the ragged trousered philanthropists-第57节

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all。　　He　had　been　working　like　a　slave　all　his　life　and　there　was　nothing　to　show　for　it　…　there　never　would　be　anything　to　show　for　it。　　He　thought　of　the　man　who　had　killed　his　wife　and　children。　　The　jury　had　returned　the　usual　verdict；　‘Temporary　Insanity'。　　It　never　seemed　to　occur　to　these　people　that　the　truth　was　that　to　continue　to　suffer　hopelessly　like　this　was　evidence　of　permanent　insanity。

But　supposing　that　bodily　death　was　not　the　end。　　Suppose　there　was　some　kind　of　a　God？　　If　there　were；　it　wasn't　unreasonable　to　think　that　the　Being　who　was　capable　of　creating　such　a　world　as　this　and　who　seemed　so　callously　indifferent　to　the　unhappiness　of　His　creatures；　would　also　be　capable　of　devising　and　creating　the　other　Hell　that　most　people　believed　in。

Although　it　was　December　the　evening　was　mild　and　clear。　　The　full　moon　deluged　the　town　with　silvery　light；　and　the　cloudless　sky　was　jewelled　with　myriads　of　glittering　stars。

Looking　out　into　the　unfathomable　infinity　of　space；　Owen　wondered　what　manner　of　Being　or　Power　it　was　that　had　originated　and　sustained　all　this？　　Considered　as　an　explanation　of　the　existence　of　the　universe；　the　orthodox　Christian　religion　was　too　absurd　to　merit　a　second　thought。　　But　then；　every　other　conceivable　hypothesis　was　also　…　ultimately　…　unsatisfactory　and　even　ridiculous。　　To　believe　that　the　universe　as　it　is　now　has　existed　from　all　eternity　without　any　Cause　is　surely　ridiculous。　　But　to　say　that　it　was　created　by　a　Being　who　existed　without　a　Cause　from　all　eternity　is　equally　ridiculous。　　In　fact；　it　was　only　postponing　the　difficulty　one　stage。　　Evolution　was　not　more　satisfactory；　because　although　it　was　undoubtedly　true　as　far　as　it　went；　it　only　went　part　of　the　way；　leaving　the　great　question　still　unanswered　by　assuming　the　existence　…　in　the　beginning　…　of　the　elements　of　matter；　without　a　cause！　　The　question　remained　unanswered　because　it　was　unanswerable。　　Regarding　this　problem　man　was　but　…

　　　　　　　　‘An　infant　crying　in　the　night；　　　　　　　　　An　infant　crying　for　the　light　　　　　　　　　And　with　no　language　but　a　cry。'

All　the　same；　it　did　not　follow；　because　one　could　not　explain　the　mystery　oneself；　that　it　was　right　to　try　to　believe　an　unreasonable　explanation　offered　by　someone　else。

But　although　he　reasoned　like　this；　Owen　could　not　help　longing　for　something　to　believe；　for　some　hope　for　the　future；　something　to　compensate　for　the　unhappiness　of　the　present。　　In　one　sense；　he　thought；　how　good　it　would　be　if　Christianity　were　true；　and　after　all　the　sorrow　there　was　to　be　an　eternity　of　happiness　such　as　it　had　never　entered　into　the　heart　of　man　to　conceive？　　If　only　that　were　true；　nothing　else　would　matter。　How　contemptible　and　insignificant　the　very　worst　that　could　happen　here　would　be　if　one　knew　that　this　life　was　only　a　short　journey　that　was　to　terminate　at　the　beginning　of　an　eternity　of　joy？　　But　no　one　really　believed　this；　and　as　for　those　who　pretended　to　do　so　…　their　lives　showed　that　they　did　not　believe　it　at　all。　　Their　greed　and　inhumanity　…　their　ferocious　determination　to　secure　for　themselves　the　good　things　of　THIS　world　…　were　conclusive　proofs　of　their　hypocrisy　and　infidelity。

