robert falconer-第102部分

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her　superior。　　By　degrees；　without　any　laws　or　regulations；　a　little

company　was　gathered；　not　of　ladies　and　gentlemen；　but　of　men　and

women；　who　aided　each；　other；　and　without　once　meeting　as　a　whole；

laboured　not　the　less　as　one　body　in　the　work　of　the　Lord；　bound　in

one　by　bonds　that　had　nothing　to　do　with　cobweb　committee　meetings

or　public　dinners；　chairmen　or　wine…flushed　subscriptions。　　They

worked　like　the　leaven　of　which　the　Lord　spoke。



But　De　Fleuri；　like　almost　every　one　in　the　community　I　believe；　had

his　own　private　schemes　subserving　the　general　good。　　He　knew　the

best　men　of　his　own　class　and　his　own　trade；　and　with　them　his

superior　intellectual　gifts　gave　him　influence。　　To　them　he　told　the

story　of　Falconer's　behaviour　to　him；　of　Falconer's　own　need；　and　of

his　hungry…hearted　search。　　An　enthusiasm　of　help　seized　upon　the

men。　　To　aid　your　superior　is　such　a　rousing　gladness！Was　anything

of　this　in　St。　Paul's　mind　when　he　spoke　of　our　being　fellow…workers

with　God？　　I　only　put　the　question。Each　one　of　these　had　his　own

trustworthy　acquaintances；　or　neighbours；　ratherfor　like　finds　out

like　all　the　world　through；　as　well　as　overand　to　them　he　told　the

story　of　Falconer　and　his　father；　so　that　in　all　that　region　of

London　it　became　known　that　the　man　who　loved　the　poor　was　himself

needy；　and　looked　to　the　poor　for　their　help。　　Without　them　he　could

not　be　made　perfect。



Some　of　my　readers　may　be　inclined　to　say　that　it　was　dishonourable

in　Falconer　to　have　occasioned　the　publishing　of　his　father's

disgrace。　　Such　may　recall　to　their　minds　that　concealment　is　no　law

of　the　universe；　that；　on　the　contrary；　the　Lord　of　the　Universe

said　once：　'There　is　nothing　covered　that　shall　not　be　revealed。'

