adam bede(亚当[1].比德)-第8章
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Bush down by the Stone…pits； and cleaning himself more regularly
of a Sunday。
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Adam Bede 39
In front of Sandy Jim stood Chad’s Bess； who had shown an
unwonted quietude and fixity of attention ever since Dinah had
begun to speak。 Not that the matter of the discourse had arrested
her at once； for she was lost in a puzzling speculation as to what
pleasure and satisfaction there could be in life to a young woman
who wore a cap like Dinah’s。 Giving up this inquiry in despair； she
took to studying Dinah’s nose； eyes； mouth； and hair； and
wondering whether it was better to have such a sort of pale face as
that； or fat red cheeks and round black eyes like her own。 But
gradually the influence of the general gravity told upon her； and
she became conscious of what Dinah was saying。 The gentle tones；
the loving persuasion； did not touch her； but when the more
severe appeals came she began to be frightened。 Poor Bessy had
always been considered a naughty girl； she was conscious of it； if it
was necessary to be very good； it was clear she must be in a bad
way。 She couldn’t find her places at church as Sally Rann could；
she had often been tittering when she “curcheyed” to Mr。 Irwine；
and these religious deficiencies were accompanied by a
corresponding slackness in the minor morals； for Bessy belonged
unquestionably to that unsoaped lazy class of feminine characters
with whom you may venture to “eat an egg； an apple； or a nut。” All
this she was generally conscious of； and hitherto had not been
greatly ashamed of it。 But now she began to feel very much as if
the constable had come to take her up and carry her before the
justice for some undefined offence。 She had a terrified sense that
God； whom she had always thought of as very far off； was very
near to her； and that Jesus was close by looking at her； though she
could not see him。 For Dinah had that belief in visible
manifestations of Jesus； which is common among the Methodists；
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Adam Bede 40
and she communicated it irresistibly to her hearers： she made
them feel that he was among them bodily； and might at any
moment show himself to them in some way that would strike
anguish and penitence into their hearts。
“See！” she exclaimed； turning to the left； with her eyes fixed on
a point above the heads of the people。 “See where our blessed
Lord stands and weeps and stretches out his arms towards you。
Hear what he says： ‘How often would I have gathered you as a hen
gathereth her chickens under her wings； and ye would not！’ 。 。 。
and ye would not；” she repeated； in a tone of pleading reproach；
turning her eyes on the people again。 “See the print of the nails on
his dear hands and feet。 It is your sins that made them！ Ah！ How
pale and worn he looks！ He has gone through all that great agony
in the garden； when his soul was exceeding sorrowful even unto
death； and the great drops of sweat fell like blood to the ground。
They spat upon him and buffeted him； they scourged him； they
mocked him； they laid the heavy cross on his bruised shoulders。
Then they nailed him up。 Ah； what pain！ His lips are parched with
thirst； and they mock him still in this great agony； yet with those
parched lips he prays for them； ‘Father； forgive them； for they
know not what they do。’ Then a horror of great darkness fell upon
him； and he felt what sinners feel when they are for ever shut out
from God。 That was the last drop in the cup of bitterness。 ‘My God；
my God！’ he cries； ‘why hast Thou forsaken me？’
“All this he bore for you！ For you—and you never think of him；
for you—and you turn your backs on him； you don’t care what he
has gone through for you。 Yet he is not weary of toiling for you： he
has risen from the dead； he is praying for you at the right hand of
God—‘Father； forgive them； for they know not what they do。’ And
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he is upon this earth too； he is among us； he is there close to you
now； I see his wounded body and his look of love。”
Here Dinah turned to Bessy Cranage； whose bonny youth and
evident vanity had touched her with pity。
“Poor child！ Poor child！ He is beseeching you； and you don’t
listen to him。 You think of ear…rings and fine gowns and caps； and
you never think of the Saviour who died to save your precious
soul。 Your cheeks will be shrivelled one day； your hair will be grey；
your poor body will be thin and tottering！ Then you will begin to
feel that your soul is not saved； then you will have to stand before
God dressed in your sins； in your evil tempers and vain thoughts。
And Jesus； who stands ready to help you now； won’t help you
then； because you won’t have him to be your Saviour； he will be
your judge。 Now he looks at you with love and mercy and says；
‘Come to me that you may have life’； then he will turn away from
you； and say； ‘Depart from me into ever…lasting fire！’”
Poor Bessy’s wide…open black eyes began to fill with tears； her
great red cheeks and lips became quite pale； and her face was
distorted like a little child’s before a burst of crying。
“Ah； poor blind child！” Dinah went on； “think if it should
happen to you as it once happened to a servant of God in the days
of her vanity。 She thought of her lace caps and saved all her money
to buy ’em； she thought nothing about how she might get a clean
heart and a right spirit—she only wanted to have better lace than
other girls。 And one day when she put her new cap on and looked
in the glass； she saw a bleeding Face crowned with thorns。 That
face is looking at you now”—here Dinah pointed to a spot close in
front of Bessy—“Ah； tear off those follies！ Cast them away from
you； as if they were stinging adders。 They are stinging you—they
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are poisoning your soul—they are dragging you down into a dark
bottomless pit； where you will sink for ever； and for ever； and for
ever； further away from light and God。”
Bessy could bear it no longer： a great terror was upon her； and
wrenching her ear…rings from her ears； she threw them down
before her； sobbing aloud。 Her father； Chad； frightened lest he
should be “laid hold on” too； this impression on the rebellious
Bess striking him as nothing less than a miracle； walked hastily
away and began to work at his anvil by way of reassuring himself。
“Folks mun ha’ hoss…shoes； praichin’ or no praichin’： the divil
canna lay hould o’ me for that；” he muttered to himself。
But now Dinah began to tell of the joys that were in store for
the penitent； and to describe in her simple way the divine peace
and love with which the soul of the believer is filled—how the
sense of God’s love turns poverty into riches and satisfies the soul
so that no uneasy desire vexes it； no fear alarms it： how； at last； the
very temptation to sin is extinguished； and heaven is begun upon
earth； because no cloud passes between the soul and God； who is
its eternal sun。
“Dear friends；” she said at last； “brothers and sisters； whom I
love as those for whom my Lord has died； believe me； I know what
this great blessedness is； and because I know it； I want you to have
it too。 I am poor； like you： I have to get my living with my hands；
but no lord nor lady can be so happy as me； if they haven’t got the
love of God in their souls。 Think what it is—not to hate anything
but sin； to be full of love to every creature； to be frightened at
nothing； to be sure that all things will turn to good； not to mind
pain； because it is our Father’s will； to know that nothing—no； not
if the earth was to be burnt up； or the waters come and drown
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us—nothing could part us from God who loves us； and who fills
our souls with peace and joy； because we are sure that whatever
he wills is holy； just； and good。
“Dear friends； come and take this blessedness； it is offered to
you； it is the good news that Jesus came to preach to the poor。 It is
not like the riches of this world； so that the more one gets the less
the rest can have。 God is without end； his love is without end—
Its streams the whole creation reach；
So plenteous is the store；
Enough for all； enough for each；
Enough for evermore。
Dinah had been speaking at least an hour； and the reddening
light of the parting day seemed to give a solemn emphasis to her
closing words。 The stranger； who had been interested in the
course of her sermon as if it had been the development of a
drama—for there is this sort of fascination in all sincere
unpremeditated eloquence； which opens to one the inward drama
of the speaker’s emotions—now turned his horse aside and
pursued his way； while Dinah said； “Let us sing a little； dear
friends”； and as he was still winding dow
