迪文小说

第16部分（第2页）

‘I　know；’　she　said；　‘you’s　a　mighty　happy　woman　this　morning。’

Elizabeth　smiled　and　raised　her　head；　but　did　not　look　directly　at　Sister　Price。　She　lookedahead；　down　the　long　avenue；　where　Gabriel　walked　with　Florence；　where　John　walked　withElisha。

‘Yes；’　she　said；　at　last。　‘I　began　praying。　And　I　ain’t　sopped　praying　yet。’

‘Yes；　Lord；’　said　Sister　Price；　‘can’t　none　of　us　stop　praying　till　we　see　His　blessed　face。’

‘But　I　bet　you　didn’t　never　think；’　said　Sister　McCandless；　with　a　laugh；　‘that　little　Johnnywas　going　to　jump　up　so　soon；　and　get　religion。　Bless　our　God！’

‘The　Lord　is　going　to　bless　that　boy；　you　mark　my　words；’　said　Praying　MotherWashington。

‘Shake　hands　with　the　preacher；　Johnny。’

‘Got　a　man　in　the　Bible；　son；　who　liked　music；　too。　And　he　got　to　dancing　one　day　beforethe　Lord。　You　reckon　you　going　to　dance　before　the　Lord　one　of　these　days？’

‘Yes；　Lord；’　said　Sister　Price；　‘the　Lord　done　raised　you　up　a　holy　son。　He　going　to　fortyour　grey　hairs。’

Elizabeth　found　that　her　tears　were　falling；　slowly；　bitterly；　in　the　morning　light。　‘I　pray　theLord；’　she　said；　‘to　bear　him　up　on　every　side。’

‘Yes；’　said　Sister　McCandless；　gravely；　‘it’s　more　than　a　notion。　The　Devil　rises　on　everyhand。’

Then；　in　silence；　they　came　to　the　wide　crossing　where　the　tramline　ran。　A　lean　cat　stalkedthe　gutter　and　fled　as　they　approached；　turned　to　watch　them；　with　yellow；　malevolent　eyes；　fromthe　ambush　of　a　dustbin。　A　gray　bird　flew　above　them；　above　the　electric　wires　for　the　tram　line；and　perched　on　the　metal　cornice　of　a　roof。　Then；　far　down　the　avenue；　they　heard　a　siren；　and　the　clanging　of　a　bell；　and　looked　up　to　see　the　ambulance　speed　past　them　on　the　way　to　the　hospitalthat　was　near　the　church。

‘Another　soul　struck　down；’　murmured　Sister　McCandless。　‘Lord　have　mercy。’

‘He　said　in　the　last　days　evil　would　abound；’　said　Sister　Price。

‘Well；　yes；　He　did　say　it；’　said　Praying　Mother　Washington；　‘and　I’m　so　glad　He　told　us　Hewouldn’t　leave　us　fortless。’

‘’When　ye　see　all　these　things；　know　that　your　salvation　is　at　hand；’　said　SisterMcCandless。　‘A　thousand　shall　fall　at　thy　side；　and　ten　thousand　at　thy　right　hand—but　it　ain’tgoing　to　e　nigh　thee。　So　glad；　amen；　this　morning；　bless　my　Redeemer。’

‘You　remember　that　day　when　you　e　into　the　store？’

‘I　didn’t　think　you　never　looked　at　me。’

‘Well—you　was　mighty　pretty。’

‘Didn’t　little　Johnny　never　say　nothing；’　asked　Praying　Mother　Washington；　‘to　make　youthink　the　Lord　was　working　in　his　heart？’

‘He　always　kind　of　quiet；’　said　Elizabeth。　‘He　don’t　say　much。’

‘No；’　said　Sister　McCandless；　‘he　ain’t　like　all　these　rough　young　one　nowadays—he　gotsome　respect　for　his　elders。　You　done　raised　him　mighty　well；　Sister　Grimes。’

‘It　was　his　birthday　yesterday；’　Elizabeth　said。

‘No！’　cried　Sister　Price。　‘How　old　he　got　to　be　yesterday？’

‘He　done　made　fourteen；’　she　said。

‘You　hear　that？’　said　Sister　Price；　with　wonder。　‘The　Lord　done　saved　that　boy’s　soul　onhis　birthday！’

‘Well；　he　got　two　birthdays　now；’　smiled　Sister　McCandless；　‘just　like　he　got　two　brothers—one　in　the　flesh；　and　one　in　the　Spirit。’

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

‘What　book　was　it；　Richard？’

‘Oh；　I　don’t　remember。　Just　a　book。’

‘You　smiled。’

‘You