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not in thee, nor mercy of any kind, thou dids't trample on down the weak with feet of iron, and on mine earth, out of which I made thee, thou dids't spill the innocent blood." of the innocent."

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And the Man answered made answer and said, "Even so did I."
    And again God opened the Book of the Life of the Man, and saw what was written therein.
    And God said to the Man, "Thy life hath been evil, as thou has't wrought lain with the seven sins. The walls of thy chamber were painted with images, and from the bed of thine abominations thou dids't rise up to the sound of flutes. Thou dids't raise build seven altars to the sins I have sufferred, and dids't eat of the things that may not be eaten. The cups of thy feast were full of red with the wine of sin, and in the dishes there was poisonous honey, and the purple of thy raiment was broidered with the three signs of shame. Thine idols were neither of gold nor of silver, which endure, but of flesh that dieth. Thou dids't stain their hair with perfumes, colours a[n]d put strange flowers into set pomegranates in their hands. Thou dids't stain their feet with perfumes, and set spread carpets before them. With antimony thou dids't stain their eyelids, and their bodies thou dids't smear with myrrh. Thou dids't bow thyself to the ground before them,

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and in groves and on high places thou didst worship them. In thine idolatry thou dids't bow thyself to the ground, and the thrones of thine idols were set in the sun. Thou dids't show to the sun thy shame and to the moon thy madness."

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And the mad answered made answer and said, "Even so did I."
    And a third time God opened the Book of the Life of the Man, and saw what was written therein.
    And God said to the Man, "Evil hath been thy life, and with evil dids't thou repay requite good, and with wrongdoing dids't thou answer kindness. The hands that fed thee thou dids't wound, and the breasts that suckled thee gave thee suck thou dids't despise. With lying lips thou dids't kiss the mouth of truth, and with a false tongue thou dids't answer call on Wisdom. He who brought came to thee with a gift went away empty, and those who hid thee in their tents at night thou dids't betray before dawn. Thine enemy who spared thee thou dids't slay snare in an ambush, and thy friend who walked with thee thou dids't sell for a price, and to those who brought thee Love thou dids't ever give Lust in answer payment."
    And the Man answered made answer and said, "Even so did I."

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And God closed the Book of the Life of the Man, and said, "Surely I shall send thee to Hell. Even unto Hell shall I send thee."
    And the Man answered and said cried out, "Thou cans't not."
    And God said to the Man, "Wherefore can I not send thee to Hell, and for what reason?"
    And the Man made answer, and said, "Because I have always lived in it." answered the Man.
    And there was silence in the House of Judgment.
    And after a space God spake, and said to the Man, "Seeing that I may not send thee to Hell, surely I shall send thee to Heaven. Shall Even unto Heaven shall I send thee."
    And the Man answered and said cried out, "Thou cans't not."
    And God said to the Man, "Wherefore can I not send thee to Heaven, and for what reason?"
    Parag. And the Man made answer and said, "Because never, and in no place, have I been able to imagine it." answered the Man.
    And there was silence in the House of Judgment.

    Oscar Wilde