lavengro-第47章

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on　a　former　occasion；　at　the　foot　of　the　hills　which　formed　it　I　

came　to　a　place　where　a　wagon　was　standing；　but　without　horses；　the　

shafts　resting　on　the　ground；　there　was　a　crowd　about　it；　which　

extended　half…way　up　the　side　of　the　neighbouring　hill。　　The　wagon　

was　occupied　by　some　half　a　dozen　men；　some　sitting；　others　

standing　…　they　were　dressed　in　sober…coloured　habiliments　of　black　

or　brown；　cut　in　a　plain　and　rather　uncouth　fashion；　and　partially　

white　with　dust；　their　hair　was　short；　and　seemed　to　have　been　

smoothed　down　by　the　application　of　the　hand；　all　were　bareheaded　…　

sitting　or　standing；　all　were　bareheaded。　　One　of　them；　a　tall　man；　

was　speaking　as　I　arrived；　ere；　however；　I　could　distinguish　what　

he　was　saying；　he　left　off；　and　then　there　was　a　cry　for　a　hymn　'to　

the　glory　of　God'　…　that　was　the　word。　　It　was　a　strange…sounding　

hymn；　as　well　it　might　be；　for　everybody　joined　in　it：　　there　were　

voices　of　all　kinds；　of　men；　of　women；　and　of　children　…　of　those　

who　could　sing　and　of　those　who　could　not　…　a　thousand　voices　all　

joined；　and　all　joined　heartily；　no　voice　of　all　the　multitude　was　

silent　save　mine。　　The　crowd　consisted　entirely　of　the　lower　

classes；　labourers　and　mechanics；　and　their　wives　and　children　…　

dusty　people；　unwashed　people；　people　of　no　account　whatever；　and　

yet　they　did　not　look　a　mob。　　And　when　that　hymn　was　over　…　and　

here　let　me　observe　that；　strange　as　it　sounded；　I　have　recalled　

that　hymn　to　mind；　and　it　has　seemed　to　tingle　in　my　ears　on　

occasions　when　all　that　pomp　and　art　could　do　to　enhance　religious　

solemnity　was　being　done　…　in　the　Sistine　Chapel；　what　time　the　

papal　band　was　in　full　play；　and　the　choicest　choristers　of　Italy　

poured　forth　their　mellowest　tones　in　presence　of　Batuschca　and　his　

cardinals　…　on　the　ice　of　the　Neva；　what　time　the　long　train　of　

stately　priests；　with　their　noble　beards　and　their　flowing　robes　of　

crimson　and　gold；　with　their　ebony　and　ivory　staves；　stalked　along；　

chanting　their　Sclavonian　litanies　in　advance　of　the　mighty　Emperor　

of　the　North　and　his　Priberjensky　guard　of　giants；　towards　the　

orifice　through　which　the　river；　running　below　in　its　swiftness；　is　

to　receive　the　baptismal　lymph：　　…　when　the　hymn　was　over；　another　

man　in　the　wagon　proceeded　to　address　the　people；　he　was　a　much　

younger　man　than　the　last　speaker；　somewhat　square　built　and　about　

the　middle　height；　his　face　was　rather　broad；　but　expressive　of　

much　intelligence；　and　with　a　peculiar　calm　and　serious　look；　the　

accent　in　which　he　spoke　indicated　that　he　was　not　of　these　parts；　

but　from　some　distant　district。　　The　subject　of　his　address　was　

faith；　and　how　it　could　remove　mountains。　　It　was　a　plain　address；　

without　any　attempt　at　ornament；　and　delivered　in　a　tone　which　was　

neither　loud　nor　vehement。　　The　speaker　was　evidently　not　a　

practised　one　…　once　or　twice　he　hesitated　as　if　for　words　to　

express　his　meaning；　but　still　he　held　on；　talking　of　faith；　and　

how　it　could　remove　mountains：　　'It　is　the　only　thing　we　want；　

brethren；　in　this　world；　if　we　have　that；　we　are　indeed　rich；　as　it　

will　enable　us　to　do　our　duty　under　all　circumstances；　and　to　bear　

our　lot；　however　hard　it　may　be　…　and　the　lot　of　all　mankind　is　

hard　…　the　lot　of　the　poor　is　hard；　brethren　…　and　who　knows　more　

of　the　poor　than　I？　…　a　poor　man　myself；　and　the　son　of　a　poor　man：　　

but　are　the　rich　better　off？　not　so；　brethren；　for　God　is　just。　　

The　rich　have　their　trials　too：　　I　am　not　rich　myself；　but　I　have　

seen　the　rich　with　careworn　countenances；　I　have　also　seen　them　in　

madhouses；　from　which　you　may　learn；　brethren；　that　the　lot　of　all　

mankind　is　hard；　that　is；　till　we　lay　hold　of　faith；　which　makes　us　

comfortable　under　all　circumstances；　whether　we　ride　in　gilded　

chariots　or　walk　barefooted　in　quest　of　bread；　whether　we　be　

ignorant；　whether　we　be　wise　…　for　riches　and　poverty；　ignorance　

