第9部分(第2/7 頁)

oth　day　andnight；　to　cry　out　for　deliverance。

For　it　had　been　the　will　of　God　that　they　should　hear；　and　pass　thereafter；　one　to　another；the　story　of　the　Hebrew　children　who　had　been　held　in　bondage　in　the　land　of　Egypt；　and　how　theLord　had　heard　their　groaning；　and　how　His　heart　was　moved；　and　how　He　bid　them　wait　but　alittle　season　till　He　should　send　deliverance。　Florence’s　mother　had　known　this　story；　so　it　seemed；from　the　day　she　was　born。　And　while　she　lived—rising　in　the　morning　before　the　sun　came　up；standing　and　bending　in　the　fields　when　the　sun　was　high；　crossing　the　fields　homeward　when　thesun　went　down　at　the　gates　of　Heaven　far　away；　hearing　the　whistle　of　the　foreman　and　his　eeriecry　across　the　fields；　in　the　whiteness　of　winter　when　hogs　and　turkeys　and　geese　were　slaughtered；and　lights　burned　bright　in　the　big　house；　and　Bathsheba；　the　cook；　sent　over　in　a　napkin　bits　ofham　and　chicken　and　cakes　left　over　by　the　white　folks—in　all　that　befell：　in　her　joys；　her　pipe　inthe　evening；　her　man　at　night；　the　children　she　suckled；　and　guided　on　their　first　short　steps；　and　inher　tribulations；　death；　and　parting；　and　the　lash；　she　did　not　forget　that　deliverance　was　promisedand　would　surely　e。　She　had　only　to　endure　and　trust　in　God。　She　knew　that　the　big　house；　thehouse　of　pride　where　the　white　folks　lived；　would　e　down；　it　was　written　in　the　Word　of　God。

They；　who　walked　so　proudly　now；　had　nor　fashioned　for　themselves　or　their　children　so　sure　afoundation　as　was　hers。　They　walked　on　the　edge　of　a　steep　place　and　their　eyes　were　sightless—God　would　cause　them　to　rush　down；　as　the　herd　of　swine　had　once　rushed　down；　into　the　sea。　Forall　that　they　were　so　beautiful；　and　took　their　ease；　she　knew　them；　and　she　pitied　them；　who　wouldhave　no　covering