a laodicean-第3章

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clothed　in　an　ample　robe　of　flowing　white；　which　descended　to
her　feet。　　Somerset　was　unfortunate　in　his　position；　he　could
not　see　her　face；　but　her　gait　suggested　at　once　that　she　was
the　lady　who　had　arrived　just　before。　　She　was　rather　tall
than　otherwise；　and　the　contour　of　her　head　and　shoulders
denoted　a　girl　in　the　heyday　of　youth　and　activity。　　His
imagination；　stimulated　by　this　beginning；　set　about　filling
in　the　meagre　outline　with　most　attractive　details。

She　stood　upon　the　brink　of　the　pool；　and　the　minister
descended　the　steps　at　its　edge　till　the　soles　of　his　shoes
were　moistened　with　the　water。　　He　turned　to　the　young
candidate；　but　she　did　not　follow　him：　　instead　of　doing　so
she　remained　rigid　as　a　stone。　　He　stretched　out　his　hand；　but
she　still　showed　reluctance；　till；　with　some　embarrassment；　he
went　back；　and　spoke　softly　in　her　ear。

She　approached　the　edge；　looked　into　the　water；　and　turned
away　shaking　her　head。　　Somerset　could　for　the　first　time　see
her　face。　　Though　humanly　imperfect；　as　is　every　face　we　see；
it　was　one　which　made　him　think　that　the　best　in　woman…kind　no
less　than　the　best　in　psalm…tunes　had　gone　over　to　the
Dissenters。　　He　had　certainly　seen　nobody　so　interesting　in
his　tour　hitherto；　she　was　about　twenty　or　twenty…oneperhaps
twenty…three；　for　years　have　a　way　of　stealing　marches　even
upon　beauty's　anointed。　　The　total　dissimilarity　between　the
expression　of　her　lineaments　and　that　of　the　countenances
around　her　was　not　a　little　surprising；　and　was　productive　of
hypotheses　without　measure　as　to　how　she　came　there。　　She　was；
in　fact；　emphatically　a　modern　type　of　maidenhood；　and　she
looked　ultra…modern　by　reason　of　her　environment：　　a
presumably　sophisticated　being　among　the　simple　onesnot
wickedly　so；　but　one　who　knew　life　fairly　well　for　her　age。
Her　hair；　of　good　English　brown；　neither　light　nor　dark；　was
abundanttoo　abundant　for　convenience　in　tying；　as　it　seemed；
and　it　threw　off　the　lamp…light　in　a　hazy　lustre。　　And　though
it　could　not　be　said　of　her　features　that　this　or　that　was
flawless；　the　nameless　charm　of　them　altogether　was　only
another　instance　of　how　beautiful　a　woman　can　be　as　a　whole
without　attaining　in　any　one　detail　to　the　lines　marked　out　as
absolutely　correct。　　The　spirit　and　the　life　were　there：　　and
material　shapes　could　be　disregarded。

Whatever　moral　characteristics　this　might　be　the　surface　of；
enough　was　shown　to　assure　Somerset　that　she　had　some
experience　of　things　far　removed　from　her　present
circumscribed　horizon；　and　could　live；　and　was　even　at　that
moment　living；　a　clandestine；　stealthy　inner　life　which　had
very　little　to　do　with　her　outward　one。　　The　repression　of
nearly　every　external　sign　of　that　distress　under　which
Somerset　knew；　by　a　sudden　intuitive　sympathy；　that　she　was
labouring；　added　strength　to　these　convictions。

'And　you　refuse？'　said　the　astonished　minister；　as　she　still
stood　immovable　on　the　brink　of　the　pool。　　He　persuasively
took　her　sleeve　between　his　finger　and　thumb　as　if　to　draw
her；　but　she　resented　this　by　a　quick　movement　of　displeasure；
and　he　released　her；　seeing　that　he　had　gone　too　far。

'But；　my　dear　lady；'　he　said；　'you　promised！　　Consider　your
profession；　and　that　you　stand　in　the　eyes　of　the　whole　church
as　an　exemplar　of　your　faith。'

'I　cannot　do　it！'

'But　your　father's　memory；　miss；　his　last　dying　request！'

'I　cannot　help　it；'　she　said；　turning　to　get　away。

'You　came　here　with　the　intention　to　fulfil　the　Word？'

'But　I　was　mistaken。'

'Then　why　did　you　come？'

She　tacitly　implied　that　to　be　a　question　she　did　not　care　to
answer。　　'Please　say　no　more　to　me；'　she　murmured；　and
hastened　to　withdraw。

