a laodicean-第10章

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above；　in　the　fashion　sometimes　affected　by　the　other　sex。　　He
wore　a　heavy　ring；　of　which　the　gold　seemed　fair；　the　diamond
questionable；　and　the　taste　indifferent。　　There　were　the
remains　of　a　swagger　in　his　body　and　limbs　as　he　came　forward；
regarding　Somerset　with　a　confident　smile；　as　if　the　wonder
were；　not　why　Mr。　Dare　should　be　present；　but　why　Somerset
should　be　present　likewise；　and　the　first　tone　that　came　from
Dare's　lips　wound　up　his　listener's　opinion　that　he　did　not
like　him。

A　latent　power　in　the　man；　or　boy；　was　revealed　by　the
circumstance　that　Somerset　did　not　feel；　as　he　would
ordinarily　have　done；　that　it　was　a　matter　of　profound
indifference　to　him　whether　this　gentleman…photographer　were　a
likeable　person　or　no。

'I　have　called　by　appointment；　or　rather；　I　left　a　card
stating　that　to…day　would　suit　me；　and　no　objection　was　made。'
Somerset　recognized　the　voice；　it　was　that　of　the　invisible
stranger　who　had　talked　with　the　landlord　about　the　De
Stancys。　　Mr。　Dare　then　proceeded　to　explain　his　business。

Somerset　found　from　his　inquiries　that　the　man　had
unquestionably　been　instructed　by　somebody　to　take　the　views
he　spoke　of；　and　concluded　that　Dare's　curiosity　at　the　inn
was；　after　all；　naturally　explained　by　his　errand　to　this
place。　　Blaming　himself　for　a　too　hasty　condemnation　of　the
stranger；　who　though　visually　a　little　too　assured　was　civil
enough　verbally；　Somerset　proceeded　with　the　young
photographer　to　sundry　corners　of　the　outer　ward；　and　thence
across　the　moat　to　the　field；　suggesting　advantageous　points
of　view。　　The　office；　being　a　shadow　of　his　own　pursuits；　was
not　uncongenial　to　Somerset；　and　he　forgot　other　things　in
attending　to　it。

'Now　in　our　country　we　should　stand　further　back　than　this；
and　so　get　a　more　comprehensive　coup　d'oeil；'　said　Dare；　as
Somerset　selected　a　good　situation。

'You　are　not　an　Englishman；　then；'　said　Somerset。

'I　have　lived　mostly　in　India；　Malta；　Gibraltar；　the　Ionian
Islands；　and　Canada。　　I　there　invented　a　new　photographic
process；　which　I　am　bent　upon　making　famous。　　Yet　I　am　but　a
dilettante；　and　do　not　follow　this　art　at　the　base　dictation
of　what　men　call　necessity。'

'O　indeed；'　Somerset　replied。

As　soon　as　this　business　was　disposed　of；　and　Mr。　Dare　had
brought　up　his　van　and　assistant　to　begin　operations；　Somerset
returned　to　the　castle　entrance。　　While　under　the　archway　a
man　with　a　professional　look　drove　up　in　a　dog…cart　and
inquired　if　Miss　Power　were　at　home　to…day。

'She　has　not　yet　returned；　Mr。　Havill；'　was　the　reply。

Somerset；　who　had　hoped　to　hear　an　affirmative　by　this　time；
thought　that　Miss　Power　was　bent　on　disappointing　him　in　the
flesh；　notwithstanding　the　interest　she　expressed　in　him　by
telegraph；　and　as　it　was　now　drawing　towards　the　end　of　the
afternoon；　he　walked　off　in　the　direction　of　his　inn。

There　were　two　or　three　ways　to　that　spot；　but　the　pleasantest
was　by　passing　through　a　rambling　shrubbery；　between　whose
bushes　trickled　a　broad　shallow　brook；　occasionally
intercepted　in　its　course　by　a　transverse　chain　of　old　stones；
evidently　from　the　castle　walls；　which　formed　a　miniature
waterfall。　　The　walk　lay　along　the　river…brink。　　Soon　Somerset
saw　before　him　a　circular　summer…house　formed　of　short　sticks
nailed　to　ornamental　patterns。　　Outside　the　structure；　and
immediately　in　the　path；　stood　a　man　with　a　book　in　his　hand；
and　it　was　presently　apparent　that　this　gentleman　was　holding
a　conversation　with　some　person　inside　the　pavilion；　but　the
back　of　the　building　being　towards　Somerset；　the　second
individual　could　not　be　seen。

