david elginbrod-第95章

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hastened　towards　it；　but　the　wind　caught　me　many　times　before　I　got
near　it。　　At　last　I　reached　it；　and　threw　myself　down　into　the　basin
it　had　hollowed　out　of　the　rocks。　　But　as　I　was　falling；　something
caught　me　gently；　and　held　me　fast；　and　it　was　not　the　wind。　　I
opened　my　eyes；　and　behold！　　I　was　in　my　mother's　arms；　and　she　was
clasping　me　to　her　breast；　for　what　I　had　taken　for　a　cataract
falling　into　a　gulf；　was　only　my　mother；　with　her　white
grave…clothes　floating　all　about　her；　standing　up　in　her　grave；　to
look　after　me。　'It　was　time　you　came　home；　my　darling；'　she　said；
and　stooped　down　into　her　grave　with　me　in　her　arms。　　And　oh！　　I　was
so　happy；　and　her　bosom　was　not　cold；　or　her　arms　hard；　and　she
carried　me　just　like　a　baby。　　And　when　she　stooped　down；　then　a　door
opened　somewhere　in　the　grave；　I　could　not　find　out　where
exactlyand　in　a　moment　after；　we　were　sitting　together　in　a　summer
grove；　with　the　tree…tops　steeped　in　sunshine；　and　waving　about　in　a
quiet　loving　windoh；　how　different　from　the　one　that　chased　me
home！and　we　underneath　in　the　shadow　of　the　trees。　　And　then　I
said；　'Mother；　I've　hurt　my　feet。'〃

〃Did　you　call　her　mother　when　you　were　a　little　girl？〃　interposed
Harry。

〃No；〃　answered　Euphra。　〃I　called　her　mamma；　like　other　children；　but
in　my　dreams　I　always　call　her　mother。〃

〃And　what　did　she　say？〃

〃She　said'Poor　child！'and　held　my　feet　to　her　bosom；　and　after
that；　when　I　looked　at　them；　the　bleeding　was　all　gone；　and　I　was
not　lame　any　more。〃

Euphra；　paused　with　a　sigh。

〃Oh；　Harry！　　I　do　not　like　to　be　lame。〃

〃What　more？〃　said　Harry；　intent　only　on　the　dream。

〃Oh！　then　I　was　so　happy；　that　I　woke　up　directly。〃

〃What　a　pity！　　But　if　it　should　come　true？〃

〃How　could　it　come　true；　dear　Harry？〃

〃Why；　this　world　is　sometimes　cold；　and　the　road　is　hardyou　know
what　I　mean；　Euphra。〃

〃Yes；　I　do。〃

〃I　wish　I　could　dream　dreams　like　that！　　How　clever　you　must　be！〃

〃But　you　dream　dreams；　too；　Harry。　　Tell　me　yours。〃

〃Oh；　no；　I　never　dream　dreams；　the　dreams　dream　me；〃　answered　Harry；
with　a　smile。

Then　he　told　his　dream；　to　which　Euphra　listened　with　an　interest
uninjured　by　the　grotesqueness　of　its　fancy。　　Each　interpreted　the
other's　with　reverence。

They　ceased　talking；　and　sat　silent　for　a　while。　　Then　Harry；
putting　his　arms　round　Euphra's　neck；　and　his　lips　close　to　her　ear；
whispered：

〃Perhaps　God　will　say　my　darling　to　you　some　day；　Euphra；　just　as
your　mother　did　in　your　dream。〃

She　was　silent。　　Harry　looked　round　into　her　face；　and　saw　that　the
tears　were　flowing　fast。

At　that　instant；　a　gentle　knock　came　to　the　door。　　Euphra　could　not
reply　to　it。　　It　was　repeated。　　After　another　moment's　delay；　the
door　opened；　and　Margaret　walked　in。




CHAPTER　XII。

A　SUNDAY　WITH　FALCONER。

How　happy　is　he　born　and　taught；
　　That　serveth　not　another's　will；
Whose　armour　is　his　honest　thought；
　　And　simple　truth　his　utmost　skill。

This　man　is　freed　from　servile　bands
　　Of　hope　to　rise　or　fear　to　fall：
Lord　of　himself；　though　not　of　lands；
　　And；　having　nothing；　yet　hath　all。

SIR　HENRY　WOTTON。


It　was　not　often　that　Falconer　went　to　church；　but　he　seemed　to　have
some　design　in　going　oftener　than　usual　at　present。　　The　Sunday
after　the　one　last　mentioned；　he　went　as　well；　though　not　to　the
same　church；　and　calling　for　Hugh　took　him　with　him。　　What　they
found　there；　and　the　conversation　following　thereupon；　I　will　try　to
relate；　because；　although　they　do　not　immediately　affect　my　outward
story；　they　greatly　influenced　Hugh's　real　history。

They　heard　the　Morning　Service　and　the　Litany　read　in　an　ordinary
manner；　though　somewhat　more　devoutly　than　usual。　　Then；　from　the
communion…table；　rose　a　voice　vibrating　with　solemn　emotion；　like
the　voice　of　Abraham　pleading　for　Sodom。　　It　thrilled　through　Hugh's
heart。　　The　sermon　which　followed　affected　him　no　less；　although；
when　he　came　out；　he　confessed　to　Falconer　that　he　had　only　caught
flying　glimpses　of　its　meaning；　scope；　and　drift。

