Try it." Merton went forward to embrace his old mother.

Here was tragedy indeed, a bit of biting pathos from a humble life.

He gave the best that was in him as he enfolded the feeble old woman and strained her to his breast, murmuring to her that she must give it up-give it up.
The old lady wept, but was stubborn.

She tore herself from his arms and knelt on the floor.

"I just got to mop, I just got to mop," she was repeating in a cracked voice.