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Why do you follow me? I am a poor Bondswoman, but a woman still, and these Sad memories, so bitter and so sweet,
Weigh heavily upon my breaking heart And make it hard, my lord - for me to go.
"Your God commands it!" Then my gods, the gods Of Egypt, are more merciful than yours.
Isis and good Osiris never gave Command like this, that breaks a woman's heart,
To any prince in Egypt. Come with me And let us go and worship them, my dear lord. Leave all your wealth to Sara. Sara loves the touch of costly linen and the scent Of precious Chaldean spices, and to bind Her brow with golden fillets, and perfume Her brow with golden fillets, and perfume Her hair with ointment. Sara loves the sound Of many cattle lowing on the hills;
And Sara loves the slow and stealthy tread Of many camels moving on the plains.
Hagar loves you. Oh! come with me, dear lord. Take but your staff and come with me. Your mouth Shall drink my share of water from this jug And eat my share of bread with Ishmael;
And from your lips I will refresh myself With love's sweet wine from tender kisses pressed. Ah! come dear lord. Oh! come, my Abraham.
Nay, do not bend your cold, stern brows on me So frowningly; it was not Hagar's voice That spoke from pleading words. Go back! Go back! And tell your God I hate him, and I hate The cruel, craven heart that worships him And dare not disobey. Ha! I believe 'Tis not your far-off, bloodless God you fear, But Sara, Coward! Cease to follow me!
Go back to Sara. See! she beckons now.
Hagar loves not a coward; you do well To send my forth into the wilderness,
Where hatred hath no weapon keen enough That held within a woman's slender hand Could stab a coward to the heart. I go!
I go, my lord; proud that I take with me Of your countless herds by Hebron's brook Of all your Canaan riches, naught but this -A jug of water and a loaf of bread.
And now, by all of Egypt's gods, I swear If it were not for Ishmael's dear sake My feet would tread upon this bitter bread,
My hands would pour this water on the sands;
And leave this jug as empty as my heart