Chapter IX

1 _Darkness in the cities_. 5 _The young things rejoice_. 7 _And love flourisheth_. 10 _Many errors are committed_. 14 _Concerning what happened unto a certain young man_. 27 _The reason thereof_. 30 _One pardoneth the little boys_.

Now the rulers sent them word unto all the cities, saying, Let _there_ be no light; and there was no light.

2 And every man did hide his candle under a bushel, else did he pay for his rashness in many shekels of silver. Yea, _there was_ even darkness upon the highways and in those places _where_ the people _did_ pass to and fro. And the darkness did breed confusion.

3 Now they that lived in Lon were in two minds concerning it. And some that did sell merchandise in the bazaars, they did make them a noise, being perturbed _because of_ their pockets. And there were others that did utter loud manifestations of joy. And the old women that were there, _these_ ventured not forth after the sun was set.

4 And they that were dealers in merchandise did make loud lamentations and did put on sackcloth and ashes, saying, Wherefore should we sit in darkness? And why cry our wares _in the_ shadow? And because men knew them, therefore they heeded them not.

5 ¶ But amongst the _young things_ of the city there was great rejoicing, for the mandate, it was welcome unto them.

6 And they said, the one unto the other, Behold, it is dark. Let us, _therefore_, advantage ourselves somewhat.

7 ¶ And they did hie them in pairs unto the quiet places; verily, every male did take with him a female as _his_ companion, and they did talk of love.

8 And because the Bishop of that city was _against_ love, and because there were many sojourning there _that did_ pry, therefore did the swains speak _low_, fearing lest the eavesdroppers should come upon them.

9 And there were _many_ that did plight their troths, because it was their opportunity; and many promises were given in vain.

10 ¶ And because it was dark, women of strange countenance _did_ get them off _with men_, for a cheek that was fair as the petals of the hyssop was _of_ no avail in the night time.

11 Even so, there was many a woman that did lose _her man_ ere the passing of the first lamp. And he that was once bit, on the next occasion he did carry a torch in his hand for to see what _it was_.

12 And if a man _did_ bump him into his own wife, he would say polite things, _for_ he did not know her;

13 And because he did say polite things, _therefore_, neither would she know him. And strange _things_ did happen because of it.

14 ¶ Now it came to pass that a certain man was returning _unto_ his habitation at an hour when the night was far gone.

15 And it was the custom in that city to travel in a carriage that did go in part beneath the ground; and the reason thereof was _because it was_ quick.

16 And, behold, as he proceeded on his way and was come nigh unto the place of his abode, suddenly a great darkness overcame him so that he became as one that is blind.

17 And all the people that were with him in the carriage were dismayed and they did rise upon _their_ feet, and _did_ mingle, the one with the other.

18 And he that had authority in _that_ carriage spake unto them and commanded them that they should sit down. And they sat them down.

19 And it came to pass that, after the young man had sat him down, behold, his right hand was taken from him and it _was_ squeezed.

20 And even as he pondered on this strange thing that was happening unto him, behold, he was bereft of his left hand also, and it _was_ squeezed.

21 And he was taken unawares and knew not what to do, for he was a young man and righteous, and _he was_ married unto a wife.

22 Therefore, he sat him still and did wait for whatsoever might come unto him. And, lo, presently there _was_ a kiss given unto him upon the left cheek; and, afterwards, was there a kiss upon his right cheek also.

23 Yea, both upon the right cheek and upon the left cheek did he get him the kisses, and it _was_ for a long _time_.

24 And the kisses that _did fall_ upon his left cheek were a warming lot and pleasurable; and the others, they were cold. Therefore did he turn him about for to lean towards the side that _was_ hot.

25 And, behold, his cheeks were seized upon the instant between two hands that were soft; and the one that was upon his left side did kiss him with _earnestness_ upon the mouth so that he trembled at the touch. And because he was _become_ enamoured of the pastime, therefore did he return the kiss _for_ a long spell.

26 And even while it yet happened, the light was returned unto the carriage, and he _did_ see.

27 ¶ And, behold, upon his right hand did sit a man that was lately come back from the wars; and she _that was_ upon his left hand was a damsel very comely to look upon and blushing red.

28 And because it was a mistake, therefore was he not kissed _again_ either upon the right cheek, or upon the left cheek, or yet upon the mouth.

29 And when he returned him unto his house, he did get him silently _unto_ his bedchamber. Neither told he his wife anything about it, fearing lest _she would_ not understand.

30 ¶ And concerning another man, it is written that he did tie a piece of white cloth unto _the gate_ of his house so that he _might_ know its whereabouts when the moon was not high.

31 And the small boys of the neighbourhood _did_ come and they took away the piece of white cloth that was upon the gate and they did tie it unto the portal of an house wherein there lived a _certain_ woman, of pleasing mien and fair to look upon; and her husband was gone to the wars.

32 And when the young man returned unto his habitation, behold, the piece of cloth that he did leave, it was not there; and he _was_ deceived so that he entered in unto the wrong house.

33 Nevertheless, the young man _did_ forgive the boys of the neighbourhood for _the thing_ that they had done unto him.