Was　the　disgrace　of　Andrew　Falconer　greater　because　a　thousand　men

knew　it；　instead　of　forty；　who　could　not　help　knowing　it？　　Hope　lies

in　light　and　knowledge。　　Andrew　would　be　none　the　worse　that　honest

men　knew　of　his　vice：　they　would　be　the　first　to　honour　him　if　he

should　overcome　it。　　If　he　would　notthe　disgrace　was　just；　and

would　fall　upon　his　son　only　in　sorrow；　not　in　dishonour。　　The　grace

of　Godthe　making　of　humanity　by　his　beautiful　handno；　heartis

such；　that　disgrace　clings　to　no　man　after　repentance；　any　more　than

the　feet　defiled　with　the　mud　of　the　world　come　yet　defiled　from　the

bath。　　Even　the　things　that　proceed　out　of　the　man；　and　do　terribly

defile　him；　can　be　cast　off　like　the　pollution　of　the　leper　by　a

grace　that　goes　deeper　than　they；　and　the　man　who　says；　'I　have

sinned：　I　will　sin　no　more；'　is　even　by　the　voice　of　his　brothers

crowned　as　a　conqueror；　and　by　their　hearts　loved　as　one　who　has

suffered　and　overcome。　　Blessing　on　the　God…born　human　heart！　　Let

the　hounds　of　God；　not　of　Satan；　loose　upon　sin；God　only　can　rule

the　dogs　of　the　devil；let　them　hunt　it　to　the　earth；　let　them　drag

forth　the　demoniac　to　the　feet　of　the　Man　who　loved　the　people　while

he　let　the　devil　take　their　swine；　and　do　not　talk　about　disgrace

from　a　thing　being　known　when　the　disgrace　is　that　the　thing　should

exist。



One　night　I　was　returning　home　from　some　poor　attempts　of　my　own。　　I

had　now　been　a　pupil　of　Falconer　for　a　considerable　time；　but　having

my　own　livelihood　to　make；　I　could　not　do　so　much　as　I　would。



It　was　late；　nearly　twelve　o'clock；　as　I　passed　through　the　region

of　Seven　Dials。　　Here　and　there　stood　three　or　four　brutal…looking

men；　and　now　and　then　a　squalid　woman　with　a　starveling　baby　in　her

arms；　in　the　light　of　the　gin…shops。　　The　babies　were　the　saddest　to

seenursery…plants　already　in　training　for　the　places　these　men　and

women　now　held；　then　to　fill　a　pauper's　grave；　or　perhaps　a

perpetual　cellsay　rather；　for　the　awful　spaces　of　silence；　where

the　railway　director　can　no　longer　be　guilty　of　a　worse　sin　than

house…breaking；　and　his　miserable　brother　will　have　no　need　of　the

shelter　of　which　he　deprived　him。　　Now　and　then　a　flaunting　woman

wavered　pasta　night…shade；　as　our　old　dramatists　would　have　called

her。　　I　could　hardly　keep　down　an　evil　disgust　that　would　have

conquered　my　pity；　when　a　scanty　white　dress　would　stop　beneath　a

lamp；　and　the　gay　dirty　bonnet；　turning　round；　reveal　a　painted

face；　from　which　shone　little　more　than　an　animal　intelligence；　not

brightened　by　the　gin　she　had　been　drinking。　　Vague　noises　of　strife

and　of　drunken　wrath　flitted　around　me　as　I　passed　an　alley；　or　an

opening　door　let　out　its　evil　secret。　　Once　I　thought　I　heard　the

dull　thud　of　a　blow　on　the　head。　　The　noisome　vapours　were　fit　for

any　of　Swedenborg's　hells。　　There　were　few　sounds；　but　the　very

quiet　seemed　infernal。　　The　night　was　hot　and　sultry。　　A　skinned

cat；　possibly　still　alive；　fell　on　the　street　before　me。　　Under　one

of　the　gas…lamps　lay　something　long：　it　was　a　tress　of　dark　hair；

torn　perhaps　from　some　woman's　head：　she　had　beautiful　hair　at

least。　　Once　I　heard　the　cry　of　murder；　but　where；　in　that　chaos　of

humanity；　right　or　left；　before　or　behind　me；　I　could　not　even

guess。　　Home　to　such　regions；　from　gorgeous　stage…scenery　and

dresses；　from　splendid；　mirror…beladen　casinos；　from　singing…halls；

and　places　of　private　and　prolonged　revelry；　trail　the　daughters　of

men　at　all　hours　from　midnight　till　morning。　　Next　day　they　drink

hell…fire　that　they　may　forget。　　Sleep　brings　an　hour　or　two　of

oblivion；　hardly　of　peace；　but　they　must　wake；　worn　and　miserable；

and　the　waking　brings　no　hope：　their　only　known　help　lies　in　the

gin…shop。　　What　can　be　done　with　them？　　But　the　secrets　God　keeps

must　be　as　good　as　those　he　tells。



But　no　sights　of　the　night　ever　affected　me　so　much　as　walking

through　this　same　St。　Giles's　on　a　summer　Sunday　morning；　when

church…goers　were　in　church。　　Oh！　the　faces　that　creep　out　into　the

sunshine　then；　and　haunt　their　doors！　　Some　of　them　but　skins　drawn

