the friendly road(友好的路)-第9章
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〃And it is true；〃 said Mr。 Vedder。 〃We got a long； long way from God
for many years： here we seem to get back to Him。〃
I had fully intended to take the road again that afternoon； but how
could any one leave such people as those？ We talked again late that night；
but the next morning； at the leisurely Sunday breakfast； I set my hour of
departure with all the firmness I could command。 I left them； indeed；
before ten o'clock that forenoon。 I shall never forget the parting。 They
walked with me to the top of the hill； and there we stopped and looked
back。 We could see the cottage half hidden among the trees； and the little
opening that the precious garden made。 For a time we stood there quite
silent。
〃Do you remember；〃 I said presently； 〃that character in Homer who
was a friend of men and lived in a house by the side of the road？ I shall
always think of you as friends of menyou took in a dusty traveller。 And I
shall never forget your house by the side of the road。〃
〃The House by the Side of the Roadyou have christened it anew；
David Grayson；〃 exclaimed Mrs。 Vedder。
And so we parted like old friends； and I left them to return to their
garden； where 〃'tis very sure God walks。〃
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THE FRIENDLY ROAD
CHAPTER IV。 I AM THE
SPECTATOR OF A MIGHTY
BATTLE； IN WHICH CHRISTIAN
MEETS APPOLLYON
It is one of the prime joys of the long road that no two days are ever
remotely alikeno two hours even； and sometimes a day that begins
calmly will end with the most stirring events。
It was thus； indeed； with that perfect spring Sunday； when I left my
friends； the Vedders； and turned my face again to the open country。 It
began as quietly as any Sabbath morning of my life； but what an end it had！
I would have travelled a thousand miles for the adventures which a
bounteous road that day spilled carelessly into my willing hands。
I can give no adequate reason why it should be so； but there are
Sunday mornings in the springat least in our country which seem to put
on； like a Sabbath garment； an atmosphere of divine quietude。 Warm； soft；
clear； but； above all； immeasurably serene。
Such was that Sunday morning； and I was no sooner well afoot than I
yielded to the ingratiating mood of the day。 Usually I am an active walker；
loving the sense of quick motion and the stir it imparts to both body and
mind； but that morning I found myself loitering； looking widely about me；
and enjoying the lesser and quieter aspects of nature。 It was a fine wooded
country in which I found myself； and I soon struck off the beaten road and
took to the forest and the fields。 In places the ground was almost covered
with meadow…rue； like green shadows on the hillsides； not yet in seed； but
richly umbrageous。 In the long green grass of the meadows shone the
yellow star…flowers； and the sweet…flags were blooming along the marshy
edges of the ponds。 The violets had disappeared； but they were succeeded
by wild geraniums and rank…growing vetches。
I remember that I kept thinking from time to time； all the forenoon； as
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my mind went back swiftly and warmly to the two fine friends from whom
I had so recently parted：
How the Vedders would enjoy this！ Or； I must tell the Vedders that。
And two or three times I found myself in animated conversations with
them in which I generously supplied all three parts。 It may be true for
some natures； as Leonardo said； that 〃if you are alone you belong wholly
to yourself； if you have a companion； you belong only half to yourself〃；
but it is certainly not so with me。 With me friendship never divides： it
multiplies。 A friend always makes me more than I am； better than I am；
bigger I am。 We two make four； or fifteen； or forty。
Well； I loitered through the fields and woods for a long time that
Sunday forenoon； not knowing in the least that Chance held me close by
the hand and was leading me onward to great events。 I knew； of
course；that I had yet to find a place for the night； and that this might be
difficult on Sunday； and yet I spent that forenoon as a man spends his
immortal youthwith a glorious disregard for the future。
Some time after noonfor the sun was high and the day was growing
much warmer I turned from the road； climbed an inviting little hill； and
chose a spot in an old meadow in the shade of an apple tree；and there I lay
down on the grass； and looked up into the dusky shadows of the branches
above me。 I could feel the soft airs on my face； I could hear the buzzing of
bees in the meadow flowers； and by turning my head just a little I could
see the slow fleecy clouds； high up； drifting across the perfect blue of the
