sunday under three heads-第2节

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！



hour；　for　the　accommodation　of　such　members　of　the　congregation　…

and　they　are　not　a　few　…　as　may　happen　to　have　lingered　at　the

Opera　far　into　the　morning　of　the　Sabbath；　an　excellent　contrivance

for　poising　the　balance　between　God　and　Mammon；　and　illustrating

the　ease　with　which　a　man's　duties　to　both；　may　be　accommodated　and

adjusted。　　How　the　carriages　rattle　up；　and　deposit　their　richly…

dressed　burdens　beneath　the　lofty　portico！　　The　powdered　footmen

glide　along　the　aisle；　place　the　richly…bound　prayer…books　on　the

pew　desks；　slam　the　doors；　and　hurry　away；　leaving　the　fashionable

members　of　the　congregation　to　inspect　each　other　through　their

glasses；　and　to　dazzle　and　glitter　in　the　eyes　of　the　few　shabby

people　in　the　free　seats。　　The　organ　peals　forth；　the　hired　singers

commence　a　short　hymn；　and　the　congregation　condescendingly　rise；

stare　about　them；　and　converse　in　whispers。　　The　clergyman　enters

the　reading…desk；　…　a　young　man　of　noble　family　and　elegant

demeanour；　notorious　at　Cambridge　for　his　knowledge　of　horse…flesh

and　dancers；　and　celebrated　at　Eton　for　his　hopeless　stupidity。

The　service　commences。　　Mark　the　soft　voice　in　which　he　reads；　and

the　impressive　manner　in　which　he　applies　his　white　hand；　studded

with　brilliants；　to　his　perfumed　hair。　　Observe　the　graceful

emphasis　with　which　he　offers　up　the　prayers　for　the　King；　the

Royal　Family；　and　all　the　Nobility；　and　the　nonchalance　with　which

he　hurries　over　the　more　uncomfortable　portions　of　the　service；　the

seventh　commandment　for　instance；　with　a　studied　regard　for　the

taste　and　feeling　of　his　auditors；　only　to　be　equalled　by　that

displayed　by　the　sleek　divine　who　succeeds　him；　who　murmurs；　in　a

voice　kept　down　by　rich　feeding；　most　comfortable　doctrines　for

exactly　twelve　minutes；　and　then　arrives　at　the　anxiously　expected

'Now　to　God；'　which　is　the　signal　for　the　dismissal　of　the

congregation。　　The　organ　is　again　heard；　those　who　have　been　asleep

wake　up；　and　those　who　have　kept　awake；　smile　and　seem　greatly

relieved；　bows　and　congratulations　are　exchanged；　the　livery

servants　are　all　bustle　and　commotion；　bang　go　the　steps；　up　jump

the　footmen；　and　off　rattle　the　carriages：　　the　inmates　discoursing

on　the　dresses　of　the　congregation；　and　congratulating　themselves

on　having　set　so　excellent　an　example　to　the　community　in　general；

and　Sunday…pleasurers　in　particular。



Enter　a　less　orthodox　place　of　religious　worship；　and　observe　the

contrast。　　A　small　close　chapel　with　a　white…washed　wall；　and　plain

deal　pews　and　pulpit；　contains　a　closely…packed　congregation；　as

different　in　dress；　as　they　are　opposed　in　manner；　to　that　we　have

just　quitted。　　The　hymn　is　sung　…　not　by　paid　singers；　but　by　the

whole　assembly　at　the　loudest　pitch　of　their　voices；　unaccompanied

by　any　musical　instrument；　the　words　being　given　out；　two　lines　at

a　time；　by　the　clerk。　　There　is　something　in　the　sonorous　quavering

of　the　harsh　voices；　in　the　lank　and　hollow　faces　of　the　men；　and

the　sour　solemnity　of　the　women；　which　bespeaks　this　a　strong…hold

of　intolerant　zeal　and　ignorant　enthusiasm。　　The　preacher　enters

the　pulpit。　　He　is　a　coarse；　hard…faced　man　of　forbidding　aspect；

clad　in　rusty　black；　and　bearing　in　his　hand　a　small　plain　Bible

from　which　he　selects　some　passage　for　his　text；　while　the　hymn　is

concluding。　　The　congregation　fall　upon　their　knees；　and　are　hushed

into　profound　stillness　as　he　delivers　an　extempore　prayer；　in

which　he　calls　upon　the　Sacred　Founder　of　the　Christian　faith　to

bless　his　ministry；　in　terms　of　disgusting　and　impious　familiarity

not　to　be　described。　　He　begins　his　oration　in　a　drawling　tone；　and

his　hearers　listen　with　silent　attention。　　He　grows　warmer　as　he

proceeds　with　his　subject；　and　his　gesticulation　becomes

proportionately　violent。　　He　clenches　his　fists；　beats　the　book

upon　the　desk　before　him；　and　swings　his　arms　wildly　about　his

head。　　The　congregation　murmur　their　acquiescence　in　his　doctrines：

and　a　short　groan；　occasionally　bears　testimony　to　the　moving

nature　of　his　eloquence。　　Encouraged　by　these　symptoms　of　approval；

and　working　himself　up　to　a　pitch　of　enthusiasm　amounting　almost　to

frenzy；　he　denounces　sabbath…breakers　with　the　direst　vengeance　of

offended　Heaven。　　He　stretches　his　body　half　out　of　the　pulpit；

thrusts　forth　his　arms　with　frantic　gestures；　and　blasphemously

calls　upon　The　Deity　to　visit　with　eternal　torments；　those　who　turn

