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206 |
LILITH |
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thou how long thou wilt thyself remain beautiful ?— Answer me, if thou knowest.'
Then at last I understood that Mr. Raven was indeed Adam, the old and the new man; and that his wife, ministering in the house of the dead, was Eve, the mother of us all, the lady of the New Jerusalem.
The leopardess reared ; the flickering and fleeing of her spots began ; the princess at length stood radiant in her perfect shape.
'1 am beautiful—and immortal! ' she said—and she looked the goddess she would be.
' As a bush that burns, and is consumed,' answered he who had been her husband. '—What is that under thy right hand ? -
For her arm lay across her bosom, and her hand was pressed to her side.
A swift pang contorted her beautiful face, and passed.
' It is but a leopard-spot that lingers! it will quickly follow those I have dismissed,' she answered.
' Thou art beautiful because God created thee, but thou art the slave of sin : take thy hand from thy side.'
Her hand sank away, and as it dropt she looked him in the eyes with a quailing fierceness that had in it no surrender.
He gazed a moment at the spot.
' It is not on the leopard; it is in the woman !' he said. ' Nor will it leave thee until it hath eaten to thy heart, and thy beauty hath flowed from thee through the open wound !'
She gave a glance downward, and shivered.
'Lilith,' said Adam, and his tone had changed to a tender beseeching, ' hear me, and repent, and He who made thee will cleanse thee ! ' |
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