lay morals-第14章

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coarse；　dirty　man'；　these　　were　your　own　words；　and　you　may　think　it　possible　that　I　am　　come　to　support　you　with　fresh　evidence。　　In　a　sense；　it　is　　even　so。　　Damien　has　been　too　much　depicted　with　a　　conventional　halo　and　conventional　features；　so　drawn　by　men　　who　perhaps　had　not　the　eye　to　remark　or　the　pen　to　express　　the　individual；　or　who　perhaps　were　only　blinded　and　silenced　　by　generous　admiration；　such　as　I　partly　envy　for　myself　…　　such　as　you；　if　your　soul　were　enlightened；　would　envy　on　　your　bended　knees。　　It　is　the　least　defect　of　such　a　method　　of　portraiture　that　it　makes　the　path　easy　for　the　devil's　　advocate；　and　leaves　for　the　misuse　of　the　slanderer　a　　considerable　field　of　truth。　　For　the　truth　that　is　　suppressed　by　friends　is　the　readiest　weapon　of　the　enemy。　　　The　world；　in　your　despite；　may　perhaps　owe　you　something；　if　　your　letter　be　the　means　of　substituting　once　for　all　a　　credible　likeness　for　a　wax　abstraction。　　For；　if　that　world　　at　all　remember　you；　on　the　day　when　Damien　of　Molokai　shall　　be　named　Saint；　it　will　be　in　virtue　of　one　work：　your　letter　　to　the　Reverend　H。　B。　Gage。

You　may　ask　on　what　authority　I　speak。　　It　was　my　inclement　　destiny　to　become　acquainted；　not　with　Damien；　but　with　Dr。　　Hyde。　　When　I　visited　the　lazaretto；　Damien　was　already　in　　his　resting　grave。　　But　such　information　as　I　have；　I　　gathered　on　the　spot　in　conversation　with　those　who　knew　him　　well　and　long：　some　indeed　who　revered　his　memory；　but　others　　who　had　sparred　and　wrangled　with　him；　who　beheld　him　with　no　　halo；　who　perhaps　regarded　him　with　small　respect；　and　　through　whose　unprepared　and　scarcely　partial　communications　　the　plain；　human　features　of　the　man　shone　on　me　　convincingly。　　These　gave　me　what　knowledge　I　possess；　and　I　　learnt　it　in　that　scene　where　it　could　be　most　completely　and　　sensitively　understood　…　Kalawao；　which　you　have　never　　visited；　about　which　you　have　never　so　much　as　endeavoured　to　　inform　yourself；　for；　brief　as　your　letter　is；　you　have　found　　the　means　to　stumble　into　that　confession。　　'LESS　THAN　ONE…　HALF　of　the　island；'　you　say；　'is　devoted　to　the　lepers。'　　Molokai　…　'MOLOKAI　AHINA；'　the　'grey；'　lofty；　and　most　　desolate　island　…　along　all　its　northern　side　plunges　a　front　　of　precipice　into　a　sea　of　unusual　profundity。　　This　range　of　　cliff　is；　from　east　to　west；　the　true　end　and　frontier　of　the　　island。　　Only　in　one　spot　there　projects　into　the　ocean　a　　certain　triangular　and　rugged　down；　grassy；　stony；　windy；　and　　rising　in　the　midst　into　a　hill　with　a　dead　crater：　the　whole　　bearing　to　the　cliff　that　overhangs　it　somewhat　the　same　　relation　as　a　bracket　to　a　wall。　　With　this　hint　you　will　now　　be　able　to　pick　out　the　leper　station　on　a　map；　you　will　be　　able　to　judge　how　much　of　Molokai　is　thus　cut　off　between　the　　surf　and　precipice；　whether　less　than　a　half；　or　less　than　a　　quarter；　or　a　fifth；　or　a　tenth　…　or；　say；　a　twentieth；　and　　the　next　time　you　burst　into　print　you　will　be　in　a　position　　to　share　with　us　the　issue　of　your　calculations。

