when the world shook-第4章

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To　returnwith　that　engaging　honesty　which　I　have　mentioned

Bastin's　letter　went　on　to　set　out　all　his　own　disabilities；

which；　he　added；　would　probably　render　him　unsuitable　for　the

place　he　desired　to　fill。　He　was　a　High　Churchman；　a　fact　which

would　certainly　offend　many；　he　had　no　claims　to　being　a　preacher

although　he　was　extraordinarily　well　acquainted　with　the　writings

of　the　Early　Fathers。　（What　on　earth　had　that　to　do　with　the

question；　I　wondered。）　On　the　other　hand　he　had　generally　been

considered　a　good　visitor　and　was　fond　of　walking　（he　meant　to

call　on　distant　parishioners；　but　did　not　say　so）。



Then　followed　a　page　and　a　half　on　the　evils　of　the　existing

system　of　the　presentation　to　livings　by　private　persons；　ending

with　the　suggestion　that　I　had　probably　committed　a　sin　in　buying

this　particular　advowson　in　order　to　increase　my　local　authority；

that　is；　if　I　had　bought　it；　a　point　on　which　he　was　ignorant。

Finally　he　informed　me　that　as　he　had　to　christen　a　sick　baby

five　miles　away　on　a　certain　moor　and　it　was　too　wet　for　him　to

ride　his　bicycle；　he　must　stop。　And　he　stopped。



There　was；　however；　a　P。S。　to　the　letter；　which　ran　as　follows：



〃Someone　told　me　that　you　were　dead　a　few　years　ago；　and　of

course　it　may　be　another　man　of　the　same　name　who　owns　Fulcombe。

If　so；　no　doubt　the　Post　Office　will　send　back　this　letter。〃



That　was　his　only　allusion　to　my　humble　self　in　all　those

diffuse　pages。　It　was　a　long　while　since　I　had　received　an

epistle　which　made　me　laugh　so　much；　and　of　course　I　gave　him　the

living　by　return　of　post；　and　even　informed　him　that　I　would

increase　its　stipend　to　a　sum　which　I　considered　suitable　to　the

position。



About　ten　days　later　I　received　another　letter　from　Bastin

which；　as　a　scrawl　on　the　flap　of　the　envelope　informed　me；　he

had　carried　for　a　week　in　his　pocket　and　forgotten　to　post。

Except　by　inference　it　returned　no　thanks　for　my　intended

benefits。　What　it　did　say；　however；　was　that　he　thought　it　wrong

of　me　to　have　settled　a　matter　of　such　spiritual　importance　in　so

great　a　hurry；　though　he　had　observed　that　rich　men　were　nearly

always　selfish　where　their　time　was　concerned。　Moreover；　he

considered　that　I　ought　first　to　have　made　inquiries　as　to　his

present　character　and　attainments；　etc。；　etc。



To　this　epistle　I　replied　by　telegraph　to　the　effect　that　I

should　as　soon　think　of　making　inquiries　about　the　character　of

an　archangel；　or　that　of　one　of　his　High　Church　saints。　This

telegram；　he　told　me　afterwards；　he　considered　unseemly　and　even

ribald；　especially　as　it　had　given　great　offence　to　the

postmaster；　who　was　one　of　the　sidesmen　in　his　church。



Thus　it　came　about　that　I　appointed　the　Rev。　Basil　Bastin　to

the　living　of　Fulcombe；　feeling　sure　that　he　would　provide　me

with　endless　amusement　and　act　as　a　moral　tonic　and　discipline。

Also　I　appreciated　the　man's　blunt　candour。　In　due　course　he

arrived；　and　I　confess　that　after　a　few　Sundays　of　experience　I

began　to　have　doubts　as　to　the　wisdom　of　my　choice；　glad　as　I　was

to　see　him　personally。　His　sermons　at　once　bored　me；　and；　when

they　did　not　send　me　to　sleep；　excited　in　me　a　desire　for　debate。

How　could　he　be　so　profoundly　acquainted　with　mysteries　before

which　the　world　had　stood　amazed　for　ages？　Was　there　nothing　too

hot　or　too　heavy　in　the　spiritual　way　for　him　to　dismiss　in　a　few

blundering　and　casual　words；　as　he　might　any　ordinary　incident　of

every…day　life；　I　wondered？　Also　his　idea　of　High　Church

observances　was　not　mine；　or；　I　imagine；　that　of　anybody　else。

