"I had a voice, was leader of the choir, But Satan entered in my voice to tempt The bishop of the church, and in my heart To tempt and use the bishop; in the bishop Old Satan slipped to lure me from the path. He fell from grace for listening. And I Whose voice had turned him over to the devil Fell as he fell. He dragged me down with him. No use to make it long, one word's enough: Old Satan is the first word and the last, And all between is nothing. It's enough To say the bishop and myself eloped Went to Montreaux. He left a wife and children. And I poor silly thing with promises Of culture of my voice in Paris, lost Good name and all. And he lost all as well. Good name, his soul I fear, because he took The church's money saying he would use it To win the Holy Sepulchre, in fact Intending all the while to use the money For travel and for keeping up a house With me as soul-mate. For he never meant To let me go to Paris for my voice, He never got enough to pay for that. On that point he betrayed me, now I see 'Twas God who used him to deceive me there, And leave me to return to Springfield broken, An out-cast, fallen woman, shamed and scorned." "We took a house in Montreaux, plain enough As we looked at it passing, but within 'Twas sweet and fair as Satan could desire: Engravings on the wall and marble mantels, Gilt clocks upon the mantels, lovely rugs, Chests full of linen, silver, pewter, china, Soft beds with canopies of figured satin, The scent of apple blossoms through the rooms. A little garden, vines against the wall. There were the lake and mountains. Oh, but Satan Baited the hook with beauty. But the bishop Seemed self-absorbed, depressed and never smiled. And every time his face came close to mine I smelled the brandy on him. Conscience whipped Its venomed tail against his peace of mind. And so he took the brandy to benumb The sting of conscience and to dull the pain. He told me he had business in Montreaux Which would require some weeks, would there be met By people who had money for him. I Was twenty-three and green, besides I walked In dreamland thinking of the promised schooling In Paris--oh 'twas music, as I said.". ... "At last one day he said a friend was coming, And he went to the station. Very soon I heard their steps, the bishop and his friend. They entered. I was curious and sat Upon the stair-way's landing just to hear. And this is what I heard. The bishop asked: 'You've brought some money, how much have you brought?' The man replied 'four hundred dollars.' Then The bishop said: 'I'll take it.' In a moment I heard the clinking gold and heard the bishop Putting it in his pocket.'