‘Dad；'　said　Frankie；　suddenly；　'let's　go　over　and　hear　what　that　man's　saying。　'　He　pointed　across　the　way　to　where　…　a　little　distance　back　from　the　main　road；　just　round　the　corner　of　a　side　street　…　a　group　of　people　were　standing　encircling　a　large　lantern　fixed　on　the　top　of　a　pole　about　seven　feet　high；　which　was　being　held　by　one　of　the　men。　A　bright　light　was　burning　inside　this　lantern　and　on　the　pane　of　white；　obscured　glass　which　formed　the　sides；　visible　from　where　Owen　and　Frankie　were　standing；　was　written　in　bold　plain　letters　that　were　readable　even　at　that　distance；　the　text：

　　　　　　　　‘Be　not　deceived：　God　is　not　mocked！'

The　man　whose　voice　had　attracted　Frankie's　attention　was　reading　out　a　verse　of　a　hymn：

　　　　　　　　‘I　heard　the　voice　of　Jesus　say；　　　　　　　　　Behold；　I　freely　give；　　　　　　　　　The　living　water；　thirsty　one；　　　　　　　　　Stoop　down　and　drink；　and　live。　　　　　　　　　I　came　to　Jesus　and　I　drank　　　　　　　　　Of　that　life　giving　stream；　　　　　　　　　My　thirst　was　quenched；　　　　　　　　　My　soul　revived；　　　　　　　　　And　now　I　live　in　Him。'

The　individual　who　gave　out　this　hymn　was　a　tall；　thin　man　whose　clothes　hung　loosely　on　the　angles　of　his　round…shouldered；　bony　form。　His　long；　thin　legs　…　about　which　the　baggy　trousers　hung　in　ungraceful　folds　…　were　slightly　knock…kneed；　and　terminated　in　large；　fiat　feet。　　His　arms　were　very　long　even　for　such　a　tall　man；　and　the　huge；　bony　hands　were　gnarled　and　knotted。　　Regardless　of　the　season；　he　had　removed　his　bowler　hat；　revealing　his　forehead；　which　was　high；　flat　and　narrow。　　His　nose　was　a　large；　fleshy；　hawklike　beak；　and　from　the　side　of　each　nostril　a　deep　indentation　extended　downwards　until　it　disappeared　in　the　drooping　moustache　that　concealed　his　mouth　when　he　was　not　speaking；　but　the　vast　extent　of　which　was　perceptible　now　as　he　opened　it　to　call　out　the　words　of　the　hymn。　His　chin　was　large　and　extraordinarily　long：　the　eyes　were　pale　blue；　very　small　and　close　together；　surmounted　by　spare；　light…coloured；　almost　invisible　eyebrows　with　a　deep　vertical　cleft　between　them　over　the　nose。　　His　head　…　covered　with　thick；　coarse　brown　hair　…　was　very　large；　especially　at　the　back；　the　ears　were　small　and　laid　close　to　the　head。　　If　one　were　to　make　a　full…face　drawing　of　his　cadaverous　visage；　it　would　be　found　that　the　outline　resembled　that　of　the　lid　of　a　coffin。

As　Owen　and　Frankie　drew　near；　the　boy　tugged　at　his　father's　hand　and　whispered：　‘Dad！　that's　the　teacher　at　the　Sunday　School　where　I　went　that　day　with　Charley　and　Elsie。'