and　wisdom；　brethren；　each　brings　with　it　its　peculiar　temptations。　　

Well；　under　all　these　troubles；　the　thing　which　I　would　recommend　

you　to　seek　is　one　and　the　same　…　faith；　faith　in　our　Lord　Jesus　

Christ；　who　made　us　and　allotted　to　each　his　station。　　Each　has　

something　to　do；　brethren。　　Do　it；　therefore；　but　always　in　faith；　

without　faith　we　shall　find　ourselves　sometimes　at　fault；　but　with　

faith　never　…　for　faith　can　remove　the　difficulty。　　It　will　teach　

us　to　love　life；　brethren；　when　life　is　becoming　bitter；　and　to　

prize　the　blessings　around　us；　for　as　every　man　has　his　cares；　

brethren；　so　has　each　man　his　blessings。　　It　will　likewise　teach　us　

not　to　love　life　over　much；　seeing　that　we　must　one　day　part　with　

it。　　It　will　teach　us　to　face　death　with　resignation；　and　will　

preserve　us　from　sinking　amidst　the　swelling　of　the　river　Jordan。'



And　when　he　had　concluded　his　address；　he　said；　'Let　us　sing　a　

hymn；　one　composed　by　Master　Charles　Wesley　…　he　was　my　countryman；　

brethren。





'Jesus；　I　cast　my　soul　on　Thee；

Mighty　and　merciful　to　save；

Thou　shalt　to　death　go　down　with　me；

And　lay　me　gently　in　the　grave。

This　body　then　shall　rest　in　hope；

This　body　which　the　worms　destroy；

For　Thou　shalt　surely　raise　me　up

To　glorious　life　and　endless　joy。'





Farewell；　preacher　with　the　plain　coat　and　the　calm　serious　look！　　

I　saw　thee　once　again；　and　that　was　lately　…　only　the　other　day。　　

It　was　near　a　fishing　hamlet；　by　the　sea…side；　that　I　saw　the　

preacher　again。　　He　stood　on　the　top　of　a　steep　monticle；　used　by　

pilots　as　a　look…out　for　vessels　approaching　that　coast；　a　

dangerous　one；　abounding　in　rocks　and　quick…sands。　　There　he　stood　

on　the　monticle；　preaching　to　weather…worn　fishermen　and　mariners　

gathered　below　upon　the　sand。　　'Who　is　he？'　said　I　to　an　old　

fisherman　who　stood　beside　me　with　a　book　of　hymns　in　his　hand；　but　

the　old　man　put　his　hand　to　his　lips；　and　that　was　the　only　answer　

I　received。　　Not　a　sound　was　heard　but　the　voice　of　the　preacher　

and　the　roaring　of　the　waves；　but　the　voice　was　heard　loud　above　

the　roaring　of　the　sea；　for　the　preacher　now　spoke　with　power；　and　

his　voice　was　not　that　of　one　who　hesitates。　　There　he　stood　…　no　

longer　a　young　man；　for　his　black　locks　were　become　gray；　even　like　

my　own；　but　there　was　the　intelligent　face；　and　the　calm　serious　

look　which　had　struck　me　of　yore。　　There　stood　the　preacher；　one　of　

those　men　…　and；　thank　God；　their　number　is　not　few　…　who；　animated　

by　the　spirit　of　Christ；　amidst　much　poverty；　and；　alas！　much　

contempt；　persist　in　carrying　the　light　of　the　Gospel　amidst　the　

dark　parishes　of　what；　but　for　their　instrumentality；　would　

scarcely　be　Christian　England。　　I　would　have　waited　till　he　had　

concluded；　in　order　that　I　might　speak　to　him；　and　endeavour　to　

bring　back　the　ancient　scene　to　his　recollection；　but　suddenly　a　

man　came　hurrying　towards　the　monticle；　mounted　on　a　speedy　horse；　

and　holding　by　the　bridle　one　yet　more　speedy；　and　he　whispered　to　

me；　'Why　loiterest　thou　here？　…　knowest　thou　not　all　that　is　to　be　

done　before　midnight？'　and　he　flung　me　the　bridle；　and　I　mounted　on　

the　horse　of　great　speed；　and　I　followed　the　other；　who　had　already　

galloped　off。　　And　as　I　departed；　I　waved　my　hand　to　him　on　the　

monticle；　and　I　shouted；　'Farewell；　brother！　the　seed　came　up　at　

last；　after　a　long　period！'　and　then　I　gave　the　speedy　horse　his　

way；　and　leaning　over　the　shoulder　of　the　galloping　horse；　I　said；　

'Would　that　my　life　had　been　like　his　…　even　like　that　man's！'



I　now　wandered　along　the　heath；　till　I　came　to　a　place　where；　

beside　a　thick　furze；　sat　a　man；　his　eyes　fixed　intently　on　the　red　

ball　of　the　setting　sun。



'That's　not　you；　Jasper？'



'Indeed；　brother！'



'I've　not　seen　you　for　years。'



'How　should　you；　brother？'



'What　brings　you　here？'



'The　fight；　brother。'



'Where　are　the　tents？'



'On　the　old　spot；　brother。'



'Any　news　since　we　parted？'