the ragged trousered philanthropists-第64章
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all。 He had been working like a slave all his life and there was nothing to show for it … there never would be anything to show for it。 He thought of the man who had killed his wife and children。 The jury had returned the usual verdict； ‘Temporary Insanity'。 It never seemed to occur to these people that the truth was that to continue to suffer hopelessly like this was evidence of permanent insanity。
But supposing that bodily death was not the end。 Suppose there was some kind of a God？ If there were； it wasn't unreasonable to think that the Being who was capable of creating such a world as this and who seemed so callously indifferent to the unhappiness of His creatures； would also be capable of devising and creating the other Hell that most people believed in。
Although it was December the evening was mild and clear。 The full moon deluged the town with silvery light； and the cloudless sky was jewelled with myriads of glittering stars。
Looking out into the unfathomable infinity of space； Owen wondered what manner of Being or Power it was that had originated and sustained all this？ Considered as an explanation of the existence of the universe； the orthodox Christian religion was too absurd to merit a second thought。 But then； every other conceivable hypothesis was also … ultimately … unsatisfactory and even ridiculous。 To believe that the universe as it is now has existed from all eternity without any Cause is surely ridiculous。 But to say that it was created by a Being who existed without a Cause from all eternity is equally ridiculous。 In fact； it was only postponing the difficulty one stage。 Evolution was not more satisfactory； because although it was undoubtedly true as far as it went； it only went part of the way； leaving the great question still unanswered by assuming the existence … in the beginning … of the elements of matter； without a cause！ The question remained unanswered because it was unanswerable。 Regarding this problem man was but …
‘An infant crying in the night； An infant crying for the light And with no language but a cry。'
All the same； it did not follow； because one could not explain the mystery oneself； that it was right to try to believe an unreasonable explanation offered by someone else。
But although he reasoned like this； Owen could not help longing for something to believe； for some hope for the future； something to compensate for the unhappiness of the present。 In one sense； he thought； how good it would be if Christianity were true； and after all the sorrow there was to be an eternity of happiness such as it had never entered into the heart of man to conceive？ If only that were true； nothing else would matter。 How contemptible and insignificant the very worst that could happen here would be if one knew that this life was only a short journey that was to terminate at the beginning of an eternity of joy？ But no one really believed this； and as for those who pretended to do so … their lives showed that they did not believe it at all。 Their greed and inhumanity … their ferocious determination to secure for themselves the good things of THIS world … were conclusive proofs of their hypocrisy and infidelity。
‘Dad；' said Frankie； suddenly； 'let's go over and hear what that man's saying。 ' He pointed across the way to where … a little distance back from the main road； just round the corner of a side street … a group of people were standing encircling a large lantern fixed on the top of a pole about seven feet high； which was being held by one of the men。 A bright light was burning inside this lantern and on the pane of white； obscured glass which formed the sides； visible from where Owen and Frankie were standing； was written in bold plain letters that were readable even at that distance； the text：
‘Be not deceived： God is not mocked！'
The man whose voice had attracted Frankie's attention was reading out a verse of a hymn：
‘I heard the voice of Jesus say； Behold； I freely give； The living water； thirsty one； Stoop down and drink； and live。 I came to Jesus and I drank Of that life giving stream； My thirst was quenched； My soul revived； And now I live in Him。'
The individual who gave out this hymn was a tall； thin man whose clothes hung loosely on the angles of his round…shouldered； bony form。 His long； thin legs … about which the baggy trousers hung in ungraceful folds … were slightly knock…kneed； and terminated in large； fiat feet。 His arms were very long even for such a tall man； and the huge； bony hands were gnarled and knotted。 Regardless of the season； he had removed his bowler hat； revealing his forehead； which was high； flat and narrow。 His nose was a large； fleshy； hawklike beak； and from the side of each nostril a deep indentation extended downwards until it disappeared in the drooping moustache that concealed his mouth when he was not speaking； but the vast extent of which was perceptible now as he opened it to call out the words of the hymn。 His chin was large and extraordinarily long： the eyes were pale blue； very small and close together； surmounted by spare； light…coloured； almost invisible eyebrows with a deep vertical cleft between them over the nose。 His head … covered with thick； coarse brown hair … was very large； especially at the back； the ears were small and laid close to the head。 If one were to make a full…face drawing of his cadaverous visage； it would be found that the outline resembled that of the lid of a coffin。
As Owen and Frankie drew near； the boy tugged at his father's hand and whispered： ‘Dad！ that's the teacher at the Sunday School where I went that day with Charley and Elsie。'
Owen looked quickly and saw that it was Hunter。
As Hunter ceased reading out the words of the hymn； the little company of evangelists began to sing； accompanied by the strains of a small but peculiarly sweet…toned organ。 A few persons in the crowd joined in； the words being familiar to them。 During the singing their faces were a study； they all looked so profoundly solemn and miserable； as if they were a gang of condemned criminals waiting to be led forth to execution。 The great number of the people standing around appeared to be listening more out of idle curiosity than anything else； and two well…dressed young men … evidently strangers and visitors to the town … amused themselves by making audible remarks about the texts on the lantern。 There was also a shabbily dressed； semi…drunken man in a battered bowler hat who stood on the inner edge of the crowd； almost in the ring itself； with folded arms and an expression of scorn。 He had a very thin； pale face with a large； high…bridged nose； and bore a striking resemblance to the First Duke of Wellington。
As the singing proceeded； the scornful expression faded from the visage of the Semi…drunk； and he not only joined in； but unfolded his arms and began waving them about as if he were conducting the music。
By the time the singing was over a considerable crowd had gathered； and then one of the evangelists； the same man who had given out the hymn； stepped into the middle of the ring。 He had evidently been offended by the unseemly conduct of the two well…dressed young men； for after a preliminary glance round upon the crowd； he fixed his gaze upon the pair； and immediately launched out upon a long tirade against what he called ‘Infidelity'。 Then； having heartily denounced all those who … as he put it … ‘refused' to believe； he proceeded to ridicule those half…and…half believers； who； while professing to believe the Bible； rejected the doctrine of Hell。 That the existence of a place of eternal torture is taught in the Bible； he tried to prove by a long succession of texts。 As he proceeded he became very excited； and the contemptuous laughter of the two unbelievers seemed to make him worse。 He shouted and raved； literally foaming at the mouth and glaring in a frenzied manner around upon the faces of the crowd。
‘There is a Hell！' he shouted。 ‘And understand this clearly … 〃The wicked shall be turned into hell〃 … 〃He that believeth not shall be damned。〃'
‘Well； then； you'll stand a ve
