the americanization of edward bok-第18章

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　no　less　fine！



IX。　Association　with　Henry　Ward　Beecher

As　a　letter…writer；　Henry　Ward　Beecher　was　a　constant　wonder。　He　never　wrote　a　commonplace　letter。　There　was　always　himself　in　itin　whatever　mood　it　found　him。

It　was　not　customary　for　him　to　see　all　his　mail。　As　a　rule　Mrs。　Beecher　opened　it；　and　attended　to　most　of　it。　One　evening　Edward　was　helping　Mrs。　Beecher　handle　an　unusually　large　number　of　letters。　He　was　reading　one　when　Mr。　Beecher　happened　to　come　in　and　read　what　otherwise　he　would　not　have　seen：

〃Reverend　Henry　Ward　Beecher。

〃Dear　Sir：

〃I　journeyed　over　from　my　New　York　hotel　yesterday　morning　to　hear　you　preach；　expecting；　of　course；　to　hear　an　exposition　of　the　gospel　of　Jesus　Christ。　Instead；　I　heard　a　political　harangue；　with　no　reason　or　cohesion　in　it。　You　made　an　ass　of　yourself。

〃Very　truly　yours；　__　__。

〃That's　to　the　point；〃　commented　Mr。　Beecher　with　a　smile；　and　then　seating　himself　at　his　desk；　he　turned　the　sheet　over　and　wrote：

My　Dear　Sir：

〃I　am　sorry　you　should　have　taken　so　long　a　journey　to　hear　Christ　preached；　and　then　heard　what　you　are　polite　enough　to　call　a　'political　harangue。'　I　am　sorry；　too；　that　you　think　I　made　an　ass　of　myself。　In　this　connection　I　have　but　one　consolation：　that　you　didn't　make　an　ass　of　yourself。　The　Lord　did　that。〃

〃Henry　Ward　Beecher。

When　the　Reverend　T。　De　Witt　Talmage　began　to　come　into　public　notice　in　Brooklyn；　some　of　Mr。　Beecher's　overzealous　followers　unwisely　gave　the　impression　that　the　Plymouth　preacher　resented　sharing　with　another　the　pulpit　fame　which　he　alone　had　so　long　unquestioningly　held。　Nothing；　of　course；　was　further　from　Mr。　Beecher's　mind。　As　a　matter　of　fact；　the　two　men　were　exceedingly　good　friends。　Mr。　Beecher　once　met　Doctor　Talmage　in　a　crowded　business　thoroughfare；　where　they　got　so　deeply　interested　in　each　other's　talk　that　they　sat　down　in　some　chairs　standing　in　front　of　a　furniture　store。　A　gathering　throng　of　intensely　amused　people　soon　brought　the　two　men　to　the　realization　that　they　had　better　move。　Then　Mr。　Beecher　happened　to　see　that　back　of　their　heads　had　been；　respectively；　two　signs：　one　reading；　〃This　style　3。45；〃　the　other；　〃This　style　4。25。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Mr。　Beecher；　as　he　and　Doctor　Talmage　walked　away　laughing；　〃I　was　ticketed　higher　than　you；　Talmage；　anyhow。〃

〃You're　worth　more；〃　rejoined　Doctor　Talmage。

On　another　occasion；　as　the　two　men　met　they　began　to　bandy　each　other。

〃Now；　Talmage；〃　said　Mr。　Beecher；　his　eyes　twinkling；　〃let's　have　it　out。　My　people　say　that　Plymouth　holds　more　people　than　the　Tabernacle；　and　your　folks　stand　up　for　the　Tabernacle。　Now　which　is　it？　What　is　your　estimate？〃

〃Well；　I　should　say　that　the　Tabernacle　holds　about　fifteen　thousand　people；〃　said　Doctor　Talmage　with　a　smile。

〃Good；〃　said　Mr。　Beecher；　at　once　catching　the　spirit。　〃And　I　say　that　Plymouth　accommodates；　comfortably；　twenty　thousand　people。　Now；　let's　tell　our　respective　trustees　that　it's　settled；　once　for　all。〃

Mr。　Beecher　could　never　be　induced　to　take　note　of　what　others　said　of　him。　His　friends；　with　more　heart　than　head；　often　tried　to　persuade　him　to　answer　some　attack；　but　he　invariably　waved　them　off。　He　always　saw　the　ridiculous　side　of　those　attacks；　never　their　serious　import。

At　one　time　a　fellow　Brooklyn　minister；　a　staunch　Prohibitionist；　publicly　reproved　Mr。　Beecher　for　being　inconsistent　in　his　temperance　views；　to　the　extent　that　he　preached　temperance　but　drank　beer　at　his　own　dinner…table。　This　attack　angered　the　friends　of　Mr。　Beecher；　who　tried　to　persuade　him　to　answer　the　charge。　But　the　Plymouth　pastor　refused。　〃Friend　　is　a　good　fellow；〃　was　the　only　comment　they　could　elicit。

〃But　he　ought　to　be　broadened；〃　persisted　the　friends。

〃Well　now；〃　said　Mr。　Beecher；　〃that　isn't　always　possible。　For　instance；〃　he　continued；　as　that　inimitable　merry　twinkle　came　into　his　eyes；　〃sometime　ago　Friend　　criticised　me　for　something　I　had　said。　I　thought　he　ought　not　to　have　done　so；　and　the　next　time　we　met　I　told　him　so。　He　persisted；　and　I　felt　the　only　way　to　treat　him　was　as　I　would　an　unruly　child。　So　I　just　took　hold　of　him；　laid　him　face　down　over　my　knee；　and　proceeded　to　impress　him　as　our　fathers　used　to　do　of　old。　And；　do　you　know；　I　found　that　the　Lord　had　not　made　a　place　on　him　for　me　to　lay　my　hand　upon。〃

