第14部分(第4/7 頁)

mes；　leaning　over　the　cracked；　‘tattle…tale　gray’　bath…tub；　he　scrubbed　his　father’s　back；　and　looked；　as　the　accursed　son　of　Noahhad　looked；　on　his　father’s　hideous　nakedness。　It　was　secret；　like　sin；　and　slimy；　like　the　serpent；and　heavy；　like　the　rod。　Then　he　hated　his　father；　and　longed　for　the　power　to　cut　his　father　down。

Was　this　why　he　lay　here；　thrust　out　from　all　human　or　heavenly　help　to…night？　This；　andnot　the　other；　his　deadly　sin；　having　looked　on　his　father’s　nakedness　and　mocked　and　cursed　himin　his　heart？　Ah；　that　son　of　Noah’s　had　been　cursed；　down　to　the　present　groaning　generation：　Aservant　of　servants　shall　be　unto　his　brethren。

Then　the　ironic　voice；　terrified；　it　seemed；　of　no　depth；　no　darkness；　demanded　of　John；scornfully；　if　he　believed　that　he　was　cursed。　All　niggers　had　been　cursed；　the　ironic　voicereminded　him；　all　niggers　had　e　from　this　most　undutiful　of　Noah’s　sons。　How　could　John　becursed　for　having　seen　in　a　bath…tub　what　another　man—if　that　other　man　had　ever　lived—had　seenten　thousand　years　ago；　lying　in　an　open　tent？　Could　a　curse　e　down　so　many　ages？　Did　it　livein　time；　or　in　the　moment？　But　John　found　no　answer　for　this　voice；　for　he　was　in　the　moment；　andout　of　time。

And　his　father　approached。　‘I’m　going　to　beat　sin　out　of　him。　I’m　going　to　beat　it　out。’　Allthe　darkness　rocked　and　wailed　as　his　father’s　feet　came　closer；　feet　whose　tread　resounded　likeGod’s　tread　in　the　garden　of　Eden；　searching　the　covered　Adam　and　Eve。　Then　his　father　stood　justabove　him；　looking　down。　Then　John　knew　that　a　curse　was　renewed　from　moment　to　moment；from　father　to　son。　Time　was　indifferent；　like　snow　and　ice；　but　the　heart；　crazed　wanderer　in　thedriving　waste；　carried　the　curse　for　ever。

‘John；’　said　his　father；　‘e　with