stories of a western town-第19章

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petus！　If　he　did　wrong；　his　error　was　linked　to　its　own　punishment。　But　this　is　anticipating；　if　not　presuming；　I　prefer　to　leave　Harry　Lossing's　experience　to　paint　its　own　moral　without　pushing。　The　event　that　happened　next　was　Harry's　pulling　out　his　check…book　and　beginning　to　write　a　check；　remarking；　with　a　slight　drooping　of　his　eyelids；　〃Best　catch　the　deacon's　generosity　on　the　fly；　or　it　may　make　a　home　run！〃　Then　he　let　the　pen　fall　on　the　blotter；　for　he　had　remembered　the　day。　After　an　instant's　hesitation　he　took　a　couple　of　hundred…dollar　bank…notes　out　of　a　drawer　（I　think　they　were　gifts　for　his　two　sisters　on　Christmas　day；　for　he　is　a　generous　brother；　and　most　likely　there　would　be　some　small　domestic　joke　about　engravings　to　go　with　them）；　these　he　placed　in　the　right…hand　pocket　of　his　waistcoat。　In　his　left…hand　waistcoat　pocket　were　two　five…dollar　notes。　Harry　was　now　arrayed　for　church。　　He　was　a　figure　to　please　any　woman's　eye；　thought　his　mother；　as　she　walked　beside　him；　and　gloried　silently　in　his　six　feet　of　health　and　muscle　and　dainty　cleanliness。　He　was　in　a　most　amiable　mood；　what　with　the　Saint　Bernards　and　the　season。　　As　they　approached　the　cathedral　close；　Harry；　not　for　the　first　time；　admired　the　pure　Gothic　lines　of　the　cathedral；　and　the　soft　blending　of　grays　in　the　stone　with　the　warmer　hues　of　the　brown　network　of　Virginia　creeper　that　still　fluttered；　a　remnant　of　the　crimson　adornings　of　autumn。　　Beyond　were　the　bare；　square　outlines　of　the　old　college；　with　a　wooden　cupola　perched　on　the　roof；　like　a　little　hat　on　a　fat　man；　the　dull…red　tints　of　the　professors'　houses；　and　the　withered　lawns　and　bare　trees。　The　turrets　and　balconies　and　arched　windows　of　the　boys'　school　displayed　a　red　background　for　a　troop　of　gray　uniforms　and　blazing　buttons；　the　boys　were　forming　to　march　to　church。　Opposite　the　boys'　school　stood　the　modest　square　brick　house　that　had　served　the　first　bishop　of　the　diocese　during　laborious　years。　Now　it　was　the　dean's　residence。　　Facing　it；　just　as　you　approached　the　cathedral；　the　street　curved　into　a　half…circle　on　either　side；　and　in　the　centre　the　granite　soldier　on　his　shaft　looked　over　the　city　that　would　honor　him。　　Harry　saw　the　tall　figure　of　the　dean　come　out　of　his　gate；　the　long　black　skirts　of　his　cassock　fluttering　under　the　wind　of　his　big　steps。　Beside　him　skipped　and　ran；　to　keep　step　with　him；　a　little　man　in　ill…fitting　black；　of　whose　appearance；　thus　viewed　from　the　rear；　one　could　only　observe　stooping　shoulders　and　iron…gray　hair　that　curled　at　the　ends。　〃He　must　be　the　poor　missionary　who　built　his　church　himself；〃　Mrs。　Lossing　observed；　〃he　is　not　much　of　a　preacher；　the　dean　said；　but　he　is　a　great　worker　and　a　good　pastor。〃　〃So　much　the　better　for　his　people；　and　the　worse　for　us！〃　says　Harry；　cheerfully。　〃Why？〃　〃Naturally。　We　shall　get　the　poor　sermon　and　they　will　get　the　good　pastoring！〃　Then　Harry　caught　sight　of　a　woman's　frock　and　a　profile　that　he　knew；　and　thought　no　more　of　the　preacher；　whoever　he　might　be。　