Page:Paradise lost by Milton, John.djvu/297

Rh Thus early, thus alone. Her heavenly form Angelic, but more soft and feminine, Her graceful innocence, her every air Of gesture or least action overawed His malice, and with rapine sweet bereaved His fierceness of the fierce intent it brought. That space the Evil-one abstracted stood From his own evil, and for the time remained Stupidly good, of enmity disarmed, Of guile, of hate, of envy, of revenge. But the hot hell that always in him burns, Though in mid-Heaven, soon ended his delight, And tortures him now more, the more he sees Of pleasure not for him ordained. Then soon Fierce hate he recollects, and all his thoughts Of mischief, gratulating, thus excites:
 * "Thoughts, whither have ye led me? with what sweet

Compulsion thus transported to forget What hither brought us? hate, not love, nor hope Of Paradise for Hell, hope here to taste Of pleasure, but all pleasure to destroy, Save what is in destroying; other joy To me is lost. Then let me not let pass Occasion which now smiles. Behold alone The woman, opportune to all attempts, Her husband, for I view far round, not nigh, Whose higher intellectual more I shun,