1 _Darkness in the cities_. 5 _The young things rejoice_. 7 _And
love flourisheth_. 10 _Many errors are committed_. 14 _Concerning
what happened unto a certain young man_. 27 _The reason thereof_.
30 _One pardoneth the little boys_.
Now the rulers sent them word unto all the cities, saying, Let
_there_ be no light; and there was no light.
2 And every man did hide his candle under a bushel, else did he pay
for his rashness in many shekels of silver. Yea, _there was_ even
darkness upon the highways and in those places _where_ the people
_did_ pass to and fro. And the darkness did breed confusion.
3 Now they that lived in Lon were in two minds concerning it. And
some that did sell merchandise in the bazaars, they did make them a
noise, being perturbed _because of_ their pockets. And there were
others that did utter loud manifestations of joy. And the old women
that were there, _these_ ventured not forth after the sun was set.
4 And they that were dealers in merchandise did make loud
lamentations and did put on sackcloth and ashes, saying, Wherefore
should we sit in darkness? And why cry our wares _in the_ shadow?
And because men knew them, therefore they heeded them not.
5 ¶ But amongst the _young things_ of the city there was great
rejoicing, for the mandate, it was welcome unto them.
6 And they said, the one unto the other, Behold, it is dark. Let us,
_therefore_, advantage ourselves somewhat.
7 ¶ And they did hie them in pairs unto the quiet places; verily,
every male did take with him a female as _his_ companion, and they
did talk of love.
8 And because the Bishop of that city was _against_ love, and because
there were many sojourning there _that did_ pry, therefore did the
swains speak _low_, fearing lest the eavesdroppers should come upon
them.
9 And there were _many_ that did plight their troths, because it was
their opportunity; and many promises were given in vain.
10 ¶ And because it was dark, women of strange countenance _did_ get
them off _with men_, for a cheek that was fair as the petals of the
hyssop was _of_ no avail in the night time.
11 Even so, there was many a woman that did lose _her man_ ere the
passing of the first lamp. And he that was once bit, on the next
occasion he did carry a torch in his hand for to see what _it was_.
12 And if a man _did_ bump him into his own wife, he would say polite
things, _for_ he did not know her;
13 And because he did say polite things, _therefore_, neither would
she know him. And strange _things_ did happen because of it.
14 ¶ Now it came to pass that a certain man was returning _unto_ his
habitation at an hour when the night was far gone.
15 And it was the custom in that city to travel in a carriage that
did go in part beneath the ground; and the reason thereof was
_because it was_ quick.
16 And, behold, as he proceeded on his way and was come nigh unto the
place of his abode, suddenly a great darkness overcame him so that he
became as one that is blind.
17 And all the people that were with him in the carriage were
dismayed and they did rise upon _their_ feet, and _did_ mingle, the
one with the other.
18 And he that had authority in _that_ carriage spake unto them and
commanded them that they should sit down. And they sat them down.
19 And it came to pass that, after the young man had sat him down,
behold, his right hand was taken from him and it _was_ squeezed.
20 And even as he pondered on this strange thing that was happening
unto him, behold, he was bereft of his left hand also, and it _was_
squeezed.
21 And he was taken unawares and knew not what to do, for he was a
young man and righteous, and _he was_ married unto a wife.
22 Therefore, he sat him still and did wait for whatsoever might come
unto him. And, lo, presently there _was_ a kiss given unto him upon
the left cheek; and, afterwards, was there a kiss upon his right
cheek also.
23 Yea, both upon the right cheek and upon the left cheek did he get
him the kisses, and it _was_ for a long _time_.
24 And the kisses that _did fall_ upon his left cheek were a warming
lot and pleasurable; and the others, they were cold. Therefore did
he turn him about for to lean towards the side that _was_ hot.
25 And, behold, his cheeks were seized upon the instant between two
hands that were soft; and the one that was upon his left side did
kiss him with _earnestness_ upon the mouth so that he trembled at the
touch. And because he was _become_ enamoured of the pastime,
therefore did he return the kiss _for_ a long spell.
26 And even while it yet happened, the light was returned unto the
carriage, and he _did_ see.
27 ¶ And, behold, upon his right hand did sit a man that was lately
come back from the wars; and she _that was_ upon his left hand was a
damsel very comely to look upon and blushing red.
28 And because it was a mistake, therefore was he not kissed _again_
either upon the right cheek, or upon the left cheek, or yet upon the
mouth.
29 And when he returned him unto his house, he did get him silently
_unto_ his bedchamber. Neither told he his wife anything about it,
fearing lest _she would_ not understand.
30 ¶ And concerning another man, it is written that he did tie a
piece of white cloth unto _the gate_ of his house so that he _might_
know its whereabouts when the moon was not high.
31 And the small boys of the neighbourhood _did_ come and they took
away the piece of white cloth that was upon the gate and they did tie
it unto the portal of an house wherein there lived a _certain_ woman,
of pleasing mien and fair to look upon; and her husband was gone to
the wars.
32 And when the young man returned unto his habitation, behold, the
piece of cloth that he did leave, it was not there; and he _was_
deceived so that he entered in unto the wrong house.
33 Nevertheless, the young man _did_ forgive the boys of the
neighbourhood for _the thing_ that they had done unto him.