146 REDEMPTION.
At last awaked, as one from dream or trance, Roused him to meditate, when thus aloud, His ruminating thoughts took shape and ran :
" Hah ! something I at length hear new design'd, Though dimly 'exposed, with cautious, close set phrase. What if the list'ner's fate betide, to hear My cause mispled, me limn'd of darker shade ? Much from their words of moment I may draw, To aid my cause, shape my intent. So then, (And this to know may well th' adventure pay,) 'Tis not by procreation, he intends To fill the earth with new and better men ; But with the old, the self-same ancient race, Somehow redeem'd, and rescued from my thrall. Had he new progeny design'd, like this, The second Eve, and Him, named only Son, As I supposed, from as this pair began, Small hope remain'd; I might have given o'er, Since all my force, the weaker one repell'd, And he, no doubt, more hard to circumvent, So manly grown, in native dignity Erect. Not that I fear him, but expect To meet, and test his valor's utmost worth." - And, even should an open contest fail, There yet remains sharp practice, in my guile To track his footsteps, and conceal'd await Unguarded moment, opportune to tempt, Let what may such adventure sly, befall. But this redemption, that he mainly vaunts, And on which his advent, 'tis said, depends, What is 't ? Something inclines me to regard It old, tried heretofore, found empty, vain.
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