adam bede(亚当[1].比德)-第49章
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George Eliot ElecBook Classics
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Adam Bede 241
“Eh； I knowna。 He preached a deal about doctrines。 But I’ve
seen pretty clear； ever since I was a young un； as religion’s
something else besides doctrines and notions。 I look at it as if the
doctrines was like finding names for your feelings； so as you can
talk of ’em when you’ve never known ’em； just as a man may talk
o’ tools when he knows their names； though he’s never so much as
seen ’em； still less handled ’em。 I’ve heard a deal o’ doctrine i’ my
time； for I used to go after the Dissenting preachers along wi’ Seth；
when I was a lad o’ seventeen； and got puzzling myself a deal
about th’ Arminians and the Calvinists。 The Wesleyans； you know；
are strong Arminians； and Seth； who could never abide anything
harsh and was always for hoping the best； held fast by the
Wesleyans from the very first； but I thought I could pick a hole or
two in their notions； and I got disputing wi’ one o’ the class leaders
down at Treddles’on； and harassed him so； first o’ this side and
then o’ that； till at last he said； ‘Young man； it’s the devil making
use o’ your pride and conceit as a weapon to war against the
simplicity o’ the truth。’ I couldn’t help laughing then； but as I was
going home； I thought the man wasn’t far wrong。 I began to see as
all this weighing and sifting what this text means and that text
means； and whether folks are saved all by God’s grace； or whether
there goes an ounce o’ their own will to ’t； was no part o’ real
religion at all。 You may talk o’ these things for hours on end； and
you’ll only be all the more coxy and conceited for ’t。 So I took to
going nowhere but to church； and hearing nobody but Mr。 Irwine；
for he said nothing but what was good and what you’d be the wiser
for remembering。 And I found it better for my soul to be humble
before the mysteries o’ God’s dealings； and not be making a clatter
about what I could never understand。 And they’re poor foolish
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Adam Bede 242
questions after all； for what have we got either inside or outside of
us but what comes from God？ If we’ve got a resolution to do right；
He gave it us； I reckon； first or last； but I see plain enough we shall
never do it without a resolution； and that’s enough for me。”
Adam； you perceive； was a warm admirer； perhaps a partial
judge； of Mr。 Irwine； as； happily； some of us still are of the people
we have known familiarly。 Doubtless it will be despised as a
weakness by that lofty order of minds who pant after the ideal； and
are oppressed by a general sense that their emotions are of too
exquisite a character to find fit objects among their everyday
fellowmen。 I have often been favoured with the confidence of
these select natures； and find them to concur in the experience
that great men are overestimated and small men are
insupportable； that if you would love a woman without ever
looking back on your love as a folly； she must die while you are
courting her； and if you would maintain the slightest belief in
human heroism； you must never make a pilgrimage to see the
hero。 I confess I have often meanly shrunk from confessing to
these accomplished and acute gentlemen what my own experience
has been。 I am afraid I have often smiled with hypocritical assent；
and gratified them with an epigram on the fleeting nature of our
illusions； which any one moderately acquainted with French
literature can command at a moment’s notice。 Human converse； I
think some wise man has remarked； is not rigidly sincere。 But I
herewith discharge my conscience； and declare that I have had
quite enthusiastic movements of admiration towards old
gentlemen who spoke the worst English； who were occasionally
fretful in their temper； and who had never moved in a higher
sphere of influence than that of parish overseer； and that the way
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Adam Bede 243
in which I have come to the conclusion that human nature is
lovable—the way I have learnt something of its deep pathos； its
sublime mysteries—has been by living a great deal among people
more or less commonplace and vulgar； of whom you would
perhaps hear nothing very surprising if you were to inquire about
them in the neighbourhoods where they dwelt。 Ten to one most of
the small shopkeepers in their vicinity saw nothing at all in them。
For I have observed this remarkable coincidence； that the select
natures who pant after the ideal； and find nothing in pantaloons or
petticoats great enough to command their reverence and love； are
curiously in unison with the narrowest and pettiest。 For example； I
have often heard Mr。 Gedge； the landlord of the Royal Oak； who
used to turn a bloodshot eye on his neighbours in the village of
Shepperton； sum up his opinion of the people in his own parish—
and they were all the people he knew—in these emphatic words：
“Aye； sir； I’ve said it often； and I’ll say it again； they’re a poor lot i’
this parish—a poor lot； sir； big and little。” I think he had a dim
idea that if he could migrate to a distant parish； he might find
neighbours worthy of him； and indeed he did subsequently
transfer himself to the Saracen’s Head； which was doing a thriving
business in the back street of a neighbouring market…town。 But；
oddly enough； he has found the people up that back street of
precisely the same stamp as the inhabitants of Shepperton—“a
poor lot； sir； big and little； and them as comes for a go o’ gin are no
better than them as comes for a pint o’ twopenny—a poor lot。”
George Eliot ElecBook Classics
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Adam Bede 244
Chapter XVIII
Church
etty； Hetty； don’t you know church begins at two；
and it’s gone half after one a’ready？ Have you got
“H
nothing better to think on this good Sunday as poor
old Thias Bede’s to be put into the ground； and him drownded i’
th’ dead o’ the night； as it’s enough to make one’s back run cold；
but you must be ’dizening yourself as if there was a wedding i’stid
of a funeral？”
“Well； Aunt；” said Hetty； “I can’t be ready so soon as everybody
else； when I’ve got Totty’s things to put on。 And I’d ever such work
to make her stand still。”
Hetty was coming downstairs； and Mrs。 Poyser； in her plain
bonnet and shawl； was standing below。 If ever a girl looked as if
she had been made of roses； that girl was Hetty in her Sunday hat
and frock。 For her hat was trimmed with pink； and her frock had
pink spots； sprinkled on a white ground。 There was nothing but
pink and white about her； except in her dark hair and eyes and
her little buckled shoes。 Mrs。 Poyser was provoked at herself； for
she could hardly keep from smiling； as any mortal is inclined to do
at the sight of pretty round things。 So she turned without
speaking； and joined the group outside the house door； followed
by Hetty； whose heart was fluttering so at the thought of some one
she expected to see at church that she hardly felt the ground she
trod on。
And now the little procession set off。 Mr。 Poyser was in his
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Adam Bede 245
Sunday suit of drab； with a red…and…green waistcoat and a green
watch…ribbon having a large cornelian seal attached； pendant like
a plumb…line from that promontory where his watch…pocket was
situated； a silk handkerchief of a yellow tone round his neck； and
excellent grey ribbed stockings； knitted by Mrs。 Poyser’s own
hand； setting off the proportions of his leg。 Mr。 Poyser had no
reason to be ashamed of his leg； and suspected that the growing
abuse of top…boots and other fashions tending to disguise the
nether limbs had their origin in a pitiable degeneracy of the
human calf。 Still less had he reason to be ashamed of his round
jolly face； which was good humour itself as he said； “Come；
Hetty—come； little uns！” and giving his arm to his wife； led the
way through the causeway gate into the yard。
The “little uns” addressed were Marty and Tommy； boys of
nine and seven； in little fustian tailed coats and knee…breeches；
relieved by rosy cheeks and black eyes； looking as much like their
father as a very small elephant is like a very large one。 Hetty
walked between them； and behind came patient Molly； whose task
it was to carry Totty through the yard and over all the wet places
on the road； for Totty； having speedily recovered from her
threatened fever； had insisted on going to church to…day； and
especially on wearing her red…and…black necklace outside
