robert falconer-第94部分

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upon　the　curb…stone。



They　were　chattering　fast；　and　apparently　carrying　on　some　game；　as

happy　as　if　they　had　been　in　the　fields。



'Wouldn't　you　like　to　take　all　those　little　grubby　things；　and　put

them　in　a　great　tub　and　wash　them　clean？'　　I　said。



'They'd　fight　like　spiders；'　rejoined　Falconer。



'They're　not　fighting　now。'



'Then　don't　make　them。　　It　would　be　all　useless。　　The　probability　is

that　you　would　only　change　the　forms　of　the　various　evils；　and

possibly　for　worse。　　You　would　buy　all　that　man's　glue…lizards；　and

that　man's　three…foot　rules；　and　that　man's　dog…collars　and　chains；

at　three　times　their　value；　that　they　might　get　more　drink　than

usual；　and　do　nothing　at　all　for　their　living　to…morrow。What　a

happy　London　you　would　make　if　you　were　Sultan　Haroun！'　he　added；

laughing。　'You　would　put　an　end　to　poverty　altogether；　would　you

not？'



I　did　not　reply　at　once。



'But　I　beg　your　pardon；'　he　resumed；　'I　am　very　rude。'



'Not　at　all；'　I　returned。　'I　was　only　thinking　how　to　answer　you。

They　would　be　no　worse　after　all　than　those　who　inherit　property

and　lead　idle　lives。'



'True；　but　they　would　be　no　better。　　Would　you　be　content　that　your

quondam　poor　should　be　no　better　off　than　the　rich？　　What　would　be

gained　thereby？　　Is　there　no　truth　in　the　words　〃Blessed　are　the

poor〃？　　A　deeper　truth　than　most　Christians　dare　to　see。Did　you

ever　observe　that　there　is　not　one　word　about　the　vices　of　the　poor

in　the　Biblefrom　beginning　to　end？'



'But　they　have　their　vices。'



'Indubitably。　　I　am　only　stating　a　fact。　　The　Bible　is　full　enough

of　the　vices　of　the　rich。　　I　make　no　comment。'



'But　don't　you　care　for　their　sufferings？'



'They　are　of　secondary　importance　quite。　　But　if　you　had　been　as

much　amongst　them　as　I；　perhaps　you　would　be　of　my　opinion；　that　the

poor　are　not；　cannot　possibly　feel　so　wretched　as　they　seem　to　us。

They　live　in　a　climate；　as　it　were；　which　is　their　own；　by　natural

law　comply　with　it；　and　find　it　not　altogether　unfriendly。　　The

Laplander　will　prefer　his　wastes　to　the　rich　fields　of　England；　not

merely　from　ignorance；　but　for　the　sake　of　certain　blessings　amongst

which　he　has　been　born　and　brought　up。　　The　blessedness　of　life

depends　far　more　on　its　interest　than　upon　its　comfort。　　The　need　of

exertion　and　the　doubt　of　success；　renders　life　much　more

interesting　to　the　poor　than　it　is　to　those　who；　unblessed　with

anxiety　for　the　bread　that　perisheth；　waste　their　poor　hearts　about

rank　and　reputation。'



'I　thought　such　anxiety　was　represented　as　an　evil　in　the　New

Testament。'



'Yes。　But　it　is　a　still　greater　evil　to　lose　it　in　any　other　way

than　by　faith　in　God。　You　would　remove　the　anxiety　by　destroying　its

cause：　God　would　remove　it　by　lifting　them　above　it；　by　teaching

them　to　trust　in　him；　and　thus　making　them　partakers　of　the　divine

nature。　　Poverty　is　a　blessing　when　it　makes　a　man　look　up。'



'But　you　cannot　say　it　does　so　always。'



'I　cannot　determine　when；　where；　and　how　much；　but　I　am　sure　it

does。　　And　I　am　confident　that　to　free　those　hearts　from　it　by　any

deed　of　yours　would　be　to　do　them　the　greatest　injury　you　could。

Probably　their　want　of　foresight　would　prove　the　natural　remedy；

speedily　reducing　them　to　their　former　conditionnot　however

without　serious　loss。'



