the captives-第14部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


been　with　anybody　in　her　life。　And　yet　behind　this　there　was　perhaps　some　subtle　sense　of　disappointment。　He　was　not　mysterious；　he　did　not　seem　very　clever；　he　was　only　an　old　man；　magnificently　preserved。　There　was　no　fear　nor　wonder　in　her　attitude　to　him。　He　could　not　convince　her；　she　thought；　of　things　that　she　herself　had　not　seen。

He　knelt　and　prayed　for　a　moment　before　his　desk；　then　he　rose　and；　with　his　hands　resting　on　the　wood　before　him；　said：　〃Let　us　offer　thanks　to　Almighty　God　that　He　has　kept　us　in　safety　and　in　health　during　the　past　week。〃　They　all　knelt　down。　He　prayed　then；　in　a　voice　that　was　soft　and　clear　and　that　hid　behind　the　words　a　little　roughness　of　accent　that　was　not　unpleasant。　His　prayer　was　extempore；　and　he　addressed　God　intimately　and　almost　conversationally。　〃Thou　knowest　how　we　are　weak　and　foolish；　our　faults　are　all　known　to　Thee　and　our　blunders　are　not　hid；　therefore　we　thank　Thee　that　Thou　hast　not　been　impatient　with　us；　but；　seeing　that　we　are　but　little　children　in　Thy　hands；　hast　deemed　the　thunderbolt　too　heavy　for　our　heads　and　the　lightning　too　blinding　for　our　eyes。　With　humble　hearts　we　thank　Thee；　and　pray　that　Thou　wilt　keep　us　mindful　of　Thy　coming；　that　we　may　be　found　watching；　with　our　loins　girt　and　our　lamps　lit；　waiting　in　prayer　for　Thy　dreadful　day　。　。　。〃

During　this　prayer　Maggie　was　conscious　of　a　strange　excitement。　She　knelt　with　her　eyes　tightly　closed；　but　through　the　darkness　she　felt　as　though　he　were　addressing　her　alone。　She　seemed　to　approach　him；　to　feel　his　hands　upon　her　shoulders；　to　hear　his　voice　in　her　ears。　When　she　rose　at　the　ending　of　the　prayer　it　was　as　though　she　had　definitely　passed　through　some　door　into　a　new　room。　Then；　rising；　she　was　conscious　that　the　laughing　eyes　of　the　young　lady　in　blue　were　again　trying　to　hold　her　own。　She　refused　to　lookshe　coloured；　hanging　her　head　so　that　her　eyes　should　not　be　caught。

For　some　time　she　was　unaware　of　the　progress　of　the　service。　Then　the　clear　emphasis　of　his　voice　caught　again　her　attention。　〃Our　lesson　for　to…day；〃　he　said；　〃is　from　the　Fortieth　Chapter　of　Isaiah。〃　He　proceeded　to　read：

Comfort　ye；　comfort　ye　my　people；　saith　your　God。

Speak　ye　comfortably　to　Jerusalem；　and　cry　unto　her；　that　her　warfare　is　accomplished；　that　her　iniquity　is　pardoned：　for　she　hath　received　of　the　Lord's　hand　double　for　all　her　sins。

The　voice　of　him　that　crieth　in　the　wilderness；　Prepare　ye　the　way　of　the　Lord；　make　straight　in　the　desert　a　highway　for　our　God。

Every　valley　shall　be　exalted；　and　every　mountain　and　hill　shall　be　made　low：　and　the　crooked　shall　be　made　straight；　and　the　rough　places　plain：

And　the　glory　of　the　Lord　shall　be　revealed；　and　all　flesh　shall　see　it　together：　for　the　mouth　of　the　Lord　hath　spoken　it。

The　voice　said；　Cry。　And　he　said；　What　shall　I　cry？　All　flesh　is　grass；　and　all　the　goodliness　thereof　is　as　the　flower　of　the　field：　。　。　。

The　grass　withereth；　the　flower　fadeth；　but　the　word　of　our　God　shall　stand　for　ever。

O　Zion；　that　bringest　good　tidings；　get　thee　up　into　the　high　mountain；　0　Jerusalem；　that　bringest　good　tidings；　lift　up　thy　voice　with　strength；　lift　it　up；　be　not　afraid；　say　unto　the　cities　of　Judah；　Behold　your　God！