Owen　looked　quickly　and　saw　that　it　was　Hunter。

As　Hunter　ceased　reading　out　the　words　of　the　hymn；　the　little　company　of　evangelists　began　to　sing；　accompanied　by　the　strains　of　a　small　but　peculiarly　sweet…toned　organ。　　A　few　persons　in　the　crowd　joined　in；　the　words　being　familiar　to　them。　　During　the　singing　their　faces　were　a　study；　they　all　looked　so　profoundly　solemn　and　miserable；　as　if　they　were　a　gang　of　condemned　criminals　waiting　to　be　led　forth　to　execution。　　The　great　number　of　the　people　standing　around　appeared　to　be　listening　more　out　of　idle　curiosity　than　anything　else；　and　two　well…dressed　young　men　…　evidently　strangers　and　visitors　to　the　town　…　amused　themselves　by　making　audible　remarks　about　the　texts　on　the　lantern。　　There　was　also　a　shabbily　dressed；　semi…drunken　man　in　a　battered　bowler　hat　who　stood　on　the　inner　edge　of　the　crowd；　almost　in　the　ring　itself；　with　folded　arms　and　an　expression　of　scorn。　　He　had　a　very　thin；　pale　face　with　a　large；　high…bridged　nose；　and　bore　a　striking　resemblance　to　the　First　Duke　of　Wellington。

As　the　singing　proceeded；　the　scornful　expression　faded　from　the　visage　of　the　Semi…drunk；　and　he　not　only　joined　in；　but　unfolded　his　arms　and　began　waving　them　about　as　if　he　were　conducting　the　music。

By　the　time　the　singing　was　over　a　considerable　crowd　had　gathered；　and　then　one　of　the　evangelists；　the　same　man　who　had　given　out　the　hymn；　stepped　into　the　middle　of　the　ring。　　He　had　evidently　been　offended　by　the　unseemly　conduct　of　the　two　well…dressed　young　men；　for　after　a　preliminary　glance　round　upon　the　crowd；　he　fixed　his　gaze　upon　the　pair；　and　immediately　launched　out　upon　a　long　tirade　against　what　he　called　‘Infidelity'。　　Then；　having　heartily　denounced　all　those　who　…　as　he　put　it　…　‘refused'　to　believe；　he　proceeded　to　ridicule　those　half…and…half　believers；　who；　while　professing　to　believe　the　Bible；　rejected　the　doctrine　of　Hell。　　That　the　existence　of　a　place　of　eternal　torture　is　taught　in　the　Bible；　he　tried　to　prove　by　a　long　succession　of　texts。　　As　he　proceeded　he　became　very　excited；　and　the　contemptuous　laughter　of　the　two　unbelievers　seemed　to　make　him　worse。　　He　shouted　and　raved；　literally　foaming　at　the　mouth　and　glaring　in　a　frenzied　manner　around　upon　the　faces　of　the　crowd。

‘There　is　a　Hell！'　he　shouted。　　‘And　understand　this　clearly　…　〃The　wicked　shall　be　turned　into　hell〃　…　〃He　that　believeth　not　shall　be　damned。〃'

‘Well；　then；　you'll　stand　a　very　good　chance　of　being　damned　also；'　exclaimed　one　of　the　two　young　men。

‘'Ow　do　you　make　it　out？'　demanded　the　preacher；　wiping　the　froth　from　his　lips　and　the　perspiration　from　his　forehead　with　his　handkerchief。

‘Why；　because　you　don't　believe　the　Bible　yourselves。'

Nimrod　and　the　other　evangelists　laughed；　and　looked　pityingly　at　the　young　man。

‘Ah；　my　dear　brother；'　said　Misery。　　‘That's　your　delusion。　　I　thank　God　I　do　believe　it；　every　word！'

‘Amen；'　fervently　ejaculated　Slyme　and　several　of　the　other　disciples。

‘Oh　no；　you　don't；'　replied　the　other。　　‘And　I　can　prove　you　don't。'

‘Prove　it；　then；'　said　Nimrod。

‘Read　out　the　17th　and　18th　verses　of　the　XVIth　chapter　of　Mark；'　said　the　disturber　of　the　meeting。　　The　crowd　began　to　close　in　on　the　centre；　the　better　to　hear　the　dispute。　　Misery；　standing　close　to　the　lantern；　found　the　verse　mentioned　and　read　aloud　as　follows：

‘And　these　signs　shall　follow　them　that　believe。　　In　my　name　shall　they　cast　out　devils：　they　shall　s