"The Doer of Good", page 1
"The Doer of Good," from Poems in Prose
Autograph manuscript, undated. 3 p.
Gift of Lucia Moreira Salles, 2008
Page 1
(3)
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?"
"The Doer of Good" page 2
"The Doer of Good," from Poems in Prose
Autograph manuscript, undated. 3 p.
Gift of Lucia Moreira Salles, 2008
Page 2
(4)
And he passed out of the house and went again into the street.
And after a little while he saw one whose face and raiment were painted and whose feet were were shod with pearls. And behind her walked came slowly as a hunter a young man who wore a cloak of two colours. And Now the face of the woman was as the fair face of an idol, and the eyes of the young man were bright with lust.
And He followed swiftly and touched the hand of the young man on the shoulder and said to him "Why do you look in this manner at this woman and in this manner?"
And the young man turned round and recognised him and said, "But I was blind once, and you healed me. At what else should I look."
And He ran went forward and touched the painted raiment of the woman and said to her "Is there no other way in which to walk save the way of sin?"
And the woman turned round and recognised him and laughed and said "But you forgave me my sins, and the way is a pleasant way."
And everywhere that he went in this city he found that those whom he had healed living for pleasure and for pleasure only.
[And he passed out of the city.
[And when he had passed out of the city he saw seated by the roadside a young man who was weeping.
And he went towards him and touched him his hair and said to him "Whey are you weeping?"
And the young man turned looked up and recognised him and
"The Doer of Good", page 3
"The Doer of Good," from Poems in Prose
Autograph manuscript, undated. 3 p.
Gift of Lucia Moreira Salles, 2008
Page 3
(5)
an made answer, "But I was dead once and you raised me from the dead. It is for that reason that I am weeping."