Why had he suffered thus? Why had his heart been led far down to mine, To beat in sinful sympathy with mine, But that my heart should cling to his and him, And follow his withdrawal to the heights From whence he had descended? Then I learned Why Christ was tempted; and, as broad and full, The heart of the great secret was revealed, And I perceived God's dealings with my soul, I knelt beside the tortured man and wept, And cried to Heaven for mercy. As I prayed, My soul cast off its shameful enterprise; And when it fell, I saw my godless self-- My own degraded, tainted, guilty heart, Which it had hidden from me. Oh, the pang-- The poignant throe of uttermost despair-- That followed the discovery! I felt That I was lost beyond the grace of God; And my heart turned with instinct sure and swift To the strong struggler, praying at my side, And begged his succor and his prayers. I felt That he must lead me up to where the hand Of Jesus could lay hold on me, or I was doomed. Temptation's spell was past. He took my hand. And, as he prayed that we might be forgiven, And pledged our future loyalty to God And His white throne within our hearts, I gave Responses to each promise; then I crowned His closing utterance with such Amen As weak hearts, conscious of their weakness, give When, bowed to dust, and clinging to the robes Of outraged mercy, they devote themselves Once and for ever to the pitying Christ. Then we arose and stood upon our feet. He gave me no reproaches, but with voice Attempered to his altered mood, confessed His own blameworthiness, and pressed the prayer That I would pardon him, as he believed That God had pardoned; but my heart was full,-- So full of its sore sense of wrong to him, Of the deep guilt of shameful purposes And treachery to worthy womanhood, That I could not repeat his Christian words, Asking forbearance on my own behalf. He sat before me for a golden hour; And gave me counsel and encouragement, Till, like broad gates, the possibilities Of a serener and a higher life Were thrown wide open to my eager feet, And I resolved that I would enter in, And, with God's gracious help, go no more out.