'Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?' asked the Lord of Adam in the Garden of Eden. And Adam replied, 'The woman whom Thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat. And the Lord God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.' Thus they confessed the sins of others and ignored their own, and the curse fell upon them instead of blessing. 'God be merciful to me a sinner!' prayed the publican; and 'this man went down to his house justified.' 'Yes, I was.'