david elginbrod-第35章

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generations。　　The　church　was　one　of　those　which　are；　in　some
measure；　typical　of　the　Church　itself；　for　it　was　very　old；　and
would　have　been　very　beautiful；　had　it　not　been　all　plastered　over；
and　whitened　to　a　smooth　uniformity　of　uglinessthe　attempt　having
been　more　successful　in　the　case　of　the　type。　　The　open　roof　had　had
a　French　heaven　added　to　itI　mean　a　ceiling；　and　the　pillars；
which；　even　if　they　were　not　carvedthough　it　was　impossible　to
come　to　a　conclusion　on　that　pointmust　yet　have　been　worn　into　the
beauty　of　age；　had　been　filled　up；　and　stained　with　yellow　ochre。
Even　the　remnants　of　stained　glass　in　some　of　the　windows；　were
half　concealed　by　modern　appliances　for　the　partial　exclusion　of　the
light。　　The　church　had　fared　as　Chaucer　in　the　hands　of　Dryden。　　So
had　the　truth；　that　flickered　through　the　sermon；　fared　in　the　hands
of　the　clergyman；　or　of　the　sermon…wright　whose　manuscript　he　had
bought　for　eighteen　penceI　am　told　that　sermons　are　to　be　procured
at　that　priceon　his　last　visit　to　London。　　Having；　although　a
Scotchman；　had　an　episcopalian　education；　Hugh　could　not　help
rejoicing　that　not　merely　the　Bible；　but　the　Church…service　as　well；
had　been　fixed　beyond　the　reach　of　such　degenerating　influences　as
those　which　had　operated　on　the　more　material　embodiments　of
religion；　for　otherwise　such　would　certainly　have　been　the　first　to
operate；　and　would　have　found　the　greatest　scope　in　any　alteration。
We　may　hope　that　nothing　but　a　true　growth　in　such　religion　as
needs　and　seeks　new　expression　for　new　depth　and　breadth　of　feeling；
will　ever　be　permitted　to　lay　the　hand　of　change　upon　ita　hand；
otherwise；　of　desecration　and　ruin。

The　sermon　was　chiefly　occupied　with　proving　that　God　is　no
respecter　of　persons；　a　mark　of　indubitable　condescension　in　the
clergyman；　the　rank　in　society　which　he　could　claim　for　himself　duly
considered。　　But；　unfortunately；　the　church　was　so　constructed；　that
its　area　contained　three　platforms　of　position；　actually　of
differing　level；　the　loftiest；　in　the　chancel；　on　the　right　hand　of
the　pulpit；　occupied　by　the　gentry；　the　middle；　opposite　the　pulpit；
occupied　by　the　tulip…beds　of　their　servants；　and　the　third；　on　the
left　of　the　pulpit；　occupied　by　the　common　parishioners。
Unfortunately；　too；　by　the　perpetuation　of　some　old　custom；　whose
significance　was　not　worn　out；　all　on　the　left　of　the　pulpit　were
expected；　as　often　as　they　stood　up　to　singwhich　was　three
timesto　turn　their　backs　to　the　pulpit；　and　so　face　away　from　the
chancel　where　the　gentry　stood。　　But　there　was　not　much
inconsistency；　after　all；　the　sermon　founding　its　argument　chiefly
on　the　antithetical　facts；　that　death；　lowering　the　rich　to　the
level　of　the　poor；　was　a　dead　leveller；　and　that；　on　the　other　hand；
the　life　to　come　would　raise　the　poor　to　the　level　of　the　rich。　　It
was　a　pity　that　there　was　no　phrase　in　the　language　to　justify　him
in　carrying　out　the　antithesis；　and　so　balancing　his　sentence　like　a
rope…walker；　by　saying　that　life　was　a　live　leveller。　　The　sermon
ended　with　a　solemn　warning：　〃Those　who　neglect　the　gospel…scheme；
and　never　think　of　death　and　judgmentbe　they　rich　or　poor；　be　they
wise　or　ignorantwhether　they　dwell　in　the　palace　or　the　hutshall
be　damned。　　Glory　be　to　the　Father；　and　to　the　Son；　and　to　the　Holy
Ghost；〃　&c。

Lady　Emily　was　forced　to　confess　that　she　had　not　been　much
interested　in　the　sermon。　　Mrs。　Elton　thought　he　spoke　plainly；　but
there　was　not　much　of　the　gospel　in　it。　　Mr。　Arnold　opined　that
people　should　not　go　to　church　to　hear　sermons；　but　to　make　the
responses；　whoever　read　prayers；　it　made　no　difference；　for　the
prayers　were　the　Church's；　not　the　parson's；　and　for　the　sermon；　as
long　as　it　showed　the　uneducated　how　to　be　saved；　and　taught　them　to
do　their　duty　in　the　station　of　life　to　which　God　had　called　them；
and　so　long　as　the　parson　preached　neither　Puseyism　nor
Radicalism（he　frowned　solemnly　and　disgustedly　as　he　repeated　the
word）nor　Radicalism；　it　was　of　comparatively　little　moment　whether
he　was　a　man　of　intellect　or　not；　for　he　could　not　go　wrong。

