Scene-2 A Cliff on the Breton Coast, overhanging 
the sea. Hugo, awaking the next morning, decides 
to take Orion's advice for a change of 
scene and air. Hugo takes his friend Eric,
and a follower, Thurston, with him.


HUGO

Down drops the red sun; through the gloaming
They burst- raging waves of the sea,
Foaming out their own shame- ever foaming
Their leprosy up with fierce glee;
Flung back from the stone, snowy fountains
Of feathery flakes, scarcely flag
Where, shock after shock, the green mountains
Explode on the iron-grey crag.
 
The salt spray with ceaseless commotion
Leaps round me. I sit on the verge
Of the cliff--'twixt the earth and the ocean--
With feet overhanging the surge.
In thy grandeur, oh, sea! we acknowledge,
In thy fairness, oh, earth! we confess,
Hidden truths that are taught in no college,
Hidden songs that no parchments express.

The gale has gone down: yet outlasting
The gale, raging waves of the sea,
Casting up their own foam, ever casting
Their leprosy up with wild glee,
Still storm; so in rashness and rudeness
Man storms through the days of his grace;
Yet man cannot fathom God’s goodness,
Exceeding God’s infinite space.

And coldly and calmly and purely
Grey rock and green hillock lie white
In star-shine dream-laden—so surely
Night cometh—so cometh the night
When we, too, at peace with our neighbour,
May sleep where God’s hillocks are piled,
Thanking HIM for a rest from day’s labour,
And a sleep like the sleep of a child!
                      Adam Lindsay Gordon