按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃I'd knock them down！〃 said Ralph； clinching his small fist。
Donovan laughed a little； but did not then attempt to prove the questionable wisdom of such a proceeding。
〃Why would you feel inclined to knock them down？〃 he asked。
〃Because it would be a wicked lie！〃 cried Ralph。 〃Because I know you never could； father。〃
〃You are quite right。 Of course I never could。 You would never believe any one who told you that I could； because you would know it was impossible。 But just now you believed what some one said about God； though you wouldn't have believed it of me。 Never believe anything which contradicts 'Our Father。' It will be our father punishing us now and hereafter； and you may be sure that He will do the best possible for all His children。 You are quite sure that I should only punish you to do you good； and how much more sure may you be that God； who loves you so much more； will do the same； and will never give you up。〃
Ralph looked hard at his bunch of blackberries； and was silent。 Many thoughts were working in his childish brain。 Presently he said； meditatively：
〃He did shout it out so loud and horrid！ I s'pose he had forgotten about 'Our Father。' But； you see； Dolly； it was all a mistake。 Come along； let's race down the drive。〃
Off they ran。 Erica fancied that Donovan watched them rather sadly。
〃I thought Ralph was listening in church；〃 she said。 〃Fancy a child of his age thinking it all out like that！〃
〃Children think much more than people imagine；〃 said Donovan。 〃And a child invariably carries out a doctrine to its logical conclusion。 〃Tis wonderful the fine sense of justice which you always find in them！〃
〃Ralph inherits that from you； I should think。 How exactly like you he is； especially when he is puzzling out some question in his own mind。〃
A strange shadow passed over Donovan's face。 He was silent for a moment。
〃'Tis hard to be brave for one's own child；〃 he said at last。 〃I confess that the thought that Ralph may have to live through what I have lived through is almost unendurable to me。〃
〃How vexed you must have been that he heard today's sermon；〃 said Erica。
〃Not now；〃 he replied。 〃He has heard and taken in the other side； and has instinctively recognized the truth。 If I had had some one to say as much to me when I was his age； it might have saved me twenty years of atheism。〃
〃It is not only children who are repulsed by this；〃 said Erica。 〃Or learned men like James Mill。 I know well enough that hundreds of my father's followers were driven away from Christianity merely by having this view constantly put before them。 How were they to know that half the words about it were mistranslations？ How were they to study when they were hard at work from week's end to week's end？ It seems to me downright wicked of scholars and learned men to keep their light hidden away under a bushel； and then pretend that they fear the 'people' are not ready for it。〃
〃As though God's truth needed bolstering up with error！〃 exclaimed Donovan。 〃As though to believe a hideous lie could ever be right or helpful！ There's a vast amount of Jesuitry among well…meaning Protestants。〃
〃And always will be； I should think；〃 said Erica。 〃As long as people will think of possible consequences； instead of the absolutely true。 But I could forgive them all if their idea of the danger of telling the people were founded on real study of the people。 But is it？ How many of the conservers of half truths； who talk so loudly about the effect on the masses； have personally known the men who go to make up the masses？〃
〃Yes； you are right；〃 said Donovan。 〃As a rule I fancy the educated classes know less about the working classes than they do about the heathen； and I am afraid； care less about them。 You have an immense advantage there both as a writer and a worker； for I suppose you really have been brought into contact with them。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Erica； 〃all my life。 How I should like to confront Mr。 Cuthbert with a man like Hazeldine； or with dozens of others whom I could name！〃
〃Why？〃 asked Donovan。
〃Because no one could really know such men without learning where the present systems want mending。 If Hazeldine could be shut into Mr。 Cuthbert's study for a few hours； and induced to tell the story of his life； I believe he would have the effect of the ancient mariner on the wedding guest。 Only； the worst of it is； I'm afraid the very look of Mr。 Cuthbert would quite shut him up。〃
〃Tell me about him；〃 said Donovan。
