the captives-第17章

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！


ry　pretty；〃　thought　Maggie；　who　was　more　conscious　of　her　shabby　clothes　than　ever。　But　her　chief　feeling　was　of　surprise　that　so　brilliant　a　bird　had　been　able　to　penetrate　into　the　chapel　at　all。　〃She　must　be　a　stranger　just　come　out　of　curiosity。〃　Then　the　girl's　eyes　suddenly　met　Maggie's　and　held　them；　the　brilliant　creature　smiled　and　Maggie　smiled　in　return。　She　looked　afterwards　at　Aunt　Anne；　but　Aunt　Anne；　buried　in　her　book　of　devotions；　had　seen　nothing。

Suddenly；　after　a　strange　wheeze　and　muffled　scream；　the　harmonium　began。　Every　one　looked　up　expectantly；　Mr。　Warlock；　alone；　appeared　from　a　door　at　the　right　of　the　screen　and　took　his　place　behind　the　desk。

He　stood　for　a　moment　facing　them　before　he　took　his　place。　He　was　a　man　of　great　size；　old　now　but　holding　himself　absolutely　erect。　He　was　dressed　in　a　plain　black　gown　with　a　low；　white　collar　and　a　white　tie。　This　long　gown　added　to　his　height；　but　the　width　of　the　shoulders　and　neck；　and　the　carriage　of　his　head　showed　that　he　was　a　man　built　on　a　noble　scale。　His　hair　was　snow…white　and　he　wore　a　beard；　that　was　in　startling　contrast　against　his　black　gown。　His　cheeks　were　of　high　colour；　his　eyes　blue；　he　was　older　than　Maggie　had　expected　and　must；　she　thought；　be　over　seventy。　His　whole　bearing　and　behaviour　was　of　a　man　who　had　enjoyed　great　physical　health。　His　expression　was　mild　and　simple；　dignified　but　not　proud；　utterly　unconscious　of　self；　earnest　and　determined；　lacking　in　humour　perhaps。　There　was　nothing　in　the　least　theatrical　about　him　and　yet　he　conveyed　an　impression　that　was　startling　and　dramatic。　His　was　a　figure　that　would　have　been　noticed　anywhere；　if　only　for　its　physical　health　and　shining　cleanliness。　Maggie　felt　that　to　many　people　there　his　entrance　was　a　sensation；　sought　for　and　expected　by　them。　So　startling　was　the　impression　that　he　made　upon　herself　that　she　wondered　that　the　chapel　was　not　crowded　by　an　excited　throng。　She　liked　him　at　once；　felt　that　she　would　be　at　ease　with　him　as　she　had　never　been　with　anybody　in　her　life。　And　yet　behind　this　there　was　perhaps　some　subtle　sense　of　disappointment。　He　was　not　mysterious；　he　did　not　seem　very　clever；　he　was　only　an　old　man；　magnificently　preserved。　There　was　no　fear　nor　wonder　in　her　attitude　to　him。　He　could　not　convince　her；　she　thought；　of　things　that　she　herself　had　not　seen。

He　knelt　and　prayed　for　a　moment　before　his　desk；　then　he　rose　and；　with　his　hands　resting　on　the　wood　before　him；　said：　〃Let　us　offer　thanks　to　Almighty　God　that　He　has　kept　us　in　safety　and　in　health　during　the　past　week。〃　They　all　knelt　down。　He　prayed　then；　in　a　voice　that　was　soft　and　clear　and　that　hid　behind　the　words　a　little　roughness　of　accent　that　was　not　unpleasant。　His　prayer　was　extempore；　and　he　addressed　God　intimately　and　almost　conversationally。　〃Thou　knowest　how　we　are　weak　and　foolish；　our　faults　are　all　known　to　Thee　and　our　blunders　are　not　hid；　therefore　we　thank　Thee　that　Thou　hast　not　been　impatient　with　us；　but；　seeing　that　we　are　but　little　children　in　Thy　hands；　hast　deemed　the　thunderbolt　too　heavy　for　our　heads　and　the　lightning　too　blinding　for　our　eyes。　With　humble　hearts　we　thank　Thee；　and　pray　that　Thou　wilt　keep　us　mindful　of　Thy　coming；　that　we　may　be　found　watching；　with　our　loins　girt　and　our　lamps　lit；　waiting　in　prayer　for　Thy　dreadful　day　。　。　。〃

During　this　prayer　Maggie　was　conscious　of　a　strange　excitement。　She　knelt　with　her　eyes　tightly　closed；　but　through　the　darkness　she　felt　as　though　he　were　addressing　her　alone。　She　seemed　to　approach　him；　to　feel　his　hands　upon　her　shoulders；　to　hear　his　voice　in　her　ears。　When　she　rose　at　the　ending　of　the　prayer　it　was　as　though　she　had　definitely　passed　through　some　door　into　a　new　room。　Then；　rising；　she　was　conscious　that　the　laughing　eyes　of　the　young　lady　in　blue　were　again　trying　to　hold　her　own。　She　refused　to　lookshe　coloured；　hanging　her　head　so　that　her　eyes　should　not　be　caught。

