a face illumined-第60部分

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that　each　word　expressed　her　thought；　〃it　was　that　word；　FRIEND；

as　you　used　it　last　night；　that　caught　my　ear　and　revived　my　hopes。

I　now　believe　that　if　you　had　spoken　only　of　duty　or　truth；　or　even

of　God　in　the　ordinary　way；　I　should　now　be〃she　buried　her　face

in　her　hands　and　shuddered〃I　should　not　be　in　this　sunny　garden

with　the　memory　that　your　hands　have　rested　on　my　hands　in　blessing。

If　I　am　to　live；　I　shall　need；　above　all　things；　a　friend；　and

a　very　patient　and　helpful　one；　or　else　my　burden　will　be　heavier

than　I　can　carry。　　I　have　told　you　about　my　parents；　and　you　thus

know　what　I　must　look　forward　to　in　my　own　home。　　But　such　is　my

weakness　and　folly；　I　have　a　far　worse　trouble　than　that。　　You　may

smile　at　it　and　think　that　time　will　bring　speedy　relief。　　Perhaps

it　willI　hope　so。　　I　feel　that　I　know　so　little　about　myself　and

everything　else　that　I　can　never　be　sure　of　anything　again。　　Mr。

Eltinge；　I　have　been　so　unfortunate　as　to　give　my　whole　heart's　love

to　a　man　who　despises　me。　　At　first　he　seemed　somewhat　attracted；

but　he　soon　discovered　how　imperfect　and　ignorant　I　was；　and　coldly

withdrew。　　He　is　now　paying　his　addresses；　I　believe；　to　another

lady；　and　I　must　admit　that　she　is　a　lovely　girl；　and　every　way

worthy　of　him。　　I　think　she　will　return　his　regard；　if　she　does　not

already。　　But　whether　she　does　or　not　cannot　matter；　for　he　is　so

far　my　superior　in　every　respect　that　he　would　never　think　of　me

again。　　In　order　to　hide　my　foolish；　hopeless　passion；　I　received

attentions　from　another　man　that　I　detested；　and　who　has　since　proved

himself　an　utter　villain；　but　it　so　happened　that　my　name　became

so　closely　associated　with　this　low　fellow；　that　when　my　heart　was

breaking　for　another　reason；　all　thought　that　it　was　because　I　was

infatuated　with　a　man　I　loathed。　　Even　Mr。　Van　Berg　thought　so；

and　I　intended　to　compel　him　to　respect　me；　or　at　least　to　think

better　of　me；　even　if　I　had　to　die　to　carry　out　my　purpose。　　I　was

desperate　and　blind　with　disappointment　and　despair。　　To　a　strong

man；　I　suppose；　these　things　do　not　count　so　greatly；　but　I'm　inclined

to　think　what　with　us　poor　women　our　heart…life　is　everything。　　I

fairly　shiver　at　the　thought　of　the　future。　　How　can　I　carry　this

heavy　burden；　year　after　year？　　Oh；　how　can　I　bear　it？　　How　can　I

bear　it？〃　and　her　eyes　became　full　of　desperate　trouble　again；　at

the　prospect　before　her。



〃Well；　my　dear；〃　said　Mr。　Eltinge　in　broken　tones；　〃my　heart　goes

out　to　you　in　sympathy　as　if　you　were　my　own　daughter；　but　old

James　Eltinge　can　do　but　little　towards　curing　your　deep　troubles。〃



〃I　do　not　hope　to　be　cured；〃　said　Ida；　despondently；　〃but　I　would

be　very　glad　if　I　could　think　my　life　would　not　be　a　burden　to

myself　and　others。〃



Mr。　Eltinge　pondered　a　few　moments；　and　then　brightened　up；　as　if

a　pleasant　thought　had　struck　him。



〃What　do　you　think　of　this　pear…tree　against　which　I'm　leaning？〃

he　asked。　　〃You　remember　I　said　it　owed　me　a　good　turn；　and　perhaps

I　can　get　my　best　fruit　from　it　to…day。〃



〃I　think　it　is　a　pretty　tree；〃　said　Ida；　wonderingly；　〃and　now　I

notice　that　there　are　some　fine　pears　on　it。〃



〃Yes；　and　they　are　about　ripe。　　Let　us　see　if　we　can't　reverse