But　I　will　not　attempt　to　set　it　out。



His　peculiarities；　however；　were　easy　to　excuse　and　entirely

swallowed　up　by　the　innate　goodness　of　his　nature　which　soon　made

him　beloved　of　everyone　in　the　place；　for　although　he　thought

that　probably　most　things　were　sins；　I　never　knew　him　to　discover

a　sin　which　he　considered　to　be　beyond　the　reach　of　forgiveness。

Bastin　was　indeed　a　most　charitable　man　and　in　his　way

wide…minded。



The　person　whom　I　could　not　tolerate；　however；　was　his　wife；

who；　to　my　fancy；　more　resembled　a　vessel；　a　very　unattractive

vessel；　full　of　vinegar　than　a　woman。　Her　name　was　Sarah　and　she

was　small；　plain；　flat；　sandy…haired　and　odious；　quite　obsessed；

moreover；　with　her　jealousies　of　the　Rev。　Basil；　at　whom　it

pleased　her　to　suppose　that　every　woman　in　the　countryside　under

fifty　was　throwing　herself。



Here　I　will　confess　that　to　the　best　of　my　ability　I　took　care

that　they　did　in　outward　seeming；　that　is；　whenever　she　was

present；　instructing　them　to　sit　aside　with　him　in　darkened

corners；　to　present　him　with　flowers；　and　so　forth。　Several　of

them　easily　fell　into　the　humour　of　the　thing；　and　I　have　seen

him　depart　from　a　dinner…party　followed　by　that　glowering　Sarah；

with　a　handful　of　rosebuds　and　violets；　to　say　nothing　of　the

traditional　offerings　of　slippers；　embroidered　markers　and　the

like。　Well；　it　was　my　only　way　of　coming　even　with　her；　which　I

think　she　knew；　for　she　hated　me　poisonously。



So　much　for　Basil　Bastin。　Now　for　Bickley。　Him　I　had　met　on

several　occasions　since　our　college　days；　and　after　I　was　settled

at　the　Priory　from　time　to　time　I　asked　him　to　stay　with　me。　At

length　he　came；　and　I　found　out　that　he　was　not　at　all

comfortable　in　his　London　practice　which　was　of　a　nature

uncongenial　to　him；　further；　that　he　did　not　get　on　with　his

partners。　Then；　after　reflection；　I　made　a　suggestion　to　him。　I

pointed　out　that；　owing　to　its　popularity　amongst　seaside

visitors；　the　neighbourhood　of　Fulcombe　was　a　rising　one；　and

that　although　there　were　doctors　in　it；　there　was　no　really

first…class　surgeon　for　miles。



Now　Bickley　was　a　first…class　surgeon；　having　held　very　high

hospital　appointments；　and　indeed　still　holding　them。　Why；　I

asked；　should　he　not　come　and　set　up　here　on　his　own？　I　would

appoint　him　doctor　to　the　estate　and　also　give　him　charge　of　a

cottage　hospital　which　I　was　endowing；　with　liberty　to　build　and

arrange　it　as　he　liked。　Further；　as　I　considered　that　it　would　be

of　great　advantage　to　me　to　have　a　man　of　real　ability　within

reach；　I　would　guarantee　for　three　years　whatever　income　he　was

earning　in　London。



He　thanked　me　warmly　and　in　the　end　acted　on　the　idea；　with

startling　results　so　far　as　his　prospects　were　concerned。　Very

soon　his　really　remarkable　skill　became　known　and　he　was　earning

more　money　than　as　an　unmarried　man　he　could　possibly　want。

Indeed；　scarcely　a　big　operation　took　place　at　any　town　within

twenty　miles；　and　even　much　farther　away；　at　which　he　was　not

called　in　to　assist。



Needless　to　say　his　advent　was　a　great　boon　to　me；　for　as　he

lived　in　a　house　I　let　him　quite　near　by；　whenever　he　had　a　spare

evening　he　would　drop　in　to　dinner；　and　from　our　absolutely

opposite　standpoints　we　discussed　all　things　human　and　divine。

Thus　I　was　enabled　to　sharpen　my　wits　upon　the　hard　steel　of　his

clear　intellect　which　was　yet；　in　a　sense；　so　limited。



I　must　add　that　I　never　converted　him　to　my　way　of　thinking　and

he　never　converted　me　to　his；　any　more　than　he　converted　Bastin；

for　whom；　queerly　enough；　he　had　a　liking。　They　pounded　away　at