For　some　time　she　was　unaware　of　the　progress　of　the　service。　Then　the　clear　emphasis　of　his　voice　caught　again　her　attention。　〃Our　lesson　for　to…day；〃　he　said；　〃is　from　the　Fortieth　Chapter　of　Isaiah。〃　He　proceeded　to　read：

Comfort　ye；　comfort　ye　my　people；　saith　your　God。

Speak　ye　comfortably　to　Jerusalem；　and　cry　unto　her；　that　her　warfare　is　accomplished；　that　her　iniquity　is　pardoned：　for　she　hath　received　of　the　Lord's　hand　double　for　all　her　sins。

The　voice　of　him　that　crieth　in　the　wilderness；　Prepare　ye　the　way　of　the　Lord；　make　straight　in　the　desert　a　highway　for　our　God。

Every　valley　shall　be　exalted；　and　every　mountain　and　hill　shall　be　made　low：　and　the　crooked　shall　be　made　straight；　and　the　rough　places　plain：

And　the　glory　of　the　Lord　shall　be　revealed；　and　all　flesh　shall　see　it　together：　for　the　mouth　of　the　Lord　hath　spoken　it。

The　voice　said；　Cry。　And　he　said；　What　shall　I　cry？　All　flesh　is　grass；　and　all　the　goodliness　thereof　is　as　the　flower　of　the　field：　。　。　。

The　grass　withereth；　the　flower　fadeth；　but　the　word　of　our　God　shall　stand　for　ever。

O　Zion；　that　bringest　good　tidings；　get　thee　up　into　the　high　mountain；　0　Jerusalem；　that　bringest　good　tidings；　lift　up　thy　voice　with　strength；　lift　it　up；　be　not　afraid；　say　unto　the　cities　of　Judah；　Behold　your　God！

Behold；　the　Lord　God　will　come　with　strong　hand；　and　his　arm　shall　rule　for　him；　behold；　his　reward　is　with　him；　and　his　work　before　him。

He　shall　feed　his　flock　like　a　shepherd；　he　shall　gather　the　lambs　with　his　arm；　and　carry　them　in　his　bosom；　and　shall　gently　lead　those　that　are　with　young。

How　many　times　had　Maggie　heard　the　reading　of　those　words。　They　brought　instantly　back　to　her　her　father's　voice；　the　strange　snuffling　hurry　with　which　he　hastened　to　the　end；　his　voice　hesitating　a　little　as　his　wandering　eye　caught　the　misbehaviour　of　some　small　boy　in　the　choir。

Now　the　words　were　charged　with　a　conviction　that　was　neither　forced　nor　adopted　for　dramatic　effect。　It　was　as　though　a　herald　read　some　proclamation　for　his　master　who　was　approaching　the　gates　of　the　city。　The　hymns　and　prayers　that　followed　seemed　to　have　no　importance。　The　hymns　happened　on　that　day　to　be　familiar　ones　that　Maggie　had　always　known：　〃As　pants　the　hart　for　cooling　streams；〃　〃Just　as　I　am；　without　one　plea〃　and

〃Jerusalem　the　golden。〃　These　were　sung；　of　course；　slowly；　badly　and　sentimentally；　the　harmonium　screaming　in　amazing　discords；　and　the　deep　and　untuneful　voices　of　some　members　of　the　congregation　drowning　the　ladies　and　placing　a　general　discord　upon　everything。　Especially　distressing　was　Aunt　Elizabeth；　who　evidently　loved　to　sing　hymns　but　had　little　idea　of　melody　or　rhythm；　and　was　influenced　entirely　by　a　copious　sentiment　which　overflowed　into　her　eyes　and　trembled　at　the　tips　of　her　fingers。

All　this　was　as　naive　and　awkward　as　is　always　the　singing　of　English　hymns　in　English　churches　by　English　citizens。　The　chapel；　which　had　seemed　before　to　be　rising　to　some　strange　atmosphere　of　expectation；　slipped　back　now　to　its　native　ugliness　and　sterility。　The　personality　was　in　the　man　and　in　the　man　alone。

Maggie　looked　about　her；　at　the　faces　of　the　women　who　surrounded　her。　They　were　grey；　strained；　ugly　in　the　poor　light　of　the　building。　The　majority　of　them　seemed　to　be　either　servant…girls　or　women　who　had　passed　the　adventurous　period　of　life　and　had　passed　it　without　adventure。　When　the　time　for　the　sermon　arrived　Mr。　Warlock　prayed；　his　head　bowed；　during　a　moment's　silence；　then　leaning　forward　on　his　desk　repeated　some　of　the　words　of　his　earlier　reading：

Prepare　ye　the　way　of　the　Lord；　make　straight　in　the　desert　a　highway　for　our　God。　Every　valley　shall　be　exalted；　and　every　mountain　and　hill　shall　be　made　low：　and　the　crooked　shall　be　made　straight；　and　the　rough　places　plain：　。　。　。　say　unto　the　cities　of　Judah；　Behold　your　God！　。　。　。

What　followed　was　practical；　eloquent；　the　preaching　of　a　man　who　had　through　the　course　of　a　long　life　addressed　men　of　all　kinds　and　in　all　places。　But　behind　the　facility　and　easy　flow　of　his　words　Maggie　fancied　that　she　detected　some　urgent　insistence　that　came　from　the　man's　very　heart。　She　was　moved　by　that　as　though　he　were　sayi