Library of Information on Women's Issues

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quickly; and they let the curtain fall behind them; they bore great jars they could hardly carry. And the men and women crowded round them, and the new-comers opened their jars and gave them of the wine to drink; and I saw that the women drank even more greedily than the men. And when others had well drunken they set the jars among the old ones beside the wall, and took their places at the table. And I saw that some of the jars were very old and mildewed and dusty, but others had still drops of new must on them and shone from the furnace. And I said to God, "What is that?" For amid the sound of the singing, and over the dancing of feet, and over the laughing across the wine-cups I heard a cry. And God said, "Stand a way off." And he took me where I saw both sides of the curtain. Behind the house was the wine-press where the wine was made. I saw the grapes crushed, and I heard them cry. I said, "Do not they on the other side hear it?" God said, "The curtain is thick; they are feasting." And I said, "But the men who came in last. They saw?" God said, "They let the curtain fall behind them--and they forget!" I said, "How came they by their jars of wine?" God said, "In the treading of the press these are they who came to the top; they have climbed out over the edge, and filled their jars from below, and have gone into the house." And I said, "And if they had fallen as they climbed--?" God said, "They had been wine." I stood a way off watching in the sunshine, and I shivered. God lay in the sunshine watching too. Then there rose one among the feasters, who said, "My brethren, let us pray!" And all the men and women rose: and strong men bowed their heads, and mothers folded their little children's hands together, and turned their faces upwards, to the roof. And he who first had risen stood at the table head, and stretched out both his hands, and his beard was long and white, and his sleeves and his beard had been dipped in wine; and because the sleeves were wide and full they held much wine, and it dropped down upon the floor. And he cried, "My brothers and my sisters, let us pray."

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