all roads lead to calvary-第61章

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g　scars　had　taken　its　place。　　They　laid　their　burden　on　the　table。　　It　was　one　of　the　wounded　men　from　the　hut。　　They　told　her　they　were　bringing　down　two　more。　　The　hut　itself　had　not　been　hit；　but　the　roof　had　been　torn　off　by　the　force　of　the　explosion；　and　the　others　had　been　killed　by　the　falling　beams。　　Joan　wanted　to　return　with　them；　but　Madame　Lelanne　had　assumed　an　air　of　authority；　and　told　her　she　would　be　more　useful　where　she　was。　　From　the　top　of　the　steps　they　threw　down　bundles　of　straw；　on　which　they　laid　the　wounded　men；　and　Joan　tended　them；　while　Madame　Lelanne　and　the　little　chemist　went　up　and　down　continuously。　　Before　evening　the　place；　considering　all　things；　was　fairly　habitable。　　Madame　Lelanne　brought　down　the　great　stove　from　the　hut；　and　breaking　a　pane　of　glass　in　the　barred　window；　they　fixed　it　up　with　its　chimney　and　lighted　it。　From　time　to　time　the　turmoil　above　them　would　break　out　again：　the　rattling；　and　sometimes　a　dull　rumbling　as　of　rushing　water。　But　only　a　faint　murmur　of　it　penetrated　into　the　cellar。　　Towards　night　it　became　quiet　again。

How　long　Joan　remained　there　she　was　never　quite　sure。　　There　was　little　difference　between　day　and　night。　　After　it　had　been　quiet　for　an　hour　or　so；　Madame　Lelanne　would　go　out；　to　return　a　little　later　with　a　wounded　man　upon　her　back；　and　when　one　died；　she　would　throw　him　across　her　shoulder　and　disappear　again　up　the　steps。　　Sometimes　it　was　a　Frenchman　and　sometimes　a　German　she　brought　in。　　One　gathered　that　the　fight　for　the　village　still　continued。　　There　was　but　little　they　could　do　for　them　beyond　dressing　their　wounds　and　easing　their　pain。　　Joan　and　the　little　chemist　took　it　in　turns　to　relieve　one　another。　　If　Madame　Lelanne　ever　slept；　it　was　when　she　would　sit　in　the　shadow　behind　the　stove；　her　hands　upon　her　knees。　　Dubos　had　been　in　the　house　when　it　had　fallen。　　Madame　Lelanne　had　discovered　him　pinned　against　a　wall　underneath　a　great　oak　beam　that　had　withstood　the　falling　debris。　　His　beard　had　been　burnt　off；　but　otherwise　he　had　been　unharmed。

She　seemed　to　be　living　in　a　dream。　　She　could　not　shake　from　her　the　feeling　that　it　was　not　bodies　but　souls　that　she　was　tending。　The　men　themselves　gave　colour　to　this　fancy　of　hers。　　Stripped　of　their　poor；　stained；　tattered　uniforms；　they　were　neither　French　nor　Germans。　　Friend　or　foe！　it　was　already　but　a　memory。　　Often；　awakening　out　of　a　sleep；　they　would　look　across　at　one　another　and　smile　as　to　a　comrade。　　A　great　peace　seemed　to　have　entered　there。　Faint　murmurs　as　from　some　distant　troubled　world　would　steal　at　times　into　the　silence。　　It　brought　a　pang　of　pity；　but　it　did　not　drive　away　the　quiet　that　dwelt　there。

Once；　someone　who　must　have　known　the　place　and　had　descended　the　steps　softly；　sat　there　among　them　and　talked　with　them。　　Joan　could　not　remember　seeing　him　enter。　　Perhaps　unknowing；　she　had　fallen　to　sleep　for　a　few　minutes。　　Madame　Lelanne　was　seated　by　the　stove；　her　great　coarse　hands　upon　her　knees；　her　patient；　dull；　slow…moving　eyes　fixed　upon　the　speaker's　face。　　Dubos　was　half　standing；　half　resting　against　the　table；　his　arms　folded　upon　his　breast。　　The　wounded　men　had　raised　themselves　upon　the　straw　and　were　listening。　　Some　leant　upon　their　elbows；　some　sat　with　their　hands　clasped　round　their　knees；　and　one；　with　head　bent　down；　remained　with　his　face　hidden　in　his　hands。

The　speaker　sat　a　little　way　apart。　　The　light　from　the　oil　lamp；　suspended　from　the　ceiling；　fell　upon　his　face。　　He　wore　a　peasant's　blouse。　　It　seemed　to　her　a　face　she　knew。　　Possibly　she　had　passed　him　in　the　village　street　and　had　looked　at　him　without　remembering。　　It　was　his　eyes　that　for　long　years　afterwards　still　haunted　her。　　She　did　not　notice　at　the　time　what　language　he　was　speaking。　　But　there　were　none　who　did　not　understand　him。

