david elginbrod-第83节

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that　was　involved　by　the　story。

〃Now；〃　said　Falconer；　〃I　have　material　out　of　which　to　construct　a
theory。　　The　count　is　at　present　like　a　law　of　nature　concerning
which　a　prudent　question　is　the　first　half　of　the　answer；　as　Lord
Bacon　says；　and　you　can　put　no　question　without　having　first　formed
a　theory；　however　slight　or　temporary；　for　otherwise　no　question
will　suggest　itself。　　But；　in　the　meantime；　as　I　said　before；　I　will
make　inquiry　upon　the　theory　that　he　is　somewhere　in　London；
although　I　doubt　it。〃

〃Then　I　will　not　occupy　your　time　any　longer　at　present；〃　said　Hugh。
〃Could　you　say；　without　fettering　yourself　in　the　least；　when　I
might　be　able　to　see　you　again？〃

〃Let　me　see。　　I　will　make　an　appointment　with　you。Next　Sunday；
here；　at　ten　o'clock　in　the　morning。　　Make　a　note　of　it。〃

〃There　is　no　fear　of　my　forgetting　it。　　My　consolations　are　not　so
numerous　that　I　can　afford　to　forget　my　sole　pleasure。　　You；　I
should　think；　have　more　need　to　make　a　note　of　it　than　I；　though　I
am　quite　willing　to　be　forgotten；　if　necessary。〃

〃I　never　forget　my　engagements；〃　said　Falconer。

They　parted；　and　Hugh　went　home　to　his　novel。




CHAPTER　XI。

QUESTIONS　AND　DREAMS。

On　a　certain　time　the　Lady　St。　Mary　had　commanded　the　Lord　Jesus　to
fetch　her　some　water　out　of　the　well。　　And　when　he　had　gone　to　fetch
the　water；　the　pitcher；　when　it　was　brought　up　full；　brake。　　But
Jesus；　spreading　his　mantle；　gathered　up　the　water　again；　and
brought　it　in　that　to　his　mother。The　First　（apocryphal）　Gospel　of
the　INFANCY　of　JESUS　CHRIST。


Mrs。　Elton　read　prayers　morning　and　evening；very　elaborate
compositions；　which　would　have　instructed　the　apostles　themselves　in
many　things　they　had　never　anticipated。　　But；　unfortunately；　Mrs。
Elton　must　likewise　read　certain　remarks；　in　the　form　of　a　homily；
intended　to　impress　the　scripture　which　preceded　it　upon　the　minds
of　the　listeners。　　Between　the　mortar　of　the　homilist's　faith；　and
the　dull　blows　of　the　pestle　of　his　arrogance；　the　fair　form　of
truth　was　ground　into　the　powder　of　pious　small　talk。　　This　result
was　not　pleasant　either　to　Harry　or　to　Euphra。　　Euphra；　with　her
life　threatening　to　go　to　ruin　about　her；　was　crying　out　for　him　who
made　the　soul　of　man；　〃who　loved　us　into　being；〃2　and　who　alone　can
renew　the　life　of　his　children；　and　in　such　words　as　those　a
scoffing　demon　seemed　to　mock　at　her　needs。　　Harry　had　the　natural
dislike　of　all　childlike　natures　to　everything　formal；　exclusive；
and　unjust。　　But；　having　received　nothing　of　what　is　commonly　called
a　religious　training；　this　advantage　resulted　from　his　new
experiences　in　Mrs。　Elton's　family；　that　a　good　direction　was　given
to　his　thoughts　by　the　dislike　which　he　felt　to　such　utterances。
More　than　this：　a　horror　fell　upon　him　lest　these　things　should　be
true；　lest　the　mighty　All　of　nature　should　be　only　a　mechanism；
without　expression　and　without　beauty；　lest　the　God　who　made　us
should　be　like　us　only　in　this；　that　he　too　was　selfish　and　mean　and
proud；　lest　his　ideas　should　resemble　those　that　inhabit　the　brain
of　a　retired　money…maker；　or　of　an　arbitrary　monarch　claiming　a
divine　rightinstead　of　towering　as　the　heavens　over　the　earth；
above　the　loftiest　moods　of　highest　poet；　most　generous　child；　or
most　devoted　mother。　　I　do　not　mean　that　these　thoughts　took　these
shapes　in　Harry's　mind；　but　that　his　feelings　were　such　as　might
have　been　condensed　into　such　thoughts；　had　his　intellect　been　more
mature。

