第17部分(第4/7 頁)

　the　earth；　you　got　to　put　your　handin　Jesus’　hand；　and　go　where　He　says　go。’

‘And　if　you　been　but　a　stumbling…stone　here　below？’　she　said。　‘If　you　done　caused　soulsright　and　left　to　stumble　and　fall；　and　lose　their　happiness；　and　lose　their　souls？　What　then；prophet？　What　then；　the　Lord’s　anointed？　Ain’t　no　reckoning　going　to　be　called　of　you？　What　yougoing　to　say　when　the　wagon　es？’

He　lifted　up　his　head；　and　she　saw　tears　mingled　with　his　sweat。　‘The　Lord；’　he　said；　‘Hesees　the　heart—He　sees　the　heart。’

‘Yes；’　she　said；　‘but　I　done　read　the　Bible；　too；　and　it　tells　me　you　going　to　know　the　treeby　its　fruit。　What　fruit　I　seen　from　you　if　it　ain’t　been　just　sin　and　sorrow　and　shame？’

‘You　be　careful；’　he　said；　‘how　you　talk　to　the　Lord’s　anointed。　’Cause　my　life　ain’t　in　thatletter—you　don’t　know　my　life。’

‘Where　is　your　life；　Gabriel？’　she　asked；　after　a　despairing　pause。　‘Where　is　it？　Ain’t　it　alldone　gone　for　nothing？　Where’s　your　branches？　Where’s　your　fruit？’

He　said　nothing；　insistently；　she　tapped　the　letter　with　her　thumbnail。　They　wereapproaching　the　corner　where　she　must　leave　him；　turning　westward　to　take　her　undergroundhome。　In　the　light　that　filled　the　streets；　the　light　that　the　sun　was　now　beginning　to　corrupt　withfire；　she　watched　John　and　Elisha　just　before　them；　John’　listening　head　bent；　Elisha’s　arm　abouthis　shoulder。

‘I　got　a　son；’　he　said　at　last；　‘and　the　Lord’s　going　to　rise　him　up。　I　know—the　Lord　haspromised—His　word　is　true。’

And　then　she　laughed。　‘That　son；’　she　said；　‘that　Roy。　You　going　to　weep　for　many　aeternity　before　you　see　him　crying　in　front　of　the　altar　like　Johnny　was　crying　to…night。’

‘God　sees　the　heart；’　he　repeated；　‘He　sees　the　heart。’

‘Well；　He　ought　to　see