Explore "Pilate's Wife" by George MacDonald on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
Why came in dreams the low-born man / Between thee and thy rest? / In vain thy whispered message ran, / Though justice was its quest!
Did some young ignorant angel dare -- / Not knowing what must be, / Or blind with agony of care -- / To fly for help to thee?
I know not. Rather I believe, / Thou, nobler than thy spouse, / His rumoured grandeur didst receive, / And sit with pondering brows,
Until thy maidens' gathered tale / With possible marvel teems: / Thou sleepest, and the prisoner pale / Returneth in thy dreams.
Well mightst thou suffer things not few / For his sake all the night! / In pale eclipse he suffers, who / Is of the world the light.
Precious it were to know thy dream / Of such a one as he! / Perhaps of him we, waking, deem / As poor a verity.