him up？ For he knew； as hewas struck again； and screamed again； his throat like burning ashes； and as he turned again； hisbody hanging from him like a useless weight； a heavy； rotting carcass； that if he were not lifted hewould never rise。
His father； his mother； his aunt； Elisha—all were far above him； waiting； watching historment in the pit。 They hung over the golden barrier； singing behind them； light around theirheads； weeping； perhaps； for John； struck down so early。 And； no； they could not help him anymore—nothing could help him any more。 He struggled； struggle to rise up； and meet them—hewanted wings to fly upward and meet them in that morning； that morning where they were。 But hisstruggles only thrust him downward； his cries did not go upward； but rang in his own skull。
Yet； though he scarcely saw their faces； he knew that they were there。 He felt them move；every movement causing a trembling； an astonishment； a horror in the heart of darkness where he lay。 He could not know if they wished him to e to them as passionately as he wished to rise。
Perhaps they did not help him because they did not care—because they did not love him。
Then his father returned to him； in John’s changed and low condition； and John thought；but for a moment only； that his father had e to help him。 In the silence； then； that filled thevoid； John looked on his father。 His father’s face was black—like a sad； eternal night； yet in hisfather’s face there burned a fire—a fire eternal in an eternal night。 John trembled where he lay；feeling no warmth from him from this fire； tremble； and could not take his eyes away。 A wind blewover him； saying： ‘Whosoever loveth and maketh a lie。’ Only： ‘Whosoever loveth and maketh alie。’ And he knew that he had been thrust out of the holy； the joyful； the blood…washed munity；that his father had thrust him out。 His father’s will was stronger than John’s own。 His power wasgreater because he belonged to God。 Now； John felt no hatred； nothing； only a bitter； unbelievingdespair： all prophecies were true； salvation was finished； damnation was real！
Then Death is real； John’s soul said； and Death will have his moment。
‘Set thine house in order；’ said his father； ‘for thou shalt die and not live。’
And then the ironic voice spoke again； saying： ‘Get up； John。 Get up； boy。 Don’t let himkeep you here。 You got everything your daddy got。’
John tried to laugh—John thought that he was laughing—but found； instead； that his mouthwas filled with salt； his ears were full of burning water。 Whatever was happening in his distantbody now； he could not change or stop； his cheat heaved； his laugher rose and bubbled at hismouth； like blood。
And his father looked on him。 His father’s eyes looked down on him； and John began toscream。 His father’s eyes stripped him naked； and hated what they saw。 And as he turned；screaming； in the dust again； trying to escape his father’s eyes； those eyes； that face； and all theirfaces； and the far…off yellow light； all departed from his vision as though he had gone blind。 Hewas going down again。 There is； his soul cried out again； no bottom to the darkness！
He did not where he was。 There was silence everywhere—only a perpetual； distant； fainttrembling far beneath him—the roaring perhaps； of the fires of Hell； over which he was suspended；or the echo； persistent； invincible still； of the moving feet of the saints。 He thought of themountain…top； where he longed to be； where the sun would cover him like a cloth of gold； wouldcover his head like a crown of fire； and in his hands he would hold a living rod。 But this was nomountain where John lay； here； no robe； no crown。 And the living rod was uplifted in other hands。
‘I’m going to beat sin out of him。 I’m going to beat it out。’
Yes； he had sinned； and his father was looking for him。 Now； John did not make a sound；and did not move at all； hoping that his father would pass him by。
‘Leave him be。 Leave him alone。 Let him pray to the Lord。’
‘Yes； Mama。 I’m going to try to love the Lord。’
‘He done run off somewhere。 I’m going to find him。 I’m going to beat it out。’
Yes； he had sinned： one morning； alone； in the dirty bathroom； in the square； dirt…graycupboard room that was filled with the stink of his father。 Sometimes； 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 me。’
Then they were in a straight street； a narrow； narrow way。 They had been walking for manydays。 The street stretched before them； long； and silent； going down； and whiter than the snow。
There was no one on the street； and John was frightened。 The buildings on this street； so near thatJohn could touch them on either side； were narrow； also； rising like spears into the sky； and theywere made of beaten gold and silver。 John knew that these buildings were not for him—not to…day—no； nor to…morrow； either！ Then； ing up this straight and silent street； he saw a woman； veryold and black； ing toward them； staggering on the crooked stones。 She was drunk； and dirty；and very old； and her mouth was bigger than his mother’s mouth； or his own； her mouth was looseand wet； and he had never seen anyone so black。 His father was astonished to see her； and besidehimself with anger； but John was glad。 He clapped his hands； and cried：
‘See！ She’s uglier than Mama！ She’s uglier than me！’
‘You mighty proud； ain’t you；’ his father said； ‘to be the Devil’s son？’
But John did no listen to his father。 He turned to watch the woman pass。 His father grabbedhis arm。
“You see that？ That’s sin。 That’s what the Devil’s son runs after。’
‘Whose son are you？’ John asked。
His father slapped him。 John laughed； and moved a little away。
‘I seen it。 I seen it。 I ain’t the Devil’s son for nothing。’
His father reached for him； but John was faster。 He moved backward down the shiningstreet； looking at his father—his father who moved toward him； one hand outstretched in fury。
‘And I heard you—all the night…time long。 I know what you do in the dark； black man；when you think the Devil’s son’s asleep。 I heard you； spitting； and groaning； and choking—and Iseen you； riding up and down； and going in and out。 I ain’t the Devil’s son for nothing。’
The listening buildings； rising upward yet； leaned； closing out the sky。 John’s feet began toslip； tears and sweat were in his eyes； still moving backward before his father； he looked about himfor deliverance； but there was no deliverance in this street for him。
‘And I hate you。 I hate you。 I don’t care about your golden crown。 I don’t care about yourlong white robe。 I seen you under the robe； I seen you！’
Then his father was upon him； at his touch there was singing； and fire。 John lay on his backin the narrow street； looking up at his father； that burning face beneath the burning towers。
‘I’m going to beat it out of you。 I’m going to beat it out。’
His father raised his hand。 The knife came down。 John rolled away； down the white；descending street； screaming：
Father！ Father！
These were the first words he uttered。 In a moment there was silence； and his father wasgone。 Again； he felt the saints above him—and dust in his mouth。 There was singing somewhere；faraway；abovehim；singingslowandmourn（was） ful。 He lay silent； racked beyondendurance； salt drying on his face； with nothing in him any more； no lust； no fear； no shame； nohope。 And yet he knew that it would