Whenwehadcrossedthethresholdofthedoor

Whichthepervertedloveofsoulsdisuses,

Becauseitmakesthecrookedwayseemstraight,

Re-echoingIhearditclosedagain;

AndifIhadturnedbackmineeyesuponit,

Whatformyfailinghadbeenfitexcuse?

Wemountedupwardthroughariftedrock,

Whichundulatedtothissideandthat,

Evenasawaverecedingandadvancing.

"Hereitbehovesususealittleart,"

BeganmyLeader, "toadaptourselves

Nowhere, nowthere, totherecedingside."

Andthisourfootstepssoinfrequentmade,

Thatsoonerhadthemoon'sdecreasingdisk

Regaineditsbedtosinkagaintorest,

Thanwewereforthfromoutthatneedle'seye;

Butwhenwefreeandintheopenwere,

Therewherethemountainbackwardpilesitself,

Iweariedout, andbothofusuncertain

Aboutourway, westoppeduponaplain

Moredesolatethanroadsacrossthedeserts.

Fromwhereitsmarginbordersonthevoid,

Tofootofthehighbankthateverrises,

Ahumanbodythreetimestoldwouldmeasure;

Andfaraseyeofminecouldwingitsflight,

Nowontheleft, andontherightflanknow,

Thesamethiscornicedidappeartome.

Thereonourfeethadnotbeenmovedasyet,

WhenIperceivedtheembankmentroundabout,

Whichallrightofascenthadinterdicted,

Tobeofmarblewhite, andsoadorned

Withsculptures, thatnotonlyPolycletus,

ButNature'sself, hadtherebeenputtoshame.

TheAngel, whocamedowntoearthwithtidings

Ofpeace, thathadbeenweptformanyayear,

AndopenedHeavenfromitslonginterdict,

Infrontofusappearedsotruthfully

Theresculpturedinagraciousattitude,

Hedidnotseemanimagethatissilent.

Onewouldhaveswornthathewassaying, "Ave;"