第九篇现在，占提托努斯的小女人，从她情人的臂弯中脱出。微露白韵于东岗之上；她的额上宝石辉煌，排成以尾击人的冷血动物的形状；夜，从我们当时的所在，已经上升去两步，第二步亦将完成而停上飞升；那时保有业当所予的我，己因极度疲劳而被睡魔所战胜，卧在草上，那儿原是我们五人坐息之处。
在那时候，接近晨光，燕子开始她低婉的回唱，也许是回忆她心灵的旧疮；在那时，我们的精神是最摆脱肉体而烦恼罕少，他的幻象好似一种先知。我好象做了一个梦，看到一只鹰翱翔天宇，金色黄的羽毛，分展双翼，准备下降。而我相信已处在加尼墨德的地方了，就是离开朋友而被举于上帝之家。我心里暗想：“无疑的，此鸟常在这里逡巡狩猎，也许不肯往别处把掠获物收入在他的爪下呢。”如此他盘旋了一阵，忽而下降，似闪电一般，将我抓起，直带到一处火球之傍。在那里我觉得鹰和我都被燃烧了，这种幻想被炙的痛苦，竟终断了我的好梦。
当初阿基琉斯被他的母亲，从奇隆那里，睡在她手臂弯里带到斯库罗斯后来又从这里被希腊人带走，当他张开半醒的眼睛，四周环视，竟不知他身居何地，不由得浑身战栗起来。而当睡魔从我魂中逝去，我也是这般战栗，面色灰白惊骇欲绝。
我的身旁，仍俦立着那唯一能安抚我的人；太阳彼时已东升二小时，我回身望着大海。我的老师说：“不要怕！定定心！我们已在更光明的路上了；不应退缩，培育你的心力。现在，我们已经到了净界。你看！四周到处是绝壁，唯有那里是进路，好像是岩石上的裂缝。天晓的时候，当你的灵魂睡着在那花草之上，飘然而来一位女使，她说：‘我是卢齐亚，我要把这位睡着的人领走，我会使他在路上行进顺利。’索尔戴罗和那些高贵的灵魂都留在了下面。东方渐明，她带你上升，我随着她的脚迹。她把你置在这里；她初次用美丽的眼睛指引我这开着的通道；如此她和你的睡魔都消失了。”就象一个受惊的人定了心，听到这情形后，恐惧不安的心得到宽慰。他看见我不再恐惧，就举步向前行，我跟着走，向着高处。
读者诸君，请看我阐释的题材提高到怎样程度；如果我用较多的技巧支持这个高度，那末请你们不要惊奇。
我们二人前行着，到了一处，是以前认为墙上裂缝的地方，原来那是一座门，门前有三阶石，用以上升，阶石的颜色各别；有一位守门者，静默着不发一言。我想他细地审视他，发现他坐在最高处，他面上刺目的光叫人受不了。他的手中拿着一把出鞘的剑，也是如此亮晶晶的不可逼视。
守门者开始说：“就站在那里对我说：你们要做什么？你们的引导人在那里？你们到这里不要后悔！”我的老师答道：“一位天上的女使者，她教导我们做这些事情；她刚才对我们说：去罢，门在那里！”守门者客气地又说：“她能够引导你们脚步向着善地；那末你们可以踏上三阶石了！”
我们听到他的沽，踏上第一阶石：是白云石做的，平滑而光亮，将我自己的面貌忠实地反照出来。第二阶是暗黑色的粗石，纵横都是裂缝。第三阶，较下面的厚大些，据我看来好像云斑石，鲜红得像脉管里射出来的血。天使的双足放在第三阶石上，屁股坐在门槛上，那门槛看来象是金刚石。为能踏上这二阶石，我的向导尽心地扶持我；他对我说：“恭恭敬敬地请他开门。”
我很恭敬地跪在天使足前；我祈请他大发慈悲、把门打开。用光明在自己胸前打了三下；他用他的剑锋，在我额上刻了七个P字，他说：“你进去以后， 把这些污点洗净罢。”天使的衣裳是灰色或土邑色；他抽出两把钥匙：一把是金制的，一把是银制的；他那门先用了白银制的，继而用了金制的，正如我想像的。他对我们说：“这两把钥匙，缺了一把都不能在锁孔里转动，这条路便通不过去；一把的价值贵重，但另一把在门上也要费许多技术和智慧，因为能够解结的主要是它。我从彼得那里得到这两把钥匙；他叮咛我宁开得多，不要关得多，只要有人虔诚在我是前祈祷。”于是他把那神圣的门推开，说：“进去罢！但是我告诉你们：向后看的，立即身在门外。”
那神圣门有两扇，金属制的，看上去既重且坚；当那枢轴转动的时候，吼声的高大和尖锐，不是塔尔佩亚由岩可以听得的。其时忠实的墨泰卢斯已被撵走，后来宝藏亦被掠去。
听过刚才第一种吼声，我似乎听见有人唱：“上帝呀，我们颂扬你！”歌声与优美的音乐和谐着。我闻见以后，使我记起人民和着大风琴歌唱的经验，那时的歌词，时而清楚，时而模糊。
Arisen from her mate's beloved arms,
Look'd palely o'er the eastern cliff: her brow,
Lucent with jewels, glitter'd, set in sign
Of that chill animal, who with his train
Smites fearful nations: and where then we were,
Two steps of her ascent the night had past,
And now the third was closing up its wing,
When I, who had so much of Adam with me,
Sank down upon the grass, o'ercome with sleep,
There where all five were seated. In that hour,
When near the dawn the swallow her sad lay,
Rememb'ring haply ancient grief, renews,
And with our minds more wand'rers from the flesh,
And less by thought restrain'd are, as 't were, full
Of holy divination in their dreams,
Then in a vision did I seem to view
A golden-feather'd eagle in the sky,
With open wings, and hov'ring for descent,
And I was in that place, methought, from whence
Young Ganymede, from his associates 'reft,
Was snatch'd aloft to the high consistory.
