第7部分(第5/7 頁)

pa　and　for　whom　at　Christmas　he　bought　electric　trains。　Andhe　had　turkeys　and　cows　and　chickens　and　geese；　and　other　horses　besides　Rider。　They　had　a　closetfull　of　whisky　and　wine；　they　had　cars—but　what　church　did　they　go　to　and　what　would　he　teachhis　children　when　they　gathered　around　him　in　the　evening？　He　looked　straight　ahead；　down　FifthAvenue；　where　graceful　women　in　fur　coats　walked；　looking　into　the　windows　that　held　silkdresses；　and　watches；　and　rings。　What　church　did　they　go　to？　And　what　were　their　houses　like　inthe　evening　they　took　off　these　coats；　and　these　silk　dresses；　and　put　their　jewelery　in　a　box；　andleaned　back　in　soft　beds　to　think　for　a　moment　before　they　slept　of　the　day　gone　by？　Did　they　reada　verse　from　the　Bible　every　night　and　fall　on　their　knees　to　pray？　But　no；　for　their　thoughts　werenot　of　God；　and　their　way　was　not　God’s　way。　They　were　in　the　world；　and　of　the　world；　and　theirfeet　laid　hold　on　Hell。

Yet　in　school　some　of　them　had　been　nice　to　him；　and　it　was　hard　to　think　of　them　burningin　Hell　for　ever；　they　who　were　so　gracious　and　beautiful　now。　Once；　one　winter　when　he　had　beenvery　sick　with　a　heavy　cold　that　would　not　leave　him；　one　of　his　teachers　had　bought　him　a　bottleof　cod…liver　oil；　especially　prepared　with　heavy　syrup　so　that　it　did　not　taste　so　bad：　this　was　surelya　Christian　act。　His　mother　had　said　that　God　would　bless　that　woman；　and　he　had　got　better。　Theywere　kind—he　was　sire　that　they　were　kind—and　on　the　day　that　he　would　bring　himself　to　theirattention　they　would　surely　love　and　honor　him。　This　was　not　his　father’s　opinion。　His　father　saidthat　all　white　people　were　wicked；　and　that　God　was　going　to　bring　them　low。　He　said　that　whitepeople　were　never　to　be　trusted；　and　that　they　told　nothing　but　lies；　and　that　no