the story of a pioneer-第20章

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assured　them　that　he　himself　was　not　responsible

for　my　appearance　there。　　With　every　word　he　ut…

tered　he　put　a　brick　in　the　wall　he　was　building　be…

tween　me　and　the　crew；　until　at　last　I　felt　that　I

could　never　get　past　it。　　I　was　very　unhappy；　very

lonely；　very　homesick；　and　suddenly　the　thought

came　to　me　that　these　men；　notwithstanding　their

sullen　eyes　and　forbidding　faces；　might　be　lonely

and　homesick；　too。　　I　decided　to　talk　to　them　as　a

woman　and　not　as　a　minister；　and　I　came　down　from

the　pulpit　and　faced　them　on　their　own　level；　look…

ing　them　over　and　mentally　selecting　the　hardest

specimens　of　the　lot　as　the　special　objects　of　my

appeal。　　One　old　fellow；　who　looked　like　a　pirate

with　his　red…rimmed　eyes；　weather…beaten　skin；　and

fimbriated　face；　grinned　up　at　me　in　such　sardonic

challenge　that　I　walked　directly　in　front　of　him　and

began　to　speak。　　I　said：



‘‘My　friends；　I　hope　you　will　forget　everything

Dr。　Blank　has　just　said。　　It　is　true　that　I　am　a

minister；　and　that　I　came　here　to　preach。　　But　now

I　do　not　intend　to　preachonly　to　have　a　friendly

talk；　on　a　text　which　is　not　in　the　Bible。　　I　am　very

far　from　home；　and　I　feel　as　homesick　as　some　of

you　men　look。　　So　my　text　is；　‘Blessed　are　the　home…

sick；　for　they　shall　go　home。'　''



In　my　summers　at　Cape　Cod　I　had　learned　some…

thing　about　sailors。　　I　knew　that　in　the　inprepos…

sessing　congregation　before　me　there　were　many

boys　who　had　run　away　from　home；　and　men　who

had　left　home　because　of　family　troubles。　　I　talked

to　the　young　men　first；　to　those　who　had　forgotten

their　mothers　and　thought　their　mothers　had　for…

gotten　them；　and　I　told　of　my　experiences　with

waiting；　heavy…hearted　mothers　who　had　sons　at

sea。　　Some　heads　went　down　at　that；　and　here　and

there　I　saw　a　boy　gulp；　but　the　old　fellow　I　was　par…

ticularly　anxious　to　move　still　grinned　up　at　me　like

a　malicious　monkey。　　Then　I　talked　of　the　sailor's

wife；　and　of　her　double　burden　of　homemaking　and

anxiety；　and　soon　I　could　pick　out　some　of　the　hus…

bands　by　their　softened　faces。　　But　still　my　old

man　grinned　and　squinted。　　Last　of　all　I　described

the　whalers　who　were　absent　from　home　for　years；

and　who　came　back　to　find　their　children　and　their

grandchildren　waiting　for　them。　　I　told　how　I　had

seen　them；　in　our　New　England　coast　towns；　covered；

as　a　ship　is　covered　with　barnacles；　by　grandchildren

who　rode　on　their　shoulders　and　sat　astride　of　their

necks　as　they　walked　down　the　village　streets。　　And

now　at　last　the　sneer　left　my　old　man's　loose　lips。　

He　had　grandchildren　somewhere。　　He　twisted　un…

easily　in　his　seat；　coughed；　and　finally　took　out　a　big

red　handkerchief　and　wiped　his　eyes。　　The　episode

encouraged　me。



‘‘When　I　came　here；''　I　added；　‘‘I　intended　to

preach　a　sermon　on　‘The　Heavenly　Vision。'　　Now　I

want　to　give　you　a　glimpse　of　that　in　addition　to

the　vision　we　have　had　of　home。''



I　ended　with　a　bit　of　the　sermon　and　a　prayer；

and　when　I　raised　my　head　the　old　man　of　the　sar…

donic　grin　was　standing　before　me。



‘‘Missus；''　he　said　in　a　husky　whisper；　‘‘I'd　like

to　shake　your　hand。''



I　took　his　hard　old　fist；　and　then；　seeing　that

many　of　the　other　sailors　were　beginning　to　move

hospitably　but　shyly　toward　me；　I　said：



‘‘I　would　like　to　shake　hands　with　every　man

here。''



At　the　words　they　surged　forward；　and　the　affair

became　a　reception；　during　which　I　shook　hands

with　every　sailor　of　my　congregation。　　The　next　day

my　hand　was　swollen　out　of　shape；　for　the　sailors　had

gripped　it　as　if　they　were　hauling　on　a　hawser；　but

the　experience　was　worth　the　discomfort。　　The　best

moment　of　the　morning　came；　however；　when　the

pastor　of　the　ship　faced　me；　goggle…eyed　and　mar…

veling。



‘‘I　wouldn't　have　believed　it；''　was　all　he　could

say。　　‘‘I　thought　the　men　would　mob　you。''



