Lilith

Despair restored my volition; the spell broke; I ran, and overtook her.
"Have pity upon me!" I cried.
She gave no heed. I followed her like a child whose mother pretends to abandon him. "I will be your slave!" I
said, and laid my hand on her arm.
She turned as if a serpent had bit her. I cowered before the blaze of her eyes, but could not avert my own.
"Pity me," I cried again.
She resumed her walking.
The whole day I followed her. The sun climbed the sky, seemed to pause on its summit, went down the other
side. Not a moment did she pause, not a moment did I cease to follow. She never turned her head, never
relaxed her pace.
The sun went below, and the night came up. I kept close to her: if I lost sight of her for a moment, it would be
for ever!
All day long we had been walking over thick soft grass: abruptly she stopped, and threw herself upon it.
There was yet light enough to show that she was utterly weary. I stood behind her, and gazed down on her for
a moment.
Did I love her? I knew she was not good! Did I hate her? I could not leave her! I knelt beside her.
"Begone! Do not dare touch me," she cried.
Her arms lay on the grass by her sides as if paralyzed.
Suddenly they closed about my neck, rigid as those of the torture−maiden. She drew down my face to hers,
and her lips clung to my cheek. A sting of pain shot somewhere through me, and pulsed. I could not stir a
hair's breadth. Gradually the pain ceased. A slumberous weariness, a dreamy pleasure stole over me, and then
I knew nothing.
All at once I came to myself. The moon was a little way above the horizon, but spread no radiance; she was
but a bright thing set in blackness. My cheek smarted; I put my hand to it, and found a wet spot. My neck
ached: there again was a wet spot! I sighed heavily, and felt very tired. I turned my eyes listlessly around
me−−and saw what had become of the light of the moon: it was gathered about the lady! she stood in a
shimmering nimbus! I rose and staggered toward her.
"Down!" she cried imperiously, as to a rebellious dog. "Follow me a step if you dare!"
"I will!" I murmured, with an agonised effort.
Lilith
"Set foot within the gates of my city, and my people will stone you: they do not love beggars!"
I was deaf to her words. Weak as water, and half awake, I did not know that I moved, but the distance grew
less between us. She took one step back, raised her left arm, and with the clenched hand seemed to strike me
on the forehead. I received as it were a blow from an iron hammer, and fell.
Lilith 71