During　this　unexpected　dialogue　（which　had　reached　Somerset's
ears　through　the　open　windows）　that　young　man's　feelings　had
flown　hither　and　thither　between　minister　and　lady　in　a　most
capricious　manner：　　it　had　seemed　at　one　moment　a　rather
uncivil　thing　of　her；　charming　as　she　was；　to　give　the
minister　and　the　water…bearers　so　much　trouble　for　nothing；
the　next；　it　seemed　like　reviving　the　ancient　cruelties　of　the
ducking…stool　to　try　to　force　a　girl　into　that　dark　water　if
she　had　not　a　mind　to　it。　　But　the　minister　was　not　without
insight；　and　he　had　seen　that　it　would　be　useless　to　say　more。
The　crestfallen　old　man　had　to　turn　round　upon　the
congregation　and　declare　officially　that　the　baptism　was
postponed。

She　passed　through　the　door　into　the　vestry。　　During　the
exciting　moments　of　her　recusancy　there　had　been　a　perceptible
flutter　among　the　sensitive　members　of　the　congregation；
nervous　Dissenters　seeming　to　be　at　one　with　nervous
Episcopalians　in　this　at　least；　that　they　heartily　disliked　a
scene　during　service。　　Calm　was　restored　to　their　minds　by　the
minister　starting　a　rather　long　hymn　in　minims　and　semibreves；
amid　the　singing　of　which　he　ascended　the　pulpit。　　His　face
had　a　severe　and　even　denunciatory　look　as　he　gave　out　his
text；　and　Somerset　began　to　understand　that　this　meant
mischief　to　the　young　person　who　had　caused　the　hitch。

'In　the　third　chapter　of　Revelation　and　the　fifteenth　and
following　verses；　you　will　find　these　words：

'〃I　know　thy　works；　that　thou　art　neither　cold　nor　hot：　　I
would　thou　wert　cold　or　hot。　　So　then　because　thou　art
lukewarm；　and　neither　cold　nor　hot；　I　will　spue　thee　out　of　my
mouth。　。　。　。　　Thou　sayest；　I　am　rich；　and　increased　with
goods；　and　have　need　of　nothing；　and　knowest　not　that　thou　art
wretched；　and　miserable；　and　poor；　and　blind；　and　naked。〃'

The　sermon　straightway　began；　and　it　was　soon　apparent　that
the　commentary　was　to　be　no　less　forcible　than　the　text。　　It
was　also　apparent　that　the　words　were；　virtually；　not　directed
forward　in　the　line　in　which　they　were　uttered；　but　through
the　chink　of　the　vestry…door；　that　had　stood　slightly　ajar
since　the　exit　of　the　young　lady。　　The　listeners　appeared　to
feel　this　no　less　than　Somerset　did；　for　their　eyes；　one　and
all；　became　fixed　upon　that　vestry　door　as　if　they　would
almost　push　it　open　by　the　force　of　their　gazing。　　The
preacher's　heart　was　full　and　bitter；　no　book　or　note　was
wanted　by　him；　never　was　spontaneity　more　absolute　than　here。
It　was　no　timid　reproof　of　the　ornamental　kind；　but　a　direct
denunciation；　all　the　more　vigorous　perhaps　from　the
limitation　of　mind　and　language　under　which　the　speaker
laboured。　　Yet；　fool　that　he　had　been　made　by　the　candidate；
there　was　nothing　acrid　in　his　attack。　　Genuine　flashes　of
rhetorical　fire　were　occasionally　struck　by　that　plain　and
simple　man；　who　knew　what　straightforward　conduct　was；　and　who
did　not　know　the　illimitable　caprice　of　a　woman's　mind。

At　this　moment　there　was　not　in　the　whole　chapel　a　person
whose　imagination　was　not　centred　on　what　was　invisibly　taking
place　within　the　vestry。　　The　thunder　of　the　minister's
eloquence　echoed；　of　course；　through　the　weak　sister's　cavern
of　retreat　no　less　than　round　the　public　assembly。　　What　she
was　doing　inside　therewhether　listening　contritely；　or
haughtily　hastening　to　put　on　her　things　and　get　away　from　the
chapel　and　all　it　containedwas　obviously　the　thought　of　each
member。　　What　changes　were　tracing　themselves　upon　that　lovely
face：　　did　it　rise　to　phases　of　Raffaelesque　resignation　or
sink　so　low　as　to　flush　and　frown？　was　Somerset's　inquiry；　and
a　half…explanation　occurred　when；　during　the　discourse；　the
door　which　had　been　ajar　was　gently　pushed　to。

