Stephen crane: the black riders and other lines

“ACCORDING TO THE BEST LEGENDS;

“AH, WHAT JOY!”

THEN TOOK HE THE WOUND, SMILING,

AND DIED, CONTENT.

Xxviii

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“TRUTH,” SAID A TRAVELLER,

“IS A ROCK, A MIGHTY FORTRESS;

“OFTEN HAVE I BEEN TO IT,

“EVEN TO ITS HIGHEST TOWER,

“FROM WHENCE THE WORLD LOOKS BLACK.”

“TRUTH,” SAID A TRAVELLER,

“IS A BREATH, A WIND,

“A SHADOW, A PHANTOM;

“LONG HAVE I PURSUED IT,

“BUT NEVER HAVE I TOUCHED

“THE HEM OF ITS GARMENT.”

AND I BELIEVED THE SECOND TRAVELLER;

FOR TRUTH WAS TO ME

A BREATH, A WIND,

A SHADOW, A PHANTOM,

AND NEVER HAD I TOUCHED

THE HEM OF ITS GARMENT.

Xxix

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BEHOLD, FROM THE LAND OF THE FARTHER SUNS

I RETURNED.

AND I WAS IN A REPTILE-SWARMING PLACE,

PEOPLED, OTHERWISE, WITH GRIMACES,

SHROUDED ABOUT IN BLACK IMPENETRABLENESS.

I SHRANK, LOATHING,

SICK WITH IT.

AND I SAID TO HIM,

“WHAT IS THIS?”

HE MADE ANSWER SLOWLY,

“SPIRIT, THIS IS A WORLD;

“THIS WAS YOUR HOME.”

Xxx

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SUPPOSING THAT I SHOULD HAVE THE COURAGE

TO LET A RED SWORD OF VIRTUE

PLUNGE INTO MY HEART,

LETTING TO THE WEEDS OF THE GROUND

MY SINFUL BLOOD,

WHAT CAN YOU OFFER ME?

A GARDENED CASTLE?

A FLOWERY KINDGOM?

WHAT? A HOPE?

THEN HENCE WITH YOUR RED SWORD OF VIRTUE.

Xxxi

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MANY WORKMEN

BUILT A HUGE BALL OF MASONRY

UPON A MOUNTAIN-TOP.

THEN THEY WENT TO THE VALLEY BELOW,

AND TURNED TO BEHOLD THEIR WORK.

“IT IS GRAND,” THEY SAID;

THEY LOVED THE THING.

OF A SUDDEN, IT MOVED:

IT CAME UPON THEM SWIFTLY;

IT CRUSHED THEM ALL TO BLOOD.

BUT SOME HAD OPPORTUNITY TO SQUEAL.

Xxxii

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TWO OR THREE ANGELS

CAME NEAR TO THE EARTH.

THEY SAW A FAT CHURCH.

LITTLE BLACK STREAMS OF PEOPLE

CAME AND WENT IN CONTINUALLY.

AND THE ANGELS WERE PUZZLED

TO KNOW WHY THE PEOPLE WENT THUS,

AND WHY THEY STAYED SO LONG WITHIN.

Xxxiii

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THERE WAS ONE I MET UPON THE ROAD

WHO LOOKED AT ME WITH KIND EYES.

HE SAID, “SHOW ME OF YOUR WARES.”

AND THIS I DID,

HOLDING FORTH ONE.

HE SAID, “IT IS A SIN.”

THEN HELD I FORTH ANOTHER;

HE SAID, “IT IS A SIN.”

THEN HELD I FORTH ANOTHER;

HE SAID, “IT IS A SIN.”

AND SO TO THE END;

ALWAYS HE SAID, “IT IS A SIN.”

AND, FINALLY, I CRIED OUT,

“BUT I HAVE NONE OTHER.”

THEN DID HE LOOK AT ME

WITH KINDER EYES.

“POOR SOUL!” HE SAID.

Xxxiv

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I STOOD UPON A HIGHWAY,

AND, BEHOLD, THERE CAME

MANY STRANGE PEDLERS.

TO ME EACH ONE MADE GESTURES,

HOLDING FORTH LITTLE IMAGES, SAYING,

“THIS IS MY PATTERN OF GOD.

“NOW THIS IS THE GOD I PREFER.”

BUT I SAID, “HENCE!

“LEAVE ME WITH MINE OWN,

“AND TAKE YOU YOURS AWAY’

“I CAN’T BUY OF YOUR PATTERNS OF GOD,

“THE LITTLE GODS YOU MAY RIGHTLY PREFER.”

Xxxv

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A MAN SAW A BALL OF GOLD IN THE SKY;

HE CLIMBED FOR IT,

AND EVENTUALLY HE ACHIEVED IT—

IT WAS CLAY.

NOW THIS IS THE STRANGE PART:

WHEN THE MAN WENT TO THE EARTH

AND LOOKED AGAIN,

LO, THERE WAS THE BALL OF GOLD.

NOW THIS IS THE STRANGE PART:

IT WAS A BALL OF GOLD.