And　in　the　laughter　which　met　this　sally　Mr。　Beecher　ended　with　〃You　see；　it　isn't　always　possible　to　broaden　a　man。〃

Mr。　Beecher　was　rarely　angry。　Once；　however；　he　came　near　it；　yet　he　was　more　displeased　than　angry。　Some　of　his　family　and　Edward　had　gone　to　a　notable　public　affair　at　the　Brooklyn　Academy　of　Music；　where　a　box　had　been　placed　at　Mr。　Beecher's　disposal。　One　member　of　the　family　was　a　very　beautiful　girl　who　had　brought　a　girl…friend。　Both　were　attired　in　full　evening　decollete　costume。　Mr。　Beecher　came　in　late　from　another　engagement。　A　chair　had　been　kept　vacant　for　him　in　the　immediate　front　of　the　box；　since　his　presence　had　been　widely　advertised；　and　the　audience　was　expecting　to　see　him。　When　he　came　in；　he　doffed　his　coat　and　was　about　to　go　to　the　chair　reserved　for　him；　when　he　stopped；　stepped　back；　and　sat　down　in　a　chair　in　the　rear　of　the　box。　It　was　evident　from　his　face　that　something　had　displeased　him。　Mrs。　Beecher　leaned　over　and　asked　him；　but　he　offered　no　explanation。　Nothing　was　said。

Edward　went　back　to　the　house　with　Mr。　Beecher；　after　talking　awhile　in　the　study；　the　preacher；　wishing　to　show　him　something；　was　going　up…stairs　with　his　guest　and　had　nearly　reached　the　second　landing　when　there　was　the　sound　of　a　rush；　the　gas　was　quickly　turned　low；　and　two　white　figures　sped　into　one　of　the　rooms。

〃My　dears；〃　called　Mr。　Beecher。

〃Yes；　Mr。　Beecher；〃　came　a　voice　from　behind　the　door　of　the　room　in　question。

〃Come　here　one　minute；〃　said　Mr。　Beecher。

〃But　we　cannot；〃　said　the　voice。　〃We　are　ready　for　bed。　Wait　until〃

〃No；　come　as　you　are；〃　returned　Mr。　Beecher。

〃Let　me　go　down…stairs；〃　Edward　interrupted。

〃No；　you　stay　right　here；〃　said　Mr。　Beecher。

〃Why；　Mr。　Beecher！　How　can　we？　Isn't　Edward　with　you？〃

〃You　are　keeping　me　waiting　for　you；〃　was　the　quiet　and　firm　answer。

There　was　a　moment's　hesitation。　Then　the　door　opened　and　the　figures　of　the　two　girls　appeared。

〃Now；　turn　up　the　gas；　please；　as　it　was；〃　said　Mr。　Beecher。

〃But；　Mr。　Beecher〃

〃You　heard　me？〃

Up　went　the　light；　and　the　two　beautiful　girls　of　the　box　stood　in　their　night…dresses。

〃Now；　why　did　you　run　away？〃　asked　Mr。　Beecher。

〃Why；　Mr。　Beecher！　How　can　you　ask　such　a　question？〃　pouted　one　of　the　girls；　looking　at　her　dress　and　then　at　Edward。

〃Exactly；〃　said　Mr。　Beecher。　〃Your　modesty　leads　you　to　run　away　from　this　young　man　because　he　might　possibly　see　you　under　a　single　light　in　dresses　that　cover　your　entire　bodies；　while　that　same　modesty　did　not　prevent　you　all　this　evening　from　sitting　beside　him；　under　a　myriad　of　lights；　in　dresses　that　exposed　nearly　half　of　your　bodies。　That's　what　I　call　a　distinction　with　a　differencewith　the　difference　to　the　credit　neither　of　your　intelligence　nor　of　your　modesty。　There　is　some　modesty　in　the　dresses　you　have　on：　there　was　precious　little　in　what　you　girls　wore　this　evening。　Good　night。〃

〃You　do　not　believe；　Mr。　Beecher；〃　Edward　asked　later；　〃in　decollete　dressing　for　girls？〃

〃No；　and　even　less　for　women。　A　girl　has　some　excuse　of　youth　on　her　side；　a　woman　none　at　all。〃

A　few　moments　later　he　added：

〃A　proper　dress　for　any　girl　or　woman　is　one　that　reveals　the　lady；　but　not　her　person。〃

Edward　asked　Mrs。　Beecher　one　day　whether　Mr。　Beecher　had　ever　expressed　an　opinion　of　his　sister's　famous　book；　Uncle　Tom's　Cabin；　and　she　told　this　interesting　story　of　how　the　famous　preacher　read　the　story：

〃When　the　story　was　first　published　in　The　National　Era；　in　chapters；　all　our　family；　excepting　Mr。　Beecher；　looked　impatiently　for　its　appearance　each　week。　But；　try　as　we　might；　we　could　not　persuade　Mr。　Beecher　to　read　it；　or　let　us　tell　him　anything　about　it。

〃'It's　folly　for　you　to　be　kept　in　constant　excitement　week　after　week；'　he　would　say。　'I　shall　wait　till　the　work　is　completed；　a