a laodicean-第2章

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the　neglect　and　oblivion　which　had　been　its　lot　in　Georgian
times。　　This　accident　of　being　out　of　vogue　lent　English
Gothic　an　additional　charm　to　one　of　his　proclivities；　and
away　he　went　to　make　it　the　business　of　a　summer　circuit　in
the　west。

The　quiet　time　of　evening；　the　secluded　neighbourhood；　the
unusually　gorgeous　liveries　of　the　clouds　packed　in　a　pile
over　that　quarter　of　the　heavens　in　which　the　sun　had
disappeared；　were　such　as　to　make　a　traveller　loiter　on　his
walk。　　Coming　to　a　stile；　Somerset　mounted　himself　on　the　top
bar；　to　imbibe　the　spirit　of　the　scene　and　hour。　　The　evening
was　so　still　that　every　trifling　sound　could　be　heard　for
miles。　　There　was　the　rattle　of　a　returning　waggon；　mixed　with
the　smacks　of　the　waggoner's　whip：　　the　team　must　have　been　at
least　three　miles　off。　　From　far　over　the　hill　came　the　faint
periodic　yell　of　kennelled　hounds；　while　from　the　nearest
village　resounded　the　voices　of　boys　at　play　in　the　twilight。
Then　a　powerful　clock　struck　the　hour；　it　was　not　from　the
direction　of　the　church；　but　rather　from　the　wood　behind　him；
and　he　thought　it　must　be　the　clock　of　some　mansion　that　way。

But　the　mind　of　man　cannot　always　be　forced　to　take　up
subjects　by　the　pressure　of　their　material　presence；　and
Somerset's　thoughts　were　often；　to　his　great　loss；　apt　to　be
even　more　than　common　truants　from　the　tones　and　images　that
met　his　outer　senses　on　walks　and　rides。　　He　would　sometimes
go　quietly　through　the　queerest；　gayest；　most　extraordinary
town　in　Europe；　and　let　it　alone；　provided　it　did　not　meddle
with　him　by　its　beggars；　beauties；　innkeepers；　police；
coachmen；　mongrels；　bad　smells；　and　such　like　obstructions。
This　feat　of　questionable　utility　he　began　performing　now。
Sitting　on　the　three…inch　ash　rail　that　had　been　peeled　and
polished　like　glass　by　the　rubbings　of　all　the　small…clothes
in　the　parish；　he　forgot　the　time；　the　place；　forgot　that　it
was　Augustin　short；　everything　of　the　present　altogether。
His　mind　flew　back　to　his　past　life；　and　deplored　the　waste　of
time　that　had　resulted　from　his　not　having　been　able　to　make
up　his　mind　which　of　the　many　fashions　of　art　that　were　coming
and　going　in　kaleidoscopic　change　was　the　true　point　of
departure　from　himself。　　He　had　suffered　from　the　modern
malady　of　unlimited　appreciativeness　as　much　as　any　living　man
of　his　own　age。　　Dozens　of　his　fellows　in　years　and
experience；　who　had　never　thought　specially　of　the　matter；　but
had　blunderingly　applied　themselves　to　whatever　form　of　art
confronted　them　at　the　moment　of　their　making　a　move；　were　by
this　time　acquiring　renown　as　new　lights；　while　he　was　still
unknown。　　He　wished　that　some　accident　could　have　hemmed　in
his　eyes　between　inexorable　blinkers；　and　sped　him　on　in　a
channel　ever　so　worn。

Thus　balanced　between　believing　and　not　believing　in　his　own
future；　he　was　recalled　to　the　scene　without　by　hearing　the
notes　of　a　familiar　hymn；　rising　in　subdued　harmonies　from　a
valley　below。　　He　listened　more　heedfully。　　It　was　his　old
friend　the　'New　Sabbath；'　which　he　had　never　once　heard　since
the　lisping　days　of　childhood；　and　whose　existence；　much　as　it
had　then　been　to　him；　he　had　till　this　moment　quite　forgotten。
Where　the　'New　Sabbath'　had　kept　itself　all　these　yearswhy
that　sound　and　hearty　melody　had　disappeared　from　all　the
cathedrals；　parish　churches；　minsters　and　chapels…of…ease　that
he　had　been　acquainted　with　during　his　apprenticeship　to　life；
and　until　his　ways　had　become　irregular　and　uncongregational
he　could　not；　at　first；　say。　　But　then　he　recollected　that　the
tune　appertained　to　the　old　west…gallery　period　of　church…
music；　anterior　to　the　great　choral　reformation　and　the　rule
of　Monkthat　old　time　when　the　repetition　of　a　word；　or　half…
line　of　a　verse；　was　not　considered　a　disgrace　to　an
ecclesiastical　choir。