〃I　seldom　go　to　church；〃　said　Falconer；　〃but　when　I　do；　I　come　here：
and　always　feel　that　I　am　in　the　presence　of　one　of　the　holy
servants　of　God's　great　temple　not　made　with　hands。　　I　heartily
trust　that　man。　　He　is　what　he　seems　to　be。〃

〃They　say　he　is　awfully　heterodox。〃

〃They　do。〃

〃How　then　can　he　remain　in　the　church；　if　he　is　as　honest　as　you
say？〃

〃In　this　way；　as　I　humbly　venture　to　think；〃　Falconer　answered。　〃He
looks　upon　the　formul？of　the　church　as　utterances　of　living
truthvital　embodimentsto　be　regarded　as　one　ought　to　regard
human　faces。　　In　these　human　faces；　others　may　see　this　or　that
inferior　expression；　may　find　out　the　mean　and　the　small　and　the
incomplete：　he　looks　for　and　finds　the　ideal；　the　grand；　sacred；
God…meant　meaning；　and　by　that　he　holds　as　the　meaning　of　the　human
countenances；　for　it　is　the　meaning　of　him　who　made　them。　　So　with
the　confession　of　the　Church　of　England：　he　believes　that　not　man
only；　but　God　also；　and　God　first　and　chief；　had　to　do　with　the
making　of　it；　and　therefore　he　looks　in　it　for　the　Eternal　and　the
Divine；　and　he　finds　what　he　seeks。　　And　as　no　words　can　avoid
bearing　in　them　the　possibility　of　a　variety　of　interpretations；　he
would　exclude　whatever　the　words　might　mean；　or；　regarded　merely　as
words；　do　mean；　in　a　narrow　exposition：　he　thinks　it　would　be
dishonest　to　take　the　low　meaning　as　the　meaning。　　To　return　to　the
faces：　he　passes　by　moods　and　tempers；　and　beholds　the　main
characterthat　on　whose　surface　the　temporal　and　transient　floats。
Both　in　faces　and　in　formul？he　loves　the　divine　substance；　with
his　true；　manly；　brave　heart；　and　as　for　the　faults　in　bothfor
man；　too；　has　his　share　in　bothI　believe　he　is　ready　to　die　by
them；　if　only　in　so　doing　he　might　die　for　them。I　had　a　vision　of
him　this　morning　as　I　sat　and　listened　to　his　voice；　which　always
seems　to　me　to　come　immediately　from　his　heart；　as　if　his　heart
spoke　with　lips　of　its　own。　　Shall　I　tell　you　my　vision？

〃I　saw　a　crowdpriests　and　laymenspeeding；　hurrying；　darting
away；　up　a　steep；　crumbling　height。　　Mitres；　hoods；　and　hats　rolled
behind　them　to　the　bottom。　　Every　one　for　himself；　with　hands　and
feet　they　scramble　and　flee；　to　save　their　souls　from　the　fires　of
hell　which　come　rolling　in　along　the　hollow　below　with　the　forward
'pointing　spires'　of　billowy　flame。　　But　beneath；　right　in　the
course　of　the　fire；　stands　one　man　upon　a　little　rock　which　goes
down　to　the　centre　of　the　great　world；　and　faces　the　approaching
flames。　　He　stands　bareheaded；　his　eyes　bright　with　faith　in　God；
and　the　mighty　mouth　that　utters　his　truth；　fixed　in　holy　defiance。
His　denial　comes　from　no　fear；　or　weak　dislike　to　that　which　is
painful。　　On　neither　side　will　he　tell　lies　for　peace。　　He　is　ready
to　be　lost　for　his　fellow…men。　　In　the　name　of　God　he　rebukes　the
flames　of　hell。　　The　fugitives　pause　on　the　top；　look　back；　call　him
lying　prophet；　and　shout　evil　opprobrious　names　at　the　man　who
counts　not　his　own　life　dear　to　him；　who　has　forgotten　his　own　soul
in　his　sacred　devotion　to　men；　who　fills　up　what　is　left　behind　of
the　sufferings　of　Christ；　for　his　body's　sakefor　the　human　race；
of　which　he　is　the　head。　　Be　sure　that；　come　what　may　of　the　rest；
let　the　flames　of　hell　ebb　or　flow；　that　man　is　safe；　for　he　is
delivered　already　from　the　only　devil　that　can　make　hell　itself　a
torture；　the　devil　of　selfishnessthe　only　one　that　can　possess　a
man　and　make　himself　his　own　living　hell。　　He　is　out　of　all　that
region　of　things；　and　already　dwelling　in　the　secret　place　of　the
Almighty。〃

〃Go　on；　go　on。〃

〃He　trusts　in　God　so　absolutely；　that　he　leaves　his　salvation　to
himutterly；　fearlessly；　and；　forgetting　it；　as　being　no　concern　of
his；　sets　himself　to　do　the　work　that　God　has　given　him　to　do；　even
as　his　Lord　did　before　him；　counting　that　alone　worthy　of　his　care。
Let　God's　will　be　done；　and　all　is　well。　　If　God's　will　be　done；　he
cannot　fare　ill。　　To　him；　God　is　all　in　all。　　If　it　be　possible　to
separate　such　things；　it　is　the　glory　of　God；　even　more　than　the
salvation　of　men；　that　he　seeks。　　He　will　not　have　it　that　his
Fathe