迪文小说

第17部分（第1页）

‘Amen；　bless　the　Lord！’　cried　Praying　Mother　Washington。

‘What　book　was　it；　Richard？’

‘Oh；　I　don’t　remember。　Just　a　book。’

‘You　smiled。’

‘You　was　mighty　pretty。’

She　took　her　sodden　handkerchief　out　of　her　bag；　and　dried　her　eyes；　and　dried　her　eyesagain；　looking　down　the　avenue。

‘Yes；’　said　Sister　Price；　gently；　‘you　just　thank　the　Lord。　You　just　let　the　tears　fall。　I　knowyour　heart　is　full　this　morning。’

‘The　Lord’s　done　give　you；’　said　Praying　Mother　Washington；　‘a　mighty　blessing—andwhat　the　Lord　gives；　can’t　no　man　take　away。’

‘I　open；’　said　Sister　McCandless；　‘and　no　man　can　shut。　I　shut；　and　no　man　can　open。’

‘Amen；’　said　Sister　Price。　‘Amen。’

‘Well；　I　reckon；’　Florence　said；　‘your　soul　is　praising　God　this　morning。’

He　looked　straight　ahead；　saying　nothing；　holding　his　body　more　rigid　than　an　arrow‘You　always　been　saying；’　Florence　said；　‘how　the　Lord　would　answer　your　prayer。’　Andshe　looked　sideways　at　him；　with　a　little　smile。

‘He　going　to　learn；’　he　said　at　last；　‘that　it　ain’t　all　in　the　singing　and　the　shouting—the　wayof　holiness　is　a　hard　way。　He　got　the　steep　side　of　the　mountain　to　climb。’

‘But　he　got　you　there；’　she　said；　‘ain’t　he　to　help　him　when　he　stumbles；　and　to　be　a　goodexample？’

‘I’m　going　to　see　to　it；’　he　said；　‘that　he　walks　right　before　the　Lord。　The　Lord’s　done　puthis　soul　in　my　charge—and　I　ain’t　going　to　have　that　boy’s　blood　on　my　hands。’

‘No；’　she　said；　mildly；　‘I　reckon　you　don’t　want　that。’

Then　they　heard　the　siren；　and　the　headlong；　warning　bell。　She　watched　his　face　as　helooked　outward　at　the　silent　avenue　and　at　the　ambulance　that　raced　to　carry　someone　to　healing；or　to　death。

‘Yes；’　she　said；　‘that　wagon’s　ing；　ain’t；　one　day　for　everybody？’

‘I　pray；’　he　said；　‘it　finds　you　ready；　sister。’

‘Is　it　going　to　find　you　ready？’　she　asked。

‘I　know　my　name　is　written　in　the　Book　of　Life；’　he　said。　‘I　know　I’m　going　to　look　on　mySavior’s　face　in　glory。’

‘Yes；’　she　said；　slowly；　‘we’s　all　going　to　be　together　there。　Mama；　and　you；　and　me；　andDeborah—and　what　was　the　name　of　that　little　girl　who　died　not　long　after　I　left　home？’

‘What　little　girl　who　died？’　he　asked。　‘A　lot　of　folks　died　after　you　left　home—you　leftyour　mother　on　her　dying　bed。’

‘This　girl　was　a　mother；　too；’　she　said。　‘Look　like　she　went　north　all　by　herself；　and　had　herbaby；　and　died—weren’t　nobody　to　help　her。　Deborah　wrote　me　about　it。　Sure；　you　ain’t　forgottenthat　girl’s　name；　Gabriel！’

Then　his　step　faltered—seemed；　for　a　moment；　to　drag。　And　he　looked　at　her。　She　smiled；and　lightly　touched　his　arm。

‘You　ain’t　forgotten　her　name；’　she　said。　‘You　can’t　tell　me　you　done　forgot　her　name。　Isyou　going　to　look　on　her　face；　too？　Is　her　name　written　in　the　Book　of　Life？’

In　utter　silence　they　walked　together；　her　hand　still　under　his　trembling　arm。

‘Deborah　didn’t　never　write；’　she　at　last　pursued；　‘about　what　happened　to　the　baby。　Didyou　ever　see　him？　You　going　to　meet　him　in　Heaven；　too？’

‘The　Word　tell　us；’　he　said；　‘to　let　the　dead　bury　the　dead。　Why　you　want　to　go　rummagingaround　back　there；　digging　up　things　what’s　all　forgotten　now？　The　Lord；　He　knows　my　life—Hedone　forgive　me　a　long　time　ago。’

‘Look　like；’　she　said；　‘you　think　the　Lord’s　a　man　like　you；　you　think　you　can　fool　Himlike　you　fool　men；　and　you　think　He　forgets；　like　men。　But　God　don’t　forget　nothing；　Gabriel—ifyour　name’s　down　there　in　the　Book；　like　you　say；　it’s　got　all　what　you　done　right　down　there　withit。　And　you　going　to　answer　for　it；　too。’

‘I　done　answered；’　he　said；　‘already　before　my　God。　I　ain’t　got　to　answer　now；　in　front　ofyou。’

She　opened　her　handbag；　and　took　out　the　letter。

‘I　been　carrying　this　letter　now；’　she　said；　‘for　more　than　thirty　years。　And　I　beenwondering　all　that　time　if　I’d　ever　talk　to　you　about　it。’

And　she　looked　at　him。　He　was　looking；　unwillingly；　at　the　letter；　which　she　held　tightly　inone　hand。　It　was　old；　and　dirty；　and　brown；　and　torn；　he　recognized　Deborah’s　uncertain；　tremblinghand；　and　he　could　see　her　again　in　the　cabin；　bending　over　the　table；　laboriously　trusting　to　paperthe　bitterness　she　had　not　spoken。　It　had　lived　in　her　silence；　then；　all　those　years？　He　could　notbelieve　it。　She　had　been　praying　for　him　as　she　died—she　had　sworn　to　meet　him　in　glory。　Andyet；　this　letter；　her　witness；　spoke；　breaking　her　long　silence；　now　that　she　was　beyond　his　reach　forever。