Looking　on　as　a　stranger　it　seemed　to　him　more　than　probable
that　this　young　woman's　power　of　persistence　in　her　unexpected
repugnance　to　the　rite　was　strengthened　by　wealth　and　position
of　some　sort；　and　was　not　the　unassisted　gift　of　nature。　　The
manner　of　her　arrival；　and　her　dignified　bearing　before　the
assembly；　strengthened　the　belief。　　A　woman　who　did　not　feel
something　extraneous　to　her　mental　self　to　fall　back　upon
would　be　so　far　overawed　by　the　people　and　the　crisis　as　not
to　retain　sufficient　resolution　for　a　change　of　mind。

The　sermon　ended；　the　minister　wiped　his　steaming　face　and
turned　down　his　cuffs；　and　nods　and　sagacious　glances　went
round。　　Yet　many；　even　of　those　who　had　presumably　passed　the
same　ordeal　with　credit；　exhibited　gentler　judgment　than　the
preacher's　on　a　tergiversation　of　which　they　had　probably
recognized　some　germ　in　their　own　bosoms　when　in　the　lady's
situation。

For　Somerset　there　was　but　one　scene：　　the　imagined　scene　of
the　girl　herself　as　she　sat　alone　in　the　vestry。　　The　fervent
congregation　rose　to　sing　again；　and　then　Somerset　heard　a
slight　noise　on　his　left　hand　which　caused　him　to　turn　his
head。　　The　brougham；　which　had　retired　into　the　field　to　wait；
was　back　again　at　the　door：　　the　subject　of　his　rumination
came　out　from　the　chapelnot　in　her　mystic　robe　of　white；　but
dressed　in　ordinary　fashionable　costumefollowed　as　before　by
the　attendant　with　other　articles　of　clothing　on　her　arm；
including　the　white　gown。　　Somerset　fancied　that　the　younger
woman　was　drying　her　eyes　with　her　handkerchief；　but　there　was
not　much　time　to　see：　　they　quickly　entered　the　carriage；　and
it　moved　on。　　Then　a　cat　suddenly　mewed；　and　he　saw　a　white
Persian　standing　forlorn　where　the　carriage　had　been。　　The
door　was　opened；　the　cat　taken　in；　and　the　carriage　drove
away。

The　stranger's　girlish　form　stamped　itself　deeply　on
Somerset's　soul。　　He　strolled　on　his　way　quite　oblivious　to
the　fact　that　the　moon　had　just　risen；　and　that　the　landscape
was　one　for　him　to　linger　over；　especially　if　there　were　any
Gothic　architecture　in　the　line　of　the　lunar　rays。　　The
inference　was　that　though　this　girl　must　be　of　a　serious　turn
of　mind；　wilfulness　was　not　foreign　to　her　composition：　　and
it　was　probable　that　her　daily　doings　evinced　without　much
abatement　by　religion　the　unbroken　spirit　and　pride　of　life
natural　to　her　age。

The　little　village　inn　at　which　Somerset　intended　to　pass　the
night　lay　a　mile　further　on；　and　retracing　his　way　up　to　the
stile　he　rambled　along　the　lane；　now　beginning　to　be　streaked
like　a　zebra　with　the　shadows　of　some　young　trees　that　edged
the　road。　　But　his　attention　was　attracted　to　the　other　side
of　the　way　by　a　hum　as　of　a　night…bee；　which　arose　from　the
play　of　the　breezes　over　a　single　wire　of　telegraph　running
parallel　with　his　track　on　tall　poles　that　had　appeared　by　the
road；　he　hardly　knew　when；　from　a　branch　route；　probably
leading　from　some　town　in　the　neighbourhood　to　the　village　he
was　approaching。　　He　did　not　know　the　population　of　Sleeping…
Green；　as　the　village　of　his　search　was　called；　but　the
presence　of　this　mark　of　civilization　seemed　to　signify　that
its　inhabitants　were　not　quite　so　far　in　the　rear　of　their　age
as　might　be　imagined；　a　glance　at　the　still　ungrassed　heap　of
earth　round　the　foot　of　each　post　was；　however；　sufficient　to
show　that　it　was　at　no　very　remote　period　that　they　had　made
their　advance。

Aided　by　this　friendly　wire　Somerset　had　no　difficulty　in
keeping　his　course；　till　he　reached　a　point　in　the　ascent　of　a
hill　at　which　the　telegraph　branched　off　from　the　road；
passing　through　an　opening　in　the　hedge；　to　strike　across　an
undulating　down；　while　the　road　wound　round　to　the　left。