If it weren't that I happened to see a cynical smile on the lips of
the woman who seduced me when I was young. Come forward, woman, and
look upon your work of destruction. Observe, how the seed has
grown!
WOMAN (coming forward with dignity and modesty). It was I! Let me
be heard, and let me tell the simple story of my seduction.
(Pause.) Luckily my seducer is here, too. ...
MAGISTRATE. Friends! I must break off the proceedings; otherwise
we'll get back to Eve in Paradise.
TEMPTER. Who was Adam's seducer! That's just where we want to get
back to. Eve! Come forward, Eve. Eve! (He waves his cloak in the
air. The trunk of the tree becomes transparent and EVE appears,
wrapped in her hair and with a girdle about her loins.) Now, Mother
Eve, it was you who seduced our father. You are the accused: what
have you to say in your defence?
EVE (simply and with dignity). The serpent tempted me!
TEMPTER. Well answered! Eve has proved her innocence. The serpent!
Let the serpent come forward. (EVE disappears.) The serpent! (The
serpent appears in the tree trunk.) Here you can see the seducer of
us all. Now, serpent, who was it that beguiled you?
ALL (terrified). Silence! Blasphemer!
TEMPTER. Answer, serpent! (Lightning and a clap of thunder; all
flee, except the TEMPTER, who has fallen to the ground, and the
PILGRIM, the STRANGER and the LADY. The TEMPTER begins to recover;
he then gets up and sits down in an attitude that recalls the
classical statue 'The Polisher,' or 'The Slave.
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