phyllis of philistia-第40节

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ad　promised　to　be　his　wife？

Before　going　to　bed　he　had　written　replies　to　the　two　letters。　The　bishop　had　suggested　an　early　hour　for　their　interviewhe　had　named　eleven　o'clock　as　convenient　to　himself；　if　it　would　also　suit　Mr。　Holland。　Two　o'clock　was　the　hour　suggested　by　Mr。　Linton；　if　that　hour　would　not　interfere　with　the　other　engagements　of　Mr。　Holland；　so　he　had　written　agreements　to　the　suggestions　of　both　his　correspondents。

At　eleven　o'clock　exactly　he　drove　through　the　gates　of　the　Palace　of　the　bishop；　and　with　no　faltering　hand　pulled　the　bell。　（So；　he　reflected　for　an　instant；only　an　instant；Luther　had　gone；　somewhere　or　other；　he　forgot　at　the　moment　what　was　the　exact　locality；　but　the　occasion　had　been　a　momentous　one　in　the　history　of　the　Church。）

He　was　cordially　greeted　by　the　bishop；　who　said：

〃How　do　you　do；　Holland？　I　took　it　for　granted　that　you　were　an　early　riserthat's　why　I　ventured　to　name　eleven。〃

〃No　hour　could　suit　me　better　to…day；〃　said　George；　accepting　the　seat　he　perceived　at　once　that　it　was　a　genuine　Chippendale　chair　upholstered　in　old　red　moroccoto　which　his　lordship　made　a　motion　with　his　hand。　He　did　not；　however；　seat　himself　until　the　bishop　had　occupied；　which　he　did　very　comfortably；　the　corresponding　chair　at　the　side　of　the　study　desk。

〃I　was　anxious　to　have　a　chat　with　you　about　that　book；　and　that　article　of　yours　in　the　/Zeit　Geist/；　Holland；〃　said　the　bishop。　〃I　wish　you　had　written　neither。〃

〃/Litera　scripta　manet/；〃　said　George；　with　a　smile。

One　may　quote　Latin　in　conversation　with　a　bishop　without　being　thought　a　prig。　In　a　letter　to　the　/Times/　and　in　conversation　with　a　bishop　are　the　only　two　occasions　in　these　unclassical　days　when　one　may　safely　quote　Latin　or　Greek。

〃That's　the　worst　of　it；〃　said　the　prelate；　with　a　shake　of　his　head　that　was　Early　Norman。　〃Yes；　you　see　a　book　isn't　like　a　sermon。　People　don't　remember　a　man's　sermons　against　him　nowadays；　they　do　his　books；　however。〃

〃I　am　quite　ready　to　accept　the　conditions　of　modern　life；　my　lord；〃　said　George。

〃I　was　anxious　to　give　you　my　opinion　as　early　as　possible；〃　resumed　the　bishop；　〃and　that　is；　that　what　you　have　just　publishedthe　book　and　the　/Zeit　Geist/　articlereflectyes；　in　no　inconsiderable　measurewhat　I　have　long　thought。〃

〃I　am　flattered；　indeed；　my　lord。〃

〃You　need　not　be；　Holland。　I　believe　that　there　are　a　large　number　of　thinking　men　in　the　Church　who　are　trying　to　solve　the　problem　with　which　you　have　so　daringly　grappledthe　problem　of　how　to　induce　intellectual　men　and　women　to　attend　the　services　of　the　church。　I'm　afraid　that　there　is　a　great　deal　of　truth　in　what　you　say　about　the　Church　herself　bearing　responsibility　for　the　existence　of　this　problem。〃

