Chapter I: Front Matter

PAINTED VEILS

BY

JAMES HUNEKER

La Vérité toute nue...
Je vomis mes maîtres
Steeplejack

Boni and Liveright

Publishers New York

1920

PAINTED VEILS

Toward the immutable land Istar, daughter of Sin, bent her steps, toward the abode of the dead, toward the seven-gated abode where He entered, toward the abode whence there is no return.

* * * * *

At the first gate, the warder stripped her; he took the
high tiara from her head.

At the second gate, the warder stripped her; he took the
pendants from her ears.

At the third gate, the warder stripped her; he took off
the precious stones that adorn her neck.

At the fourth gate, the warder stripped her; he took off
the jewels that adorn her breast.

At the fifth gate, the warder stripped her; he took off
the girdle that encompasses her waist.

At the sixth gate, the warder stripped her; he took the
rings from her feet, the rings from her hands.

At the seventh gate, the warder stripped her; he took
off the last veil that covers her body.

Istar, daughter of Sin, went into the immutable land,
she took and received the Waters of Life. She gave

the Sublime Waters, and thus, in the presence of all,
delivered the Son of Life, her young lover.

EPOPÉE D'IZDUBAR (6th Chant)
(Englished by W. F. ABTHORP)

* * * * *

THE SEVEN DEADLY VIRTUES

Now the Seven Deadly Virtues are: Humility, Charity, Meekness, Temperance, Brotherly Love, Diligence, Chastity. And the Seven Deadly Arts are: Poetry, Music, Architecture, Painting, Sculpture, Drama, Dancing.

This Parable, with its notations and evocations of naked nerves and soul-states, is inscribed in all gratitude to the charming morganatic ladies, les belles impures, who make pleasanter this vale of tears for virile men. What shall it profit a woman if she saves her soul, but loseth love?

"La pudeur? belle vertu! qu'on attache sur soi avec des épingles."

Madame d'Epinay

"L'amour cette forme meilleure de la charité."

Catulle Mendès

"Lo! the Lesbians, their sterile sex advancing...."

Steeplejack

... "Down from the waist they are Centaurs,
Though women all above:
But to the girdle do the gods inherit,
Beneath is all the fiend's;
There's hell, there's darkness, there's the sulphurous pit,
Burning, scalding, stench, consumption; fie, fie, fie!..."

"King Lear." Act IV, scene VI

THE FIRST GATE

_At the first gate, the warder stripped her; he took the high tiara from her head_....