over　skulls；　living　Death's…heads；　grotesque　in　their　hideousness。



I　was　not　very　far　from　Falconer's　abode。　　My　mind　was　oppressed

with　sad　thoughts　and　a　sense　of　helplessness。　　I　began　to　wonder

what　Falconer　might　at　that　moment　be　about。　　I　had　not　seen　him　for

a　long　timea　whole　fortnight。　　He　might　be　at　home：　I　would　go　and

see；　and　if　there　were　light　in　his　windows　I　would　ring　his　bell。



I　went。　　There　was　light　in　his　windows。　　He　opened　the　door

himself；　and　welcomed　me。　　I　went　up　with　him；　and　we　began　to　talk。

I　told　him　of　my　sad　thoughts；　and　my　feelings　of　helplessness。



'He　that　believeth　shall　not　make　haste；'　he　said。　'There　is　plenty

of　time。　　You　must　not　imagine　that　the　result　depends　on　you；　or

that　a　single　human　soul　can　be　lost　because　you　may　fail。　　The

question；　as　far　as　you　are　concerned；　is；　whether　you　are　to　be

honoured　in　having　a　hand　in　the　work　that　God　is　doing；　and　will

do；　whether　you　help　him　or　not。　　Some　will　be　honoured：　shall　it　be

me？　　And　this　honour　gained　excludes　no　one：　there　is　work；　as　there

is　bread　in　his　house；　enough　and　to　spare。　　It　shows　no　faith　in

God　to　make　frantic　efforts　or　frantic　lamentations。　　Besides；　we

ought　to　teach　ourselves　to　see；　as　much　as　we　may；　the　good　that　is

in　the　condition　of　the　poor。'



'Teach　me　to　see　that；　then；'　I　said。　'Show　me　something。'



'The　best　thing　is　their　kindness　to　each　other。　　There　is　an

absolute　divinity　in　their　self…denial　for　those　who　are　poorer　than

themselves。　　I　know　one　man　and　woman；　married　people；　who　pawned

their　very　furniture　and　wearing　apparel　to　procure　cod…liver　oil

for　a　girl　dying　in　consumption。　　She　was　not　even　a　relative；　only

an　acquaintance　of　former　years。　　They　had　found　her　destitute　and

taken　her　to　their　own　poor　home。　　There　are　fathers　and　mothers　who

will　work　hard　all　the　morning；　and　when　dinner…time　comes　〃don't

want　any；〃　that　there　may　be　enough　for　their　childrenor　half

enough；　more　likely。　　Children　will　take　the　bread　out　of　their　own

mouths　to　put　in　that　of　their　sick　brother；　or　to　stick　in　the　fist

of　baby　crying　for　a　crustgiving　only　a　queer　little　helpless

grin；　half　of　hungry　sympathy；　half　of　pleasure；　as　they　see　it

disappear。　　The　marvel　to　me　is　that　the　children　turn　out　so　well

as　they　do；　but　that　applies　to　the　children　in　all　ranks　of　life。

Have　you　ever　watched　a　group　of　poor　children；　half…a…dozen　of

them　with　babies　in　their　arms？'



'I　have；　a　little；　and　have　seen　such　a　strange　mixture　of

carelessness　and　devotion。'



'Yes。　I　was　once　stopped　in　the　street　by　a　child　of　ten；　with　face

absolutely　swollen　with　weeping；　asking　me　to　go　and　see　baby　who

was　very　ill。　　She　had　dropped　him　four　times　that　morning；　but　had

no　idea　that　could　have　done　him　any　harm。　　The　carelessness　is

ignorance。　　Their　form　of　it　is　not　half　so　shocking　as　that　of　the

mother　who　will　tremble　at　the　slightest　sign　of　suffering　in　her

child；　but　will　hear　him　lie　against　his　brother　without　the

smallest　discomfort。　　Ah！　we　shall　all　find；　I　fear；　some　day；　that

we　have　differed　from　each　other；　where　we　have　done　best；　only　in

modeperhaps　not　even　in　degree。　　A　grinding　tradesman　takes

advantage　of　the　over　supply　of　labour　to　get　his　work　done　at

starvation　prices：　I　owe　him　love；　and　have　never　thought　of　paying

my　debt　except　in　boundless　indignation。'



'I　wish　I　had　your　faith　and　courage；　Mr。　Falconer；'　I　said。



'You　are　in　a　fair　way　of　having　far　more；'　he　returned。　'You　are

not　so　old　as　I　am；　by　a　long　way。　　But　I　fear　you　are　getting　out

of　spirits。　　Is　to…morrow　a　hard　day　with　you？'



'I　have　next　to　nothing　to　do　to…morrow。'



'Then　will　you　come　to　me　in　the　evening？　　We　will　go　out　together。'



Of　course　I　was　only　too　glad　to　accept　the　proposal。　　But　our　talk

did　not　end　here。　　The　morning　began　to　shine　before　I　rose　to　leave

him；　and　before　I　reached　my　abode　it　was　broad　daylight。　　But　what

a　different　heart　I　carried　within　me！　　And　what　a　different　London

it　was　outs