One　morning；　the　passage　of　scripture　which　Mrs。　Elton　read　was　the
story　of　the　young　man　who　came　to　Jesus；　and　went　away　sorrowful；
because　the　Lord　thought　so　well　of　him；　and　loved　him　so　heartily；
that　he　wanted　to　set　him　free　from　his　riches。　　A　great　portion　of
the　homily　was　occupied　with　proving　that　the　evangelist　could　not
possibly　mean　that　Jesus　loved　the　young　man　in　any　pregnant　sense
of　the　word；　but　merely　meant　that　Jesus　〃felt　kindly　disposed
towards　him〃felt　a　poor　little　human　interest　in　him；　in　fact；　and
did　not　love　him　divinely　at　all。

Harry's　face　was　in　a　flame　all　the　time　she　was　reading。　　When　the
service　was　overand　a　bond　service　it　was　for　Euphra　and　himthey
left　the　room　together。　　As　soon　as　the　door　was　shut；　he　burst　out：

〃I　say；　Euphra！　　Wasn't　that　a　shame？　　They　would　have　Jesus　as　bad
as　themselves。　　We　shall　have　somebody　writing　a　book　next　to　prove
that　after　all　Jesus　was　a　Pharisee。〃

〃Never　mind；〃　said　the　heart…sore；　sceptical　Euphra；　〃never　mind；
Harry；　it's　all　nonsense。〃

〃No；　it's　not　all　nonsense。　　Jesus　did　love　the　young　man。　　I
believe　the　story　itself　before　all　the　Doctors　of　Divinity　in　the
world。　　He　loves　all　of　us；　he　doeswith　all　his　heart；　too。〃

〃I　hope　so；〃　was　all　she　could　reply；　but　she　was　comforted　by
Harry's　vehement　confession　of　faith。

Euphra　was　so　far　softened；　or　perhaps　weakened；　by　suffering；　that
she　yielded　many　things　which　would　have　seemed　impossible　before。
One　of　these　was　that　she　went　to　church　with　Mrs。　Elton；　where
that　lady　hoped　she　would　get　good　to　her　soul。　　Harry　of　course　was
not　left　behind。　　The　church　she　frequented　was　a　fashionable　one；
with　a　vicar　more　fashionable　still；　for　had　he　left　that　church；
more　than　half　his　congregation；　which　consisted　mostly　of　ladies；
would　have　left　it　also；　and　followed　him　to　the　ends　of　London。　　He
was　a　middle…aged　man；　with　a　rubicund　countenance；　and　a　gentle
familiarity　of　manner；　that　was　exceedingly　pleasing　to　the
fashionable　sheep　who；　conscious　that　they　had　wandered　from　the
fold；　were　waiting　with　exemplary　patience　for　the　barouches　and
mail…phaetons　of　the　skies　to　carry　them　back　without　the　trouble　of
walking。　　Alas　for　them！　they　have　to　learn　that　the　chariots　of
heaven　are　chariots　of　fire。

The　Sunday　morning　following　the　conversation　I　have　just　recorded；
the　clergyman's　sermon　was　devoted　to　the　illustration　of　the
greatness　and　condescension　of　the　Saviour。　　After　a　certain　amount
of　tame　excitement　expended　upon　the　consideration　of　his　power　and
kingdom；　one　passage　was　wound　up　in　this　fashion：