Willing　to　be　interested　in　anything　which　would　keep　him　out…
of…doors；　Somerset　dismounted　from　the　stile　and　descended　the
hill　before　him；　to　learn　whence　the　singing　proceeded。



II。

He　found　that　it　had　its　origin　in　a　building　standing　alone
in　a　field；　and　though　the　evening　was　not　yet　dark　without；
lights　shone　from　the　windows。　　In　a　few　moments　Somerset
stood　before　the　edifice。　　Being　just　then　en　rapport　with
ecclesiasticism　by　reason　of　his　recent　occupation；　he　could
not　help　murmuring；　'Shade　of　Pugin；　what　a　monstrosity！'

Perhaps　this　exclamation　（rather　out　of　date　since　the
discovery　that　Pugin　himself　often　nodded　amazingly）　would　not
have　been　indulged　in　by　Somerset　but　for　his　new
architectural　resolves；　which　caused　professional　opinions　to
advance　themselves　officiously　to　his　lips　whenever　occasion
offered。　　The　building　was；　in　short；　a　recently…erected
chapel　of　red　brick；　with　pseudo…classic　ornamentation；　and
the　white　regular　joints　of　mortar　could　be　seen　streaking　its
surface　in　geometrical　oppressiveness　from　top　to　bottom。　　The
roof　was　of　blue　slate；　clean　as　a　table；　and　unbroken　from
gable　to　gable；　the　windows　were　glazed　with　sheets　of　plate
glass；　a　temporary　iron　stovepipe　passing　out　near　one　of
these；　and　running　up　to　the　height　of　the　ridge；　where　it　was
finished　by　a　covering　like　a　parachute。　　Walking　round　to　the
end；　he　perceived　an　oblong　white　stone　let　into　the　wall　just
above　the　plinth；　on　which　was　inscribed　in　deep　letters：

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Erected　187…；

　　　　　　　　　　AT　THE　SOLE　EXPENSE　OF

　　　　　　　　　　JOHN　POWER；　ESQ。；　M。P。

The　'New　Sabbath'　still　proceeded　line　by　line；　with　all　the
emotional　swells　and　cadences　that　had　of　old　characterized
the　tune：　　and　the　body　of　vocal　harmony　that　it　evoked
implied　a　large　congregation　within；　to　whom　it　was　plainly　as
familiar　as　it　had　been　to　church…goers　of　a　past　generation。
With　a　whimsical　sense　of　regret　at　the　secession　of　his　once
favourite　air　Somerset　moved　away；　and　would　have　quite
withdrawn　from　the　field　had　he　not　at　that　moment　observed
two　young　men　with　pitchers　of　water　coming　up　from　a　stream
hard　by；　and　hastening　with　their　burdens　into　the　chapel
vestry　by　a　side　door。　　Almost　as　soon　as　they　had　entered
they　emerged　again　with　empty　pitchers；　and　proceeded　to　the
stream　to　fill　them　as　before；　an　operation　which　they
repeated　several　times。　　Somerset　went　forward　to　the　stream；
and　waited　till　the　young　men　came　out　again。

'You　are　carrying　in　a　great　deal　of　water；'　he　said；　as　each
dipped　his　pitcher。

One　of　the　young　men　modestly　replied；　'Yes：　　we　filled　the
cistern　this　morning；　but　it　leaks；　and　requires　a　few
pitcherfuls　more。'

'Why　do　you　do　it？'

'There　is　to　be　a　baptism；　sir。'

