e're your children. Your dear ones!

STRANGER (tries to escape, but is surrounded and cannot). Let me go. Let
me go!

SECOND VOICE (that of a pale youth). Don't you recognise me, Father?

TEMPTER (appearing in the background at the left-hand fork of the path).
Ha!

STRANGER (to the Second Voice). Who are you? I seem to know your face.

SECOND VOICE. I'm Erik--your son!

STRANGER. Erik! You here?

SECOND VOICE. Yes. I'm here.

STRANGER. God have mercy! And you, my boy, forgive me!

SECOND VOICE. Never! You showed us the way to the sulphur springs! Is it
far to the lake?

(The STRANGER falls to the ground.)

TEMPTER. Ha! Jubilate, temptatores!

VENUS WORSHIPPERS. Sulphur! Sulphur! Sulphur! Mercury!

TEMPTER (coming forward and touching the STRANGER with his foot). The
worm! You can make him believe whatever you like. That comes from his
unbelievable pride. Does he think he's the mainspring of the universe,
the originator of all evil? This foolish man believes he taught youth to
go in search of Venus; as if youth hadn't done that long before he was
born! His pride's insupportable, and he's been rash enough to try to
botch my work for me. Give him another greeting, lying Erik! (The SECOND
VOICE--that is the youth--bends over the STRANGER and whispers in his
ear.) There were seven deadly sins; but now there are eight. The eighth
I discovered! It's called despair. For to despair of what is good,
and not to hope for forgiveness, is to call... (He hesitates before
pronouncing the word God, as if it burnt his lips.) God wicked. That is
calumny, denial, blasphemy.... Look how he winces!

STRANGER (rising quickly, and looking the TEMPTER to the eyes). Who are
you?

TEMPTER. Your brother. Don't we resemble one another? Some of your
features seem to remind me of my portrait.

STRANGER. Where have I seen it?

TEMPTER. Almost everywhere! I'm often to be found in churches, though
not amongst the saints.

STRANGER. I can't remember....

TEMPTER. Is it so long since you've been to church? I'm usually
represented with St. George. (The STRANGER totters and would like to
fly, but cannot.) Michael and I are sometimes to be seen in a group, in
which, to be sure, I don't appear in the most favourable light; but that
can be altered. All can be altered; and one day the last shall be first.
It's just the same in your case. For the moment, things are going badly
with you, but that can be altered too... if you've enough int