A big stevedore was crossing the court, his body moving easily with the panther-like flow of enormous muscular power under absolute control. The beggar’s eyes became wistful. “Sense gots power tuh take a t’ing atter yuh gits dere,” he said. “But he nebber puts bittle in a belly what can’t leabe he restin’ place. What I goin’ do now sence Peter gone, an’ I can’t git on de street?” “Pray, Brudder, pray,” said the widow devoutly. “Ain’t yuh see Gawd done soffen de haht of dat yalluh buryin’ ondehtakuh attuh I done pray tuh him fuh a whole day an’ night? Gawd gots leg fuh de cripple.” “Bless de Lord!” ejaculated the young woman. “An’ he gots comfort fuh de widder.” “Oh, my Jedus!” crooned Porgy, beginning to sway. “An’ food fuh de fadderless.” “Yes, Lord!” “An’ he goin’ raise dis poor nigger out de dus’.” “Allelujah!” “An’ set um in de seat ob de righteous.” “Amen, my Sister!” For a little while the three figures, showing now only as denser shadows in a world of shade, swayed slowly from side to side. Then, without saying a word, Porgy drew himself across his threshold, and closed the door very softly. § It was not yet day when Porgy awakened suddenly. His eyes were wide, and his face was working with unwonted emotion. In the faint light that penetrated his bleared window from a street lamp, he made his way to the hearth, and removed the brick from his secret depository. With feverish haste he counted his little store, placing the coins in a row before him. Then with the utmost care he recounted them, placing them in little piles, one for the coppers, one for the nickels, and one for the dimes. When he had fully satisfied himself as to the extent of his wealth, his tension relaxed, and, tying the money in a rag which he tore from his bed-clothing, he closed his hand firmly upon it, crawled back into bed, and immediately fell asleep. § Two days later, Porgy drove his chariot out through the wide entrance into a land of romance and adventure. He was seated with the utmost gravity in an inverted packing-case that proclaimed with unconscious irony the virtues of a well-known toilet soap. Beneath the box two solid lop-sided wheels turned heavily. Before him, between a pair of improvised shafts, a patriarchal goat tugged with the dogged persistence of age which has been placed upon its mettle, and flaunted an intolerable stench in the face of the complaisant and virtuous soap box. As oblivious of the mirth-provoking quality of his appearance, as he was of a smell to which custom had inured him, Porgy turned his equipage daringly into a new thoroughfare, and drove through a street where high, bright buildings stood between wide gardens, and where many ladies passed and re-passed on the sidewalks, or in glittering carriages.