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leaving him by reason of the number of those who believed in him。
And he said to himself； 'I will talk no more about God。 He who
giveth away wisdom robbeth himself。'
And after the space of some hours his disciples came near him and
bowed themselves to the ground and said； 'Master； talk to us about
God； for thou hast the perfect knowledge of God； and no man save
thee hath this knowledge。'
And he answered them and said； 'I will talk to you about all other
things that are in heaven and on earth； but about God I will not
talk to you。 Neither now； nor at any time； will I talk to you about
God。'
And they were wroth with him and said to him； 'Thou hast led us into
the desert that we might hearken to thee。 Wilt thou send us away
hungry； and the great multitude that thou hast made to follow thee？'
And he answered them and said； 'I will not talk to you about God。'
And the multitude murmured against him and said to him； 'Thou hast
led us into the desert； and hast given us no food to eat。 Talk to
us about God and it will suffice us。'
But he answered them not a word。 For he knew that if he spake to
them about God he would give away his treasure。
And his disciples went away sadly； and the multitude of people
returned to their own homes。 And many died on the way。
And when he was alone he rose up and set his face to the moon； and
journeyed for seven moons； speaking to no man nor making any answer。
And when the seventh moon had waned he reached that desert which is
the desert of the Great River。 And having found a cavern in which a
Centaur had once dwelt； he took it for his place of dwelling； and
made himself a mat of reeds on which to lie； and became a hermit。
And every hour the Hermit praised God that He had suffered him to
keep some knowledge of Him and of His wonderful greatness。
Now； one evening； as the Hermit was seated before the cavern in
which he had made his place of dwelling； he beheld a young man of
evil and beautiful face who passed by in mean apparel and with empty
hands。 Every evening with empty hands the young man passed by； and
every morning he returned with his hands full of purple and pearls。
For he was a Robber and robbed the caravans of the merchants。
And the Hermit looked at him and pitied him。 But he spake not a
word。 For he knew that he who speaks a word loses his faith。
And one morning； as the young man returned with his hands full of
purple and pearls； he stopped and frowned and stamped his foot upon
the sand； and said to the Hermit： 'Why do you look at me ever in
this manner as I pass by？ What is it that I see in your eyes？ For
no man has looked at me before in this manner。 And the thing is a
thorn and a trouble to me。'
And the Hermit answered him and said； 'What you see in my eyes is
pity。 Pity is what looks out at you from my eyes。'
And the young man laughed with scorn； and cried to the Hermit in a
bitter voice； and said to him； 'I have purple and pearls in my
hands； and you have but a mat of reeds on which to lie。 What pity
should you have for me？ And for what reason have you this pity？'
'I have pity for you；' said the Hermit； 'because you have no
knowledge of God。'
'Is this knowledge of God a precious thing？' asked the young man；
and he came close to the mouth of the cavern。
'It is more precious than all the purple and the pearls of the
world；' answered the Hermit。
'And have you got it？' said the young Robber； and he came closer
still。
'Once； indeed；' answered the Hermit； 'I possessed the perfect
knowledge of God。 But in my foolishness I parted with it； and
divided it amongst others。 Yet even now is such knowledge as
remains to me more precious than purple or pearls。'
And when the young Robber heard this he threw away the purple and
the pearls that he was bearing in his hands； and drawing a sharp
sword of curved steel he said to the Hermit； 'Give me； forthwith
this knowledge of God that you possess； or I will surely slay you。
Wherefore should I not slay him who has a treasure greater than my
treasure？'
And the Hermit spread out his arms and said； 'Were it not better for
me to go unto the uttermost courts of God and praise Him； than to
live in the world and have no knowledge of Him？ Slay me if that be
your desire。 But I will not give away my knowledge of God。'
And the young Robber knelt down and besought him； but the Hermit
would not talk to him about God； nor give him his Treasure； and the
young Robber rose up and said to the Hermit； 'Be it as you will。 As
for myself； I will go to the City of the Seven Sins； that is but
three days' journey from this place； and for my purple they will
give me pleasure； and for my pearls they will sell me joy。' And he
took up the purple and the pearls and went swiftly away。
And the Hermit cried out and followed him and besought him。 For the
space of three days he followed the young Robber on the road and
entreated him to return； nor to enter into the City of the Seven
Sins。
And ever and anon the young Robber looked back at the Hermit and
called to him； and said； 'Will you give me this knowledge of God
which is more precious than purple and pearls？ If you will give me
that； I will not enter the city。'
And ever did the Hermit answer； 'All things that I have I will give
thee； save that one thing only。 For that thing it is not lawful for
me to give away。'
And in the twilight of the third day they came nigh to the great
scarlet gates of the City of the Seven Sins。 And from the city
there came the sound of much laughter。
And the young Robber laughed in answer； and sought to knock at the
gate。 And as he did so the Hermit ran forward and caught him by the
skirts of his raiment； and said to him： 'Stretch forth your hands；
and set your arms around my neck； and put your ear close to my lips；
and I will give you what remains to me of the knowledge of God。'
And the young Robber stopped。
And when the Hermit had given away his knowledge of God； he fell
upon the ground and wept； and a great darkness hid from him the city
and the young Robber； so that he saw them no more。
And as he lay there weeping he was ware of One who was standing
beside him； and He who was standing beside him had feet of brass and
hair like fine wool。 And He raised the Hermit up； and said to him：
'Before this time thou hadst the perfect knowledge of God。 Now thou
shalt have the perfect love of God。 Wherefore art thou weeping？'
And he kissed him。Poems in Prose
WILDE GIVES DIRECTIONS ABOUT 'DE PROFUNDIS'
H。M。 PRISON； READING。
April 1st； 1897。
My Dear Robbie；I send you a MS。 separate from this； which I hope
will arrive safely。 As soon as you have read it； I want you to have
it carefully copied for me。 There are many causes why I wish this
to be done。 One will suffice。 I want you to be my literary
executor in case of my death； and to have complete control of my
plays； books； and papers。 As soon as I find I have a legal right to
make a will； I will do so。 My wife does not understand my art； nor
could be expected to have any interest in it； and Cyril is only a
child。 So I turn naturally to you； as indeed I do for everything；
and would like you to have all my works。 The deficit that their
sale will produce may be lodged to the credit of Cyril and Vivian。
Well； if you are my literary executor； you must be in possession of
the only document that gives any explanation of my extraordinary
behaviour 。 。 。 When you have read the letter； you will see the
psychological explanation of a course of conduct that from the
outside seems a combination of absolute idiotcy with vulgar bravado。
Some day the truth will have to be knownnot necessarily in my
lifetime 。 。 。 but I am not prepared to sit in the grotesque pillory
they put me into； for all time； for the simple reason that I
inherited from my father and mother a name of high distinction in
literature and art； and I cannot for eternity allow that name to be
degraded。 I don't defend my conduct。 I explain it。 Also there are
in my letter certain passages which deal with my mental development
in prison； and the inevitable evolution of my character and
intellectual attitude towards life that has taken place： and I want
you and others who still stand by me and have affection for me to
know exactly in what mood and manner I hope to face the world。 Of
course from one point of view I know that on the day of my release I
shall be merely passing from one prison into another； and there are
times when the whole world seems to me no larger than my cell and as
full of terror for me。 Still I believe that at the beginning God
made a world for each separate man； and in that world which is
within us we should seek to live。 At any rate you will read those
parts of my letter with less pain than the others。 Of cou