Page:Divine Comedy (Longfellow 1867) v1.djvu/39

Rh In similar wise the evil seed of Adam

Throw themselves from that margin one by one,

At signals, as a bird unto its lure.

So they depart across the dusky wave,

And ere upon the other side they land,

Again on this side a new troop assembles.

"My son," the courteous Master said to me,

"All those who perish in the wrath of God

Here meet together out of every land;

And ready are they to pass o'er the river,

Because celestial Justice spurs them on,

So that their fear is turned into desire.

This way there never passes a good soul;

And hence if Charon doth complain of thee,

Well mayst thou know now what his speech imports."

This being finished, all the dusk champaign

Trembled so violently, that of that terror

The recollection bathes me still with sweat.

The land of tears gave forth a blast of wind,

And fulminated a vermilion light,

Which overmastered in me every sense,

And as a man whom sleep hath seized I fell.