THE TEMPTATION

Then Satan sat him down on the brow of a hill, and gazed down at the
House of the Poor Brethren. He was black and beautiful, like a young
Egyptian. And he thought in his heart:

"Forasmuch as I am the Enemy of Mankind and the Adversary of God,
therefore will I tempt these Monks, and I will tell them what is kept
hid by Him who is their Friend. Lo! I will afflict these men of Religion
by telling them the truth, and I will darken their spirit, uttering to
them words of verity and reasonableness. I will plunge reflexion like a
sword in their reins; and so soon as they shall know the reality of
things, they will be unhappy. For joy there is none but in illusion, and
peace is only to be found in ignorance. And because I am the Master of
such as study the nature of plants and animals, the virtue of stones,
the secrets of fire, the courses of the stars and the influence of the
planets, for this reason men have named me the Prince of Darkness.
Likewise they call me the Wily One, because by me was constructed the
plummet-line whereby Ulpian straightened out the Law. And my kingdom is
of this world. Well then, I will try these Monks, and I will make them
to know their works are evil, and that the tree of their Charity bears
bitter fruit. Yea! I will tempt them without hate and without love."

Thus said Satan in his heart. Meantime, as the shades of evening were
lengthening along the base of the hills and the cottage chimneys were
smoking for the evening meal, the holy man Giovanni issued from out the
wood where he was wont to pray, and turned into the road leading to
Santa Maria degli Angeli, saying: