第7部分(第2/7 頁)

m　an　exultation　and　a　sense　of　power；　and　he　ran　up　the　hill　like　anengine；　or　a　madman；　willing　to　throw　himself　headlong　into　the　city　that　glowed　before　him。

But　when　he　reached　the　summit　he　paused；　he　stood　on　the　crest　of　the　hill；　hands　claspedbeneath　his　chin；　looking　down。　Then　he；　John；　felt　like　a　giant　who　might　crumble　this　city　withhis　anger；　he　felt　like　a　tyrant　who　might　crush　this　city　beneath　his　heel；　he　felt　like　a　long…awaited　conqueror　at　whose　feet　flowers　would　be　strewn；　and　before　whom　multitudes　cried；Hosanna！　He　would　be；　of　all；　the　mightiest；　the　most　beloved；　the　Lord’s　anointed；　and　he　wouldlive　in　this　shining　city　which　his　ancestors　had　seen　with　longing　from　far　away。　For　it　was　his；the　inhabitants　of　the　city　had　told　him　it　was　his；　he　had　but　to　run　down；　crying；　and　they　wouldtake　him　to　their　hearts　and　shoe　him　wonders　his　eyes　had　never　seen。

And　still；　on　the　summit　of　that　hill　he　paused。　He　remembered　the　people　he　had　seen　inthat　city；　whose　eyes　held　no　love　for　him。　And　he　thought　of　their　feet　so　swift　and　brutal；　and　thedark　gray　clothes　they　wore；　and　how　when　they　passed　they　did　not　see　him；　or；　if　they　saw　him；they　smirked。　And　how　the　lights；　unceasing；　crashed　on　and　off　above　him；　and　how　he　was　astranger　there。　Then　he　remembered　his　father　and　his　mother；　and　all　the　arms　stretched　out　tohold　him　back；　to　save　him　from　this　city　where；　they　said；　his　soul　would　find　perdition。

And　certainly　perdition　sucked　at　the　feet　of　the　people　who　walked　there；　and　cried　in　thelights；　in　the　gigantic　towers；　the　marks　of　Satan　could　be　found　in　the　faces　of　the　people　whowaited　at　the　doors　of　movie　houses；　his　words　were　printed　on　the　great　movie　posters　that　invitedpeople　to　sin。　It　was　the　roar　o