all roads lead to calvary-第9节
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。 Joan felt at her ease with him in spite of the air of detachment that seemed part of his character。 Mrs。 Denton had paired them off together； and； during the lunch； one of themJoan could not remember which had introduced the subject of reincarnation。
Greyson was unable to accept the theory because of the fact that； in old age； the mind in common with the body is subject to decay。
〃Perhaps by the time I am fortyor let us say fifty；〃 he argued； 〃I shall be a bright； intelligent being。 If I die then； well and good。 I select a likely baby and go straight on。 But suppose I hang about till eighty and die a childish old gentleman with a mind all gone to seed。 What am I going to do then？ I shall have to begin all over again： perhaps worse off than I was before。 That's not going to help us much。〃
Joan explained it to him： that old age might be likened to an illness。 A genius lies upon a bed of sickness and babbles childish nonsense。 But with returning life he regains his power； goes on increasing it。 The mind； the soul； has not decayed。 It is the lines of communication that old age has destroyed。
〃But surely you don't believe it？〃 he demanded。
〃Why not？〃 laughed Joan。 〃All things are possible。 It was the possession of a hand that transformed monkeys into men。 We used to take things up； you know； and look at them； and wonder and wonder and wonder； till at last there was born a thought and the world became visible。 It is curiosity that will lead us to the next great discovery。 We must take things up； and think and think and think till one day there will come knowledge； and we shall see the universe。〃
Joan always avoided getting excited when she thought of it。
〃I love to make you excited；〃 Flossie had once confessed to her in the old student days。 〃You look so ridiculously young and you are so pleased with yourself； laying down the law。〃
She did not know she had given way to it。 He was leaning back in his chair； looking at her； and the tired look she had noticed in his eyes； when she had been introduced to him in the drawing…room； had gone out of them。
During the coffee； Mrs。 Denton beckoned him to come to her； and Miss Greyson crossed over and took his vacant chair。 She had been sitting opposite to them。
〃I've been hearing so much about you；〃 she said。 〃I can't help thinking that you ought to suit my brother's paper。 He has all your ideas。 Have you anything that you could send him？〃
Joan considered a moment。
〃Nothing very startling；〃 she answered。 〃I was thinking of a series of articles on the old London Churchestouching upon the people connected with them and the things they stood for。 I've just finished the first one。〃
〃It ought to be the very thing；〃 answered Miss Greyson。 She was a thin； faded woman with a soft； plaintive voice。 〃It will enable him to judge your style。 He's particular about that。 Though I'm confident he'll like it；〃 she hastened to add。 〃Address it to me； will you。 I assist him as much as I can。〃
Joan added a few finishing touches that evening； and posted it； and a day or two later received a note asking her to call at the office。
〃My sister is enthusiastic about your article on Chelsea Church and insists on my taking the whole series；〃 Greyson informed her。 〃She says you have the Stevensonian touch。〃
Joan flushed with pleasure。
〃And you；〃 she asked； 〃did you think it had the Stevensonian touch？〃
〃No；〃 he answered； 〃it seemed to me to have more of your touch。〃
〃What's that like？〃 she demanded。
〃They couldn't suppress you；〃 he explained。 〃Sir Thomas More with his head under his arm； bloody old Bluebeard； grim Queen Bess； snarling old Swift； Pope； Addison； Carlylethe whole grisly crowd of them！ I could see you holding your own against them all； explaining things to them； getting excited。〃 He laughed。
His sister joined them； coming in from the next room。 She had a proposal to make。 It was that Joan should take over the weekly letter from 〃Clorinda。〃 It was supposed to give the views of a perhaps unusuallysane and thoughtful woman upon the questions of the day。 Miss Greyson had hitherto conducted it herself； but was wishful as she explained to be relieved of it； so that she might have more time for home affairs。 It would necessitate Joan's frequent attendance at the office； for there would be letters from the public to be answered； and points to be discussed with her brother。 She was standing behind his chair with her hands upon his head。 There was something strangely motherly about her whole attitude。