Behold；　the　Lord　God　will　come　with　strong　hand；　and　his　arm　shall　rule　for　him；　behold；　his　reward　is　with　him；　and　his　work　before　him。

He　shall　feed　his　flock　like　a　shepherd；　he　shall　gather　the　lambs　with　his　arm；　and　carry　them　in　his　bosom；　and　shall　gently　lead　those　that　are　with　young。

How　many　times　had　Maggie　heard　the　reading　of　those　words。　They　brought　instantly　back　to　her　her　father's　voice；　the　strange　snuffling　hurry　with　which　he　hastened　to　the　end；　his　voice　hesitating　a　little　as　his　wandering　eye　caught　the　misbehaviour　of　some　small　boy　in　the　choir。

Now　the　words　were　charged　with　a　conviction　that　was　neither　forced　nor　adopted　for　dramatic　effect。　It　was　as　though　a　herald　read　some　proclamation　for　his　master　who　was　approaching　the　gates　of　the　city。　The　hymns　and　prayers　that　followed　seemed　to　have　no　importance。　The　hymns　happened　on　that　day　to　be　familiar　ones　that　Maggie　had　always　known：　〃As　pants　the　hart　for　cooling　streams；〃　〃Just　as　I　am；　without　one　plea〃　and

〃Jerusalem　the　golden。〃　These　were　sung；　of　course；　slowly；　badly　and　sentimentally；　the　harmonium　screaming　in　amazing　discords；　and　the　deep　and　untuneful　voices　of　some　members　of　the　congregation　drowning　the　ladies　and　placing　a　general　discord　upon　everything。　Especially　distressing　was　Aunt　Elizabeth；　who　evidently　loved　to　sing　hymns　but　had　little　idea　of　melody　or　rhythm；　and　was　influenced　entirely　by　a　copious　sentiment　which　overflowed　into　her　eyes　and　trembled　at　the　tips　of　her　fingers。

All　this　was　as　naive　and　awkward　as　is　always　the　singing　of　English　hymns　in　English　churches　by　English　citizens。　The　chapel；　which　had　seemed　before　to　be　rising　to　some　strange　atmosphere　of　expectation；　slipped　back　now　to　its　native　ugliness　and　sterility。　The　personality　was　in　the　man　and　in　the　man　alone。

Maggie　looked　about　her；　at　the　faces　of　the　women　who　surrounded　her。　They　were　grey；　strained；　ugly　in　the　poor　light　of　the　building。　The　majority　of　them　seemed　to　be　either　servant…girls　or　women　who　had　passed　the　adventurous　period　of　life　and　had　passed　it　without　adventure。　When　the　time　for　the　sermon　arrived　Mr。　Warlock　prayed；　his　head　bowed；　during　a　moment's　silence；　then　leaning　forward　on　his　desk　repeated　some　of　the　words　of　his　earlier　reading：

Prepare　ye　the　way　of　the　Lord；　make　straight　in　the　desert　a　highway　for　our　God。　Every　valley　shall　be　exalted；　and　every　mountain　and　hill　shall　be　made　low：　and　the　crooked　shall　be　made　straight；　and　the　rough　places　plain：　。　。　。　say　unto　the　cities　of　Judah；　Behold　your　God！　。　。　。

What　followed　was　practical；　eloquent；　the　preaching　of　a　man　who　had　through　the　course　of　a　long　life　addressed　men　of　all　kinds　and　in　all　places。　But　behind　the　facility　and　easy　flow　of　his　words　Maggie　fancied　that　she　detected　some　urgent　insistence　that　came　from　the　man's　very　heart。　She　was　moved　by　that　as　though　he　were　saying　to　her　personally；　〃Don't　heed　these　outward　words　of　mine。　But　listen　to　me　myself。　There　is　something　I　must　tell　you。　There　is　no　time　to　lose。　You　must　believe　me。　I　will　compel　your　belief。　Follow　me　and　I　will　show　what　will　transform　your　life。〃　He　concluded　his　sermon　with　these　words：