But　he　was　in　the　chancel　in　plain　view；　after　the　procession　of　choir…boys　had　taken　their　seats。　　He　was　an　elderly　man　with　thin　cheeks　and　a　large　nose。　　He　had　one　of　those　great；　orotund　voices　that　occasionally　roll　out　of　little　men；　and　he　read　the　service　with　a　misjudged　effort　to　fill　the　building。　The　building　happened　to　have　peculiarly　fine　acoustic　properties；　but　the　unfortunate　man　roared　like　him　of　Bashan。　There　was　nothing　of　the　customary　ecclesiastical　dignity　and　monotony　about　his　articulation；　indeed；　it　grew　plain　and　plainer　to　Harry　that　he　must　have　〃come　over〃　from　some　franker　and　more　emotional　denomination。　It　seemed　quite　out　of　keeping　with　his　homely　manner　and　crumpled　surplice　that　this　particular　reader　should　intone。　Intone；　nevertheless；　he　did；　and　as　badly　as　mortal　man　well　could！　It　was　not　so　much　that　his　voice　or　his　ear　went　wrong；　he　would　have　had　a　musical　voice　of　the　heavy　sort；　had　he　not　bellowed；　neither　did　his　ear　betray　him；　the　trouble　seemed　to　be　that　he　could　not　decide　when　to　begin；　now　he　began　too　early；　and　again；　with　a　startled　air；　he　began　too　late；　as　if　he　had　forgotten。　〃I　hope　he　will　not　preach；〃　thought　Harry；　who　was　absorbed　in　a　rapt　contemplation　of　his　sweetheart's　back　hair。　He　came　back　from　a　tender　revery　（by　way　of　a　little　detour　into　the　furniture　business　and　the　establishment　that　a　man　of　his　income　could　afford）　to　the　church　and　the　preacher　and　his　own　sins；　to　find　the　strange　clergyman　in　the　pulpit；　plainly　frightened；　and　bawling　more　loudly　than　ever　under　the　influence　of　fear。　He　preached　a　sermon　of　wearisome　platitudes；　making　up　for　lack　of　thought　by　repetition；　and　shouting　himself　red　in　the　face　to　express　earnestness。　　〃Fourth…class　Methodist　effort；〃　thought　the　listener　in　the　Lossing　pew；　stroking　his　fair　mustache；　〃with　Episcopal　decorations！　　That　man　used　to　be　a　Methodist　minister；　and　he　was　brought　into　the　fold　by　a　high…churchman。　Poor　fellow；　the　Methodist　church　polity　has　a　place　for　such　fellows　as　he；　but　he　is　a　stray　sheep　with　us。　　He　doesn't　half　catch　on　to　the　motions；　yet　I'll　warrant　he　is　proud　of　that　sermon；　and　his　wife　thinks　it　one　of　the　great　efforts　of　the　century。〃　Here　Harry　took　a　short　rest　from　the　sermon；　to　contemplate　the　amazing　moral　phenomenon：　　how　robust　can　be　a　wife's　faith　in　a　commonplace　husband！　〃Now；　this　man；〃　reflected　Harry；　growing　interested　in　his　own　fancies；　〃this　man　never　can　have　LIVED！　　He　doesn't　know　what　it　is　to　suffer；　he　has　only　vegetated！　　Doubtless；　in　a　prosaic　way；　he　loves　his　wife　and　children；　but　can　a　fellow　who　talks　like　him　have　any　delicate　sympathies　or　any　romance　about　him？　He　looks　honest；　I　think　he　is　a　right　good　fellow　and　works　like　a　soldier；　but　to　be　so　stupid　as　he　is；　ought　to　HURT！〃　Harry　felt　a　whimsical　moving　of　sympathy　towards　the　preacher。　He　wondered　why　he　continually　made　gestures　with　the　left　arm；　never　with　his　right。　〃It　gives　a　one…sided　effect　to　his　eloquence；〃　said　he。　