the friendly road-第11节

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I　think　men　perish　sometimes　from　sheer　untalked　talk。　For　lack　of　a　creative　listener　they　gradually　fill　up　with　unexpressed　emotion。　Presently　this　emotion　begins　to　ferment；　and　finallybang！they　blow　up；　burst；　disappear　in　thin　air。　In　all　that　community　I　suppose　there　was　no　one　but　the　little　faded　wife　to　whom　the　minister　dared　open　his　heart；　and　I　think　he　found　me　a　godsend。　All　I　really　did　was　to　look　from　one　to　the　other　and　put　in　here　and　there　an　inciting　comment　or　ask　an　understanding　question。　After　he　had　told　me　his　situation　and　the　difficulties　which　confronted　him　and　his　small　church；　he　exclaimed　suddenly：

〃A　minister　should　by　rights　be　a　leader；　not　only　inside　of　his　church；　but　outside　it　in　the　community。〃

〃You　are　right；〃　I　exclaimed　with　great　earnestness；　〃you　are　right。〃

And　with　that　I　told　him　of　our　own　Scotch　preacher　and　how　he　led　and　moulded　our　community；　and　as　I　talked　I　could　see　him　actually　growing；　unfolding；　under　my　eyes。

〃Why；〃　said　I；　〃you　not　only　ought　to　be　the　moral　leader　of　this　community；　but　you　are！〃

〃That's　what　I　tell　him；〃　exclaimed　his　wife。

〃But　he　persists　in　thinking；　doesn't　he；　that　he　is　a　poor　sinner？〃

〃He　thinks　it　too　much；〃　she　laughed。

〃Yes；　yes；〃　he　said；　as　much　to　himself　as　to　us；　〃a　minister　ought　to　be　a　fighter！〃

It　was　beautiful；　the　boyish　flush　which　now　came　into　his　face　and　the　light　that　came　into　his　eyes。　I　should　never　have　identified　him　with　the　Black　Spectre　of　the　afternoon。

〃Why；〃　said　I；　〃you　ARE　a　fighter；　you're　fighting　the　greatest　battle　in　the　world　todaythe　only　real　battlethe　battle　for　the　spiritual　view　of　life。〃

Oh；　I　knew　exactly　what　was　the　trouble　with　his　religionat　least　the　religion　which；　under　the　pressure　of　that　church　he　felt　obliged　to　preach！　It　was　the　old；　groaning；　denying；　resisting　religion。　It　was　the　sort　of　religion　which　sets　a　man　apart　and　assures　him　that　the　entire　universe　in　the　guise　of　the　Powers　of　Darkness　is　leagued　against　him。　What　he　needed　was　a　reviving　draught　of　the　new　faith　which　affirms；　accepts；　rejoices；　which　feels　the　universe　triumphantly　behind　it。　And　so　whenever　the　minister　told　me　what　he　ought　to　befor　he　too　sensed　the　new　impulseI　merely　told　him　he　was　just　that。　He　needed　only　this　little　encouragement　to　unfold。

〃Yes；〃　said　he　again；　〃I　am　the　real　moral　leader　here。〃

At　this　I　saw　Mrs。　Minister　nodding　her　head　vigorously。

〃It's　you；〃　she　said；　〃and　not　Mr。　Nash；　who　should　lead　this　community。〃

How　a　woman　loves　concrete　applications。　She　is　your　only　true　pragmatist。　If　a　philosophy　will　not　work；　says　she；　why　bother　with　it？

The　minister　rose　quickly　from　his　chair；　threw　back　his　head；　and　strode　quickly　up　and　down　the　room。

〃You　are　right；〃　said　he；　〃and　I　WILL　lead　it。　I'll　have　my　farmers'　meetings　as　I　planned。〃

It　may　have　been　the　effect　of　the　lamplight；　but　it　seemed　to　me　that　little　Mrs。　Minister；　as　she　glanced　up　at　him；　looked　actually　pretty。