The　speaker　at　one　moment　glanced　into　the　interior；　and　at
another　at　the　advancing　form　of　the　architect；　whom；　though
distinctly　enough　beheld；　the　other　scarcely　appeared　to　heed
in　the　absorbing　interest　of　his　own　discourse。　　Somerset
became　aware　that　it　was　the　Baptist　minister；　whose　rhetoric
he　had　heard　in　the　chapel　yonder。

'Now；'　continued　the　Baptist　minister；　'will　you　express　to　me
any　reason　or　objection　whatever　which　induces　you　to　withdraw
from　our　communion？　　It　was　that　of　your　father；　and　of　his
father　before　him。　　Any　difficulty　you　may　have　met　with　I
will　honestly　try　to　remove；　for　I　need　hardly　say　that　in
losing　you　we　lose　one　of　the　most　valued　members　of　the
Baptist　church　in　this　district。　　I　speak　with　all　the　respect
due　to　your　position；　when　I　ask　you　to　realize　how
irreparable　is　the　injury　you　inflict　upon　the　cause　here　by
this　lukewarm　backwardness。'

'I　don't　withdraw；'　said　a　woman's　low　voice　within。

'What　do　you　do？'

'I　decline　to　attend　for　the　present。'

'And　you　can　give　no　reason　for　this？'

There　was　no　reply。

'Or　for　your　refusal　to　proceed　with　the　baptism？'

'I　have　been　christened。'

'My　dear　young　lady；　it　is　well　known　that　your　christening
was　the　work　of　your　aunt；　who　did　it　unknown　to　your　parents
when　she　had　you　in　her　power；　out　of　pure　obstinacy　to　a
church　with　which　she　was　not　in　sympathy；　taking　you
surreptitiously；　and　indefensibly；　to　the　font　of　the
Establishment；　so　that　the　rite　meant　and　could　mean　nothing
at　all。　。　。　。　　But　I　fear　that　your　new　position　has　brought
you　into　contact　with　the　Paedobaptists；　that　they　have
disturbed　your　old　principles；　and　so　induced　you　to　believe
in　the　validity　of　that　trumpery　ceremony！'

'It　seems　sufficient。'

'I　will　demolish　the　basis　of　that　seeming　in　three　minutes；
give　me　but　that　time　as　a　listener。'

'I　have　no　objection。'

'Very　well。　。　。　。　　First；　then；　I　will　assume　that　those　who
have　influenced　you　in　the　matter　have　not　been　able　to　make
any　impression　upon　one　so　well　grounded　as　yourself　in　our
distinctive　doctrine；　by　the　stale　old　argument　drawn　from
circumcision？'

'You　may　assume　it。'

'Goodthat　clears　the　ground。　　And　we　now　come　to　the　New
Testament。'

The　minister　began　to　turn　over　the　leaves　of　his　little
Bible；　which　it　impressed　Somerset　to　observe　was　bound　with　a
flap；　like　a　pocket　book；　the　black　surface　of　the　leather
being　worn　brown　at　the　corners　by　long　usage。　　He　turned　on
till　he　came　to　the　beginning　of　the　New　Testament；　and　then
commenced　his　discourse。　　After　explaining　his　position；　the
old　man　ran　very　ably　through　the　arguments；　citing　well…known
writers　on　the　point　in　dispute　when　he　required　more　finished
sentences　than　his　own。

The　minister's　earnestness　and　interest　in　his　own　case　led
him　unconsciously　to　include　Somerset　in　his　audience　as　the
young　man　drew　nearer；　till；　instead　of　fixing　his　eyes
exclusively　on　the　person　within　the　summer…house；　the
preacher　began　to　direct　a　good　proportion　of　his　discourse
upon　his　new　auditor；　turning　from　one　listener　to　the　other
attentively；　without　seeming　to　feel　Somerset's　presence　as
superfluous。

'And　now；'　he　said　in　conclusion；　'I　put　it　to　you；　sir；　as　to
her：　　do　you　find　any　flaw　in　my　argument？　　Is　there；　madam；　a
single　text　which；　honestly　interpreted；　affords　the　least
foothold　for　the　Paedobaptists；　in　other　words；　for　your
opinion　on　the　efficacy　of　the　rite　administered　to　you　in
your　unconscious　infancy？　　I　put　it　to　you　both　as　honest　and
responsible　beings。'　　He　turned　again　to　the　young　man。

It　happened　that　Somerset　had　been　over　this　ground　long　ago。
Born；　so　to　speak；　a　High…Church　infant；　in　his　youth　he　had
been　of　a　thoughtful　turn；　till　at　one　time　an　idea　of　his
entering　the　Church　had　been　entertained　by　his　parents。　　He
had　formed　acquaintance　with　men　of　almost　every　variety　of
doctrinal　practice　in　this　country；　and；　as　the　pleadings　of
each　assailed　him　before　he　had　arrived　at　an　age　of
sufficient　mental　stability　to　resist　new　impressions；　however
badly　substantiated；　he　inclined　to　each　denomination　as　it
presented　itself；　was

