lead her to her counterpart, who would make her mother of the human
race. But, the figure she thus found proving less attractive than the
one she had just seen in the waters, she was about to retreat, when
Adam claimed her as the other half of his being. Since then, they two
have dwelt in bliss in this garden, where everything is at their
disposal save the fruit of one tree. Thus Satan discovers the
prohibition laid upon our first parents. He immediately Dedie's to
bring about their ruin by inciting them to scorn divine commands,
assuring them that the knowledge of good and evil will make them equal
to God, and having discovered this method of compassing his purpose,
steals away to devise means to reach his ends.

Meantime, near the eastern gate of Paradise, Gabriel, chief of the
angelic host, watches the joyful evolutions of the guards who at
nightfall are to patrol the boundaries of Paradise. While thus
engaged, Uriel comes glancing down through the evening air on a
sunbeam, to warn him that one of the banished crew has escaped, and
was seen at noon near these gates. In return Gabriel assures Uriel no
creature of any kind passed through them, and that if an evil spirit
overleapt the earthly bounds he will be discovered before morning, no
matter what shape he has assumed. While Uriel returns to his post in
the sun, gray twilight steals over the earth, and Michael, having
appointed bands of angels to circle Paradise in opposite directions,
despatches two of his lieutenants to search for the hidden foe.

Our first parents, after uniting in prayer, are about to retire, when
Eve, who derives all her information from Adam, asks why the stars
shine at night, when they are asleep and cannot enjoy them? In reply
Adam states that the stars gem the sky to prevent darkness from
resuming its sway, and assures his wife that while they sleep angels