But　he　thought　that　he　understood　when　an　unguarded　movement　revealed　a　rent　which　had　been　a　mended　place　in　the　surplice。　〃Poor　fellow；〃　said　Harry。　　He　recalled　how；　as　a　boy；　he　had　gone　to　a　fancy…dress　ball　in　Continental　smallclothes；　so　small　that　he　had　been　strictly　cautioned　by　his　mother　and　sisters　not　to　bow　except　with　the　greatest　care；　lest　he　rend　his　magnificence　and　reveal　that　it　was　too　tight　to　allow　an　inch　of　underclothing。　The　stockings；　in　particular；　had　been　short；　and　his　sister　had　providently　sewed　them　on　to　the　knee…breeches；　and　to　guard　against　accidents　still　further；　had　pinned　as　well　as　sewed；　the　pins　causing　Harry　much　anguish。　〃Poor　fellow！〃　said　Harry　again；　〃I　wonder　is　HE　pinned　somewhere？　I　feel　like　giving　him　a　lift；　he　is　so　prosy　it　isn't　likely　anyone　else　will　feel　moved　to　help。〃　Thus　it　came　about　that　when　the　dean　announced　that　the　alms　this　day　would　be　given　to　the　parish　of　our　friend　who　had　just　addressed　us；　and　the　plate　paused　before　the　Lossing　pew；　Harry　slipped　his　hand　into　his　waistcoat　pocket　after　those　two　five…dollar　notes。　I　should　explain　that　Harry　being　a　naturally　left…handed　boy；　who　has　laboriously　taught　himself　the　use　of　his　right　hand；　it　is　a　family　joke　that　he　is　like　the　inhabitants　of　Nineveh；　who　could　not　tell　their　right　hand　from　their　left。　But　Harry　himself　has　always　maintained　that　he　can　tell　as　well　as　the　next　man。　Out　drifted　the　flock　of　choir…boys　singing；　〃For　thee；　oh　dear；　dear　country；〃　and　presently；　following　them；　out　drifted　the　congregation；　among　the　crowd　the　girl　that　Harry　loved；　not　so　quickly　that　he　had　not　time　for　a　look　and　a　smile　（just　tinged　with　rose）；　and　because　she　was　so　sweet；　so　good；　so　altogether　adorable；　and　because　she　had　not　only　smiled　but　blushed；　and；　unobserved；　he　had　touched　the　fur　of　her　jacket；　the　young　man　walked　on　air。　He　did　not　remember　the　Saint　Bernards　until　after　the　early　Sunday　dinner；　and　during　the　after…dinner　cigar。　He　was　sitting　in　the　library；　before　some　blazing　logs；　at　peace　with　all　the　world。　　To　him；　thus；　came　his　mother　and　announced　that　the　dean　and　〃that　man　who　preached　this　morning；　you　know；〃　were　waiting　in　the　other　room。　〃They　seem　excited；〃　said　she；　〃and　talk　about　your　munificence。　What　HAVE　you　been　doing？〃　〃Appear　to　make　a　great　deal　of　fuss　over　ten　dollars；〃　said　Harry；　lightly；　as　he　sauntered　out　of　the　door。　The　dean　greeted　him　with　something　almost　like　confusion　in　his　cordiality；　he　introduced　his　companion　as　the　Rev。　Mr。　Gilling。　〃Mr。　Gilling　could　not　feel　easy　until　he　had　〃　〃Made　sure　about　there　being　no　mistake；〃　interrupted　Mr。　Gilling；　〃I　the　sum　was　so　great　〃　A　ghastly　suspicion　shot　like　a　fever…flush　over　Harry's　mind。　Could　it　be　possible？　　There　were　the　two　other　bills；　could　he　have　given　one　of　them？　　Given　that　howling　dervish　a　hundred　dollars？　The　thought　was　too　awful！　〃It　was　really　not　enough　for　you　to　trouble　yourself；〃　he　said；　〃I　dare　say　you　are　thanking　the　wrong　man。〃　He　felt　he　must　say　something。　To　his　surprise　the　dean　colored；　while　the　other　clergyman　answered；　in　all　simplicity：　〃No；　sir；　no；　sir。　　I