MYSTERY OF THE FALL.
45
To hide a burning face and streaming eyes
And pale small lips that muttered faintly, 'Death.'
And thou would'st fain depart; thou said'st the place
Was for the like of us too good: we left
The pleasant woodland shades, and passed abroad
Into this naked champaign—glorious soil
For digging and for delving, but indeed,
Until I killed a beast or two, and spread
Skins upon sticks to make our palace here,
A residence sadly exposed to wind and rain.
But I in all submit to you; and then
I turned out too, and trudged a furlong's space,
Till you fell tired and fain would wait for morn.
So as our nightly journey we began,
Because the autumnal fruitage that had fallen
From trees whereunder we had slept, lay thick,
And we had eaten overnight, and seen,
And saw again by starlight when you woke me,
A sly and harmless snake glide by our couch;
And because, some few hours before, a lamb
Fell from a rock and broke its neck, and I
Had answered, to your wonder, that 'twas dead,
Forsooth the molten lava of your flight
Forth from your brain, its crater, hurrying down,
Took the chance mould; the vapour blowing by
Caught and reflected back some random shapes.
A vague and queasy dream was obstinate
In waking thoughts to find itself renewed,
And lo! the mighty Mythus of the Fall!
Nay, smile with me, sweet mother!
Eve.Guilt! oh, guilt!
Adam. Peace, woman, peace; I go.
Eve.Nay, Adam, nay;
Hear me, I am not dreaming, am not crazed.
And pale small lips that muttered faintly, 'Death.'
And thou would'st fain depart; thou said'st the place
Was for the like of us too good: we left
The pleasant woodland shades, and passed abroad
Into this naked champaign—glorious soil
For digging and for delving, but indeed,
Until I killed a beast or two, and spread
Skins upon sticks to make our palace here,
A residence sadly exposed to wind and rain.
But I in all submit to you; and then
I turned out too, and trudged a furlong's space,
Till you fell tired and fain would wait for morn.
So as our nightly journey we began,
Because the autumnal fruitage that had fallen
From trees whereunder we had slept, lay thick,
And we had eaten overnight, and seen,
And saw again by starlight when you woke me,
A sly and harmless snake glide by our couch;
And because, some few hours before, a lamb
Fell from a rock and broke its neck, and I
Had answered, to your wonder, that 'twas dead,
Forsooth the molten lava of your flight
Forth from your brain, its crater, hurrying down,
Took the chance mould; the vapour blowing by
Caught and reflected back some random shapes.
A vague and queasy dream was obstinate
In waking thoughts to find itself renewed,
And lo! the mighty Mythus of the Fall!
Nay, smile with me, sweet mother!
Eve.Guilt! oh, guilt!
Adam. Peace, woman, peace; I go.
Eve.Nay, Adam, nay;
Hear me, I am not dreaming, am not crazed.
