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hundred centuries. I too will leave women and study mathematics, which I have neglected too long. Farewell, children, my old playmates. I almost wish I could feel sentimental about parting from you; but the cold truth is that you bore me. Do not be angry with me: your turn will come. He passes away gravely into the grove. Arjillax There goes a great spirit. What a sculptor he was! And now, nothing! It is as if he had cut off his hands. The Newly Born Oh, will you all leave me as he has left you? Ecrasia Never. We have sworn it. Strephon What is the use of swearing? She swore. He swore. You have sworn. They have sworn. Ecrasia You speak like a grammar. Strephon That is how one ought to speak, isn’t it? We shall all be forsworn. The Newly Born Do not talk like that. You are saddening us; and you are chasing the light away. It is growing dark. Acis Night is falling. The light will come back tomorrow. The Newly Born What is tomorrow? Acis The day that never comes. He turns towards the temple. All begin trooping into the temple. The Newly Born Holding Acis back. That is no answer. What⁠— Arjillax Silence. Little children should be seen and not heard. The Newly Born Putting out her tongue at him. ! Ecrasia Ungraceful. You must not do that. The Newly Born I will do what I like. But there is something the matter with me. I want to lie down. I cannot keep my eyes open. Ecrasia You are falling asleep. You will wake up again. The Newly Born Drowsily. What is sleep? Acis Ask no questions; and you will be told no lies. He takes her by the ear, and leads her firmly towards the temple. The Newly Born Ai! oi! ai! Don’t. I want to be carried. She reels into the arms of Acis, who carries her into the temple. Ecrasia Come, Arjillax: you at least are still an artist. I adore you. Arjillax Do you? Unfortunately for you, I am not still a child. I have grown out of cuddling. I can only appreciate your figure. Does that satisfy you? Ecrasia At what distance? Arjillax Arm’s length or more. Ecrasia Thank you: not for me. She turns away from him. Arjillax Ha! ha! He strides off into the temple. Ecrasia Calling to Strephon, who is on the threshold of the temple, going in. Strephon. Strephon No. My heart is broken. He goes into the temple. Ecrasia Must I pass the night alone? She looks round, seeking another partner; but they have all gone. After all, I can imagine a lover nobler than any of you. She goes into the temple. It is now quite dark. A vague radiance appears near the temple and shapes itself into the ghost of Adam. A Woman’s Voice In the grove. Who is that? Adam The ghost of Adam, the first father of mankind. Who are you? The Voice The ghost of Eve, the first mother of mankind. Adam Come forth, wife; and show yourself to me. Eve Appearing near the grove. Here I am, husband. You are very old. A Voice In the hills. Ha! ha! ha! Adam Who laughs? Who dares laugh at Adam? Eve Who has the heart to laugh at Eve? The Voice The ghost of Cain, the first child, and the first murderer. He appears between them; and as he does so there is a prolonged hiss. Who dares hiss at Cain, the lord of death? A Voice The ghost of the serpent, that lived before Adam and before Eve, and taught them how to bring forth Cain. She becomes visible, coiled in the trees. A Voice There is one that came before the serpent. The Serpent That is the voice of Lilith, in whom the father and mother were one. Hail, Lilith! Lilith becomes visible between Cain and Adam. Lilith I suffered unspeakably; I tore myself asunder; I lost my life, to make of my one flesh these twain, man and woman. And this is what has come of it. What do you make of it, Adam, my son? Adam I made the earth bring forth by my labor, and the woman bring forth by my love. And this is what has come of it. What do you make of it, Eve, my wife? Eve I nourished the egg in my body and fed it with my blood. And now they let it fall as the birds did, and suffer not at all. What do you make of it, Cain, my firstborn? Cain I invented killing and conquest and mastery and the winnowing out of the weak by the strong. And now the strong have slain one another; and the weak live forever; and their deeds do nothing for the doer more than for another. What do you make of it, snake? The Serpent I am justified. For I chose wisdom and the knowledge of good and evil; and now there is no evil; and wisdom and good are one. It is enough. She vanishes. Cain There is no place for me on earth any longer. You cannot deny that mine was a splendid game while it lasted. But now! Out, out, brief candle! He vanishes. Eve The clever ones were always my favorites. The diggers and the fighters have dug themselves in with the worms. My clever ones have inherited the earth. All’s well. She fades away. Adam I can make nothing of it, neither head nor tail. What is it all for? Why? Whither? Whence? We were well enough in the garden. And now the fools have killed all the animals; and they are dissatisfied because they cannot be bothered with their bodies! Foolishness, I call it. He disappears. Lilith They have accepted the burden of eternal life. They have taken the agony from birth; and their life does not fail them even in the hour of their destruction. Their breasts are without milk: their bowels are gone: the very shapes of them are only ornaments for their