I　imagine　you　to　be　one　of　those　persons　who　talk　with　　cheerfulness　of　that　place　which　oxen　and　wain…ropes　could　　not　drag　you　to　behold。　　You；　who　do　not　even　know　its　　situation　on　the　map；　probably　denounce　sensational　　descriptions；　stretching　your　limbs　the　while　in　your　　pleasant　parlour　on　Beretania　Street。　　When　I　was　pulled　　ashore　there　one　early　morning；　there　sat　with　me　in　the　boat　　two　sisters；　bidding　farewell　（in　humble　imitation　of　Damien）　　to　the　lights　and　joys　of　human　life。　　One　of　these　wept　　silently；　I　could　not　withhold　myself　from　joining　her。　　Had　　you　been　there；　it　is　my　belief　that　nature　would　have　　triumphed　even　in　you；　and　as　the　boat　drew　but　a　little　　nearer；　and　you　beheld　the　stairs　crowded　with　abominable　　deformations　of　our　common　manhood；　and　saw　yourself　landing　　in　the　midst　of　such　a　population　as　only　now　and　then　　surrounds　us　in　the　horror　of　a　nightmare　…　what　a　haggard　　eye　you　would　have　rolled　over　your　reluctant　shoulder　　towards　the　house　on　Beretania　Street！　　Had　you　gone　on；　had　　you　found　every　fourth　face　a　blot　upon　the　landscape；　had　　you　visited　the　hospital　and　seen　the　butt…ends　of　human　　beings　lying　there　almost　unrecognisable；　but　still　　breathing；　still　thinking；　still　remembering；　you　would　have　　understood　that　life　in　the　lazaretto　is　an　ordeal　from　which　　the　nerves　of　a　man's　spirit　shrink；　even　as　his　eye　quails　　under　the　brightness　of　the　sun；　you　would　have　felt　it　was　　（even　to…day）　a　pitiful　place　to　visit　and　a　hell　to　dwell　　in。　　It　is　not　the　fear　of　possible　infection。　　That　seems　a　　little　thing　when　compared　with　the　pain；　the　pity；　and　the　　disgust　of　the　visitor's　surroundings；　and　the　atmosphere　of　　affliction；　disease；　and　physical　disgrace　in　which　he　　breathes。　　I　do　not　think　I　am　a　man　more　than　usually　timid；　　but　I　never　recall　the　days　and　nights　I　spent　upon　that　　island　promontory　（eight　days　and　seven　nights）；　without　　heartfelt　thankfulness　that　I　am　somewhere　else。　　I　find　in　　my　diary　that　I　speak　of　my　stay　as　a　'grinding　experience'：　　I　have　once　jotted　in　the　margin；　'HARROWING　is　the　word'；　　and　when　the　MOKOLII　bore　me　at　last　towards　the　outer　world；　　I　kept　repeating　to　myself；　with　a　new　conception　of　their　　pregnancy；　those　simple　words　of　the　song　…


''Tis　the　most　distressful　country　that　ever　yet　was　seen。'


And　observe：　that　which　I　saw　and　suffered　from　was　a　　settlement　purged；　bettered；　beautified；　the　new　village　　built；　the　hospital　and　the　Bishop…Home　excellently　arranged；　　the　sisters；　the　doctor；　and　the　missionaries；　all　　indefatigable　in　their　noble　tasks。　　It　was　a　different　place　　when　Damien　came　there　and　made　his　great　renunciation；　and　　slept　that　first　night　under　a　tree　amidst　his　rotting　　brethren：　alone　with　pestilence；　and　looking　forward　（with　　what　courage；　with　what　pitiful　sinkings　of　dread；　God　only　　knows）　to　a　lifetime　of　dressing　sores　and　stumps。

You　will　say；　perhaps；　I　am　too　sensitive；　that　sights　as　　painful　abound　in　cancer　hospitals　and　are　confronted　daily　　by　doctors　and　nurses。　　I　have　long　learned　to　admire　and　　envy　the　doctors　and　the　nurses。　　But　there　is　no　cancer　　hospital　so　large　and　populous　as　Kalawao　and　Kalaupapa；　and　　in　such　a　matter　every　fresh　case；　like　every　inch　of　length　　in　the　pipe　of　an　organ；　deepens　the　note　of　the　impression；　　for　what　daunts　the　onlooker　is　that　monstrous　sum　of　human　　suffering　by　which　he　stands　surrounded。　　Lastly；　no　doctor　　or　nurse　is　called　upon　to　enter　once　for　all　the　doors　of　　that　gehenna；　they　do　not　say　farewell；　they　need　not　abandon　　hope；　on　its　sad　threshold；　they　but　go　for　a　time　to　their　　high　calling；　and　can　look　forward　as　they　go　to　relief；　to　　recreation；　and　to　rest。　　But　Damien　shut…to　with　his　own　　hand　the　doors　of　his　own　sepulchre。

I　shall　now　extract　three　passages　from　my　diary　at　Kalawao。

A。　　'Damien　is　dead　and　already　somewhat　ungratefully　　remembered　in　the　field　of　his　labours　and　sufferings。　　〃He　　was　a　good　man；　but　very　officious；〃　says　one。　　Another　tells　　me　he　had　fallen　（as　other　priests　so　easily　do）　into　　something　of　the　ways　and　habits　of　thought　of　a　Kanaka；　but　　he　had　the　wit　to　recognise　the　fact；　and　the　good　sense　to　　laugh　at'　＇over＇　'it。　　A　plain　man　it　seems　he　was；　I　cannot　　find　he　was　a　popular。'

B。　　'After　Ragsdale's　death'　＇Ragsdale　was　a　famous　Luna；　or　　overseer；　of　the　unruly　settlement＇　'there　followed　a　brief　　term　of　office　by　Father　Damien　which　served　only　to　publish　　the　weakness　of　that　noble　man。　　He　was　rough　in　his　ways；　　and　he　had　no　control。　　Authority　was　relaxed；　Damien's　life　　was　threatened；　and　he　was　soon　eager　to　resign。'

C。　　'Of　Damien　I　begin　to　have　an　idea。　　He　seems　to　have　　been　a　man　of　the　peasant　class；　certainly　of　the　peasant　　type：　shrewd；　ignorant　and　bigoted；　yet　with　an　open　mind；　　and　capable　of　receiving　and　digesting　a　reproof　if　it　were　　bluntly　administered；　superbly　generous　in　the　least　thing　as　　well　as　in　the　greatest；　and　as　ready　to　give　his　last　shirt　　（although　not　without　human　grumbling）　as　he　had　been　to　　sacrifice　his　life；　essentially　indiscreet　and　officious；　　which　made　him　a　troublesome　co