manalive-第26章

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I　am　by　no　means　without　experience　in　scenes　of　civil　tumult。
I　have　faced　many　a　political　crisis　in　the　old　Primrose　League
days　at　Herne　Bay；　and；　before　I　broke　with　the　wilder　set；
have　spent　many　a　night　at　the　Christian　Social　Union。　　But　this
other　experience　was　quite　inconceivable。　　I　can　only　describe
it　as　the　letting　loose　of　a　place　which　it　is　not　for　me；
as　a　clergyman；　to　mention。

〃It　occurred　in　the　days　when　I　was；　for　a　short　period；
a　curate　at　Hoxton；　and　the　other　curate；　then　my　colleague；
induced　me　to　attend　a　meeting　which　he　described；　I　must　say
profanely　described；　as　calculated　to　promote　the　kingdom
of　God。　　I　found；　on　the　contrary；　that　it　consisted　entirely
of　men　in　corduroys　and　greasy　clothes　whose　manners　were　coarse
and　their　opinions　extreme。

〃Of　my　colleague　in　question　I　wish　to　speak　with　the　fullest
respect　and　friendliness；　and　I　will　therefore　say　little。
No　one　can　be　more　convinced　than　I　of　the　evil　of　politic
in　the　pulpit；　and　I　never　offer　my　congregation　any　advice
about　voting　except　in　cases　in　which　I　feel　strongly　that　they
are　likely　to　make　an　erroneous　selection。　　But；　while　I　do
not　mean　to　touch　at　all　upon　political　or　social　problems；
I　must　say　that　for　a　clergyman　to　countenance；　even　in　jest；
such　discredited　nostrums　of　dissipated　demagogues　as　Socialism
or　Radicalism　partakes　of　the　character　of　the　betrayal
of　a　sacred　trust。　　Far　be　it　from　me　to　say　a　word　against
the　Reverend　Raymond　Percy；　the　colleague　in　question。
He　was　brilliant；　I　suppose；　and　to　some　apparently　fascinating；
but　a　clergyman　who　talks　like　a　Socialist；　wears　his　hair
like　a　pianist；　and　behaves　like　an　intoxicated　person；
will　never　rise　in　his　profession；　or　even　obtain　the　admiration
of　the　good　and　wise。　　Nor　is　it　for　me　to　utter　my　personal
judgements　of　the　appearance　of　the　people　in　the　hall。
Yet　a　glance　round　the　room；　revealing　ranks　of　debased
and　envious　faces〃

〃Adopting；〃　said　Moon　explosively；　for　he　was　getting　restive〃adopting
the　reverend　gentleman's　favourite　figure　of　logic；　may　I　say　that
while　tortures　would　not　tear　from　me　a　whisper　about　his　intellect；
he　is　a　blasted　old　jackass。〃

〃Really！〃　said　Dr。　Pym；　〃I　protest。〃

〃You　must　keep　quiet；　Michael；〃　said　Inglewood；　〃they　have　a　right
to　read　their　story。〃

〃Chair！　　Chair！　　Chair！〃　cried　Gould；　rolling　about　exuberantly　in　his　own；
and　Pym　glanced　for　a　moment　towards　the　canopy　which　covered　all
the　authority　of　the　Court　of　Beacon。

〃Oh；　don't　wake　the　old　lady；〃　said　Moon；　lowering　his　voice　in　a　moody
good…humour。　〃I　apologize。　　I　won't　interrupt　again。〃

Before　the　little　eddy　of　interruption　was　ended　the　reading
of　the　clergyman's　letter　was　already　continuing。

〃The　proceedings　opened　with　a　speech　from　my　colleague；　of　which　I
will　say　nothing。　　It　was　deplorable。　　Many　of　the　audience
were　Irish；　and　showed　the　weakness　of　that　impetuous　people。
When　gathered　together　into　gangs　and　conspiracies　they　seem
to　lose　altogether　that　lovable　good…nature　and　readiness　to　accept
anything　one　tells　them　which　distinguishes　them　as　individuals。〃


With　a　slight　start；　Michael　rose　to　his　feet；　bowed　solemnly；
and　sat　down　again。


〃These　persons；　if　not　silent；　were　at　least　applausive　during　the　speech
of　Mr。　Percy。　　He　descended　to　their　level　with　witticisms　about　rent
and　a　reserve　of　labour。　　Confiscation；　expropriation；　arbitration；　and　such
words　with　which　I　cannot　soil　my　lips；　recurred　constantly。　　Some　hours
afterward　the　storm　broke。　　I　had　been　addressing　the　meeting　for　some　time；
pointing　out　the　lack　of　thrift　in　the　working　classes；　their　insufficient
attendance　at　evening　service；　their　neglect　of　the　Harvest　Festival；　and　of
many　other　things　that　might　materially　help　them　to　improve　their　lot。
It　was；　I　think；　about　this　time　that　an　extraordinary　interruption　occurred。
An　enormous；　powerful　man；　partly　concealed　with　white　plaster；
arose　in　the　middle　of　the　hall；　and　offered　（in　a　loud；　roaring　voice；
like　a　bull's）　some　observations　which　seemed　to　be　in　a　foreign　language。
Mr。　Raymond　Percy；　my　colleague；　descended　to　his　level　by　entering　into
a　duel　of　repartee；　in　which　he　appeared　to　be　the　victor。　　The　meeting
began　to　behave　more　respectfully　for　a　little；　yet　before　I　had　said　twelve
sentences　more　the　rush　was　made　for　the　platform。　　The　enormous　plasterer；
in　particular；　plunged　towards　us；　shaking　the　earth　like　an　elephant；
and　I　really　do　not　know　what　would　have　happened　if　a　man　equally　large；
but　not　quite　so　ill…dressed；　had　not　jumped　up　also　and　held　him　away。
This　other　big　man　shouted　a　sort　of　speech　to　the　mob　as　he　was　shoving
them　back。　　I　don't　know　what　he　said；　but；　what　with　shouting　and　shoving
and　such　horseplay；　he　got　us　out　at　a　back　door；　while　the　wretched　people
went　roaring　down　another　passage。

