Part 124 (1/2)

”I have es I think will speak to you,” he said

”Thank you, dear friend” I stood up and took his hands I wondered if I would ever see hi, sloithdrawal of the tide was painful More and more of the shore was left behind, forcibly abandoned

In the late afternoon I opened his second pouch, curious to see what it was he had collected for me Koheleth, or Ecclesiastes, it was called It looked like verses of poetry, and certain passages had been selected for , for it told a story

I the Preacher was King over Israel in Jerusaleave s that are done under heavengave s that are done under heaven

The writer had pursued knowledge, riches, pleasures, and great works, and found the, all vanities

Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit

I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to to the wise, nor yet riches to , nor yet favor to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to the, nor yet favor to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all

For man also knoweth not his time: as the fishes that are taken in an evil net, and as the birds that are caught in the snare: so are the sons of men snared in an evil time, when it falleth suddenly upon the now in Alexandria Time and chance happeneth to them all Time and chance happeneth to them all

Yet what could I do besides wait, and ar in the s, ht in the air I suddenly felt very alone, one, ht nomyself for the assault

Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days coh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in theht, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain:

In the day when the keepers of the house shall trerinders cease because they are few, and those that look out the s be darkened,

And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and all the daughters of ht low;

Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and desire shall fail: because o about in the streets

Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern

Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it

Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher All is vanity

The end of the day The sun sloping down, Octavian on his way With the luxury of privacy, I wept for all that the sun was setting on

Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof No, never The Preacher rong No, never The Preacher rong

Antony found rown quite dark now The sun had sunk, the purple twilight had coht enveloped me

”What's this?” he cried ”No la it He waved it in front of ht?” He looked anxiously intohere and--thinking”

”Deep thoughts, that kept you fro a lamp”

”It was peaceful” And it had been Acceptance always brings peace--after the first wild

”What's this?” He reached out and took the scroll, unrolled around ht, along with his reports”

”Hht Then he held up the scroll and started reading ”Poetry in one hand, figures in the other Strange man, Epaphroditus” His eyes scanned the verses rapidly ”Whoever wrote this was in a bad way,” he said, shaking his head ”Poor devil”

The poor devil is us, I wanted to say Don't you recognize us there?

”Hht about this,” this,” said Antony said Antony

”About what?”

”Listen to this The poet says,

”Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy ith a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy ith a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works

”Let thy garments be alhite; and let thy head lack no ointment

”Live joyfully with the hoiven thee under the sun: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labor which thou takest under the sun

”Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy ht

”He speaks true in that It s all we can do” He had found those happy verses in the writing, while I had overlooked them How like him He put the scroll down and reached out for ainst hiether

There were two of us on the ra turns That was the depth and surety of love, a love that does not desert

”Now, my dearest, I think we need a little wine--as the Preacher reco me to locate a pitcher and cups