om 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 e again—the darkness was full of demons crouching；waiting to worry him with their teeth again。
Then I looked in the grave and I wondered。
Ah； down！—what was he searching here； all alone in darkness？ But now he knew； for ironyhad left him； that he was searching something； hidden in the darkness； that must be found。 Hewould die if it was not found； or； he was dead already； and would never again be joined to theliving； if it was not found。
And the grave looked so sad and lonesome。
In the grave where he now wandered—he knew it was the grave； it was so cold and silent；and he moved in icy mist—he found his mother and his father； his mother dressed in scarlet； hisfather dressed in white。 They did not see him： they looked backward； over their shoulders； at acloud of witnesses。 And there was his Aunt Florence； gold and silver flashing on her fingers；brazen ear…rings dangling from her ears； and there was another woman； whom he took to be thatwife of his father’s； called Deborah—who had； as he