large/948/anthem_librivox_64kb_mp3/anthem_01_rand_64kb_66
large/948/anthem_librivox_64kb_mp3/anthem_01_rand_64kb
English
948
When the bell rings, we all arise from our beds. The sky is green and cold in our windows to the east. The shadow on the sundial marks off a half hour while we dress and eat our breakfast in the dining hall, where there are five long tables with twenty clay plates and twenty clay cups on each table. WHEN THE BELL RINGS WE ARISE FROM OUR BEDS THE SKY IS GREEN AND COLD IN OUR WINDOWS TO THE EAST AND THE SHADOW ON THE SUN DIAL MARKS OFF A HALF HOUR WHILE WE DRESS AND EAT OUR BREAKFAST IN THE DINING HALL WHERE THERE ARE FIVE LONG TABLES WITH TWENTY CLAY PLATES AND TWENTY CLAY CUPS ON EACH TABLE
ng which moved, for the lips of the oldest did not move as they said: “Street Sweeper.” We felt the cords of our neck grow tight as our head rose higher to look upon the faces of the Council, and we were happy. We knew we had been guilty, but now we had a way to atone for it. We would accept our Life Mandate, and we would work for our brothers, gladly and willingly, and we would erase our sin against them, which they did not know, but we knew. So we were happy, and proud of ourselves and of our victory over ourselves. We raised our right arm and we spoke, and our voice was the clearest, the steadiest voice in the hall that day, and we said: “The will of our brothers be done.” And we looked straight into the eyes of the Council, but their eyes were as cold blue glass buttons. So we went into the Home of the Street Sweepers. It is a grey house on a narrow street. There is a sundial in its courtyard, by which the Council of the Home can tell the hours of the day and when to ring the bell. AIN THIS WAS THE ONLY THING WHICH MOVED FOR THE LIPS OF THE OLDEST DID NOT MOVE AS THEY SAID STREET SWEEPER WE FELT THE CORDS OF OUR NECK GROW TIGHT AS OUR HEAD ROSE HIGHER TO LOOK UPON THE FACES OF THE COUNCIL AND WE WERE HAPPY WE KNEW WE HAD BEEN GUILTY BUT NOW WE HAD A WAY TO ATONE FOR IT WE WOULD ACCEPT OUR LIFE MANDATE AND WE WOULD WORK FOR OUR BROTHERS GLADLY AND WILLINGLY AND WE WOULD ERASE OUR SIN AGAINST THEM WHICH THEY DID NOT KNOW BUT WE KNEW FOR WE WERE HAPPY AND PROUD OF OURSELVES AND OF THE VICTORY OVER OURSELVES WE RAISED OUR RIGHT ARM AND WE SPOKE AND OUR VOICE WAS THE CLEAREST THE STEADIEST VOICE IN THE HALL THAT DAY AND WE SAID THE WILL OF OUR BROTHERS BE DONE AND WE LOOKED STRAIGHT INTO THE EYES OF THE COUNCIL BUT THEIR EYES WERE AS COLD AS BLUE GLASS BUTTONS SO WE WENT INTO THE HOME OF THE STREET SWEEPERS IT IS A GREY HOUSE ON A NARROW STREET THERE IS A SUN DIAL IN THE COURTYARD BY WHICH THE COUNCIL OF THE HOME CAN TELL THE HOURS OF THE DAY AND WHEN TO RING THE BELL
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