〃You　think　of　God　as　of　a　great　King；〃　he　said；　〃a　Ruler　who　orders　all　things：　　who　could　change　all　things　in　the　twinkling　of　an　eye。　　You　see　the　cruelty　and　the　wrong　around　you。　　And　you　say　to　yourselves：　　'He　has　ordered　it。　　If　He　would；　He　could　have　willed　it　differently。'　　So　that　in　your　hearts　you　are　angry　with　Him。　How　could　it　be　otherwise？　　What　father；　loving　his　children；　would　see　them　suffer　wrong；　when　by　stretching　out　a　hand　he　could　protect　them：　　turn　their　tears　to　gladness？　　What　father　would　see　his　children　doing　evil　to　one　another　and　not　check　them：　　would　see　them　following　ways　leading　to　their　destruction；　and　not　pluck　them　back？　　If　God　has　ordered　all　things；　why　has　He　created　evil；　making　His　creatures　weak　and　sinful？　　Does　a　father　lay　snares　for　his　children：　　leading　them　into　temptation：　　delivering　them　unto　evil？〃

〃There　is　no　God；　apart　from　Man。〃

〃God　is　a　spirit。　　His　dwelling…place　is　in　man's　heart。　　We　are　His　fellow…labourers。　　It　is　through　man　that　He　shall　one　day　rule　the　world。〃

〃God　is　knocking　at　your　heart；　but　you　will　not　open　to　Him。　　You　have　filled　your　hearts　with　love　of　self。　　There　is　no　room　for　Him　to　enter　in。〃

〃God　whispers　to　you：　　'Be　pitiful。　　Be　merciful。　　Be　just。'　　But　you　answer　Him：　　'If　I　am　pitiful；　I　lose　my　time　and　money。　　If　I　am　merciful；　I　forego　advantage　to　myself。　　If　I　am　just；　I　lessen　my　own　profit；　and　another　passes　me　in　the　race。'〃

〃And　yet　in　your　inmost　thoughts　you　know　that　you　are　wrong：　　that　love　of　self　brings　you　no　peace。　　Who　is　happier　than　the　lover；　thinking　only　how　to　serve？　　Who　is　the　more　joyous：　　he　who　sits　alone　at　the　table；　or　he　who　shares　his　meal　with　a　friend？　　It　is　more　blessed　to　give　than　to　receive。　　How　can　you　doubt　it？　　For　what　do　you　toil　and　strive　but　that　you　may　give　to　your　children；　to　your　loved　ones；　reaping　the　harvest　of　their　good？〃

〃Who　among　you　is　the　more　honoured？　　The　miser　or　the　giver：　　he　who　heaps　up　riches　for　himself　or　he　who　labours　for　others？〃

〃Who　is　the　true　soldier？　　He　who　has　put　away　self。　　His　own　ease　and　comfort；　even　his　own　needs；　his　own　safety：　　they　are　but　as　a　feather　in　the　balance　when　weighed　against　his　love　for　his　comrades；　for　his　country。　　The　true　soldier　is　not　afraid　to　love。　He　gives　his　life　for　his　friend。　　Do　you　jeer　at　him？　　Do　you　say　he　is　a　fool　for　his　pains？　　No；　it　is　his　honour；　his　glory。〃

〃God　is　love。　　Why　are　you　afraid　to　let　Him　in？　　Hate　knocks　also　at　your　door　and　to　him　you　open　wide。　　Why　are　you　afraid　of　love？　All　things　are　created　by　love。　　Hate　can　but　destroy。　　Why　choose　you　death　instead　of　life？　　God　pleads　to　you。　　He　is　waiting　for　your　help。〃

And　one　answered　him。

〃We　are　but　poor　men；〃　he　said。　　〃What　can　we　do？　　Of　what　use　are　such　as　we？〃

The　young　man　looked　at　him　and　smiled。

〃You　can　ask　that；〃　he　said：　　〃you；　a　soldier？　　Does　the　soldier　say：　　'I　am　of　no　use。　　I　am　but　a　poor　man　of　no　account。　　Who　has　need　of　such　as　I？'　　God　has　need　of　all。　　There　is　none　that　shall　not　help　to　win　the　victory。　　It　is　with　his　life　the　soldier　serves。　　Who　were　they　whose　teaching　moved　the　world　more　than　it　has　ever　yet　been　moved　by　the　teaching　of　the　wisest？　　They　were　men　of　little　knowledge；　of　but　little　learning；　poor　and　lowly。　It　was　with　their　lives　they　taught。〃

〃Cast　out　self；　and　God　shall　enter　in；　and　you　shall　be　One　with　God。　　For　there　is　none　so　lowly　that　he　may　not　become　the　Temple　of　God：　　there　is　none　so　great　that　he　shall　be　greater　than　this。〃

The　speaker　ceased。　　There　came　a　faint　sound　at　which　she　turned　her　head；　and　when　she　looked　again　he　was　gone。

The　wounded　men　had　heard　it　also。　　Dubos　had　moved　forward。　Madame　Lelanne　had　risen。　　It　came　again；　the　thin；　faint　shrill　of　a　distant　bugle。　　Footsteps　were　descending　the　stairs。　　French　soldiers；　laughing；　shouting；　were　crowding　round　them。



CHAPTER　XVIII



Her　father　met　her　at　Waterloo。　　He　had　business　in　London；　and　they　stayed　on　for　a　few　days。　　Reading　between　the　lines　of　his　later　letters；　she　had　felt　that　all　was　not　well　with　him。　　His　old　heart　trouble　had　come　back；　and　she　noticed　that　he　walked　to　meet　her　very　slowly。　　It　would　be　all　right；　now　that　she　had　returned；　he　explained：　　he　had　been　worrying　himself　about　her。

Mrs。　Denton　h