the seven poor travellers-第8章

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by　which　I　felt　surrounded。　　As　the　whitened　stems　environed　me；　I

thought　how　the　Founder　of　the　time　had　never　raised　his　benignant

hand；　save　to　bless　and　heal；　except　in　the　case　of　one　unconscious

tree。　　By　Cobham　Hall；　I　came　to　the　village；　and　the　churchyard

where　the　dead　had　been　quietly　buried；　〃in　the　sure　and　certain

hope〃　which　Christmas　time　inspired。　　What　children　could　I　see　at

play；　and　not　be　loving　of；　recalling　who　had　loved　them！　　No　garden

that　I　passed　was　out　of　unison　with　the　day；　for　I　remembered　that

the　tomb　was　in　a　garden；　and　that　〃she；　supposing　him　to　be　the

gardener；〃　had　said；　〃Sir；　if　thou　have　borne　him　hence；　tell　me

where　thou　hast　laid　him；　and　I　will　take　him　away。〃　　In　time；　the

distant　river　with　the　ships　came　full　in　view；　and　with　it　pictures

of　the　poor　fishermen；　mending　their　nets；　who　arose　and　followed

him；of　the　teaching　of　the　people　from　a　ship　pushed　off　a　little

way　from　shore；　by　reason　of　the　multitude；of　a　majestic　figure

walking　on　the　water；　in　the　loneliness　of　night。　　My　very　shadow　on

the　ground　was　eloquent　of　Christmas；　for　did　not　the　people　lay

their　sick　where　the　more　shadows　of　the　men　who　had　heard　and　seen

him　might　fall　as　they　passed　along？



Thus　Christmas　begirt　me；　far　and　near；　until　I　had　come　to

Blackheath；　and　had　walked　down　the　long　vista　of　gnarled　old　trees

in　Greenwich　Park；　and　was　being　steam…rattled　through　the　mists　now

closing　in　once　more；　towards　the　lights　of　London。　　Brightly　they

shone；　but　not　so　brightly　as　my　own　fire；　and　the　brighter　faces

around　it；　when　we　came　together　to　celebrate　the　day。　　And　there　I

told　of　worthy　Master　Richard　Watts；　and　of　my　supper　with　the　Six

Poor　Travellers　who　were　neither　Rogues　nor　Proctors；　and　from　that

hour　to　this　I　have　never　seen　one　of　them　again。











End