"The Doer of Good" page 2

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Oscar Wilde
1854–1900

"The Doer of Good," from Poems in Prose

Autograph manuscript, undated. 3 p.

Gift of Lucia Moreira Salles, 2008

MA 7258.4
Transcription: 

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