THE GIFT OF GRAPES.
199
The purple clusters, dewy blue,—
"Good hermit, here! These grapes for you!"
"Good hermit, here! These grapes for you!"
Swift swept the rider by. The grapes
Lay at the hermit's feet. "Like shapes
Lay at the hermit's feet. "Like shapes
"Of magic, sent to tempt my sense,"
Macarius thought. "Sathanas, hence!"
Macarius thought. "Sathanas, hence!"
He cried. "I will not touch nor taste.
Yet, were it not wrong such fruit to waste?"
Yet, were it not wrong such fruit to waste?"
He paused. "I'll leave it at his door,
My neighbor, who with illness sore
My neighbor, who with illness sore
"Is like to die. He may partake,
And sin not. Ay, for Jesus' sake,
And sin not. Ay, for Jesus' sake,
"I will his dying lips beseech,
Command, as if I were his leech."
Command, as if I were his leech."
Thus speaking, trembling as he spoke,
Such parched desire within him woke,
Such parched desire within him woke,
To taste the grapes, he swiftly ran,
And, kneeling by the dying man,
And, kneeling by the dying man,
Held up the clusters, crying, "See,
O brother! these were given me.
O brother! these were given me.
"I may not eat them; I am strong;
But thou—it were for thee no wrong.
But thou—it were for thee no wrong.