aside　from　the　word；　as　interpreted　and　preached　by　…　himself。　　A

low　moaning　is　heard；　the　women　rock　their　bodies　to　and　fro；　and

wring　their　hands；　the　preacher's　fervour　increases；　the

perspiration　starts　upon　his　brow；　his　face　is　flushed；　and　he

clenches　his　hands　convulsively；　as　he　draws　a　hideous　and

appalling　picture　of　the　horrors　preparing　for　the　wicked　in　a

future　state。　　A　great　excitement　is　visible　among　his　hearers；　a

scream　is　heard；　and　some　young　girl　falls　senseless　on　the　floor。

There　is　a　momentary　rustle；　but　it　is　only　for　a　moment　…　all　eyes

are　turned　towards　the　preacher。　　He　pauses；　passes　his

handkerchief　across　his　face；　and　looks　complacently　round。　　His

voice　resumes　its　natural　tone；　as　with　mock　humility　he　offers　up

a　thanksgiving　for　having　been　successful　in　his　efforts；　and

having　been　permitted　to　rescue　one　sinner　from　the　path　of　evil。

He　sinks　back　into　his　seat；　exhausted　with　the　violence　of　his

ravings；　the　girl　is　removed；　a　hymn　is　sung；　a　petition　for　some

measure　for　securing　the　better　observance　of　the　Sabbath；　which

has　been　prepared　by　the　good　man；　is　read；　and　his　worshipping

admirers　struggle　who　shall　be　the　first　to　sign　it。



But　the　morning　service　has　concluded；　and　the　streets　are　again

crowded　with　people。　　Long　rows　of　cleanly…dressed　charity

children；　preceded　by　a　portly　beadle　and　a　withered　schoolmaster；

are　returning　to　their　welcome　dinner；　and　it　is　evident；　from　the

number　of　men　with　beer…trays　who　are　running　from　house　to　house；

that　no　inconsiderable　portion　of　the　population　are　about　to　take

theirs　at　this　early　hour。　　The　bakers'　shops　in　the　humbler

suburbs　especially；　are　filled　with　men；　women；　and　children；　each

anxiously　waiting　for　the　Sunday　dinner。　　Look　at　the　group　of

children　who　surround　that　working　man　who　has　just　emerged　from

the　baker's　shop　at　the　corner　of　the　street；　with　the　reeking

dish；　in　which　a　diminutive　joint　of　mutton　simmers　above　a　vast

heap　of　half…browned　potatoes。　　How　the　young　rogues　clap　their

hands；　and　dance　round　their　father；　for　very　joy　at　the　prospect

of　the　feast：　　and　how　anxiously　the　youngest　and　chubbiest　of　the

lot；　lingers　on　tiptoe　by　his　side；　trying　to　get　a　peep　into　the

interior　of　the　dish。　　They　turn　up　the　street；　and　the　chubby…

faced　boy　trots　on　as　fast　as　his　little　legs　will　carry　him；　to

herald　the　approach　of　the　dinner　to　'Mother'　who　is　standing　with

a　baby　in　her　arms　on　the　doorstep；　and　who　seems　almost　as　pleased

with　the　whole　scene　as　the　children　themselves；　whereupon　'baby'

not　precisely　understanding　the　importance　of　the　business　in　hand；

but　clearly　perceiving　that　it　is　something　unusually　lively；　kicks

and　crows　most　lustily；　to　the　unspeakable　delight　of　all　the

children　and　both　the　parents：　　and　the　dinner　is　borne　into　the

house　amidst　a　shouting　of　small　voices；　and　jumping　of　fat　legs；

which　would　fill　Sir　Andrew　Agnew　with　astonishment；　as　well　it

might；　seeing　that　Baronets；　generally　speaking；　eat　pretty

comfortable　dinners　all　the　week　through；　and　cannot　be　expected　to

understand　what　people　feel；　who　only　have　a　meat　dinner　on　one　day

out　of　every　seven。



The　bakings　being　all　duly　consigned　to　their　respective　owners；

and　the　beer…man　having　gone　his　rounds；　the　church　bells　ring　for

afternoon　service；　the　shops　are　again　closed；　and　the　streets　are

more　than　ever　thronged　with　people；　some　who　have　not　been　to

church　in　the　morning；　going　to　it　now；　others　who　have　been　to

church；　going　out　for　a　walk；　and　others　…　let　us　admit　the　full

measure　of　their　guilt　…　going　for　a　walk；　who　have　not　been　to

church　at　all。　　I　am　afraid　the　smart　servant　of　all　work；　who　has

been　loitering　at　the　corner　of　the　square　for　the　last　ten

minutes；　is　one　of　the　latter　class。　　She　is　evidently　waiting　for

somebody；　and　though　she　may　have　made　up　her　mind　to　go　to　church

with　him　one　of　these　mornings；　I　don't　think　they　have　any　such

intention　on　this　particular　afternoon。　　Here　he　is；　at　last。　　The

white　trousers；　blue　coat；　and　yellow　waistcoat　…　and　more

especially　that　cock　of　the　hat　…　indicate；　as　surely　as　inanimate

objects　can；　that　Chalk　Farm　and　not　the　parish　church；　is　their

destination。　　The　girl　colours　up；　and　puts　out　her　hand　with　a

very　awkward　affectation　of　indifference。　　He　gives　it　a　gallant

squeeze；　and　away　they　walk；　arm　in　arm；　the　girl　just　looking　back

towards　her　'place'　with　an　air　of　conscious　self…