a laodicean-第15章

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

Somerset　stepped　aside　from　the　stone；　hat　in　hand；　at　the
same　moment　in　which　Miss　Power　rose　from　her　seat。　　She
hesitated　for　an　instant；　and　said；　with　a　pretty　girlish
stiffness；　sweeping　back　the　skirt　of　her　dress　to　free　her
toes　in　turning：　　'Although　you　are　personally　unknown　to　me；
I　cannot　leave　you　without　expressing　my　deep　sense　of　your
profound　scholarship；　and　my　admiration　for　the　thoroughness
of　your　studies　in　divinity。'

'Your　opinion　gives　me　great　pleasure；'　said　Somerset；　bowing；
and　fairly　blushing。　　'But；　believe　me；　I　am　no　scholar；　and
no　theologian。　　My　knowledge　of　the　subject　arises　simply　from
the　accident　that　some　few　years　ago　I　looked　into　the
question　for　a　special　reason。　　In　the　study　of　my　profession
I　was　interested　in　the　designing　of　fonts　and　baptisteries；
and　by　a　natural　process　I　was　led　to　investigate　the　history
of　baptism；　and　some　of　the　arguments　I　then　learnt　up　still
remain　with　me。　　That's　the　simple　explanation　of　my
erudition。'

'If　your　sermons　at　the　church　only　match　your　address　to…day；
I　shall　not　wonder　at　hearing　that　the　parishioners　are　at
last　willing　to　attend。'

It　flashed　upon　Somerset's　mind　that　she　supposed　him　to　be
the　new　curate；　of　whose　arrival　he　had　casually　heard；　during
his　sojourn　at　the　inn。　　Before　he　could　bring　himself　to
correct　an　error　to　which；　perhaps；　more　than　to　anything
else；　was　owing　the　friendliness　of　her　manner；　she　went　on；
as　if　to　escape　the　embarrassment　of　silence：

'I　need　hardly　say　that　I　at　least　do　not　doubt　the　sincerity
of　your　arguments。'

'Nevertheless；　I　was　not　altogether　sincere；'　he　answered。

She　was　silent。

'Then　why　should　you　have　delivered　such　a　defence　of　me？'　she
asked　with　simple　curiosity。

Somerset　involuntarily　looked　in　her　face　for　his　answer。

Paula　again　teased　the　necklace。　　'Would　you　have　spoken　so
eloquently　on　the　other　side　if　Iif　occasion　had　served？'
she　inquired　shyly。

'Perhaps　I　would。'

Another　pause；　till　she　said；　'I；　too；　was　insincere。'

'You？'

'I　was。'

'In　what　way？；

'In　letting　him；　and　you；　think　I　had　been　at　all　influenced
by　authority；　scriptural　or　patristic。'

'May　I　ask；　why；　then；　did　you　decline　the　ceremony　the　other
evening？'

'Ah；　you；　too；　have　heard　of　it！'　she　said　quickly。

'No。'

'What　then？'

'I　saw　it。'

She　blushed　and　looked　down　the　river。　　'I　cannot　give　my
reasons；'　she　said。

'Of　course　not；'　said　Somerset。

'I　would　give　a　great　deal　to　possess　real　logical　dogmatism。'

'So　would　I。'

There　was　a　moment　of　embarrassment：　　she　wanted　to　get　away；
but　did　not　precisely　know　how。　　He　would　have　withdrawn　had
she　not　said；　as　if　rather　oppressed　by　her　conscience；　and
evidently　still　thinking　him　the　curate：　　'I　cannot　but　feel
that　Mr。　Woodwell's　heart　has　been　unnecessarily　wounded。'

'The　minister's？'

'Yes。　　He　is　single…mindedness　itself。　　He　gives　away　nearly
all　he　has　to　the　poor。　　He　works　among　the　sick；　carrying
them　necessaries　with　his　own　hands。　　He　teaches　the　ignorant
men　and　lads　of　the　village　when　he　ought　to　be　resting　at
home；　till　he　is　absolutely　prostrate　from　exhaustion；　and
then　he　sits　up　at　night　writing　encouraging　letters　to　those
poor　people　who　formerly　belonged　to　his　congregation　in　the
village；　and　have　now　gone　away。　　He　always　offends　ladies；
because　he　can't　help　speaking　the　truth　as　he　believes　it；
but　he　hasn't　offended　me！'

Her　feelings　had　risen　towards　the　end；　so　that　she　finished
quite　warmly；　and　turned　aside。

'I　was　not　in　the　least　aware　that　he　was　such　a　man；'
murmured　Somerset；　looking　wistfully　after　the　minister。　。　。　。
'Whatever　you　may　have　done；　I　fear　that　I　have　grievously
wounded　a　worthy　man's　heart　from　an　idle　wish　to　engage　in　a
useless；　unbecoming；　dull；　last…century　argument。'

'Not　dull；'　she　murmured；　'for　it　interested　me。'

Somerset　accepted　her　correction　willingly。　　'It　was　ill…
considered　of　me；　however；'　he　said；　'and　in　his　distress　he
has　forgotten　his　Bible。'　　He　went　and　picked　up　the　worn
volume　from　where　it　lay　on　the　grass。

