her pale lips parted breathlessly, her head
Bent forward to receive the words, which came
Like grateful raindrops to a drooping flower;
Her slender form was quivering with delight
And sudden rush of feeling; she scarce knew
If this were all a dream, or if in truth
She heard Emanuel’s welcome accents there;
Her heart for that brief moment wanted naught
To supplement its rapture; ’twas enough
To stand thus in expectancy, and know
The idol of her soul was drawing near. 
At length her father touched her hand, and spoke;—­

“’Tis he, my Rachel; thy sweet power hath drawn
Thy lover o’er the sea!  Again the dawn
Of love and hope is kindled in thy face;
The concentrated beauty of thy race
Illumes thy features; now alas!  I know
That thy self-sacrifice hath cost thee woe
Intenser than I thought; I too rejoice
To hear the music of Emanuel’s voice,
Although I tremble lest his purpose be
To lure thee, Rachel, far away from me.”

His daughter, even in the thrill of bliss
Which filled her throbbing heart, yet saw the pain
That marked his closing words; and, turning, twined
Her arms about the old man’s drooping neck;
“Dear Father, fear not that,” she gently said;
“Though it be true that ardent love hath led
Emanuel to this distant Syrian shore,
Thy lot shall still be mine forevermore;
Doubt not thy faithful child, for none the less
’Twill be thy Rachel’s greatest happiness
At thy dear side to minister to thee;
For only death can come ’twixt thee and me!”

She paused, and hid her face upon his breast;
Her father clasped her fondly in his arms,
And bent his cheek to hers, his whitened locks
On her dark tresses glistening like the snow. 
’Twas thus Emanuel found them; silently
He stood before them in a dread suspense;
His very soul seemed poised upon the word
Which left at last his trembling lips,—­“Rachel!”
She raised her head, and their bright, ardent eyes
Exchanged the voiceless language of the soul;
A joy ineffable diffused its flush
O’er both their faces; yet she did not speak,
But only clung the closer to her sire,
As if in fear to lose her self-control. 
At length Emanuel spoke in tones so charged
With deep emotion that the very air
Seemed tremulous with thoughts transcending speech;—­

“Rachel, my more than life!  Canst thou forgive
The momentary thought that I could live
Without thee?  See, our separation ends! 
Henceforth I know no country, home or friends
Save thine, my love!  I gladly leave them all,
Obedient to a higher, nobler call,—­
The cry of my whole being to be near