Little　was　said　in　reply　to　this；　except　something　not　very　audible
or　definite；　by　Mrs。　Elton；　about　the　necessity　of　faith。　　The
conversation；　which　took　place　at　luncheon；　flagged；　and　the
visitors　withdrew　to　their　respective　rooms；　to　comfort　themselves
with　their　Daily　Portions。

At　dinner；　Mr。　Arnold；　evidently　believing　he　had　made　an　impression
by　his　harangue　of　the　morning；　resumed　the　subject。　　Hugh　was　a
little　surprised　to　find　that　he　had；　even　of　a　negative　sort；
strong　opinions　on　the　subject　of　religion。

〃What　do　you　think；　then；　Mrs。　Elton；　my　dear　madam；　that　a
clergyman　ought　to　preach？〃

〃I　think；　Mr。　Arnold；　that　he　ought　to　preach　salvation　by　faith　in
the　merits　of　the　Saviour。〃

〃Oh！　of　course；　of　course。　　We　shall　not　differ　about　that。
Everybody　believes　that。〃

〃I　doubt　it　very　much。He　ought；　in　order　that　men　may　believe；　to
explain　the　divine　plan；　by　which　the　demands　of　divine　justice　are
satisfied；　and　the　punishment　due　to　sin　averted　from　the　guilty；
and　laid　upon　the　innocent；　that；　by　bearing　our　sins；　he　might　make
atonement　to　the　wrath　of　a　justly　offended　God；　and　so〃

〃Now；　my　dear　madam；　permit　me　to　ask　what　right　we；　the　subjects　of
a　Supreme　Authority；　have　to　inquire　into　the　reasons　of　his　doings？
It　seems　to　meI　should　be　sorry　to　offend　any　one；　but　it　seems
to　me　quite　as　presumptuous　as　the　present　arrogance　of　the　lower
classes　in　interfering　with　government；　and　demanding　a　right　to
give　their　opinion；　forsooth；　as　to　the　laws　by　which　they　shall　be
governed；　as　if　they　were　capable　of　understanding　the　principles　by
which　kings　rule；　and　governors　decree　justice。I　believe　I　quote
Scripture。〃

〃Are　we；　then；　to　remain　in　utter　ignorance　of　the　divine
character？〃

〃What　business　have　we　with　the　divine　character？　　Or　how　could　we
understand　it？　　It　seems　to　me　we　have　enough　to　do　with　our　own。
Do　I　inquire　into　the　character　of　my　sovereign？　　All　we　have　to　do
is；　to　listen　to　what　we　are　told　by　those　who　are　educated　for　such
studies；　whom　the　Church　approves；　and　who　are　appointed　to　take
care　of　the　souls　committed　to　their　charge；　to　teach　them　to
respect　their　superiors；　and　to　lead　honest；　hard…working　lives。〃

Much　more　of　the　same　sort　flowed　from　the　oracular　lips　of　Mr。
Arnold。　　When　he　ceased；　he　found　that　the　conversation　had　ceased
also。　　As　soon　as　the　ladies　withdrew；　he　said；　without　looking　at
Hugh；　as　he　filled　his　glass：

〃Mr。　Sutherland；　I　hate　cant。〃

And　so　he　canted　against　it。

But　the　next　day；　and　during　the　whole　week；　he　seemed　to　lay
himself　out　to　make　amends　for　the　sharpness　of　his　remarks　on　the
Sunday。　　He　was　afraid　he　had　made　his　guests　uncomfortable；　and　so
sinned　against　his　own　character　as　a　host。　　Everything　that　he
could　devise；　was　brought　to　bear　for　their　entertainment；　daily
rides　in　the　open　carriage；　in　which　he　always　accompanied　them；　to
show　his　estate；　and　the　improvements　he　was　making　upon　it；　visits
sometimes　to　the　more　deserving；　as　he　called　them；　of　the　poor　upon
his　propertythe　more　deserving　being　the　most　submissive　and
obedient　to　the　wishes　of　their　lord；　inspections　of　the　schools；
&c。；　&c。；　in　all　of　which　matters　he　took　a　stupid；　benevolent
interest。　　For　if　people　would　be　content　to　occupy　the　corner　in
which　he　chose　to　place　them；　he　would　throw　them　morsel　after
morsel；　as　long　as　ever　they　chose　to　pick　it　up。　　But　woe　to　them
if　they　left　this　corner　a　single　pace！

