"
"You will never be more spiritual than you are at this moment. Youth
is nearer Heaven than age. I have always thought that. As we grow
old--we are stricken by--fear--of poverty, of disease--of death. It is
youth which has faith and hope."
Before he left her, he gave her a sacred charge. "If anything happens,
I know what you'll be to--Jean--and I can't tell you what a help you've
been this morning."
She was thrilled by that. And after he left her she thought much about
him. Of what it would have meant to her to have a son like that.
Women had said to her, "You should be glad that you have no boy to
send--." But she was not glad. Were they mad, these mothers, to want
to hold their boys back? Had the days of peace held no dangers that
they should be so afraid for them now?
For peace had dangers--men and women had been worshipping false gods.
They had set up a Golden Calf and had bowed before it--and their
children, lured by luxury, emasculated by ease of living, had wanted
more ease, more luxury, more time in which to--play!
And now life had become suddenly a vivid Crusade, with everybody
marching in one direction, and the young men were manly in the old ways
of strength and heroism, and the young women were womanly in the old
way of sending their lovers forth, and in a new way, when, like
Drusilla, they went forth themselves to the front line of battle.
Pages:
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289