1 _Darkness continueth in the city_. 2 _The damsels rejoice_. 4
_The young men rejoice_. 6 _The maidens of an age rejoice_. 9 _A
certain man loseth his spouse_. 21 _He findeth consolation_. 24
_The ways of the young things_.
Now the rulers ordained _that_ the city of Lon, it should continue in
darkness; and the hearts of many of the people, they were rejoiced
_because_ of it.
2 ¶ And the damsels rejoiced openly, saying, Verily, _it is_ a time
that aboundeth in possibilities,
3 Peradventure it will embolden _him_ somewhat in the wooing of me,
for love in a dark _place_, assuredly, it needeth no footwarmer.
4 ¶ And the young men rejoiced also, saying, In the dark of the
night, in the very great darkness of the city, there shall I _tell_
her the tale.
5 And after that she is softened _towards_ me, then will I gather her
in. And I will quench my thirst _at the_ fountain of her lips, and
the rapture of her touch, it shall feed mine appetite _for_ love.
6 ¶ And the maidens _of an_ age, they rejoiced as well. For she that
was thirty and five years old _when_ it was day, she was judged by
the shortness of her garments _after_ that it was become the night.
7 And many damsels came unto the city of Lon from the country that
was round _about_ it, seeking to avail themselves of the darkness
that _was_ there.
8 And they complained in their villages and in their towns _also_,
saying, Why is the city of Lon favoured _above_ other cities?
9 ¶ Now there was a certain man, and _he was_ wedded unto a wife.
And it came to pass on an occasion that he did go with her along an
highway in Lon at _a time_ when it was dark. And she was garbed in
raiment that _was_ black, so that he did take hold _upon_ her arm,
fearing lest he should lose her.
10 And whither they were going, that _did_ he know not, save only
that they sought the habitation of a friend, there to partake of
nourishment _and_, perchance, a little wine.
11 And as they walked, behold, she raised her voice _against_ him.
And she did utter bitter sayings; and she told him _how_ he had
troubled her for a long time past.
12 And she told him divers things also concerning himself and
concerning the things that he had done, and concerning the things
that he had left undone. And afterwards she did steep _herself_ in
silence.
13 And as they proceeded upon their way, no word passing _between_
them, they came unto a place where a multitude of people was gathered
together.
14 And there was one of the multitude that did come between them.
Yea, for a moment the man, _he was_ parted from his wife, and the
grip of his hand, it was loosened from her arm.
15 And when he was free of the multitude, _he was_ filled with doubt
concerning her, and concerning _which_ of them she was.
16 Wherefore he seized an arm _at a_ venture, being the arm of a
woman in raiment of black. And because she spake no word, therefore
did he know that _it was_ verily his wife.
17 And he continued on the way _with_ her towards the habitation of
her friend; and they came unto an house. And his spirit grew light
within him _because_ the victual and the wine also, they were become
very near.
18 And whilst they stood _without_ the portal of that house, she that
was his wife, she did open the door of it _with_ a key. And he was
filled with amazement, nor understood how it was.
19 And she beckoned unto him with her finger, that he should enter
_into_ that house. And he went in with her.
20 And after _they_ were come inside, she did make her a light, and
he did see. And, behold, _the woman_, she was not his wife.
21 ¶ Nevertheless, because she was garbed in raiment of black, and
was withal a comely damsel, _being_ not ill favoured, therefore did
he forgive himself his error.
22 And when _the time_ came that he was returned unto his habitation,
he waxed very wroth with his wife. And he upbraided her soundly
_because_ she had lost him amongst the multitude.
23 And she did forget to question him _concerning_ his doings on that
night, neither did he vouchsafe her any answer concerning them.
24 ¶ Now whensoever it happened that _it was_ night, then did all the
damsels hie them forth into the highways of the city; and their
thoughts were of love _and_ their stomachs.
25 And they would make them _in the likeness_ of a maiden forlorn so
that the young man, his heart was moved by the sight of their
desolation.
26 And he would approach unto them _because_ of their state, and he
would make offer of himself for to be a companion unto them _and_ to
cheer them on their way.
27 And he would say, Knowest thou _whether_ the warning, it hath been
given? And she would make answer unto him and she would say, Thine
handmaiden, _she_ is a stranger in the city,
28 Nevertheless, she hath received a _warning_ concerning men, that
they be wicked and full of naughtiness. Therefore, get thee hence,
lest it come to the ears of my mother _about_ thee.
29 And he would reason with her earnestly and he would entreat her
that she _should_ put her trust in him.
30 And when he had pleaded with her long enough, then would she say
unto him, Verily, thou hast inclined me _towards_ thee with the
blandishments of thy tongue.
31 Now, therefore, _let us_ away, for wheresoever thou goest, there
also will I go. And thou shalt do _unto_ me whatsoever seemeth good
unto thee.
32 And she would take him with her; and wheresoever she did go, there
would he also go. And whatsoever seemed good _unto_ her, that did
she do unto him.