'You　can　easily　win　him　to　forgive　you；　by　just　following；　and
returning　the　book　to　him；'　she　observed。

'I　will；'　said　the　young　man　impulsively。　　And；　bowing　to　her；
he　hastened　along　the　river　brink　after　the　minister。　　He　at
length　saw　his　friend　before　him；　leaning　over　the　gate　which
led　from　the　private　path　into　a　lane；　his　cheek　resting　on
the　palm　of　his　hand　with　every　outward　sign　of　abstraction。
He　was　not　conscious　of　Somerset's　presence　till　the　latter
touched　him　on　the　shoulder。

Never　was　a　reconciliation　effected　more　readily。　　When
Somerset　said　that；　fearing　his　motives　might　be　misconstrued；
he　had　followed　to　assure　the　minister　of　his　goodwill　and
esteem；　Mr。　Woodwell　held　out　his　hand；　and　proved　his
friendliness　in　return　by　preparing　to　have　the　controversy　on
their　religious　differences　over　again　from　the　beginning；
with　exhaustive　detail。　　Somerset　evaded　this　with　alacrity；
and　once　having　won　his　companion　to　other　subjects　he　found
that　the　austere　man　had　a　smile　as　pleasant　as　an　infant's　on
the　rare　moments　when　he　indulged　in　it；　moreover；　that　he　was
warmly　attached　to　Miss　Power。

'Though　she　gives　me　more　trouble　than　all　the　rest　of　the
Baptist　church　in　this　district；'　he　said；　'I　love　her　as　my
own　daughter。　　But　I　am　sadly　exercised　to　know　what　she　is　at
heart。　　Heaven　supply　me　with　fortitude　to　contest　her　wild
opinions；　and　intractability！　　But　she　has　sweet　virtues；　and
her　conduct　at　times　can　be　most　endearing。'

'I　believe　it！'　said　Somerset；　with　more　fervour　than　mere
politeness　required。

'Sometimes　I　think　those　Stancy　towers　and　lands　will　be　a
curse　to　her。　　The　spirit　of　old　papistical　times　still
lingers　in　the　nooks　of　those　silent　walls；　like　a　bad　odour
in　a　still　atmosphere；　dulling　the　iconoclastic　emotions　of
the　true　Puritan。　　It　would　be　a　pity　indeed　if　she　were　to　be
tainted　by　the　very　situation　that　her　father's　indomitable
energy　created　for　her。'

'Do　not　be　concerned　about　her；'　said　Somerset　gently。　　'She's
not　a　Paedobaptist　at　heart；　although　she　seems　so。'

Mr。　Woodwell　placed　his　finger　on　Somerset's　arm；　saying；　'If
she's　not　a　Paedobaptist；　or　Episcopalian；　if　she　is　not
vulnerable　to　the　mediaeval　influences　of　her　mansion；　lands；
and　new　acquaintance；　it　is　because　she's　been　vulnerable　to
what　is　worse：　　to　doctrines　beside　which　the　errors　of
Paaedobaptists；　Episcopalians；　Roman　Catholics；　are　but　as
air。'

'How？　　You　astonish　me。'

'Have　you　heard　in　your　metropolitan　experience　of　a　curious
body　of　New　Lights；　as　they　think　themselves？'　　The　minister
whispered　a　name　to　his　listener；　as　if　he　were　fearful　of
being　overheard。

'O　no；'　said　Somerset；　shaking　his　head；　and　smiling　at　the
minister's　horror。　　'She's　not　that；　at　least；　I　think　not。　。
。　。　　She's　a　woman；　nothing　more。　　Don't　fear　for　her；　all
will　be　well。'

The　poor　old　man　sighed。　　'I　love　her　as　my　own。　　I　will　say
no　more。'

Somerset　was　now　in　haste　to　go　back　to　the　lady；　to　ease　her
apparent　anxiety　as　to　the　result　of　his　mission；　and　also
because　time　seemed　heavy　in　the　loss　of　her　discreet　voice
and　soft；　buoyant　look。　　Every　moment　of　delay　began　to　be　as
two。　　But　the　minister　was　too　earnest　in　his　converse　to　see
his　companion's　haste；　and　it　was　not　till　perception　was
forced　upon　him　by　the　actual　retreat　of　Somerset　that　he
remembered　time　to　be　a　limited　commodity。　　He　then　expressed
his　wish　to　see　Somerset　at　his　house　to　tea　any　afternoon　he
could　spare；　and　receiving　the　other's　promise　to　call　as　soon
as　he　could；　allowed　the　younger　man　to　set　out　for　the
summer…house；　which　he　did　at　a　smart　pace。　　When　he　reached
it　he　looked　around；　and　found　she　was　gone。

Somerset　was　immediately　struck　by　his　own　lack　of　social
dexterity。　　Why　did　he　act　so　readily　on　the　whimsical
suggestion　of　another　person；　and　follow　the　minister；　when　he
might　have　said　that　he　would　call　on　Mr。　Wood