sky。 And the scent of the fields in spring！he who has known it； even once；
may indeed die happy。
Men worship God in various ways： seemed to me that Sabbath
morning； as I lay quietly there in the warm silence of midday； that I was
truly worshipping God。 That Sunday morning everything about me
seemed somehow to be a miracle；a miracle gratefully accepted and
explainable only by the presence of God。 There was another strange； deep
feeling which I had that morning； which I have had a few other times in
my life at the rare heights of experienceI hesitate always when I try to
put down the deep； deep things of the human hearta feeling
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immeasurably real； that if I should turn my head quickly I should indeed
SEE that Immanent Presence。 。 。 。
One of the few birds I know that sings through the long midday is the
vireo。 The vireo sings when otherwise the woods are still。 You do not see
him； you cannot find him； but you know he is there。 And his singing is
wild； and shy； and mystical。 Often it haunts you like the memory of some
former happiness。 That day I heard the vireo singing。 。 。 。
I don't know how long I lay there under the tree in the meadow； but
presently I heard； from no great distance； the sound of a church…bell。 It
was ringing for the afternoon service which among the farmers of this part
of the country often takes the place； in summer； of both morning and
evening services。
〃I believe I'll go；〃 I said； thinking first of all； I confess； of the
interesting people I might meet there。
But when I sat up and looked about me the desire faded； and
rummaging in my bag I came across my tin whistle。 Immediately I began
practising a tune called 〃Sweet Afton；〃 which I had learned when a boy；
and； as I played； my mood changed swiftly； and I began to smile at myself
as a tragically serious person； and to think of pat phrases with which to
characterize the execrableness of my attempts upon the tin whistle。 I
should have liked some one near to joke with。
Long ago I made a motto about boys： Look for a boy anywhere。 Never
be surprised when you shake a cherry tree if a boy drops out of it； never be
disturbed when you think yourself in complete solitude if you discover a
boy peering out at you from a fence corner。
I had not been playing long before I saw two boys looking at me from
out of a thicket by the roadside； and a moment later two others appeared。
Instantly I switched into 〃Marching Through Georgia；〃 and began to
nod my head and tap my toe in the liveliest fashion。 Presently one boy
climbed up on the fence； then another； then a third。 I continued to play。
The fourth boy； a little chap； ventured to climb up on the fence。
They were bright…faced； tow…headed lads； all in Sunday clothes。
〃It's hard luck；〃 said I； taking my whistle from my lips； 〃to have to
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wear shoes and stockings on a warm Sunday like this。〃
〃You bet it is！〃 said the bold leader。
〃In that case；〃 said I； 〃I will play 'Yankee Doodle。'〃
I played。 All the boys； including the little chap； came up around me；
and two of them sat down quite familiarly on the grass。 I never had a more
devoted audience。 I don't know what interesting event might have
happened next； for the bold leader； who stood nearest； was becoming
dangerously inflated with questionsI don't know what might have
happened had we not been interrupted by the appearance of a Spectre in
Black。 It appeared before us there in the broad daylight in the middle of a
sunny afternoon while we were playing 〃Yankee Doodle。〃 First I saw the
top of a black hat rising over the rim of the hill。 This was followed quickly
by a black tie； a long black coat； black trousers； and； finally； black shoes。 I
admit I was shaken； but being a person of iron nerve in facing such
phenomena； I continued to play 〃Yankee Doodle。〃 In spite of this counter…
attraction； toward which all four boys turned uneasy glances； I held my
audience。 The Black Spectre； with a black book under its arm； drew nearer。
Still I continued to play and nod my head and tap my toe。 I felt like some
modern Pied Piper piping away the children of these modern hillspiping
them away from older people who could not understand them。
I could see an accusing look on the Spectre's face。 I don't know what
put it into my head； and I had no sooner said it I was sorry for my levity；
but the figure with the sad garments there in the matchless and triumphant
spring day affected me with a curious； sharp impatience。 Had any one the
right to look out so dolefully upon such a day and such a scene of simple
happiness as this？ So I took my whistle from my lips and asked：
〃Is God dead？〃
I sh
