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after a while； when the pain again began to make her toss； he would think： 〃Perhaps I should make the dose larger still； and bring a finish to all pain。〃
But he did not。 For she； he knew； had always reached out toward life； and her courage would not fail。
So he sat long hours by the bed； holding her hand； and now and then they talked。
As it always had been； she was the one who forted him； although she was the one who lay in pain and was going。 Yes； he realized； she had been mother as well as wife。
〃Don't worry；〃 she said once； 〃about the children； I mean…and the grandchildren and all those that will e after。 They will be happy； I think。 At least； they may be as happy as they would have been otherwise。 Don't care too much about that civilization。 They will go on！〃
Had she known all along？ He wondered。 Had she known that he would fail？ Had she sensed how it would be？ Perhaps because she was a woman？ Perhaps because within her veins ran a different strain of blood？ And again he puzzled over what made greatness…either in man or woman。
Josey cared for the house now； and for her mother…Josey； herself a mother； straight and full…breasted and walking with easy grace。 Of them all； she had grown to be most like Em。
The others came also to the bedside…the tall sons and the strong daughters and the grandchildren。 Already the oldest grandsons were shooting up tall and on bodies of the granddaughters the fullness of their womanhood was showing。
Looking at them； as they passed the bedside； Ish knew that Em was right。 〃They will go on！〃 he thought。 〃The simple ones are also the strong ones。 They will go on！〃
At last one day he sat； again holding her hand。 She was very weak； and then suddenly he knew that a third and dark presence was there beside them。 She spoke no more and only once he felt a light flutter of her fingers within his hand。
〃Oh； Mother of Nations！〃 he thought。 〃Her sons shall praise； and her daughters call her blessed！〃
Then where there had been three； now there was only one； for Death had gone and she too。 He sat there bowed and dry…eyed。 That too was finished。 They would bury her； Mother of Nations； and place no marker； for that was their custom。 And； as it was in the beginning； since love first and sorrow with it came to the world； he sat with his dead。 And he knew that greatness had passed from them。
Yet still the years flowed； and the sun swung from north of the mountain。 south past the Golden Gate； and back again。 More years were carved into the rock。
One spring Molly died suddenly of what they took to be heart…failure。 That same year a great tumor grew within Jean…swiftly； like a nightmare growth。 There was no one who knew how to help her； and when she had died by her own hand； there was no one who blamed her。
〃We are going； we are going！〃 thought Ish。 〃We Americans are old； and are dropping like last spring's leaves。〃 So sometimes he was sad。 Yet； as he walked along the hillside； he saw many children playing busily； and young men shouting to one another； and mothers nursing their babies…and little sadness； and much merriment。
One day Ezra came to him； saying： 〃You should take another wife。〃 Ish looked at him with questioning eyes。 〃No；〃 said Ezra； 〃I am too old。 You are younger。 There is a young woman of The Others； and no man to marry her。 Except for an old man； it is better not to be alone。 And there should be more children。〃
He felt no love； but he took her。 She forted him in the long nights； for he was still a man in his strength。 She bore him children； though the children seemed always a little strange to him…scarcely his； because they were not also Em's。
More years were carved in the rock。 Except for Ish and Ezra； all the Americans now were gone； and Ezra was a little dried…up wrinkled man who coughed and grew thinner and thinner。 Ish himself was wholly gray…haired now。 Though he was not heavy； his paunch stuck out； and he was thin…legged in the manner of old men。 His side hurt him where the mountain…lion had clawed him years back； so he walked little。 Yet still his young wife bore him a child in the Year 42。 He was not greatly interested in that child； and also now he had great…grandchildren。
On the day when the Year 43 had ended； Ish did not feel like walking as far as the flat rock where they carved the numerals； and Ezra was too frail。 So they put off carving the date in the rock or giving a name。 They said to each other now and then that really they must do it； or else arrange with some of the younger men to carve the numerals； and sometimes also the younger men and even the children talked of it。 But in a way that such things go； once it had been put off； still it was put off again。 〃Today is rainy；〃 or 〃It is too cold；〃 or 〃We are going fishing； and shall do it later。〃 So the numerals were not carved； and the name was not given； and life went on with no one caring greatly。 After that； no one knew how many years passed。
Now no more children were born to Ish's young wife。 Then one day she came to him with a younger man； and the two asked； respectfully； that Ish should give her to that one。
Then at last Ish realized that in this his curious life； he had now e close to the last stage of all。 More and more often； after that； he and Ezra sat together as two old men。
There was nothing strange that two old men should sit together and talk； but what was strange here was that there were no other old people at all。 Elsewhere everything was youth； at least by parison。 There were births and there were deaths； but always there were more births than deaths； and because everyone was youthful； there was much laughter。
As the quick years passed and the two old men sat on the hillside in the sun； they began to talk more and more about what had happened long ago。 There was little that anyone…they； at least…could talk about as far as these years now were concerned。 Some years were called good years and some were called bad years； but there was not much difference。 So chiefly the two old men talked about things of long ago； and occasionally they speculated about life。
Often； when they talked； Ish realized that there was still wisdom and help in Ezra。
〃A tribe is like a child；〃 he said once； in that thin piping old…man's voice； which every day seemed more like a bird's…and then he coughed。 When he recovered； he spoke again； 〃Yes； a tribe is like a child。 You can show it the way by which it should grow up； and perhaps you can direct it a little； but in the end the child will go his own way； and so will the tribe。〃
〃Yes；〃 he said again on some other day； 〃time makes all things clear。 Everything seems plainer to me now than it once did； and if I should live for a hundred years more； perhaps everything that has happened so far would seem very plain and simple。〃
Often they talked of the other Americans； those who now were gone。 They laughed； remembering good old George； and Maurine with her fine radio that would never play。 They smiled when they recalled Jean； and her refusal to go to church。
〃Yes；〃 said Ezra； 〃it is all clearer now with time。 Why each of them survived the Great Disaster…that I still do not know。 But I think I can see why each of them survived the shock that came afterwards； when so many went under。 George and Maurine； and perhaps Molly too； they lived on and did not go crazy because they were stolid and had no imagination。 And Jean survived because she had her temper and fought back at life； and I； because I went out from myself and shared the lives of other people。 And you and Em。。。〃
But here Ezra paused； so that Ish himself could speak。
〃Yes；〃 said Ish； 〃you are right； I think。。。。 And I； I could live because I stood at one side and watched what was happening。 And as for Em。。。〃
There he too paused； and Ezra spoke again。
〃Well； as we were； so The Tribe will be。 It will not be brilliant because we were not like that。 Perhaps the brilliant ones were not suited to survive。。。。 But as for Em； there is no need to explain； for we know that she was the strongest of us all。 Yes； we needed many things。 We needed George and his carpentry； and we needed your foresight； and perhaps we needed my knack of making one person work better with another； even though I did little by myself。 But most of all； I think； we needed Em； for she gave us courage； and without courage there is only a slow dying； not life。〃
Almost while they sat there； it seemed to Ish； a fast…growing tree sprang up on the hillside below them； and grew until it cut off the view across the Bay； where the rust…red towers of the great bridge still stood high。 And then after a while the tree seemed to sicken and die and fall。 Again； from where he liked to sit in the sun on the hillside； he could look out and see the bridge。 And once； as he looked； there was great fire raging in the ruinous city beyond the Bay； and he remembered that far； far back…even before he had been born…that city had burned before。 Now it burned for a week； with the dry north wind driving the flames； there was no one to put it out； and no one even to care whether it burned。 When the flames died down； nothing was left to bu