〃It is nothing at second hand；〃 said Erica。 〃He is a shoe maker； as grand…looking a fellow as you ever saw； fond of reading； and very thoughtful； and with more quiet common sense than almost any I ever met。 He had been brought up to believe in verbal inspiration that had been thoroughly crammed down his throat； but no one had attempted to touch upon the contradictions； the thousand and one difficulties which of course he found directly he began to study the Bible。 So he puzzled and puzzled； and got more and more dissatisfied； and never in church heard anything which explained his difficulties。 At last one day in his workshop a man lent him a number of the 'Idol Breaker；' and in it was a paper by my father on the Atonement。 It came to him like a great light in his darkness； he says he shall never forget the sudden conviction that the man who wrote that article understood every one of his difficulties； and would be able to clear them right away。 The next Sunday he went to hear my father lecture。 I believe it would make the veriest flint cry to hear his account of it； to see the look of reverent love that comes over his face when he says； 'And there I found Mr。 Raeburn ready to answer all my difficulties； not holding one at arm's length and talking big and patronizing for all he was so clever； but just like a mate。' That man would die for my father any day hundreds of them would。〃
〃I can well believe it；〃 said Donovan。 Then； after a pause； he added； 〃To induce Christians to take a fair； unprejudiced look at true secularism and to induce secularists to take a fair； unprejudiced view of true Christ…following； seems to me to be the great need of today。〃
〃If one could！〃 said Erica； with a long…drawn sigh。
〃If any one can； you can；〃 he replied。
She looked up at him quickly； awed by the earnestness of his tone。 Was she a young girl； conscious of so many faults and failings； conscious of being at the very threshold herself to dare even to attempt such a task？ Yet was it a question of daring to attempt？ Was it not rather the bit of work mapped out for her； to undertake； perhaps to fail in； but still bravely to attempt？ He heart throbbed with eager yearning； as the vision rose before her。 What was mere personal pain？ What was injustice？ What was misunderstanding？ Why； in such a cause she could endure anything。
〃I would die to help on that！〃 she said in a low voice。
〃Will you live for it？〃 asked Donovan； with his rare； beautiful smile。 〃Live； and do something more than endure the Lady Carolines and Mr。 Cuthberts？〃
Few things are more inspiriting that the realization that we are called to some special work which will need our highest faculties； our untiring exertions which will demand all that is good in us； and will make growth in good imperative。 With the peacefulness of that country Sunday was interwoven a delicious perception that hard； beautiful work lay beyond。 Erica wandered about the shady Mountshire woods with Gladys and the children； and in the cool restfulness； in the stillness and beauty； got a firm hold on her lofty ideal； and rose about the petty vexations and small frictions which had been spoiling her life at Greyshot。
The manor grounds were always thrown open to the public on Sunday； and a band in connection with one of the temperance societies played on the lawn。 Donovan had been much persecuted by the Sabbatarians for sanctioning this； but； though sorry to offend any one； he could not allow what he considered mistaken scruples to interfere with such a boon to the public。 Crowds of workingmen and women came each week away from their densely packed homes into the pure country； the place was for the time given up to them； and they soon learned to love it； to look upon it as a property to which they had a real and recognized share。
Squire Ward； who owned the neighboring estate； grumbled a good deal at the intrusion of what he called the 〃rabble〃 into quiet Oakdene。
〃That's the worst of such men as Farrant；〃 he used to say。 〃They begin by rushing to one extreme； and end by rushing to the other。 Such a want of steady conservative balance！ He's a good man； but； poor fellow； he'll never be like other people； never！〃
Mrs。 Ward was almost inclined to think that he had been less obnoxious in the old times。 As a professed atheist； he could be shunned and ignored； but his uncomfortably practical Christianity had a way of shaking up the sleepy neighborhood； and the neighborhood did not at all like being shaken！
CHAPTER XXIX。 Greyshot Again
To what purpose do you profess to believe in the unity of the human race； which is the necessary consequence of the unity of God； if you do not strive to verify it by dest