〃There　is　no　setting　aside　that　fact；　my　lord。〃

〃Alas！　that　short…sighted　policy　has　been　the　Church's　greatest　enemy　from　the　earliest　period。　You　remember　what　St。　Augustine　says？　Ah；　never　mind　just　now。　About　your　bookthat's　the　matter　before　us　just　now。　I　must　say　that　I　don't　consider　the　present　time　the　most　suitable　for　the　issue　of　that　book；　or　that　article　in　the　/Zeit　Geist/。　You　meant　them　to　be　startling。　Well；　they　are　startling。　There　are　some　complaintsnervous　complaintsthat　require　to　be　startled　out　of　the　system；　that's　a　phrase　of　Sir　Richard's。　He　made　use　of　it　in　regard　to　my　neuralgia。　'We　must　surprise　it　out　of　the　system；'　said　he；　'with　a　large　dose　of　quinine。'　The　phrase　seemed　to　me　to　be　a　very　striking　one。　But　the　Church　is　not　neurotic。　You　cannot　apply　the　surprise　method　to　her　system　with　any　chance　of　success。　That　is　wherein　the　publication　of　your　article　seems　to　me　to　beshall　we　call　it　premature？　It　is　calculated　to　startle；　but　you　cannot　startle　people　into　going　to　church；　my　dear　Holland；　and　that　is；　of　course；　the　only　object　you　hope　to　achieve。　Your　book　and　your　article　were　written　with　the　sole　object　of　bringing　intelligent　people　to　church。　But　it　occurs　to　me；　and　I　think　it　will　occur　to　you　also；　that　if　the　article　be　taken　seriously；and　it　is　meant　to　be　taken　seriously；it　may　be　the　means　of　keeping　people　away　from　the　Church　rather　than　bringing　them　to　church。　It　may　even　be　the　means　of　alienating　from　that　fond；　if　somewhat　foolish　old　mother　of　ours；　many　of　her　children　who　are　already　attached　to　her。　I　trust　I　don't　speak　harshly。〃

〃Your　lordship　speaks　most　kindly；　but　the　truth〃

〃Should　be　spoken　as　gently　as　possible　when　it　is　calculated　to　wound；　Holland；　that　is　why　I　trust　I　am　speaking　gently　now。　Ah；　Holland！　there　are　the　little　children　to　be　considered　as　well　as　the　Scribes　and　Pharisees。　There　are　weaker　brethren。　You　have　heard　of　the　necessity　for　considering　the　weaker　brethren。〃

〃I　seem　to　have　heard　of　nothing　else　since　I　entered　the　Church；　all　the　brethren　are　the　weaker　brethren。〃

〃They　are；　I　am　one　of　the　weaker　brethren　myself。　It　is　all　a　question　of　comparison。　I　don't　say　that　your　article　is　likely　to　have　the　effect　of　causing　me　to　join　the　band　of　non…church…goers。　I　don't　at　this　moment　believe　that　it　will　drive　me　to　golf　instead　of　Gospel；　but　I　honestly　do　believe　that　it　is　calculated　to　do　that　to　hundreds　of　persons　who　just　now　require　but　the　smallest　grain　of　argument　to　turn　the　balance　of　their　minds　in　favor　of　golf。　Your　aim　was　not　in　that　direction；　I'm　sure；　Holland。〃

〃My　aim　was　to　speak　the　truth；　my　lord。〃

〃In　order　to　achieve　a　noble　objectthe　gathering　of　the　stragglers　into　the　fold。〃

