Ah, I believe you.

NATHAN.

But by degrees returning reason came, She spake with gentle voice--And yet G.o.d is, And this was his decree--now exercise What thou hast long imagined, and what surely Is not more difficult to exercise Than to imagine--if thou will it once.

I rose and called out--G.o.d, I will--I will, So thou but aid my purpose--And behold You was just then dismounted, and presented To me the child wrapt in your mantle. What You said, or I, occurs not to me now - Thus much I recollect--I took the child, I bore it to my couch, I kissed it, flung Myself upon my knees and sobbed--my G.o.d, Now have I one out of the seven again!

FRIAR.

Nathan, you are a Christian! Yes, by G.o.d You are a Christian--never was a better.

NATHAN

Heaven bless us! What makes me to you a Christian Makes you to me a Jew. But let us cease To melt each other--time is nigh to act, And though a sevenfold love had bound me soon To this strange only girl, though the mere thought, That I shall lose in her my seven sons A second time distracts me--yet I will, If providence require her at my hands, Obey.

FRIAR.

The very thing I should advise you; But your good genius has forestalled my thought.

NATHAN.

The first best claimant must not seek to tear Her from me.

FRIAR.

No most surely not.

NATHAN.

And he, That has not stronger claims than I, at least Ought to have earlier.

FRIAR.

Certainly.

NATHAN.

By nature And blood conferred.

FRIAR.

I mean so too.

NATHAN.

Then name The man allied to her as brother, uncle, Or otherwise akin, and I from him Will not withhold her--she who was created And was brought up to be of any house, Of any faith, the glory--I, I hope, That of your master and his race you knew More than myself.

FRIAR.

I hardly think that, Nathan; For I already told you that I pa.s.sed A short time with him.

NATHAN.

Can you tell at least The mother's family name? She was, I think, A Stauffen.

FRIAR.

May be--yes, in fact, you're right.

NATHAN.

Conrade of Stauffen was her brother's name - He was a templar.

FRIAR.

I am clear it was.

But stay, I recollect I've yet a book, 'Twas my dead lord's--I drew it from his bosom, While we were burying him at Askalon.

NATHAN.

Well!

FRIAR.

There are prayers in't, 'tis what we call A breviary. This, thought I, may yet serve Some Christian man--not me indeed, for I Can't read.

NATHAN.

No matter, to the thing.

FRIAR.

This book is written at both ends quite full, And, as I'm told, contains, in his hand-writing About both him and her what's most material.

NATHAN.

Go, run and fetch the book--'tis fortunate; I am ready with its weight in gold to pay it, And thousand thanks beside--Go, run.

FRIAR.

Most gladly; But 'tis in Arabic what he has written. [Goes.

NATHAN.

No matter--that's all one--do fetch it--Oh!

If by its means I may retain the daughter, And purchase with it such a son-in-law; But that's unlikely--well, chance as it may.

Who now can have been with the patriarch To tell this tale? That I must not forget To ask about. If 't were of Daya's?

NATHAN and DAYA