\"GodinHeaven!\"washerinwardcry。\"Godofalltheworlds!Donotlethimdie。`IfyeaskanythinginmynamethatIwilldo。’Christsaidit。InthenameofJesusofNazareth——donotlethimdie!Alltheworldsareyours——allthepower——listentous——listentous。Lord,Ibelieve——helpthoumyunbelief。Ifthisterrorrobsmeoffaith,andIpraymadly——forgive,forgiveme。Donotcountitagainstmeassin。Youmadehim。Hehassufferedandbeenalone。Itisnottime——itisnottimeyetforhimtogo。Hehasknownnojoyandnobrightthing。Donotlethimgooutofthewarmworldlikeablindman。Donotlethimdie。Perhapsthisisnotprayer,butraging。Forgive——forgive!Allpowerisgonefromme。Godoftheworlds,andthegreatwinds,andthemyriadstars——donotlethimdie!\"
Sheknewherthoughtswerewild,buttheirtorrentboreherwiththemintoastrange,greatsilence。Shedidnothearthevicar’swords,ortheresponsesofthepeople。Shewasnotwithinthegreystonewalls。Shehadbeendrawnawayasintothedarknessandstillnessofthenight,andnosoulbutherownseemednear。Throughthestillnessandthedarkherprayingseemedtocallandecho,clamouringagainandagain。
ItmustreachSomething——itmustbeheard,becauseshecriedsoloud,thoughtothehumanbeingsabouthersheseemedkneelinginsilence。Shewentonandon,repeatingherwords,changingthem,endingandbeginningagain,pouringforthafloodofappeal。Shethoughtlaterthatthefloodmusthavebeenatitshighesttidewhen,singularly,itwasstemmed。
Withoutwarning,awaveofawepassedoverherwhichstrangelysilencedher——andleftherbowedandkneeling,butcryingoutnomore。Thedarknesshadbecomestill,evenasithadnotbeenstillbefore。Suddenlyshecoweredasshekneltandheldherbreath。Somethinghaddrawnalittlenear。
Nothoughts——nowords——nocrieswereneededasthegreatstillnessgrewandspread,andfoldedherbeingwithinit。