the　old　story　with　which　the　Bible　commences。　　The　man　shall　tempt

the　woman　this　time；　and　this　shall　be　a　tree　of　the　knowledge　of

good；　not　of　evil。　　Poor　child；　you　know　enough　about　that　already；〃

and　the　old　gentleman　climbed　up　on　his　chair；　and　with　his　cane

loosened　a　large　yellow　pear　with　a　crimson　blush　on　its　sunny

side。



〃Take　my　hat　and　catch　it；〃　he　had　said　to　Ida；　and　she　did　so。



〃Now；　I've　made　you　an　accomplice　already；　and　so　you　may　as　well

eat　the　pear　while　I　tell　you　a　bit　of　history　concerning　this

tree。　　It　may　help　me　to　suggest　some　very　encouraging　truths。〃



But　Ida　held　her　pear　and　looked　wistfully　at　the　speaker。　　Her

heart　was　still　too　sore　to　enter　into　the　half…playful　manner　by

which　he　sought　to　give　a　less　gloomy　cast　to　her　thoughts。



〃Some　years　ago；〃　said　Mr。　Eltinge；　resuming　his　seat；　〃we　had　a

night　of　darkness　and　violent　storm　like　that　through　which　you；

poor　child；　have　just　passed。　　The　garden　fence　was　blown　down；

and　some　stray　cattle　got　in　and　made　sad　havoc。　　This　pear…tree

was　a　little　thing　then；　and　when　I　came　out　in　the　morning　it　was

in　a　bad　plight；　I　can　tell　you。　　The　wind　had　snapped　off　the　top；

and　it　lay　withering　on　the　ground。　　Worse　than　this；　one　of　the

cattle　had　stepped　on　it；　bruising　it　severely；　and　half　breaking

it　off　near　the　root。　　I　don't　know　which　of　the　young　men　you

have　named　this　unruly　beast　typifiesboth　of　'em；　I'm　inclined

to　think。〃



Here　Ida　shook　her　head　in　protest　against　Van　Berg　being　classed

with　Sibley；　and　at　the　same　time　could　not　forbear　the　glimmer　of

a　smile　at　the　old　man's　homely　imagery。



〃Well；　according　to　my　creed；〃　continued　Mr。　Eltinge；　〃'while　there's

life　there's　hope；'　so　I　lifted　up　the　poor；　prostrate　little　tree；

and　tied　it　to　a　stout　stake。　　Then　I　got　grafting　wax　and　covered

the　bruises　and　broken　places；　and　finally　tied　all　up　as　carefully

as　I　used　to　my　boys'　fingers　when　the　cut　them；　sixty　odd　years

ago。　　And　now　mark；　my　child；　I　had　done　all　that　I　could　do。　　I

couldn't　make　the　wounds　heal　or　even　a　new　twig　start；　and　yet

here　is　a　stately　young　tree　beginning　to　bear　delicious　fruit。

Nature　took　my　sorry…looking　little　case　in　hand；　and　slowly　at

first；　but　by　and　by　with　increased　vigor　and　rapidity；　she　developed

what　you　see。　　I　have　an　affection　for　this　tree；　and　like　to　lean

against　it；　and　sometimes　I　half　fancy　it　likes　to　have　me。〃



〃I　should　think　it　ought　to；〃　said　Ida；　heartily；　with　tears　in

her　eyes；　but　a　smile　on　her　lips。



〃Well；　now；　my　child；　to　go　on　with　my　parable；　what　nature　was

to　this　pear…tree；　nature's　God　must　be　to　you。　　We　cannot　find　in

nature　nor　in　the　happiest　human　love　that　which　can　satisfy　our

deep　spiritual　need；　but　we　can　find　all　in　him　who　came　from　heaven

in　our　behalf。　　Jesus　Christ　is　the　patient；　helpful　Friend　you

need。　　He　brings　more　than　joyeven　the　peace　and　rest　that　follow

full　trust　in　One　pledged　to　take　care　of　us　and　make　everything

turn　out　for　the　best。　　He　says　of　those　who　come　to　him；　'I　give

unto　them　eternal　life；　and　they　shall　never　perish。'　　If　you　will

take　this　life　from　him　it　will　never　be　a　burden　to　you；　and　it

will　always　be　a　blessing　to　others。〃



〃I　fear　I　don't　quite　understand　you；　Mr。　Eltinge。　　What　is　this

'eternal　life'this　new；　added　life　which　you　say　Christ　offers；

