Requiem for a Nun

REQUIEM FOR A NUN 329

she still wore the absent apron) -both would probably be up to.

Only, I didn't. But it's all right-

TEMPLE

Why didn't you? Yes, look at me. This is worse, but the other is terrible.

NANCY

What?

TEMPLE Why didn't you send me the word?

NANCY

Because that would have been hoping: the hardest think of all to break, get

rid of, let go of, the last thing of all poor sinning man will turn aloose.

Maybe it's because that's all he's got. Leastways, he holds onto it, hangs

onto it. Even with salvation laying right in his hand, and all he's got to

do is, choose between it; even with salvation already in his hand and all he

needs is just to shut his fingers, old sin is still too strong for him, and

sometimes before he even knows it, he has throwed salvation away just

grabbling back at hoping. But it's all right-

STEVENS

You mean, when you have salvation, you dont have hope?

NANCY

You dont even need it. All you need, all you have to do, is just believe. So

maybe-

STEVENS Believe what?

NANCY

Just believe.-So maybe it's just as well that all I did last night, was just

to guess where you all went. But I know now, and I know what the Big Man

told you. And it's all right. I finished all that a long time back, that

same day in the judge's court. No: before that even: in the nursery that

night, before I even lifted my hand-

TEMPLE

(convulsively) Hush. Hush.

NANCY

All right. I've hushed. Because it's all right. I can get low for Jesus too.

I can get low for Him too.