The　minister　continued　to　stride　up　and　down　the　room　with　his　chin　in　the　air。

〃Mr。　Nash；〃　said　she　in　a　low　voice　to　me；　〃is　always　trying　to　hold　him　down　and　keep　him　back。　My　husband　WANTS　to　do　the　great　things〃wistfully。

〃By　every　right；〃　the　minister　was　repeating；　quite　oblivious　of　our　presence；　〃I　should　lead　these　people。〃

〃He　sees　the　weakness　of　the　church；〃　she　continued；　〃as　well　as　any　one；　and　he　wants　to　start　some　vigorous　community　workhave　agricultural　meetings　and　boys'　clubs；　and　lots　of　things　like　thatbut　Mr。　Nash　says　it　is　no　part　of　a　minister's　work：　that　it　cheapens　religion。　He　says　that　when　a　parsonMr。　Nash　always　calls　him　parson；　and　I　just　LOATHE　that　name　has　preached；　and　prayed；　and　visited　the　sick；　that's　enough　for　HIM。〃

At　this　very　moment　a　step　sounded　upon　the　walk；　and　an　instant　later　a　figure　appeared　in　the　doorway。

〃Why；　Mr。　Nash；〃　exclaimed　little　Mrs。　Minister；　exhibiting　that　astonishing　gift　of　swift　recovery　which　is　the　possession　of　even　the　simplest　women；　〃come　right　in。〃

It　was　some　seconds　before　the　minister　could　come　down　from　the　heights　and　greet　Mr。　Nash。　As　for　me；　I　was　never　more　interested　in　my　life。

〃Now；〃　said　I　to　myself；　〃we　shall　see　Christian　meet　Apollyon。〃

As　soon　as　Mrs。　Minister　lighted　the　lamp　I　was　introduced　to　the　great　man。　He　looked　at　me　sharply　with　his　small；　round　eyes；　and　said：

〃Oh；　you　are　thethe　man　who　was　in　church　this　afternoon。〃

I　admitted　it；　and　he　looked　around　at　the　minister　with　an　accusing　expression。　He　evidently　did　not　approve　of　me；　nor　could　I　wholly　blame　him；　for　I　knew　well　how　he；　as　a　rich　farmer；　must　look　upon　a　rusty　man　of　the　road　like　me。　I　should　have　liked　dearly　to　cross　swords　with　him　myself；　but　greater　events　were　imminent。

In　no　time　at　all　the　discussion；　which　had　evidently　been　broken　off　at　some　previous　meeting；　concerning　the　proposed　farmers'　assembly　at　the　church；　had　taken　on　a　really　lively　tone。　Mr。　Nash　was　evidently　in　the　somewhat　irritable　mood　with　which　important　people　may　sometimes　indulge　themselves；　for　he　bit　off　his　words　in　a　way　that　was　calculated　to　make　any　but　an　unusually　meek　and　saintly　man　exceedingly　uncomfortable。　But　the　minister；　with　the　fine；　high　humility　of　those　whose　passion　is　for　great　or　true　things；　was　quite　oblivious　to　the　harsh　words。　Borne　along　by　an　irresistible　enthusiasm；　he　told　in　glowing　terms　what　his　plan　would　mean　to　the　community；　how　the　people　needed　a　new　social　and　civic　spirita　〃neighbourhood　religious　feeling〃　he　called　it。　And　as　he　talked　his　face　flushed；　and　his　eyes　shone　with　the　pure　fire　of　a　great　purpose。　But　I　could　see　that　all　this　enthusiasm　impressed　the　practical　Mr。　Nash　as　mere　moonshine。　He　grew　more　and　more　uneasy。　Finally　he　brought　his　hand　down　with　a　resounding　thwack　upon　his　knee；　and　said　in　a　high；　cutting　voice：

〃I　don't　believe　in　any　such　newfangled　nonsense。　It　ain't　none　of　a　parson's　business　what　the　community　does。　You're　hired；　ain't　you；　an'　paid　to　run　the　church？　That's　the　end　of　it。　We　ain't　goin'　to　have　any　mixin'　of　religion　an'　farmin'　in　THIS　neighbourhood。〃

