第8部分(第3/7 頁)

d　her　to　grace；　but　only　thatsome　private　anguish　had　brought　her　low：　her　songs　revealed　that　she　was　suffering；　and　this　herbrother　was　glad　to　see。　This　had　always　been　his　spirit。　Nothing　had　ever　changed　it；　nothing　everwould。　For　a　moment　her　pride　stood　up；　the　resolution　that　had　brought　her　to　this　place　to…nightfaltered；　and　she　felt　that　if　Gabriel　was　the　Lord’s　anointed；　she　would　rather　die　and　endure　Hellfor　all　eternity　than　bow　before　His　altar。　But　she　strangled　her　pride；　rising　to　stand　with　them　inthe　holy　space　before　the　altar；　and　still　singing：

‘Standing　in　the　need　of　prayer。’

Kneeling　as　she　had　not　knelt　for　many　years；　and　in　this　pany　before　the　altar；　shegained　again　from　the　song　the　meaning　it　had　held　for　her　mother；　and　gained　a　new　meaning　forherself。　As　a　child；　the　song　had　made　her　see　a　woman；　dressed　in　black；　standing　in　infinite　mistsalone；　waiting　for　the　form　of　the　Son　of　God　to　lead　her　through　the　white　fire。　This　woman　nowreturned　to　her；　more　desolate；　it　was　herself；　not　knowing　where　to　put　her　foot；　she　waitedtrembling；　for　the　mists　to　be　parted　that　she　might　walk　in　peace。　That　long　road；　her　life；　whichshe　had　followed　for　sixty　groaning　years；　had　led　her　at　last　to　her　mother’s　starting…place；　thealtar　of　the　Lord。　For　her　feet　stood　on　the　edge　of　that　river　which　her　mother；　rejoicing；　hadcrossed　over。　And　would　the　Lord　now　reach　out　His　hand　to　Florence　and　heal　and　save？　But；going　down　before　the　scarlet　cloth　at　the　foot　of　the　golden　cross；　it　came　to　her　that　she　hadforgotten　how　to　pray。

Her　mother　has　taught　her　that　the　way　to　pray　was　to　forget　everything　and　everyone　butJesus；　to　pour　out　of　the　heart；　like　water　from　a　bucket；　all　evil　thoughts；　all　thoughts　of　self；　allmalice