〃That　was　my　motive；　my　lord。〃

〃You　announce　boldly　that　this　old　mother　of　ours　is　in　a　moribund　condition；　in　order　that　you　may　gather　in　as　many　of　her　scattered　children　as　possible　to　stand　at　her　bedside？　Ah；　my　dear　Holland！　the　moribund　brings　together　the　wolves　and　the　vultures　and　all　unclean；　hungry　things　to　try　and　get　a　mouthful　off　those　prostrate　limbs　of　hersa　mouthful　while　her　flesh　is　still　warm。　I　tell　you　thisI　who　have　from　time　to　time　during　the　last　fifty　years　heard　the　howl　of　the　hyena；　seen　the　talons　of　the　vulture　at　the　door　of　her　chamber。　They　fancied　that　the　end　could　not　be　far　off；　that　no　more　strength　was　left　in　that　aged　body　that　lay　prone　for　the　moment。　But　I　have　heard　the　howling　wane　into　the　distance　and　get　lost　in　the　outer　darkness　when　the　old　Church　roused　herself　and　went　forth　to　face　the　snarling　teeththe　eager　talons。　There　is　life　in　this　mighty　old　mother　of　ours　still。　New　life　comes　to　her；　not　as　it　did　to　the　fabled　hero　of　old；　by　contact　with　the　earth；　but　by　communing　with　heaven。　The　bark　of　the　wolf；　the　snarl　of　the　hyena；　may　be　heard　in　the　debate　which　the　Government　have　encouraged　in　the　House　of　Commons　on　the　Church。　Philistia　rejoices。　Let　the　movers　in　this　obscene　tumult　look　to　themselves。　Have　they　the　confidence　of　the　people　even　as　the　Church　has　that　confidence？　Let　them　put　it　to　the　test。　I　tell　you；　George　Holland；　the　desert　and　the　ditch；　whose　vomit　those　men　are　who　now　move　against　us　in　Parliament；　shall　receive　them　once　more　before　many　months　have　passed。　The　Church　on　whom　they　hoped　to　prey　shall　witness　their　dispersal；　never　again　to　return。　I　know　the　signs。　I　know　what　the　present　silence　throughout　the　country　means。　The　champion　of　God　and　the　Church　has　drawn　his　breath　for　the　conflict。　His　teeth　are　sethis　weapon　is　in　his　hand　you　will　see　the　result　within　a　year。　We　shall　have　a　government　in　power；　a　government　whose　power　will　not　be　dependent　on　the　faddists　and　the　self…seekersthe　ignorant；　the　blatant　bellowers　of　pitiful　platitudes；　the　platform　loafers　who　call　themselves　labor…leaders；　but　whom　the　real　laborers　repudiate。　Mark　my　words；　their　doom　is　sealed；　back　to　the　desert　and　the　ditch！　My　dear　Holland；　pardon　this　digression。　I　feel　that　I　need　say　nothing　more　to　you　than　I　have　already　said。　The　surprise　system　of　therapeutics　is　not　suited　to　the　existing　ailments　of　the　Church。　Caution　is　what　is　needed　if　you　would　not　defeat　your　own　worthy　object；　which；　I　know；　is　to　give　fresh　vitality　to　the　Church。〃

〃That　is　certainly　my　object；　my　lord；　only　let　me　say　that〃

〃My　dear　Holland；　I　will　not　let　you　say　anything。　I　asked　you　to　come　here　this　morning　in　order　that　you　might　hear　me。　That　is　all　that　is　necessary　for　the　present。　Perhaps；　upon　some　future　occasion；　I　may　have　the　privilege　of　hearing　you　in　a　discourse　of　some　greater　length　than　that　which　I　have　just　inflicted　upon　you。　I　have　given　you　my　candid　opinion　of　your　writings；　and　you　know　that　is　the　opinion　of　a　man　who　has　but　one　object　in　lifeyou　know　that　it　is　the　opinion　of　an　old　man　who　has　seen　the　beginning　and　the　end　of　many　movements　in　society　and　in　the　Church；　and　who　has　learned　that　the　Church；　for　all　her　decrepitude；　is　yet　the　most　stable　thing　that　the　world　has　seen。　I　have　to　thank　you　for　coming　to　me；　Holland。〃

〃Your　lordship　has　spoken　to　me　with　the　greatest　kindness；〃　said　George　Holland；　as　his　spiritual　father　offered　him　his　hand。

In　a　few　minutes　he　was　in　his　hansom　once　more。



CHAPTER　XXIX。

I　KNOW　THAT　IT　DOESN'T　MATTER　MUCH　TO　GOD　WHAT　A　MAN　THINKS　ABOUT　HIMSELF　OR　HIS　SOUL。

For　the　next　hour　and　a　half　the　Rev