‘‘Why　should　they　mob　me？''　I　wanted　to　know。



‘‘Why；''　he　stammered；　‘‘because　the　thing　is　so

sounnatural。''



‘‘Well；''　I　said；　‘‘if　it　is　unnatural　for　women　to

talk　to　men；　we　have　been　living　in　an　unnatural

world　for　a　long　time。　　Moreover；　if　it　is　unnatural；

why　did　Jesus　send　a　woman　out　as　the　first　preach…

er？''



He　waived　a　discussion　of　that　question　by　invit…

ing　us　all　to　his　cabin　to　drink　wine　with　himand

as　we　were　‘‘total　abstainers；''　it　seemed　as　un…

natural　to　us　to　have　him　offer　us　wine　as　a　woman's

preaching　had　seemed　to　him。



The　next　European　incident　on　which　memory

throws　a　high…light　was　our　audience　with　Pope

Leo　XIII。　　As　there　were　several　distinguished

Americans　in　our　party；　a　private　audience　was　ar…

ranged　for　us；　and　for　days　before　the　time　appointed

we　nervously　rehearsed　the　etiquette　of　the　oc…

casion。　　When　we　reached　the　Vatican　we　were

marched　between　rows　of　Swiss　Guards　to　the

Throne　Room；　only　to　learn　there　that　we　were　to

be　received　in　the　Tapestry　Room。　　Here　we　found

a　very　impressive　assemblage　of　cardinals　and

Vatican　officials；　and　while　we　were　still　lost　in　the

beauty　of　the　picture　they　made　against　the　room's

superb　background；　the　approach　of　the　Pope　was

announced。　　Every　one　immediately　knelt；　except　a

few　persons　who　tried　to　show　their　democracy　by

standing；　but　I　am　sure　that　even　these　individuals

felt　a　thrill　when　the　slight；　exquisite　figure　appeared

at　the　door　and　gave　us　a　general　benediction。　　Then

the　Pope　passed　slowly　down　the　line；　offering　his

hand　to　each　of　us；　and　radiating　a　charm　so　gracious

and　so　human　that　few　failed　to　respond　to　the

appeal　of　his　engaging　personality。　　There　was

nothing　fleshly　about　Leo　XIII。　　His　body　was　so

frail；　so　wraithlike；　that　one　almost　expected　to　see

through　it　the　magnificent　tapestries　on　the　walls。　

But　from　the　moment　he　appeared　every　eye　clung

to　him；　every　thought　was　concentrated　upon　him。　

This　effect　I　think　he　would　have　produced　even　if

he　had　come　among　us　unrecognized；　for　through

the　thin　shell　that　housed　it　shone　the　steady　flame

of　a　wonderful　spirit。



I　had　previously　remarked　to　my　friends　that

kissing　the　Pope's　ring　after　so　many　other　lips　had

touched　it　did　not　appeal　to　me　as　hygienic；　and　that

I　intended　to　kiss　his　hand　instead。　　When　my　op…

portunity　came　I　kept　my　word；　but　after　I　had

kissed　the　venerable　hand　I　remained　kneeling　for

an　instant　with　bowed　head；　a　little　aghast　at　my

daring。　　The　gentle　Father　thought；　however；　that

I　was　waiting　for　a　special　blessing。　　He　gave　it　to

me　gravely　and　passed　on；　and　I　devoted　the　next

few　hours　to　ungodly　crowing　over　the　associ…

ates　who　had　received　no　such　individual　atten…

tion。



In　Venice　we　attended　the　great　fete　celebrating

the　first　visit　of　King　Humbert　and　Queen　Mar…

gherita。　　It　was　also　the　first　time　Venice　had　en…

tertained　a　queen　since　the　Italian　union；　and　the

sea…queen　of　the　Adriatic　outdid　herself　in　the　gor…

geousness　and　the　beauty　of　her　preparations。　　The

Grand　Canal　was　like　a　flowing　rainbow；　reflecting

the　brilliant　decorations　on　every　side；　and　at　night

the　moonlight；　the　music；　the　chiming　church…bells；

the　colored　lanterns；　the　gay　voices；　the　lapping

waters　against　the　sides　of　countless　gondolas　made

the　experience　seem　like　a　dream　of　a　new　and　un…

believably　beautiful　world。　　Forty　thousand　per…

sons　were　gathered　in　the　Square　of　St。　Mark　and

in　front　of　the　Palace；　and　I　recall　a　pretty　incident

in　which　the　gracious　Queen　and　a　little　street

urchin　figured。　　The　small；　ragged　boy　had　crept

as　close　to　the　royal　balcony　as　he　dared；　and　then；

unobserved；　had　climbed　up　one　of　its　pillars。　　At

the　moment　when　a　sudden　hush　had　fallen　on　the

crowd　this　infant；　overcome　by　patriotism　and　a

glimpse　of　the　royal　lady　on　the　balcony　above　him；

suddenly　piped　up　shrilly　in　the　silence。　　‘‘　Long　live

the　Queen！''　he　cried。　　‘‘Long　live　the　Queen！''



The　gracious　Margherita