〃Yes；　my　friends；　even　her　most　gracious　Majesty；　Queen　Victoria；
the　ruler　over　millions　diverse　in　speech　and　in　hue；　to　whom　we　all
look　up　with　humble　submission；　and　whom　we　acknowledge　as　our
sovereign　ladyeven　she；　great　as　she　is；　adds　by　her　homage　a
jewel　to　his　crown；　and；　hailing　him　as　her　Lord；　bows　and　renders
him　worship！　　Yet　this　is　he　who　comes　down　to　visit；　yea；　dwells
with　his　own　elect；　his　chosen　ones；　whom　he　has　led　back　to　the
fold　of　his　grace。〃

For　some　reason；　known　to　himself；　Falconer　had　taken　Hugh；　who　had
gone　to　him　according　to　appointment　that　morning；　to　this　same
church。　　As　they　came　out；　Hugh　said：

〃Mr。…is　quite　proud　of　the　honour　done　his　master　by　the　queen。〃

〃I　do　not　think；〃　answered　Falconer；　〃that　his　master　will　think　so
much　of　it；　for　he　once　had　his　feet　washed　by　a　woman　that　was　a
sinner。〃

The　homily　which　Mrs。　Elton　read　at　prayers　that　evening；　bore　upon
the　same　subject　nominally　as　the　chapter　that　preceded　itthat　of
election；　a　doctrine　which　in　the　Bible　asserts　the　fact　of　God's
choosing　certain　persons　for　the　specific　purpose　of　receiving
first；　and　so　communicating　the　gifts　of　his　grace　to　the　whole
world；　but　which；　in　the　homily　referred　to；　was　taken　to　mean　the
choice　of　certain　persons　for　ultimate　salvation；　to　the　exclusion
of　the　rest。　　They　were　sitting　in　silence　after　the　close；　when
Harry　started　up　suddenly；　saying：　〃I　don't　want　God　to　love　me；　if
he　does　not　love　everybody；〃　and；　bursting　into　tears；　hurried　out
of　the　room。　　Mrs。　Elton　was　awfully　shocked　at　his　wickedness。
Euphra；　hastened　after　him；　but　he　would　not　return；　and　went
supperless　to　bed。　　Euphra；　however；　carried　him　some　supper。　　He
sat　up　in　bed　and　ate　it　with　the　tears　in　his　eyes。　　She　kissed
him；　and　bade　him　good　night；　when；　just　as　she　was　leaving　the
room；　he　broke　out　with：

〃But　only　think；　Euphra；　if　it　should　be　true！　　I　would　rather　not
have　been　made。〃

〃It　is　not　true；〃　said　Euphra；　in　whom　a　faint　glimmer　of　faith　in
God　awoke　for　the　sake　of　the　boy　whom　she　lovedawoke　to　comfort
him；　when　it　would　not　open　its　eyes　for　herself。　〃No；　Harry　dear；
if　there　is　a　God　at　all；　he　is　not　like　that。〃

〃No；　he　can't　be；〃　said　Harry；　vehemently；　and　with　the　brightness
of　a　sudden　thought；　〃for　if　he　were　like　that；　he　wouldn't　be　a　God
worth　being；　and　that　couldn't　be；　you　know。〃

Euphra　knelt　by　her　bedside；　and　prayed　more　hopefully　than　for　many
days　before。　　She　prayed　that　God　would　let　her　know　that　he　was　not
an　idol　of　man's　invention。

Till　friendly　sleep　came；　and　untied　the　knot　of　care；　both　Euphra
and　Harry　lay　troubled　with　things　too　great　for　them。　　Even　in
their　sleep；　the　care　would　gather　again；　and　body　itself　into
dreams。　　The　first　thought　that　visited　Harry　when　he　awoke；　was　the
memory　of　his　dream：　that　he　died　and　went　to　heaven；　that　heaven
was　a　great　church　just　like　the　one　Mrs。　Elton　went　to；　only
larger；　that　the　pews　were　filled　with　angels；　so　crowded　together
that　they　had　to　tuck　up　their　wings　very　close　ind