"Perhaps," thought I within me, "here alone
He strikes his quarry, and elsewhere disdains
To pounce upon the prey." Therewith, it seem'd,
A little wheeling in his airy tour
Terrible as the lightning rush'd he down,
And snatch'd me upward even to the fire.
There both, I thought, the eagle and myself
Did burn; and so intense th' imagin'd flames,
That needs my sleep was broken off. As erst
Achilles shook himself, and round him roll'd
His waken'd eyeballs wond'ring where he was,
Whenas his mother had from Chiron fled
To Scyros, with him sleeping in her arms;
E'en thus I shook me, soon as from my face
The slumber parted, turning deadly pale,
Like one ice-struck with dread. Solo at my side
My comfort stood: and the bright sun was now
More than two hours aloft: and to the sea
My looks were turn'd. "Fear not," my master cried,
"Assur'd we are at happy point. Thy strength
Shrink not, but rise dilated. Thou art come
To Purgatory now. Lo! there the cliff
That circling bounds it! Lo! the entrance there,
Where it doth seem disparted! Ere the dawn
Usher'd the daylight, when thy wearied soul
Slept in thee, o'er the flowery vale beneath
A lady came, and thus bespake me: I
Am Lucia. Suffer me to take this man,
Who slumbers. Easier so his way shall speed."
Sordello and the other gentle shapes
Tarrying, she bare thee up: and, as day shone,
This summit reach'd: and I pursued her steps.
Here did she place thee. First her lovely eyes
That open entrance show'd me; then at once
She vanish'd with thy sleep." Like one, whose doubts
Are chas'd by certainty, and terror turn'd
To comfort on discovery of the truth,
Such was the change in me: and as my guide
Beheld me fearless, up along the cliff
He mov'd, and I behind him, towards the height.
Reader! thou markest how my theme doth rise,
Nor wonder therefore, if more artfully
I prop the structure! Nearer now we drew,
Arriv'd' whence in that part, where first a breach
As of a wall appear'd, I could descry
A portal, and three steps beneath, that led
For inlet there, of different colour each,
And one who watch'd, but spake not yet a word.
As more and more mine eye did stretch its view,
I mark'd him seated on the highest step,
In visage such, as past my power to bear.
Grasp'd in his hand a naked sword, glanc'd back
The rays so toward me, that I oft in vain
My sight directed. "Speak from whence ye stand:"
He cried: "What would ye? Where is your escort?
Take heed your coming upward harm ye not."
"A heavenly dame, not skilless of these things,"
Replied the' instructor, "told us, even now,
'Pass that way: here the gate is."—"And may she
Befriending prosper your ascent," resum'd
The courteous keeper of the gate: "Come then
Before our steps." We straightway thither came.
The lowest stair was marble white so smooth
And polish'd, that therein my mirror'd form
Distinct I saw. The next of hue more dark
Than sablest grain, a rough and singed block,
Crack'd lengthwise and across. The third, that lay
Massy above, seem'd porphyry, that flam'd
Red as the life-blood spouting from a vein.
On this God's angel either foot sustain'd,
Upon the threshold seated, which appear'd
A rock of diamond. Up the trinal steps
My leader cheerily drew me. "Ask," said he,
"With humble heart, that he unbar the bolt."
Piously at his holy feet devolv'd
I cast me, praying him for pity's sake
That he would open to me: but first fell
Thrice on my bosom prostrate. Seven times
The letter, that denotes the inward stain,
He on my forehead with the blunted point
Of his drawn sword inscrib'd. And "Look," he cried,
"When enter'd, that thou wash these scars away."
Ashes, or earth ta'en dry out of the ground,
Were of one colour with the robe he wore.
From underneath that vestment forth he drew
Two keys of metal twain: the one was gold,
Its fellow silver. With the pallid first,
And next the burnish'd, he so ply'd the gate,
As to content me well. "Whenever one
Faileth of these, that in the keyhole straight
It turn not, to this alley then expect
Access in vain." Such were the words he spake.
"One is more precious: but the other needs
Skill and sagacity, large share of each,
Ere its good task to disengage the knot
Be worthily perform'd. From Peter these
I hold, of him instructed, that I err
Rather in opening than in keeping fast;
So but the suppliant at my feet implore."
Then of that hallow'd gate he thrust the door,
Exclaiming, "Enter, but this warning hear:
He forth again departs who looks behind."
As in the hinges of that sacred ward
The swivels turn'd, sonorous metal strong,
Harsh was the grating; nor so surlily
Roar'd the Tarpeian, when by force bereft
Of good Metellus, thenceforth from his loss
To leanness doom'd. Attentively I turn'd,
List'ning the thunder, that first issued forth;
And "We praise thee, O God," methought I heard
In accents blended with sweet melody.
The strains came o'er mine ear, e'en as the sound
Of choral voices, that in solemn chant
With organ mingle, and, now high and clear,
Come swelling, now float indistinct away.