第18部分(第1/7 页)

e。　Had　he　been　mocked；　had　anyone　spoken；　orlaughed；　or　called？　He　could　not　remember。　He　had　been　walking　in　a　storm。

Now　the　storm　was　over。　And　the　avenue；　like　any　landscape　that　has　endured　a　storm；　laychanged　under　Heaven；　exhausted　and　clean；　and　new。　Not　again；　for　ever；　could　it　return　to　theavenue　it　once　had　been。　Fire；　or　lightening；　or　the　latter　rain；　ing　down　from　these　skies　whichmoved　with　such　pale　secrecy　above　him　now；　had　laid　yesterday’s　avenue　waste；　had　changed　itin　a　moment；　in　the　twinkling　of　an　eye；　as　all　would　be　changed　on　the　last　day；　when　the　skieswould　open　up　once　more　to　gather　up　the　saints。

Yet　the　houses　were　there；　as　they　had　been；　the　windows；　like　a　thousand；　blinded　eyes；stared　outward　at　the　morning—at　the　morning　that　was　the　same　for　them　as　the　mornings　ofJohn’s　innocence；　and　the　mornings　before　his　birth。　The　water　run　in　the　gutters　with　a　small；discontented　sound；　on　the　water　traveled　paper；　burnt　matches；　sodden　cigarette…ends；　gobs　ofspittle；　green…yellow；　brown；　and　pearly；　the　leaving　of　a　dog；　the　vomit　of　a　drunken　man；　thedead　sperm；　trapped　in　rubber；　of　one　abandoned　to　his　lust。　All　moved　slowly　to　the　black　gratingwhere　down　it　rushed；　to　be　carried　to　the　river；　which　would　hurl　it　into　the　sea。

Where　houses　were；　where　windows　stared；　where　gutters　ran；　were　people—sleeping　now；invisible；　private；　in　the　heavy　darkness　of　these　houses；　while　the　Lord’s　day　broke　outside。　WhenJohn　should　walk　these　streets　again；　they　would　be　shouting　here　again；　the　roar　of　children’sroller　skates　would　bear　down　on　him　from　behind；　little　girls　in　pigtails；　skipping　rope；　wouldestablish　on　the　pavement　a　barricade　through　which　he　must　stumble　as　best　he　might。　Boyswould　be　throwing　ball　in　the