　　　　　'Everything　by　starts；　and　nothing　long；'

till　he　had　travelled　through　a　great　many　beliefs　and
doctrines　without　feeling　himself　much　better　than　when　he　set
out。

A　study　of　fonts　and　their　origin　had　qualified　him　in　this
particular　subject。　　Fully　conscious　of　the　inexpediency　of
contests　on　minor　ritual　differences；　he　yet　felt　a　sudden
impulse　towards　a　mild　intellectual　tournament　with　the　eager
old　manpurely　as　an　exercise　of　his　wits　in　the　defence　of　a
fair　girl。

'Sir；　I　accept　your　challenge　to　us；'　said　Somerset；　advancing
to　the　minister's　side。



VII。

At　the　sound　of　a　new　voice　the　lady　in　the　bower　started；　as
he　could　see　by　her　outline　through　the　crevices　of　the　wood…
work　and　creepers。　　The　minister　looked　surprised。

'You　will　lend　me　your　Bible；　sir；　to　assist　my　memory？'　he
continued。

The　minister　held　out　the　Bible　with　some　reluctance；　but　he
allowed　Somerset　to　take　it　from　his　hand。　　The　latter；
stepping　upon　a　large　moss…covered　stone　which　stood　near；　and
laying　his　hat　on　a　flat　beech　bough　that　rose　and　fell　behind
him；　pointed　to　the　minister　to　seat　himself　on　the　grass。
The　minister　looked　at　the　grass；　and　looked　up　again　at
Somerset；　but　did　not　move。

Somerset　for　the　moment　was　not　observing　him。　　His　new
position　had　turned　out　to　be　exactly　opposite　the　open　side
of　the　bower；　and　now　for　the　first　time　he　beheld　the
interior。　　On　the　seat　was　the　woman　who　had　stood　beneath　his
eyes　in　the　chapel；　the　'Paula'　of　Miss　De　Stancy's
enthusiastic　eulogies。　　She　wore　a　summer　hat；　beneath　which
her　fair　curly　hair　formed　a　thicket　round　her　forehead。　　It
would　be　impossible　to　describe　her　as　she　then　appeared。　　Not
sensuous　enough　for　an　Aphrodite；　and　too　subdued　for　a　Hebe；
she　would　yet；　with　the　adjunct　of　doves　or　nectar；　have　stood
sufficiently　well　for　either　of　those　personages；　if　presented
in　a　pink　morning　light；　and　with　mythological　scarcity　of
attire。

Half　in　surprise　she　glanced　up　at　him；　and　lowering　her　eyes
again；　as　if　no　surprise　were　ever　let　influence　her　actions
for　more　than　a　moment；　she　sat　on　as　before；　looking　past
Somerset's　position　at　the　view　down　the　river；　visible　for　a
long　distance　before　her　till　it　was　lost　under　the　bending
trees。

Somerset　turned　over　the　leaves　of　the　minister's　Bible；　and
began：

'In　the　First　Epistle　to　the　Corinthians；　the　seventh　chapter
and　the　fourteenth　verse'。

Here　the　young　lady　raised　her　eyes　in　spite　of　her　reserve；
but　it　being；　apparently；　too　much　labour　to　keep　them　raised；
allowed　her　glance　to　subside　upon　her　jet　necklace；　extending
it　with　the　thumb　of　her　left　hand。

'Sir！'　said　the　Baptist　excitedly；　'I　know　that　passage　well
it　is　the　last　refuge　of　the　PaedobaptistsI　foresee　your
argument。　　I　have　met　it　dozens　of　times；　and　it　is　not　worth
that　snap　of　the　fingers！　　It　is　worth　no　more　than　the
argument　from　circumcision；　or　the　Suffer…little…children
argument。'

'Then　turn　to　the　sixteenth　chapter　of　the　Acts；　and　the
thirty…third'

'That；　too；'　cried　the　minister；　'is　answered　by　what　I　said
before！　　I　perceive；　sir；　that　you　adopt　the　method　of　a
special　pleader；　and　not　that　of　an　honest　inquirer。　　Is　it；
or　is　it　not；　an　answer　to　my　proofs　from　the　eighth　chapter
of　the　Acts；　the　thirty…sixth　and　thirty…seventh　verses；　the
sixteenth　of　Mark；　sixteenth　verse；