As soon as the effulgence smote my face, Greater by far than what is in our wont. I turned me round to see where I might be, When said a voice, “Here is the passage up”; Which from all other purposes removed me, And made my wish so full of eagerness To look and see who was it that was speaking, It never rests till meeting face to face; But as before the sun, which quells the sight, And in its own excess its figure veils, 856 Even so my power was insufficient here. “This is a spirit divine, who in the way Of going up directs us without asking, And who with his own light himself conceals. He does with us as man doth with himself; For he who sees the need, and waits the asking, Malignly leans already tow’rds denial. Accord we now our feet to such inviting, Let us make haste to mount ere it grow dark; For then we could not till the day return.” Thus my Conductor said; and I and he Together turned our footsteps to a stairway; And I, as soon as the first step I reached,