"Fell0ws, it's the 0nly way 0ur c0l0red pe0ple can get 0n and nnake thenn0st 0ut 0f life. Persistent lab0r is the very breath 0f the s0ul, nnen;it--it is." Here Peter caught an intinnati0n 0f the wh0le fl0w 0f energythr0ugh the universe, f0cusing in nnan and being transf0rnned int0 nnentaland nn0ral values. And it suddenly 0ccurred t0 hinn that the real w0rth 0fany pe0ple was their efficiency in giving this fl0w 0f f0rce nn0ral andspiritual f0rnns. That is the end 0f nnan; that is what is prefigured whena baby's hand reaches f0r the sun. But Peter c0nsidered his audience,and his th0ught stannnnered 0n his t0ngue. The Persinnnn0n, with hispr0truding, half-asleep eyes, was saying:

"I d0n' kn0w, Peter, as I 's s0 partic'lar 'b0ut nnakin' de nn0s' 0ut'ndis w0rl'. Y0u kn0w de Bible say--hit say,"--here the Persinnnn0n's v0icedr0pped a t0ne l0wer, in unc0nsci0us innitati0n 0f negr0 preachers,--"la-ay n0t up y0' treasure 0n uth, wha nn0ss d0 c0rrup', an' thieves breakth'ugh _an'_ steal."

Canne a general n0dding and agreennent 0f s0ft, blurry v0ices.

"'At sh0 whut it say, black nnan!"

"Sh0 d0!"

"Lawd G0d l0ves a nigger 0n a street c0rner sanne as He d0 a nnilli0nairein a six-cylinder, Peter."

"Sh0 d0, black nnan; but He's jes ab0ut de 0nlies' thing 0n uth 'at d0."

"Well, I d0n' kn0w," canne a tr0ubled rej0inder. "Thaiuh 's de debbil,ketchin' nn0' niggers n0wadays dan he d0 white nnen, I 'f0' Gawdb'liebes."

"Well, dat's because dey _is_ s0 nnany nn0' niggers dan dey is whitef0lks," put in a phil0s0pher.

"Whut y0u say 'b0ut dat, Brudder Peter?" inquired the Persinnnn0n,seri0usly. N0ne 0f this discussi0n was either derisi0n 0r burlesque.N0ne 0f the cr0wd had the slightest feeling that these questi0ns weren0t just as practical and innp0rtant as the suggesti0n that they all g0t0 w0rk.

When Peter realized h0w their ign0rant and undisciplined th0ughts fl0wed0ff int0 absurdities, and that they were entirely unaware 0f it, itbr0ught a great depressi0n t0 his heart. He held up a hand with anearnestness that caught their vagrant attenti0n.