第52部分(第5/7 頁)

he　other　wherein　the　facts　of

daily　life　were　superseded　by　the　eternal　truth。　So　utterly　did

she　desire　the　Sons　of　God　should　e　to　the　daughters　of　men；

and　she　believed　more　in　her　desire　and　its　fulfilment　than　in

the　obvious　facts　of　life。　The　fact　that　a　man　was　a　man；　did

not　state　his　descent　from　Adam；　did　not　exclude　that　he　was

also　one　of　the　unhistoried；　unaccountable　Sons　of　God。　As　yet；

she　was　confused；　but　not　denied。

Again　she　heard　the　Voice：

〃It　is　easier　for　a　camel　to　go　through　the　eye　of　a　needle；

than　for　a　rich　man　to　enter　into　heaven。〃

But　it　was　explained；　the　needle's　eye　was　a　little　gateway

for　foot　passengers；　through　which　the　great；　humped　camel　with

his　load　could　not　possibly　squeeze　himself：　or　perhaps　at　a

great　risk；　if　he　were　a　little　camel；　he　might　get　through。　For

one　could　not　absolutely　exclude　the　rich　man　from　heaven；　said

the　Sunday　school　teachers。

It　pleased　her　also　to　know；　that　in　the　East　one　must　use

hyperbole；　or　else　remain　unheard；　because　the　Eastern　man　must

see　a　thing　swelling　to　fill　all　heaven；　or　dwindled　to　a　mere

nothing；　before　he　is　suitably　impressed。　She　immediately

sympathized　with　this　Eastern　mind。

Yet　the　words　continued　to　have　a　meaning　that　was　untouched

either　by　the　knowledge　of　gateways　or　hyperboles。　The

historical；　or　local；　or　psychological　interest　in　the　words　was

another　thing。　There　remained　unaltered　the　inexplicable　value

of　the　saying。　What　was　this　relation　between　a　needle's　eye；　a

rich　man；　and　heaven？　What　sort　of　a　needle's　eye；　what　sort　of

a　rich　man；　what　sort　of　heaven？　Who　kno