〃Then　follows　the　truly　extraordinary　part　of　my　story。　　When　he　had　got
us　outside；　in　a　mean　backyard　of　blistered　grass　leading　into　a　lane
with　a　very　lonely…looking　lamp…post；　this　giant　addressed　me　as　follows：
‘You　are　well　out　of　that；　sir；　now　you'd　better　come　along　with　me。
I　want　you　to　help　me　in　an　act　of　social　justice；　such　as　we've　all
been　talking　about。　　Come　along！'　　And　turning　his　big　back　abruptly；
he　led　us　down　the　lean　old　lane　with　the　one　lean　old　lamp…post；
we　scarcely　knowing　what　to　do　but　to　follow　him。　　He　had　certainly
helped　us　in　a　most　difficult　situation；　and；　as　a　gentleman；　I　could
not　treat　such　a　benefactor　with　suspicion　without　grave　grounds。
Such　also　was　the　view　of　my　Socialistic　colleague；　who　（with　all
his　dreadful　talk　of　arbitration）　is　a　gentleman　also。　　In　fact；
he　comes　of　the　Staffordshire　Percies；　a　branch　of　the　old　house；
and　has　the　black　hair　and　pale；　clear…cut　face　of　the　whole　family。
I　cannot　but　refer　it　to　vanity　that　he　should　heighten　his　personal
advantages　with　black　velvet　or　a　red　cross　of　considerable　ostentation；
and　certainlybut　I　digress。

〃A　fog　was　coming　up　the　street；　and　that　last　lost　lamp…post
faded　behind　us　in　a　way　that　certainly　depressed　the　mind。
The　large　man　in　front　of　us　looked　larger　and　larger　in　the　haze。
He　did　not　turn　round；　but　he　said　with　his　huge　back　to　us；
‘All　that　talking's　no　good；　we　want　a　little　practical　Socialism。'

〃‘I　quite　agree；'　said　Percy；　‘but　I　always　like　to　understand　things
in　theory　before　I　put　them　into　practice。'

〃‘Oh；　you　just　leave　that　to　me；'　said　the　practical　Socialist；
or　whatever　he　was；　with　the　most　terrifying　vagueness。
‘I　have　a　way　with　me。　　I'm　a　Permeator。'

〃‘I　could　not　imagine　what　he　meant；　but　my　companion　laughed；
so　I　was　sufficiently　reassured　to　continue　the　unaccountable　journey
for　the　present。　　It　led　us　through　most　singular　ways；　out　of　the　lane；
where　we　were　already　rather　cramped；　into　a　paved　passage；
at　the　end　of　which　we　passed　through　a　wooden　gate　left　open。
We　then　found　ourselves；　in　the　increasing　darkness　and　vapour；
crossing　what　appeared　to　be　a　beaten　path　across　a　kitchen　garden。
I　called　out　to　the　enormous　person　going　on　in　front；　but　he　answered
obscurely　that　it　was　a　short　cut。

〃I　was　just　repeating　my　very　natural　doubt　to　my　clerical　companion
when　I　was　brought　up　against　a　short　ladder；　apparently　leading
to　a　higher　level　of　road。　　My　thoughtless　companion　ran　up　it　so
quickly　that　I　could　not　do　otherwise　than　follow　as　best　I　could。
The　path　on　which　I　then　planted　my　feet　was　quite　unprecedentedly　narrow。
I　had　never　had　to　walk　along　a　thoroughfare　so　exiguous。
Along　one　side　of　it　grew　what；　in　the　dark　and　density　of　air；
I　first　took　to　be　some　short；　strong　thicket　of　shrubs。　　Then　I　saw
that　they　were　not　short　shrubs；　they　were　the　tops　of　tall　trees。
I；　an　English　gentleman　and　clergyman　of　the　Church　of　EnglandI　was
walking　along　the　top　of　a　garden　wall　like　a　tom　cat。

〃I　am　glad　to　say　that　I　stopped　within　my　first　five　steps；
and　let　loose　my　just　reprobation；　balancing　myself　as　best　I
could　all　the　time。

〃‘It's　a　right…of…way；〃'　declared　my　indefensible　informant。
‘It's　closed　to　traffic　once　in　a　hundred