|
Main
- books.jibble.org
My Books
- IRC Hacks
Misc. Articles
- Meaning of Jibble
- M4 Su Doku
- Computer Scrapbooking
- Setting up Java
- Bootable Java
- Cookies in Java
- Dynamic Graphs
- Social Shakespeare
External Links
- Paul Mutton
- Jibble Photo Gallery
- Jibble Forums
- Google Landmarks
- Jibble Shop
- Free Books
- Intershot Ltd
|
books.jibble.org
Previous Page
| Next Page
Page 103
PEOPLE. She's not to blame! Where is her seducer?
FATHER. There!
TEMPTER. Yes. It was I.
PEOPLE. Stone him!
MAGISTRATE. The law must run its course. He must be heard.
TEMPTER. Bon! Then listen, Argives! It was like this. Your humble
servant, born of poor but fairly honourable parents, was from the
beginning one of those strange birds who, in their youth, go in
search of their Creator--but without ever finding him, naturally!
It's more usual for old cuckoos to look for him in their dotage--
and for good reasons! The urge for this youthful quest was
accompanied by a purity of heart and a modesty that even caused his
nurses to smile--yes, we can laugh now when we hear that this boy
would only change his underclothing in the dark! But even if we're
corrupted by the crudities of life, we're still bound to find
something beautiful in it; and if we're older something touching!
And so we can afford to-day to laugh at his childish innocence.
Scornful laughter, listeners, please.
MAGISTRATE (seriously). He mistakes his listeners.
TEMPTER. Then I ought to be ashamed of myself! (Pause.) He became a
youth--your humble servant--and fell into a series of traps that
were laid for his innocence. I'm an old sinner, but I blush at this
moment. ... (He takes of his hat.) Yes, look at me now--when I
think of the insight this young man got into the world of Potiphar's
wives that surrounded him! There wasn't a single woman. ... Really,
I'm ashamed in the name of mankind and the female sex--excuse me,
please. ... There were moments when I didn't believe my eyes, but
thought a devil had blinded my sight. The holiest bands. ... (He
pinches his tongue.) No, quiet! Mankind will feel itself
calumniated! Enough, until my twenty-fifth year I fought the good
fight; and I fell because. ... Well, I was called Joseph, and I
_was_ Joseph! I grew jealous of my virtue, and felt injured by the
glances of a lewd woman. ... And at last, cunningly seduced, I
fell. Then I became a slave of my passions; often and often I sat
by Omphalos and span, until I sank into the deepest degradation and
suffered, suffered, suffered! But in reality it was only my body
that was degraded; my soul lived her own life--her own pure life, I
can say--on her own account. And I raved innocently for pure young
virgins who, it seems, felt the bond that drew us together.
Because, without boasting, I can say they were attracted to me. I
didn't want to overstep the mark, but they did! And when I fled the
danger, their hearts were broken, so they said. In a word, I've
never seduced an innocent girl. I swear it! Am I therefore to blame
for the emotional sorrows of this young woman, who went out of her
mind? On the contrary, mayn't I count it a virtue that I shrank in
horror from the step that brought about her fall? Who'll cast the
first stone at me? No one! Then I mistake my listeners. Indeed, I
thought I might be an object of scorn, if I were to plead here for
my masculine innocence! Now, however, I feel young again; and
there's something for which I'd like to ask mankind's forgiveness.
If it weren't that I happened to see a cynical smile on the lips of
the woman who seduced me when I was young. Come forward, woman, and
look upon your work of destruction. Observe, how the seed has
grown!
WOMAN (coming forward with dignity and modesty). It was I! Let me
be heard, and let me tell the simple story of my seduction.
(Pause.) Luckily my seducer is here, too. ...
MAGISTRATE. Friends! I must break off the proceedings; otherwise
we'll get back to Eve in Paradise.
TEMPTER. Who was Adam's seducer! That's just where we want to get
back to. Eve! Come forward, Eve. Eve! (He waves his cloak in the
air. The trunk of the tree becomes transparent and EVE appears,
wrapped in her hair and with a girdle about her loins.) Now, Mother
Eve, it was you who seduced our father. You are the accused: what
have you to say in your defence?
EVE (simply and with dignity). The serpent tempted me!
TEMPTER. Well answered! Eve has proved her innocence. The serpent!
Let the serpent come forward. (EVE disappears.) The serpent! (The
serpent appears in the tree trunk.) Here you can see the seducer of
us all. Now, serpent, who was it that beguiled you?
Previous Page
| Next Page
|
|