"The House of Judgment", page 5

Oscar Wilde
1854–1900

"The House of Judgment," from Poems in Prose

Autograph manuscript signed, ca. 1893. 6 p.

Gift of Lucia Moreira Salles, 2008

MA 7258.2
Transcription: 

Page 5

(5)

And the mad answered made answer and said, "Even so did I."
    And a third time God opened the Book of the Life of the Man, and saw what was written therein.
    And God said to the Man, "Evil hath been thy life, and with evil dids't thou repay requite good, and with wrongdoing dids't thou answer kindness. The hands that fed thee thou dids't wound, and the breasts that suckled thee gave thee suck thou dids't despise. With lying lips thou dids't kiss the mouth of truth, and with a false tongue thou dids't answer call on Wisdom. He who brought came to thee with a gift went away empty, and those who hid thee in their tents at night thou dids't betray before dawn. Thine enemy who spared thee thou dids't slay snare in an ambush, and thy friend who walked with thee thou dids't sell for a price, and to those who brought thee Love thou dids't ever give Lust in answer payment."
    And the Man answered made answer and said, "Even so did I."