'But　will　not　this　theory　prove　at　last　an　an？sthetic　rather　than　an

anodyne？　　I　mean　that；　although　you　may　adopt　it　at　first　for　refuge

from　the　misery　the　sight　of　their　condition　occasions　you；　there　is

surely　a　danger　of　its　rendering　you　at　last　indifferent　to　it。'



'Am　I　indifferent？　　But　you　do　not　know　me　yet。　　Pardon　my　egotism。

There　may　be　such　danger。　　Every　truth　has　its　own　danger　or

shadow。　　Assuredly　I　would　have　no　less　labour　spent　upon　them。　　But

there　can　be　no　true　labour　done；　save　in　as　far　as　we　are

fellow…labourers　with　God。　We　must　work　with　him；　not　against　him。

Every　one　who　works　without　believing　that　God　is　doing　the　best；

the　absolute　good　for　them；　is；　must　be；　more　or　less；　thwarting

God。　He　would　take　the　poor　out　of　God's　hands。　　For　others；　as　for

ourselves；　we　must　trust　him。　　If　we　could　thoroughly　understand

anything；　that　would　be　enough　to　prove　it　undivine；　and　that　which

is　but　one　step　beyond　our　understanding　must　be　in　some　of　its

relations　as　mysterious　as　if　it　were　a　hundred。　　But　through　all

this　darkness　about　the　poor；　at　least　I　can　see　wonderful　veins　and

fields　of　light；　and　with　the　help　of　this　partial　vision；　I　trust

for　the　rest。　　The　only　and　the　greatest　thing　man　is　capable　of　is

Trust　in　God。'



'What　then　is　a　man　to　do　for　the　poor？　　How　is　he　to　work　with

God？'　　I　asked。



'He　must　be　a　man　amongst　thema　man　breathing　the　air　of　a　higher

life；　and　therefore　in　all　natural　ways　fulfilling　his　endless　human

relations　to　them。　　Whatever　you　do　for　them；　let　your　own　being；

that　is　you　in　relation　to　them；　be　the　background；　that　so　you　may

be　a　link　between　them　and　God；　or　rather　I　should　say；　between　them

and　the　knowledge　of　God。'



While　Falconer　spoke；　his　face　grew　grander　and　grander；　till　at

last　it　absolutely　shone。　　I　felt　that　I　walked　with　a　man　whose

faith　was　his　genius。



'Of　one　thing　I　am　pretty　sure；'　he　resumed；　'that　the　same　recipe

Goethe　gave　for　the　enjoyment　of　life；　applies　equally　to　all　work：

〃Do　the　thing　that　lies　next　you。〃　　That　is　all　our　business。

Hurried　results　are　worse　than　none。　　We　must　force　nothing；　but　be

partakers　of　the　divine　patience。　　How　long　it　took　to　make　the

cradle！　and　we　fret　that　the　baby　Humanity　is　not　reading　Euclid　and

Plato；　even　that　it　is　not　understanding　the　Gospel　of　St。　John！　　If

there　is　one　thing　evident　in　the　world's　history；　it　is　that　God

hasteneth　not。　　All　haste　implies　weakness。　　Time　is　as　cheap　as

space　and　matter。　　What　they　call　the　church　militant　is　only　at

drill　yet；　and　a　good　many　of　the　officers　too　not　out　of　the

awkward　squad。　　I　am　sure　I；　for　a　private；　am　not。　　In　the　drill　a

man　has　to　conquer　himself；　and　move　with　the　rest　by　individual

attention　to　his　own　duty：　to　what　mighty　battlefields　the　recruit

may　yet　be　led；　he　does　not　know。　　Meantime　he　has　nearly　enough　to

do　with　his　goose…step；　while　there　is　plenty　of　single　combat；

skirmish；　and　light　cavalry　work　generally；　to　get　him　ready　for

whatever　is　to　follow。　　I　beg　your　pardon：　I　am　preaching。'



