a laodicean-第14章

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surreptitiously；　and　indefensibly；　to　the　font　of　the
Establishment；　so　that　the　rite　meant　and　could　mean　nothing
at　all。　。　。　。　　But　I　fear　that　your　new　position　has　brought
you　into　contact　with　the　Paedobaptists；　that　they　have
disturbed　your　old　principles；　and　so　induced　you　to　believe
in　the　validity　of　that　trumpery　ceremony！'

'It　seems　sufficient。'

'I　will　demolish　the　basis　of　that　seeming　in　three　minutes；
give　me　but　that　time　as　a　listener。'

'I　have　no　objection。'

'Very　well。　。　。　。　　First；　then；　I　will　assume　that　those　who
have　influenced　you　in　the　matter　have　not　been　able　to　make
any　impression　upon　one　so　well　grounded　as　yourself　in　our
distinctive　doctrine；　by　the　stale　old　argument　drawn　from
circumcision？'

'You　may　assume　it。'

'Goodthat　clears　the　ground。　　And　we　now　come　to　the　New
Testament。'

The　minister　began　to　turn　over　the　leaves　of　his　little
Bible；　which　it　impressed　Somerset　to　observe　was　bound　with　a
flap；　like　a　pocket　book；　the　black　surface　of　the　leather
being　worn　brown　at　the　corners　by　long　usage。　　He　turned　on
till　he　came　to　the　beginning　of　the　New　Testament；　and　then
commenced　his　discourse。　　After　explaining　his　position；　the
old　man　ran　very　ably　through　the　arguments；　citing　well…known
writers　on　the　point　in　dispute　when　he　required　more　finished
sentences　than　his　own。

The　minister's　earnestness　and　interest　in　his　own　case　led
him　unconsciously　to　include　Somerset　in　his　audience　as　the
young　man　drew　nearer；　till；　instead　of　fixing　his　eyes
exclusively　on　the　person　within　the　summer…house；　the
preacher　began　to　direct　a　good　proportion　of　his　discourse
upon　his　new　auditor；　turning　from　one　listener　to　the　other
attentively；　without　seeming　to　feel　Somerset's　presence　as
superfluous。

'And　now；'　he　said　in　conclusion；　'I　put　it　to　you；　sir；　as　to
her：　　do　you　find　any　flaw　in　my　argument？　　Is　there；　madam；　a
single　text　which；　honestly　interpreted；　affords　the　least
foothold　for　the　Paedobaptists；　in　other　words；　for　your
opinion　on　the　efficacy　of　the　rite　administered　to　you　in
your　unconscious　infancy？　　I　put　it　to　you　both　as　honest　and
responsible　beings。'　　He　turned　again　to　the　young　man。

It　happened　that　Somerset　had　been　over　this　ground　long　ago。
Born；　so　to　speak；　a　High…Church　infant；　in　his　youth　he　had
been　of　a　thoughtful　turn；　till　at　one　time　an　idea　of　his
entering　the　Church　had　been　entertained　by　his　parents。　　He
had　formed　acquaintance　with　men　of　almost　every　variety　of
doctrinal　practice　in　this　country；　and；　as　the　pleadings　of
each　assailed　him　before　he　had　arrived　at　an　age　of
sufficient　mental　stability　to　resist　new　impressions；　however
badly　substantiated；　he　inclined　to　each　denomination　as　it
presented　itself；　was

　　　　　'Everything　by　starts；　and　nothing　long；'

till　he　had　travelled　through　a　great　many　beliefs　and
doctrines　without　feeling　himself　much　better　than　when　he　set
out。

A　study　of　fonts　and　their　origin　had　qualified　him　in　this
particular　subject。　　Fully　conscious　of　the　inexpediency　of
contests　on　minor　ritual　differences；　he　yet　felt　a　sudden
impulse　towards　a　mild　intellectual　tournament　with　the　eager
old　manpurely　as　an　exercise　of　his　wits　in　the　defence　of　a
fair　girl。

'Sir；　I　accept　your　challenge　to　us；'　said　Somerset；　advancing
to　the　minister's　side。



VII。

At　the　sound　of　a　new　voice　the　lady　in　the　bower　started；　as
he　could　see　by　her　outline　through　the　crevices　of　the　wood…
work　and　creepers。　　The　minister　looked　surprised。

'You　will　lend　me　your　Bible；　sir；　to　assist　my　memory？'　he
continued。

The　minister　held　out　the　Bible　with　some　reluctance；　but　he
allowed　Somerset　to　take　it　from　his　hand。　　The　latter；
stepping　upon　a　large　moss…covered　stone　which　stood　near；　and
laying　his　hat　on　a　flat　beech　bough　that　rose　and　fell　behind
him；　pointed　to　the　minister　to　seat　himself　on　the　grass。
The　minister　looked　at　the　grass；　and　looked　up　again　at
Somerset；　but　did　not　move。

