No More Learning

What words are these to use? By what a thought
Conceive ye of me? Yesterday--a snake!
To-day--what?

_Adam. _ A strong spirit.

_Eve. _ A sad spirit.

_Adam. _ Perhaps a fallen angel. --Who shall say!

_Lucifer. _ Who told thee, Adam?

_Adam. _ Thou!
The prodigy
Of thy vast brows and melancholy eyes
Which comprehend the heights of some great fall.
I think that thou hast one day worn a crown
Under the eyes of God.

_Lucifer. _ And why of God?

_Adam. _ It were no crown else. Verily, I think
Thou'rt fallen far. I had not yesterday
Said it so surely, but I know to-day
Grief by grief, sin by sin.

_Lucifer. _ A crown, by a crown.

_Adam. _ Ay, mock me! now I know more than I knew:
Now I know that thou art fallen below hope
Of final re-ascent.

_Lucifer. _ Because?

_Adam.