With ardour to enjoy thee, fairer now So said he, and forbore not glance or toy 1035 Her hand he seiz'd, and to a shady bank, Thick overhead with verdant roof imbow'rd, He led her nothing loth; flow'rs were the couch, Pansies, and violets, and asphodel, 1040 And hyacinth, Earth's freshest softest lap. There they their fill of love and love's disport Took largely, of their mutual guilt the seal, The solace of their sin, till dewy sleep Oppress'd them, wearied with their amorous play. 1045 Soon as the force of that fallacious fruit, That with exhilarating vapour bland About their spirits had play'd, and inmost powers 1050 Had shadow'd them from knowing ill, was gone, 1055 Just confidence, and native righteousness, And honour from about. them, naked left To guilty Shame; he cover'd, but his robe 1060 Shorn of his strength; they destitute and bare Confounded long they sat, as struck'n mute; Till Adam, though not less than Eve abash't, 1065 At length gave utterance to these words constrain'd. False in our promised rising: since our eyes 1070 Of innocence, of faith, of purity, 1075 Our wonted ornaments, now soil'd and stain'd; And in our faces evident the signs Of foul concupiscence; whence evil store; Even shame, the last of evils; of the first Be sure then. How shall I behold the face 1080 And rapture so oft beheld? those Heav'nly shapes Will dazzle now this earthly, with their blaze In solitude live savage, in some glade 1085 Obscur'd, where highest woods impenetrable To star or sun-light, spread their umbrage broad Hide me, where I may never see them more! 1090 Some tree, whose broad smooth leaves together sew'd, 1095 So counsell'd he and both together went There oft the Indian herdsman shunning heat IIIO 1115 With feather'd cincture, naked else and wild, Thus fenc't, and as they thought, their shame in part II 20 They sat them down to weep; nor only tears Rain'd at their eyes, but high winds worse within 1125 1130 Superior sway; from thus distemper'd breast, Speech intermitted thus to Eve renew'd. 'Would thou hadst heark'nd to my words, and stay'd With me, as I besought thee, when that strange Desire of wandring, this unhappy morn, 1135 I know not whence possess'd thee; we had then Remain'd still happy, not as now, despoil'd Of all our good, sham'd, naked, miserable. Let none henceforth seek needless cause to approve 1140 The faith they owe; when earnestly they seek Such proof, conclude, they then begin to fail.' To whom soon mov'd with touch of blame thus Eve. 'What words have passed thy lips, Adam severe ! Imput'st thou that to my default, or will 1145 Of wandring, as thou call'st it, which who knows 1150 Why should he mean me ill, or seek to harm. 1155 1160 1165 Who might have liv'd and joy'd immortal bliss, Yet willingly chose rather death with thee? And am I now upbraided as the cause Of thy transgressing? not enough severe, It seems, in thy restraint: what could I more? 1170 I warn'd thee, I admonish'd thee, foretold That lay in wait; beyond this had been force, And force upon free-will hath here no place. 1175 Matter of glorious trial; and perhaps I also err'd in overmuch admiring What seem'd in thee so perfet, that I thought 1180 That error now, which is become my crime, And thou th' accuser. Thus it shall befal Him who to worth in women overtrusting |