Euphra　made　one　of　the　party　always；　and　it　was　dreary　indeed　for
Hugh　to　be　left　in　the　desolate　house　without　her；　though　but　for　a
few　hours。　　And　when　she　was　at　home；　she　never　yet　permitted　him　to
speak　to　her　alone。

There　might　have　been　some　hope　for　Harry　in　Hugh's　separation　from
Euphra；　but　the　result　was；　that；　although　he　spent　school…hours
more　regularly　with　him；　Hugh　was　yet　more　dull；　and　uninterested　in
the　work；　than　he　had　been　before。　　Instead　of　caring　that　his　pupil
should　understand　this　or　that　particular；　he　would　be　speculating
on　Euphra's　behaviour；　trying　to　account　for　this　or　that　individual
look　or　tone；　or　seeking；　perhaps；　a　special　symbolic　meaning　in
some　general　remark　that　she　had　happened　to　let　fall。　　Meanwhile；
poor　Harry　would　be　stupifying　himself　with　work　which　he　could　not
understand　for　lack　of　some　explanation　or　other　that　ought　to　have
been　given　him　weeks　ago。　　Still；　however；　he　clung　to　Hugh　with　a
far…off；　worshipping　love；　never　suspecting　that　he　could　be　to
blame；　but　thinking　at　one　time　that　he　must　be　ill；　at　another　that
he　himself　was　really　too　stupid；　and　that　his　big　brother　could　not
help　getting　tired　of　him。　　When　Hugh　would　be　wandering　about　the
place；　seeking　to　catch　a　glimpse　of　the　skirt　of　Euphra's　dress；　as
she　went　about　with　her　guests；　or　devising　how　he　could　procure　an
interview　with　her　alone；　Harry　would　be　following　him　at　a
distance；　like　a　little　terrier　that　had　lost　its　master；　and　did
not　know　whether　this　man　would　be　friendly　or　not；　never　spying　on
his　actions；　but　merely　longing　to　be　near　himfor　had　not　Hugh　set
him　going　in　the　way　of　life；　even　if　he　had　now　left　him　to　walk　in
it　alone？　　If　Hugh　could　have　once　seen　into　that　warm；　true；　pining
little　heart；　he　would　not　have　neglected　it　as　he　did。　　He　had　no
eyes；　however；　but　for　Euphra。

Still；　it　may　be　that　even　now　Harry　was　able　to　gather；　though　with
tears；　some　advantage　from　Hugh's　neglect。　　He　used　to　wander　about
alone；　and　it　may　be　that　the　hints　which　his　tutor　had　already
given　him；　enabled　him　now　to　find　for　himself　the　interest
belonging　to　many　objects　never　before　remarked。　　Perhaps　even　now
he　began　to　take　a　few　steps　alone；　the　waking　independence　of　which
was　of　more　value　for　the　future　growth　of　his　nature；　than　a
thousand　miles　accomplished　by　the　aid　of　the　strong　arm　of　his
tutor。　　One　certain　advantage　was；　that　the　constitutional　trouble
of　the　boy's　nature　had　now　assumed　a　definite　form；　by　gathering
around　a　definite　object；　and　blending　its　own　shadowy　being　with
the　sorrow　he　experienced　from　the　loss　of　his　tutor's　sympathy。
Should　that　sorrow　ever　be　cleared　away；　much　besides　might　be
cleared　away　along　with　it。

Meantime；　nature　found　some　channels；　worn　by　his　grief；　through
which　her　comforts；　that；　like　waters；　press　on　all　sides；　and　enter
at　every　cranny　and　fissure　in　the　house　of　life；　might　gently　flow
into　him　with　their　sympathetic　soothing。　　Often　he　would　creep　away
to　the　nest　which　Hugh　had　built　and　then　forsaken；　and　seated　there
in　the　solitude　of　the　wide…bourgeoned　oak；　he　would　sometimes　feel
for　a　moment　as　if　lifted　up　above　the　world　and　its　sorrows；　to　be
visited　by　an　all…healing　wind　from　God；　that　came　to　him；　through
the　wilderness　of　leaves　around　him…gently；　like　all　powerful
things。

But　I　am　putting　the　boy's　feelings　into　forms　and　words　for　him。
He　had　none　of　either　for　them。




CHAPTER　XIII。

A　STORM。

　　　　　When　the　mind's　free；
The　body's　delicate：　the　tempest　in　my　mind
Doth　from　my　senses　take　all　fee