Somerset　was　not　sufficiently　interested　to　develop　a　further
conversation；　and　observing　them　in　silence　till　they　had
again　vanished　into　the　building；　he　went　on　his　way。
Reaching　the　brow　of　the　hill　he　stopped　and　looked　back。　　The
chapel　was　still　in　view；　and　the　shades　of　night　having
deepened；　the　lights　shone　from　the　windows　yet　more　brightly
than　before。　　A　few　steps　further　would　hide　them　and　the
edifice；　and　all　that　belonged　to　it　from　his　sight；　possibly
for　ever。　　There　was　something　in　the　thought　which　led　him　to
linger。　　The　chapel　had　neither　beauty；　quaintness；　nor
congeniality　to　recommend　it：　　the　dissimilitude　between　the
new　utilitarianism　of　the　place　and　the　scenes　of　venerable
Gothic　art　which　had　occupied　his　daylight　hours　could　not
well　be　exceeded。　　But　Somerset；　as　has　been　said；　was　an
instrument　of　no　narrow　gamut：　　he　had　a　key　for　other　touches
than　the　purely　aesthetic；　even　on　such　an　excursion　as　this。
His　mind　was　arrested　by　the　intense　and　busy　energy　which
must　needs　belong　to　an　assembly　that　required　such　a　glare　of
light　to　do　its　religion　by；　in　the　heaving　of　that　tune　there
was　an　earnestness　which　made　him　thoughtful；　and　the　shine　of
those　windows　he　had　characterized　as　ugly　reminded　him　of　the
shining　of　the　good　deed　in　a　naughty　world。　　The　chapel　and
its　shabby　plot　of　ground；　from　which　the　herbage　was　all
trodden　away　by　busy　feet；　had　a　living　human　interest　that
the　numerous　minsters　and　churches　knee…deep　in　fresh　green
grass；　visited　by　him　during　the　foregoing　week；　had　often
lacked。　　Moreover；　there　was　going　to　be　a　baptism：　　that
meant　the　immersion　of　a　grown…up　person；　and　he　had　been　told
that　Baptists　were　serious　people　and　that　the　scene　was　most
impressive。　　What　manner　of　man　would　it　be　who　on　an　ordinary
plodding　and　bustling　evening　of　the　nineteenth　century　could
single　himself　out　as　one　different　from　the　rest　of　the
inhabitants；　banish　all　shyness；　and　come　forward　to　undergo
such　a　trying　ceremony？　　Who　was　he　that　had　pondered；　gone
into　solitudes；　wrestled　with　himself；　worked　up　his　courage
and　said；　I　will　do　this；　though　few　else　will；　for　I　believe
it　to　be　my　duty？

Whether　on　account　of　these　thoughts；　or　from　the　circumstance
that　he　had　been　alone　amongst　the　tombs　all　day　without
communion　with　his　kind；　he　could　not　tell　in　after　years
（when　he　had　good　reason　to　think　of　the　subject）；　but　so　it
was　that　Somerset　went　back；　and　again　stood　under　the　chapel…
wall。

Instead　of　entering　he　passed　round　to　where　the　stove…chimney
came　through　the　bricks；　and　holding　on　to　the　iron　stay　he
put　his　toes　on　the　plinth　and　looked　in　at　the　window。　　The
building　was　quite　full　of　people　belonging　to　that　vast
majority　of　society　who　are　denied　the　art　of　articulating
their　higher　emotions；　and　crave　dumbly　for　a　fugleman
respectably　dressed　working　people；　whose　faces　and　forms　were
worn　and　contorted　by　years　of　dreary　toil。　　On　a　platform　at
the　end　of　the　chapel　a　haggard　man　of　more　than　middle　age；
with　grey　whiskers　ascetically　cut　back　from　the　fore　part　of
his　face　so　far　as　to　be　almost　banished　from　the　countenance；
stood　reading　a　chapter。　　Between　the　minister　and　the
congregation　was　an　open　space；　and　in　the　floor　of　this　was
sunk　a　tank　full　of　water；　which　just　made　its　surface　visible
above　the　blackness　of　its　depths　by　reflecting　the　lights
overhead。

Somerset　endeavoured　to　discover　which　one　among　the
assemblage　was　to　be　the　subject　of　the　ceremony。　　But　nobody
appeared　there　who　was　at　all　out　of　the　region　of
commonplace。　　The　people　were　all　quiet　and　settled；　yet　he
could　discern　on　their　faces　something　more　than　attention；
though　it　was　less　than　excitement：　　perhaps　it　was
expectation。　　And　as　if　to　bear　out　his　surmise　he　heard　at
that　moment　the　noise　of　wheels　behind　him。

His　gaze　into　the　lighted　chapel　made　what　had　been　an　evening
scene　when　he　looked　away　from　the　landscape　night　itself　on
looking　back；　but　he　could　see　enough　to　discover　that　a
brougham　had　driven　up　to　the　side…door　used　by　the　young
water…bearers；　and　that　a　lady　in　white…and…black　half…
mourning　was　in　the　act　of　alighting；　followed　by　what
appeared　to　be　a　waiting…woman　carrying　wraps。　　They　entered
the　vestry…room　of　the　chapel；　and　the　door　was　shut。　　The
service　went　on　as　before　till　at　a　certain　moment　the　door
between　vestry　and　chapel　was　opened；　when　a　woman　came　out
clothed　in　an　ample　robe　of　flowing　white；　which　descended　to
her　feet。　　Somerset　was　unfort