CUERVO - Biblioteca Nacional de Colombia

PARACELSUS
Let men catch every word-let them lose nought
Of what I say; something may yet be done.
They are ruins I Trust me who am one of you I
All ruins-glorious once, but lonely now.
It makes my heart sick to behold you crouch
Beside your desolate fane; the arches dim,
The crumbling columns grand against the moon:
Could I but rear them up Once more-but that
May never be, so leave them I Trust me, friends,
Why should you linger here when I have built
A far resplendent temple, all your own ?
Trust me, they are but ruins I See, Aprile,
Men will not heed I Yet were I not prepared
With better refuge for them, tongue of mine
Should ne'er reveal how blank their dwelling is;
I would sit down in silence with the rest.
Ha, what? you spit at me, you grin and shriek
Contempt into my ear-my ear which drank
God's accents once? you curse me? Why men, men,
I am not formed for it r Those hideous eyes
Follow me sleeping, walting, praying God,
And will not let me even die: spare, spare me,
Sinning or no, forget that, only spare me
That horrible scorn; you thought I could support it,
But now you see what silly fragile creature
Cowers thus. I am not good nor bad enough,
Not Christ, nor Cain, yet even Cain was saved
From hate like this: let me but totter back,
Perhaps I shall elude those jeers which creep
Into my very brain, and shut these scorched
Eyelids, and keep those mocking faces out.
Listen, Aprile r I am very calm:
Be not deceived, there is no passion here,
Where the blood leaps like an imprisoned thing.
I am calm; I will exterminate the race I .
Enough of that: 'tis said and it shall be.
And now be merry-safe and sound am I,
Who broke through their best ranks to get at you;
And such a havoc, such a routc, Aprile I
Festus. Have you no thought, no memory for me,
Aureole? I am so wretched-my pure Michal
Is gone, and you alone are left to me,
And even you forget me: take my hand-
Lean on me, thus. Do you not know me, Aureole?
Paracelsus. Festus, my own friend, you are come at last?
A5 you say, 'tis an awful enterprize-
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