Somerset　for　the　moment　was　not　observing　him。　　His　new
position　had　turned　out　to　be　exactly　opposite　the　open　side
of　the　bower；　and　now　for　the　first　time　he　beheld　the
interior。　　On　the　seat　was　the　woman　who　had　stood　beneath　his
eyes　in　the　chapel；　the　'Paula'　of　Miss　De　Stancy's
enthusiastic　eulogies。　　She　wore　a　summer　hat；　beneath　which
her　fair　curly　hair　formed　a　thicket　round　her　forehead。　　It
would　be　impossible　to　describe　her　as　she　then　appeared。　　Not
sensuous　enough　for　an　Aphrodite；　and　too　subdued　for　a　Hebe；
she　would　yet；　with　the　adjunct　of　doves　or　nectar；　have　stood
sufficiently　well　for　either　of　those　personages；　if　presented
in　a　pink　morning　light；　and　with　mythological　scarcity　of
attire。

Half　in　surprise　she　glanced　up　at　him；　and　lowering　her　eyes
again；　as　if　no　surprise　were　ever　let　influence　her　actions
for　more　than　a　moment；　she　sat　on　as　before；　looking　past
Somerset's　position　at　the　view　down　the　river；　visible　for　a
long　distance　before　her　till　it　was　lost　under　the　bending
trees。

Somerset　turned　over　the　leaves　of　the　minister's　Bible；　and
began：

'In　the　First　Epistle　to　the　Corinthians；　the　seventh　chapter
and　the　fourteenth　verse'。

Here　the　young　lady　raised　her　eyes　in　spite　of　her　reserve；
but　it　being；　apparently；　too　much　labour　to　keep　them　raised；
allowed　her　glance　to　subside　upon　her　jet　necklace；　extending
it　with　the　thumb　of　her　left　hand。

'Sir！'　said　the　Baptist　excitedly；　'I　know　that　passage　well
it　is　the　last　refuge　of　the　PaedobaptistsI　foresee　your
argument。　　I　have　met　it　dozens　of　times；　and　it　is　not　worth
that　snap　of　the　fingers！　　It　is　worth　no　more　than　the
argument　from　circumcision；　or　the　Suffer…little…children
argument。'

'Then　turn　to　the　sixteenth　chapter　of　the　Acts；　and　the
thirty…third'

'That；　too；'　cried　the　minister；　'is　answered　by　what　I　said
before！　　I　perceive；　sir；　that　you　adopt　the　method　of　a
special　pleader；　and　not　that　of　an　honest　inquirer。　　Is　it；
or　is　it　not；　an　answer　to　my　proofs　from　the　eighth　chapter
of　the　Acts；　the　thirty…sixth　and　thirty…seventh　verses；　the
sixteenth　of　Mark；　sixteenth　verse；　second　of　Acts；　forty…
first　verse；　the　tenth　and　the　forty…seventh　verse；　or　the
eighteenth　and　eighth　verse？'

'Very　well；　then。　　Let　me　prove　the　point　by　other　reasoning
by　the　argument　from　Apostolic　tradition。'　　He　threw　the
minister's　book　upon　the　grass；　and　proceeded　with　his
contention；　which　comprised　a　fairly　good　exposition　of　the
earliest　practice　of　the　Church　and　inferences　therefrom。
（When　he　reached　this　point　an　interest　in　his　off…hand
arguments　was　revealed　by　the　mobile　bosom　of　Miss　Paula
Power；　though　she　still　occupied　herself　by　drawing　out　the
necklace。　　Testimony　from　Justin　Martyr　followed；　with
inferences　from　Irenaeus　in　the　expression；　'Omnes　enim　venit
per　semetipsum　salvare；　omnes　inquam；　qui　per　eum　renascuntur
in　Deum；　INFANTES　et　parvulos　et　pueros　et　juvenes。'　　（At　the
sound　of　so　much　seriousness　Paula　turned　her　eyes　upon　the
speaker　with　attention。）　　He　next　adduced　proof　of　the
signification　of　'renascor'　in　the　writings　of　the　Fathers；　as
reasoned　by　Wall；　arguments　from　Tertullian's　advice　to　defer
the　rite；　citations　from　Cyprian；　Nazianzen；　Chrysostom；　and
Jerome；　and　briefly　summed　up　the　whole　matter。

Somerset　looked　round　for　the　minister　as　he　concluded。　　But
the　old　man；　after　standing　face　to　face　with　the　speaker；　had
turned　his　back　upon　him；　and　during　the　latter　portions　of
the　attack　had　moved　slowly　away。　　He　now　looked　back；　his
countenance　was　full　of　commiserating　reproach　as　he　lifted
his　hand；　twice　shook　his　head；　and　said；　'In　the　Epistle　to
the　Philippians；　first　chapter　and　sixteenth　verse；　it　is
written　that　there　are　some　who　preach　in　contention　and　not
sincerely。　　And　in　the　Second　Epistle　to　Timothy；　fourth
chapter　and　fourth　verse；　attention　is　drawn　to　those　whose
ears　refuse　the　truth；　and　are　turned　unto　fables。　　I　wish　you
good　afternoon；　sir；　and　that　priceless　gift；　SINCERITY。'

The　minister　vanished　behind　the　trees；　Somerset　and　Miss
Power　being　left　confronting　each　other　alone。