〃And　what　of　our　responsibility？　We　may　compare　ourselves；　I　think；　to　men　who；　banded　together　on　some　secret　service；　wait　for　the　moment　when　they　are　to　declare　themselves　and；　by　that　action；　transform　the　world。　Until　that　moment　comes　they　must　lead　their　ordinary　daily　lives；　seem　as　careless　of　the　future　as　their　fellows；　laugh　and　eat　and　work　and　play　as　though　nothing　beyond　the　business　of　the　day　were　their　concern。　But　in　their　hearts　is　the　responsibility　of　their　secret　knowledge。　They　cannot　be　as　other　men　knowing　what　they　do；　they　cannot　be　to　one　another　as　they　are　to　other　men　with　the　bond　of　their　common　duty　shared　between　them。　Much　has　been　given　them；　much　will　be　demanded　of　them；　and　when　the　day　comes　it　will　not　be　the　events　of　that　day　that　will　test　them　but　the　private　history；　known　only　to　themselves　and　their　Master；　of　the　hours　that　have　preceded　that　day。〃

〃I　tell　you　what　I　have　often　told　you　before　from　this　same　place；　that　beside　the　history　of　the　spirit　the　history　of　the　body　is　nothingand　that　history　of　the　spirit　is　no　easy；　tranquil　progress　from　birth　to　death；　but　must　rather　be；　if　we　are　to　have　any　history　at　all；　a　struggle；　a　wrestling；　a　contest；　bloody；　unceasing；　uncertain　in　its　issue　from　the　first　hour　until　the　last。　This　is　no　mere　warning　spoken　from　the　lips　only　by　one　who；　from　sheer　weekly　necessity；　may　seem　to　you　formal　and　official；　it　is　as　urgent；　as　deeply　from　the　heart　as　though　it　were　a　summons　from　a　messenger　who　has　come　to　you　directly　from　his　Master。　I　beg　of　you　to　consider　your　responsibility；　which　is　greater　than　that　of　other　men。　We　are　brothers　bound　together　by　a　great　expectation；　a　great　preparation；　a　great　trust。　We　are　in　training　for　a　day　when　more　will　be　demanded　of　us　than　of　any　other　men　upon　the　earth。　That　is　no　light　thing。　Let　us　hold　ourselves　then　as　souls　upon　whom　a　great　charge　is　laid。〃

When　he　had　ended　and　knelt　again　to　pray　Maggie　felt　instantly　the　inevitable　reaction。　The　harmonium　quavered　and　rumbled　over　the　first　bars　of　some　hymn　which　began　with　the　words；　〃Cry；　sinner；　cry　before　the　altar　of　the　Lord；〃　the　man　with　the　brown；　creaking　boots　walked　about　with　a　collection　plate；　an　odour　of　gas…pipes；　badly　heated；　penetrated　the　building；　the　rain　lashed　the　grey　window…panes。　Maggie；　looking　about　her；　could　not　see　in　the　pale；　tired　faces　of　the　women　who　surrounded　her　the　ardent　souls　of　a　glorious　band。　Their　belief　in　the　coming　of　God　had；　it　seemed；　done　very　little　for　them。　It　might　be　true　that　the　history　of　the　soul　was　of　more　importance　than　the　history　of　the　body；　but　common　sense　had　something　to　say。

Her　mind　went　back　inevitably　to　St。　Dreot's　church；　her　father；　Ellen　the　cook。　That　was　what　the　history　of　the　spirit　had　been　to　her　so　far。　What　reason　had　she　to　suppose　that　this　was　any　more　real　than　that　had　been？　Nevertheless；　when　at　the　end　of　the　sermon　she　left　the　building　and　went　once　more　into　the　soaking　streets　some　sense　of　expectation　was　with　her；　so　that　she　hastened　into　her　aunt's　house　as　though　she　would　find　that　some　strange　event　had　occurred　in　her　absence。

Nothing；　of　course；　had　occurred。

During　the　afternoon　the　rain　ceased　to　fall　and　a　dim；　grey　light；　born　of　an　intense　silence；　enveloped　the　town。　About　three　o'clock　the　aunts　went　out　to　some　religious　gathering　and　Maggie　was　left　to　herself。　She　discovered　in　Aunt　Elizabeth's　bedroom　a　bound　volume　of　Good　Words；　and　with　this　seated　herself　by　the　drawing…　room　fire。　Soon　she　slept。

She　was　awakened　by　a　consciousness　that　some　one　was　in　the　room　and；　sitting　up；　staring　through　the　gloom；　heard　a　movement　near　the　door；　a　rustle；　a　little　jingle；　a　laugh。

〃Is