'Eloquently；'　I　answered。



Of　some　of　the　places　into　which　Falconer　led　me　that　night　I　will

attempt　no　descriptionplaces　blazing　with　lights　and　mirrors；

crowded　with　dancers；　billowing　with　music；　close　and　hot；　and　full

of　the　saddest　of　all　sights；　the　uninteresting　faces　of　commonplace

women。



'There　is　a　passion；'　I　said；　as　we　came　out　of　one　of　these

dreadful　places；　'that　lingers　about　the　heart　like　the　odour　of

violets；　like　a　glimmering　twilight　on　the　borders　of　moonrise；　and

there　is　a　passion　that　wraps　itself　in　the　vapours　of　patchouli　and

coffins；　and　streams　from　the　eyes　like　gaslight　from　a　tavern。　　And

yet　the　line　is　ill　to　draw　between　them。　　It　is　very　dreadful。

These　are　women。'



'They　are　in　God's　hands；'　answered　Falconer。　'He　hasn't　done　with

them　yet。　　Shall　it　take　less　time　to　make　a　woman　than　to　make　a

world？　　Is　not　the　woman　the　greater？　　She　may　have　her　ages　of

chaos；　her　centuries　of　crawling　slime；　yet　rise　a　woman　at　last。'



'How　much　alike　all　those　women　were！'



'A　family　likeness；　alas！　which　always　strikes　you　first。'



'Some　of　them　looked　quite　modest。'



'There　are　great　differences。　　I　do　not　know　anything　more　touching

than　to　see　how　a　woman　will　sometimes　wrap　around　her　the　last

remnants　of　a　soiled　and　ragged　modesty。　　It　has　moved　me　almost　to

tears　to　see　such　a　one　hanging　her　head　in　shame　during　the　singing

of　a　detestable　song。　　That　poor　thing's　shame　was　precious　in　the

eyes　of　the　Master；　surely。'



'Could　nothing　be　done　for　her？'



'I　contrived　to　let　her　know　where　she　would　find　a　friend　if　she

wanted　to　be　good：　that　is　all　you　can　do　in　such　cases。　　If　the

horrors　of　their　life　do　not　drive　them　out　at　such　an　open　door；

you　can　do　nothing　else；　I　fearfor　the　time。'



'Where　are　you　going　now；　may　I　ask？'



'Into　the　cityon　business；'　he　added　with　a　smile。



'There　will　be　nobody　there　so　late。'



'Nobody！　　One　would　think　you　were　the　beadle　of　a　city　church；　Mr。

Gordon。'



We　came　into　a　very　narrow；　dirty　street。　　I　do　not　know　where　it

is。　　A　slatternly　woman　advanced　from　an　open　door；　and　said；



'Mr。　Falconer。'



He　looked　at　her　for　a　moment。



'Why；　Sarah；　have　you　come　to　this　already？'　he　said。



'Never　mind　me；　sir。　　It's　no　more　than　you　told　me　to　expect。　　You

knowed　him　better　than　I　did。　　Leastways　I'm　an　honest　woman。'



'Stick　to　that；　Sarah；　and　be　good…tempered。'



'I'll　have　a　try　anyhow；　sir。　　But　there's　a　poor　cretur　a　dyin'

up…stairs；　and　I'm　afeard　it'll　go　hard　with　her；　for　she　throwed　a

Bible　out　o'　window　this　very　morning；　sir。'



'Would　she　like　to　see　me？　　I'm　afraid　not。'



'She's　got　Lilywhite；　what's　a　sort　of　a　reader；　readin'　that　same

Bible　to　her　now。'



'There　can　be　no　great　harm　in　just　looking　in；'　he　said；　turning　to

me。



'I　shall　be　happy　to　follow　youanywhere；'　I　returned。



'She's　awful　ill；　sir；　cholerer　or　summat；'　said　Sarah；　as　she　led

the　way　up　the　creaking　stair。



We　half　entered　the　room　softly。　　Two　or　three　women　sat　by　the

chimney；　and　another　by　a　low　bed；　covered　with　a　torn　patchwork

counterpane；　spelling　out　a　chapter　in　the　Bible。　　We　paused　for　a

moment　to　hear　what　she　was　reading。　　Had　the　book　been　opened　by

chance；　or　by　design？　　It　was　the　story　of　David　and　Bathsheba。

Moans　came　from　the　bed；　but　the　candle　in　a　bottle；　by　which　the

woman　was　reading；　was　so　placed　that　we　could　n