and　which　I'm　sure　I'd　be　very　glad　to　take　if　I　knew　how？〃



〃Let　Jesus　answer　you　himself；　my　child。　　He　said　plainly：　　'This

is　life　eternal；　that　they　might　know　thee　the　only　true　God；　and

Jesus　Christ；　whom　thou　has　sent。'　　Perhaps　I　can　make　our　Lord's

words　clearer　from　your　own　experience；　if　you　will　permit　me　to

refer　to　your　feelings　toward　the　man　who；　whether　worthy　or　not

has　won　your　love。　　Suppose　he　is　all　you　imagine；　and　that　he

lavished　on　you　the　best　treasures　of　his　heart；　would　not　life

at　his　side　seem　life　in　very　truth；　and　life　elsewhere　but　mere

existence？〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Ida；　with　bowed　head　and　pale　cheeks。　　〃I　begin　to

understand　you　now。　　It　seems　to　me　that　I　could　welcome　sorrow；

poverty；　and　even　death；　at　his　side；　and　call　life　rich　and　full。

But　as　it　isoh；　Mr。　Eltinge；　teach　me　your　faith；　lest　I　give

way　to　despair　again！〃



〃Poor　child！　poor　child！　　Don't　my　white　hairs　teach　you　that　I

am　on　the　threshold　of　the　home　in　which　'God　shall　wipe　away　all

tears'？〃



〃I　envy　you；〃　cried　Ida；　almost　passionately。　　〃Think　how　far　I　am

from　that　home！〃



〃Well；　you　are　not　far　from　the　Divine　Friend　who　leads　to　that

home；　and　when　you　come　to　KNOW　him　and　his　love　your　life　will

begin　to　grow　richer　and　sweeter　and　fuller　to　all　eternity。　　This

is　eternal　life。　　It's　know　the　God　who　loves　us　and　whom　we　have

learned　to　love。　　It's　not　living　on　and　on　forever　in　a　beautiful

heaven；　any　more　than　the　earthly　life　you　crave　is　living　on　and

on　in　a　pleasant　home　such　as　the　man　of　your　heart　might　provide。

The　true　life　is　the　presence　of　the　loved　one　himself；　and　all

that　he　is　to　us　and　all　that　he　can　do　for　us；　and　if　a　mortal　and

finite　creature　seems　to　you　so　able　to　impart　life；　how　infinitely

more　blessed　will　the　life　eventually　be　which　comes　from　a　God　of

boundless　power　and　boundless　love！〃



〃Alas；　Mr。　Eltinge；　God　seems　too　boundless。〃



〃Did　God　seem　too　boundless　to　the　little　children　whom　he　took　in

his　arms　and　blessed？〃



〃Oh　that　I　had　been　one　of　them！〃　said　Ida；　with　a　sudden　rush　of

tears。



〃Come；　my　dear　young　friend；　do　not　expect　too　much　of　yourself

to…day。　　You　cannot　take　in　all　this　truth　at　once；　any　more　than

this　young　pear　tree　could　take　all　the　dew　and　sunshine；　cold

and　heat　（for　autumn　frosts　are　needed　as　well　as　spring　showers）

that　nature　had　in　store　for　it；　but　its　life　was　assured　from　the

moment　it　was　able　to　receive　nature's　restoring　influences。　　So

with　greater　certainty　a　happy；　useful　life　is　assured　to　you

as　soon　as　you　receive　Jesus　Christ　as　your　Saviour；　Teacher；　and

Life…giver。　　'As　many　as　received　him；　to　them　gave　he　power　to

become　the　sons　of　God；'　and　I　assure　you　the　Great　King　will　look

after　his　children　right　royally。　　But　you　don't　know　him　very

well　yet；　and　so　cannot　have　the　life　which　flows　from　his　fulness

of　life。　　Suppose　you　come　here　mornings；　and　we'll　read　together

the　story　of　Jesus；　just　as　it　is　told　in　the　New　Testament；　and

I　don't　believe　it　will　be　long　before　you　will　say　to　me　that　my

Friend　is　yours　also。　　Now；　come　up　to　the　house　and　I'll　introduce

you　to　my　sister。　　You　think　me　a　saint；　but　I'll　show　you　what　a

human　appetite　I　have。〃



〃I　hear　a　bro