"The Doer of Good," from Poems in Prose
Autograph manuscript, undated. 3 p.
Gift of Lucia Moreira Salles, 2008
Page 1
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Helle [typesetter's name]
The Doer of Good.
It was night-time and he was alone. [And he saw afar off the walls of a great city and went towards the city.
[And when he reached the came near he heard within the city laughter the tread of the feet of joy and the laughter of the mouth of gladness and the noise of lutes. And he knocked at the gate and many they the gate-keepers opened to him. And when they they had opened to him he entered in.
[And he came to a house that was of marble and had fair pillars of marble before it. The pillars were hung with garlands and within and without there were torches of cedar. And he entered the house.
And when he had entered the house passed through the hall of chalcedony and the hall of jasper and reached the long hall of Feasting, he saw lying at the feast a young man whose hair was crowned with red roses and whose lips were red wine.
And he went towards behind him and touched him on the shoulder and said to him, "Why do you live like this?"
And the young man turned round and recognised him, and made answer and said, "But I was a leper once, and you healed me. How else should I live?"