Or else I had outstripped him with our flight.
I had a refuge open down in Egypt.
I only say the thing was clinched by him,
By him, the first High Priest without a spine!
And I but battled down the first repugnance
With which I took his meaning. Yet I did it
Because I found the coward’s tradesman-traffic
Good in the main, and gave for Edom’s sword
The Pearl of Zion, when he pressed me hard.
Yea, had the serpent had a poisoned fang