My　eyes　were　on　the　pale　man　of　God。　I　felt　as　though　a　human　soul　were　being　weighed　in　the　balance。　What　would　he　do　now？　What　was　he　worth　REALLY　as　a　man　as　well　as　a　minister？

He　paused　a　moment　with　downcast　eyes。　I　saw　little　Mrs。　Minister　glance　at　himoncewistfully。　He　rose　from　his　place；　drew　himself　up　to　his　full　heightI　shall　not　soon　forget　the　look　on　his　faceand　uttered　these　amazing　words：

〃Martha；　bring　the　ginger…jar。〃

Mrs。　Minister；　without　a　word；　went　to　a　little　cupboard　on　the　farther　side　of　the　room　and　took　down　a　brown　earthenware　jar；　which　she　brought　over　and　placed　on　the　table；　Mr。　Nash　following　her　movements　with　astonished　eyes。　No　one　spoke。

The　minister　took　the　jar　in　his　hands　as　he　might　the　communion…cup　just　before　saying　the　prayer　of　the　sacrament。

〃Mr。　Nash；〃　said　he　in　a　loud　voice；　〃I've　decided　to　hold　that　farmers'　meeting。〃

Before　Mr。　Nash　could　reply　the　minister　seated　himself　and　was　pouring　out　the　contents　of　the　jar　upon　the　tablea　clatter　of　dimes；　nickels；　pennies；　a　few　quarters　and　half　dollars；　and　a　very　few　bills。

〃Martha；　just　how　much　money　is　there？〃

〃Twenty…four　dollars　and　sixteen　cents。〃

The　minister　put　his　hand　into　his　pocket　and；　after　counting　out　certain　coins；　said：

〃Here's　one　dollar　and　eighty…four　cents　more。　That　makes　twenty…six　dollars。　Now；　Mr。　Nash；　you're　the　largest　contributor　to　my　salary　in　this　neighbourhood。　You　gave　twenty…six　dollars　last　yearfifty　cents　a　week。　It　is　a　generous　contribution；　but　I　cannot　take　it　any　longer。　It　is　fortunate　that　my　wife　has　saved　up　this　money　to　buy　a　sewing…machine；　so　that　we　can　pay　back　your　contribution　in　full。〃

He　paused；　no　one　of　us　spoke　a　word。

〃Mr。　Nash；〃　he　continued；　and　his　face　was　good　to　see；　〃I　am　the　minister　here。　I　am　convinced　that　what　the　community　needs　is　more　of　a　religious　and　social　spirit；　and　I　am　going　about　getting　it　in　the　way　the　Lord　leads　me。〃

At　this　I　saw　Mrs。　Minister　look　up　at　her　husband　with　such　a　light　in　her　eyes　as　any　man　might　well　barter　his　life　forI　could　not　keep　my　own　eyes　from　pure　beauty　of　it。

I　knew　too　what　this　defiance　meant。　It　meant　that　this　little　family　was　placing　its　all　upon　the　altareven　the　pitiful　coins　for　which　they　had　skimped　and　saved　for　months　for　a　particular　purpose。　Talk　of　the　heroism　of　the　men　who　charged　with　Pickett　at　Gettysburg！　Here　was　a　courage　higher　and　whiter　than　that；　here　was　a　courage　that　dared　to　fight　alone。

As　for　Mr。　Nash；　the　face　of　that　Chief　Pharisee　was　a　study。　Nothing　is　so　paralyzing　to　a　rich　man　as　to　find　suddenly　that　his　money　will　no　longer　command　him　any　advantage。　Like　all　hard…shelled；　practical　people；　Mr。　Nash　could　only　dominate　in　a　world　which　recognized　the　same　material　supremacy　that　he　recognized。　Any　one　who　insisted　upon　flying　was　lost　to　Mr。　Nash。

The　minister　pushed　the　little　pile　of　coins　toward　him。

〃Take　it；　Mr。　Nash；〃　said　he。

At　that　Mr。　Nash　rose　hastily。

〃I　will　not；〃　he　said　gruff