as the fallen, does not appear dismayed. Raising their voices to
applaud him, his adherents are now surprised to hear themselves hiss,
and to discover they have all been transformed into snakes. Then Satan
himself, in the form of a dragon, guides them to a grove near by,
where they climb the trees and greedily feed on apples of Sodom, which
offend their taste, a performance to be renewed yearly on the
anniversary of the temptation.

Meanwhile, Sin and Death having entered Paradise,--where they are not
yet allowed to touch human beings,--lay low herbs, fruit, flowers, and
beasts, all of which are now their legitimate prey. Pointing out their
ravages, the Almighty explains that, had man not disobeyed, these
despoilers would never have preyed upon the newly created world, where
they are now to have full sway until the Son hurls them back into
Hades. On hearing these words, the angels praise the ways of the
Almighty, which are ever just, and laud his Son as the destined
restorer of mankind. While they are thus employed, the Almighty
directs some of his attendants to move the sun, so as to subject the
earth to alternate cold and heat, thus making winter follow summer.
The planets, too, are to shed malignant influences upon the earth,
whose axle is slightly turned, while violent winds cause devastation,
and enmity is kindled between creatures which have hitherto lived in
peace. Adam, on perceiving these changes, becomes conscious they are
the effect of his transgression, and is plunged in such grief that
God's order to increase and multiply seems horrible. In his grief he
murmurs aloud, but, after a while, realizing he was left free to
choose between good and evil, he acknowledges his punishment is just.
The fact that God does not immediately visit upon him the penalty he
has incurred does not, however, comfort him, because he longs for
death to end his sorrows. On seeing her husband's grief, Eve now