And the man
The father of these three, did let him pass,
And struggle and give battle to his heart,
Standing as motionless as pillar set
To guide a wanderer in a pathless waste;
But all his strength went from him, and he strove
Vainly to trample out and trample down
The misery of his love unsatisfied,—­
Unutterable love flung in his face.

Then he broke out in passionate words, that cried
Against his lot, “I have lost my own, and won
None other; no, not one!  Alas, my sons! 
That I have looked to for my solacing,
In the bitterness to come.  My children dear!”
And when from his own lips he heard those words,
With passionate stirring of the heart, he wept.

And none came nigh to comfort him.  His face
Was on the ground; but, having wept, he rose
Full hastily, and urged his way to find
The river; and in hollow of his hand
Raised up the water to his brow:  “This son,
This other son of mine,” he said, “shall see
No tears upon my face.”  And he looked on,
Beheld the camels, and a group of slaves
Sitting apart from some one fast asleep,
Where they had spread out webs of broidery work
Under a cedar-tree; and he came on,
And when they made obeisance he declared
His name, and said, “I will beside my son
Sit till he wakeneth.”  So Japhet lay
A-dreaming, and his father drew to him. 
He said, “This cannot scorn me yet”; and paused,
Right angry with himself, because the youth,
Albeit of stately growth, so languidly
Lay with a listless smile upon his mouth,
That was full sweet and pure; and as he looked,
He half forgot his trouble in his pride. 
“And is this mine?” said he, “my son! mine own! 
(God, thou art good!) O, if this turn away,
That pang shall be past bearing.  I must think
That all the sweetness of his goodly face
Is copied from his soul.  How beautiful
Are children to their fathers!  Son, my heart
Is greatly glad because of thee; my life
Shall lack of no completeness in the days
To come.  If I forget the joy of youth,
In thee shall I be comforted; ay, see
My youth, a dearer than my own again.”

And when he ceased, the youth, with sleep content,
Murmured a little, turned himself and woke.

He woke, and opened on his father’s face
The darkness of his eyes; but not a word
The Master-shipwright said,—­his lips were sealed;
He was not ready, for he feared to see
This mouth curl up with scorn.  And Japhet spoke,
Full of the calm that cometh after sleep: 
“Sir, I have dreamed of you.  I pray you, sir,
What is your name?” and even with his words
His countenance changed.  The son of Lamech said,
“Why art thou sad?  What have I done to thee?”
And Japhet answered, “O, methought I fled
In the wilderness before a maddened beast,
And you came up and slew it; and I thought
You were my father; but I fear me, sir,