each　other；　Bickley　frequently　getting　the　best　of　it　in　the

argument；　and　when　at　last　Bastin　rose　to　go；　he　generally　made

the　same　remark。　It　was：



〃It　really　is　sad；　my　dear　Bickley；　to　find　a　man　of　your

intellect　so　utterly　wrongheaded　and　misguided。　I　have　convicted

you　of　error　at　least　half　a　dozen　times；　and　not　to　confess　it

is　mere　pigheadedness。　Good　night。　I　am　sure　that　Sarah　will　be

sitting　up　for　me。〃



〃Silly　old　idiot！〃　Bickley　would　say；　shaking　his　fist　after

him。　〃The　only　way　to　get　him　to　see　the　truth　would　be　to　saw

his　head　open　and　pour　it　in。〃



Then　we　would　both　laugh。



Such　were　my　two　most　intimate　friends；　although　I　admit　it　was

rather　like　the　equator　cultivating　close　relationships　with　the

north　and　south　poles。　Certainly　Bastin　was　as　far　from　Bickley

as　those　points　of　the　earth　are　apart；　while　I。　as　it　were；　sat

equally　distant　between　the　two。　However；　we　were　all　very　happy

together；　since　in　certain　characters；　there　are　few　things　that

bind　men　more　closely　than　profound　differences　of　opinion。





Now　I　must　turn　to　my　more　personal　affairs。　After　all；　it　is

impossible　for　a　man　to　satisfy　his　soul；　if　he　has　anything　of

the　sort　about　him　which　in　the　remotest　degree　answers　to　that

description；　with　the　husks　of　wealth；　luxury　and　indolence；

supplemented　by　occasional　theological　and　other　arguments

between　his　friends；　Becoming　profoundly　convinced　of　this　truth；

I　searched　round　for　something　to　do　and；　like　Noah's　dove　on　the

waste　of　waters；　found　nothing。　Then　I　asked　Bickley　and　Bastin

for　their　opinions　as　to　my　best　future　course。　Bickley　proved　a

barren　draw。　He　rubbed　his　nose　and　feebly　suggested　that　I　might

go　in　for　〃research　work；〃　which；　of　course；　only　represented　his

own　ambitions。　I　asked　him　indignantly　how　I　could　do　such　a

thing　without　any　scientific　qualifications　whatever。　He　admitted

the　difficulty；　but　replied　that　I　might　endow　others　who　had　the

qualifications。



〃In　short；　become　a　much　cow　for　sucking　scientists；〃　I

replied；　and　broke　off　the　conversation。



Bastin's　idea　was；　first；　that　I　should　teach　in　a　Sunday

School；　secondly；　that　if　this　career　did　not　satisfy　all　my

aspirations；　I　might　be　ordained　and　become　a　missionary。



On　my　rejection　of　this　brilliant　advice；　he　remarked　that　the

only　other　thing　he　could　think　of　was　that　I　should　get　married

and　have　a　large　family；　which　might　possibly　advantage　the

nation　and　ultimately　enrich　the　Kingdom　of　Heaven；　though　of

such　things　no　one　could　be　quite　sure。　At　any　rate；　he　was

certain　that　at　present　I　was　in　practice　neglecting　my　duty；

whatever　it　might　be；　and　in　fact　one　of　those　cumberers　of　the

earth　who；　he　observed　in　the　newspaper　he　took　in　and　read　when

he　had　time；　were　〃very　happily　namedthe　idle　rich。〃



〃Which　reminds　me；〃　he　added；　〃that　the　clothing…club　finances

are　in　a　perfectly　scandalous　condition；　in　fact；　it　is　？5　in

debt；　an　amount　that　as　the　squire　of　the　parish　I　consider　it

incumbent　on　you　to　make　good；　not　as　a　charity　but　as　an

obligation。〃



〃Look　here；　my　friend；〃　I　said；　ignoring　all　the　rest；　〃will

you　answer　me　a　plain　question？　Have　you　found　marriage　such　a

success　that　you　consider　it　your　duty　to　recommend　it　to　others？

And　if　you　have；　why　have　you　not　got　the　large　family　of　which

you　speak？〃



〃Of　course　not；〃　he　replied　with　his　usual　frankness。　〃Indeed；

it　is　in　many　ways　so　disagreeable　that　I　am　convinced　it　must　be

right　and　for　the　good　of　all　concerned。　As　regards　the　family　I

am　sure　I　do　not　know；　but　Sarah　never　liked　babies；　which

perhaps　has　something　to　do　with　it。〃



Th