Greyson was surprised； for the Letter had been her own conception； and had grown into a popular feature。 But she was evidently in earnest； and Joan accepted willingly。 〃Clorinda〃 grew younger； more self…assertive； on the whole more human。 But still so eminently 〃sane〃 and reasonable。
〃We must not forget that she is quite a respectable lady； connectedaccording to her own accountwith the higher political circles；〃 Joan's editor would insist； with a laugh。
Miss Greyson； working in the adjoining room； would raise her head and listen。 She loved to hear him laugh。
〃It's absurd；〃 Flossie told her one morning； as having met by chance they were walking home together along the Embankment。 〃You're not 'Clorinda'； you ought to be writing letters to her； not from her； waking her up； telling her to come off her perch； and find out what the earth feels like。 I'll tell you what I'll do： I'll trot you round to Carleton。 If you're out for stirring up strife and contention； well； that's his game； too。 He'll use you for his beastly sordid ends。 He'd have roped in John the Baptist if he'd been running the 'Jerusalem Star' at the time； and have given him a daily column for so long as the boom lasted。 What's that matter； if he's willing to give you a start？〃
Joan jibbed at first。 But in the end Flossie's arguments prevailed。 One afternoon； a week later； she was shown into Carleton's private room； and the door closed behind her。 The light was dim； and for a moment she could see no one； until Carleton； who had been standing near one of the windows； came forward and placed a chair for her。 And they both sat down。
〃I've glanced through some of your things；〃 he said。 〃They're all right。 They're alive。 What's your idea？〃
Remembering Flossie's counsel； she went straight to the point。 She wanted to talk to the people。 She wanted to get at them。 If she had been a man； she would have taken a chair and gone to Hyde Park。 As it was； she hadn't the nerve for Hyde Park。 At least she was afraid she hadn't。 It might have to come to that。 There was a trembling in her voice that annoyed her。 She was so afraid she might cry。 She wasn't out for anything crazy。 She wanted only those things done that could be done if the people would but lift their eyes； look into one another's faces； see the wrong and the injustice that was all around them； and swear that they would never rest till the pain and the terror had been driven from the land。 She wanted soldiersmen and women who would forget their own sweet selves； not counting their own loss； thinking of the greater gain； as in times of war and revolution； when men gave even their lives gladly for a dream； for a hope …
Without warning he switched on the electric lamp that stood upon the desk； causing her to draw back with a start。
〃All right；〃 he said。 〃Go ahead。 You shall have your tub； and a weekly audience of a million readers for as long as you can keep them interested。 Up with anything you like； and down with everything you don't。 Be careful not to land me in a libel suit。 Call the whole Bench of Bishops hypocrites； and all the ground landlords thieves； if you will： but don't mention names。 And don't get me into trouble with the police。 Beyond that； I shan't interfere with you。〃
She was about to speak。
〃One stipulation；〃 he went on； 〃that every article is headed with your photograph。〃
He read the sudden dismay in her eyes。
〃How else do you think you are going to attract their attention？〃 he asked her。 〃By your eloquence！ Hundreds of men and women as eloquent as you could ever be are shouting to them every day。 Who takes any notice of them？ Why should they listen any the more to youanother cranky highbrow： some old maid； most likely； with a bony throat and a beaky nose。 If Woman is going to come into the fight she will have to use her own weapons。 If she is prepared to do that she'll make things hum with a vengeance。 She's the biggest force going； if she only knew it。〃
He had risen and was pacing the room。
〃The advertiser has found that out； and is showing the way。〃 He snatched at an illustrated magazine； fresh from the press； that had been placed upon his desk； and opened it at the first page。 〃Johnson's Blacking；〃 he read out； 〃advertised by a dainty little minx； showing her ankles。 Who's going to stop for a moment to read about somebody's blacking？ If a saucy little minx isn't there to trip him up with her ankles！〃
He turned another page。 〃Do you suffer from gout？ Classical lady preparing to take a bath and very nearly ready。 The old Johnny in the train stops to look at her。 Reads the advertisement because she seems to want hi
