a laodicean-第3章
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gable to gable； the windows were glazed with sheets of plate
glass； a temporary iron stovepipe passing out near one of
these； and running up to the height of the ridge； where it was
finished by a covering like a parachute。 Walking round to the
end； he perceived an oblong white stone let into the wall just
above the plinth； on which was inscribed in deep letters：
Erected 187…；
AT THE SOLE EXPENSE OF
JOHN POWER； ESQ。； M。P。
The 'New Sabbath' still proceeded line by line； with all the
emotional swells and cadences that had of old characterized
the tune： and the body of vocal harmony that it evoked
implied a large congregation within； to whom it was plainly as
familiar as it had been to church…goers of a past generation。
With a whimsical sense of regret at the secession of his once
favourite air Somerset moved away； and would have quite
withdrawn from the field had he not at that moment observed
two young men with pitchers of water coming up from a stream
hard by； and hastening with their burdens into the chapel
vestry by a side door。 Almost as soon as they had entered
they emerged again with empty pitchers； and proceeded to the
stream to fill them as before； an operation which they
repeated several times。 Somerset went forward to the stream；
and waited till the young men came out again。
'You are carrying in a great deal of water；' he said； as each
dipped his pitcher。
One of the young men modestly replied； 'Yes： we filled the
cistern this morning； but it leaks； and requires a few
pitcherfuls more。'
'Why do you do it？'
'There is to be a baptism； sir。'
Somerset was not sufficiently interested to develop a further
conversation； and observing them in silence till they had
again vanished into the building； he went on his way。
Reaching the brow of the hill he stopped and looked back。 The
chapel was still in view； and the shades of night having
deepened； the lights shone from the windows yet more brightly
than before。 A few steps further would hide them and the
edifice； and all that belonged to it from his sight； possibly
for ever。 There was something in the thought which led him to
linger。 The chapel had neither beauty； quaintness； nor
congeniality to recommend it： the dissimilitude between the
new utilitarianism of the place and the scenes of venerable
Gothic art which had occupied his daylight hours could not
well be exceeded。 But Somerset； as has been said； was an
instrument of no narrow gamut： he had a key for other touches
than the purely aesthetic； even on such an excursion as this。
His mind was arrested by the intense and busy energy which
must needs belong to an assembly that required such a glare of
light to do its religion by； in the heaving of that tune there
was an earnestness which made him thoughtful； and the shine of
those windows he had characterized as ugly reminded him of the
shining of the good deed in a naughty world。 The chapel and
its shabby plot of ground； from which the herbage was all
trodden away by busy feet； had a living human interest that
the numerous minsters and churches knee…deep in fresh green
grass； visited by him during the foregoing week； had often
lacked。 Moreover； there was going to be a baptism： that
meant the immersion of a grown…up person； and he had been told
that Baptists were serious people and that the scene was most
impressive。 What manner of man would it be who on an ordinary
plodding and bustling evening of the nineteenth century could
single himself out as one different from the rest of the
inhabitants； banish all shyness； and come forward to undergo
such a trying ceremony？ Who was he that had pondered； gone
into solitudes； wrestled with himself； worked up his courage
and said； I will do this； though few else will； for I believe
it to be my duty？
Whether on account of these thoughts； or from the circumstance
that he had been alone amongst the tombs all day without
communion with his kind； he could not tell in after years
（when he had good reason to think of the subject）； but so it
was that Somerset went back； and again stood under the chapel…
wall。
Instead of entering he passed round to where the stove…chimney
came through the bricks； and holding on to the iron stay he
put his toes on the plinth and looked in at the window。 The
building was quite full of people belonging to that vast
majority of society who are denied the art of articulating
their higher emotions； and crave dumbly for a fugleman
respectably dressed working people； whose faces and forms were
worn and contorted by years of dreary toil。 On a platform at
the end of the chapel a haggard man of more than middle age；
with grey whiskers ascetically cut back from the fore part of
his face so far as to be almost banished from the countenance；
stood reading a chapter。 Between the minister and the
congregation was an open space； and in the floor of this was
sunk a tank full of water； which just made its surface visible
above the blackness of its depths by reflecting the lights
overhead。
Somerset endeavoured to discover which one among the
assemblage was to be the subject of the ceremony。 But nobody
appeared there who was at all out of the region of
commonplace。 The people were all quiet and settled； yet he
could discern on their faces something more than attention；
though it was less than excitement： perhaps it was
expectation。 And as if to bear out his surmise he heard at
that moment the noise of wheels behind him。
His gaze into the lighted chapel made what had been an evening
scene when he looked away from the landscape night itself on
looking back； but he could see enough to discover that a
brougham had driven up to the side…door used by the young
water…bearers； and that a lady in white…and…black half…
mourning was in the act of alighting； followed by what
appeared to be a waiting…woman carrying wraps。 They entered
the vestry…room of the chapel； and the door was shut。 The
service went on as before till at a certain moment the door
between vestry and chapel was opened； when a woman came out
clothed in an ample robe of flowing white； which descended to
her feet。 Somerset was unfortunate in his position； he could
not see her face； but her gait suggested at once that she was
the lady who had arrived just before。 She was rather tall
than otherwise； and the contour of her head and shoulders
denoted a girl in the heyday of youth and activity。 His
imagination； stimulated by this beginning； set about filling
in the meagre outline with most attractive details。
She stood upon the brink of the pool； and the minister
descended the steps at its edge till the soles of his shoes
were moistened with the water。 He turned to the young
candidate； but she did not follow him： instead of doing so
she remained rigid as a stone。 He stretched out his hand； but
she still showed reluctance； till； with some embarrassment； he
went back； and spoke softly in her ear。
She approached the edge； looked into the water； and turned
away shaking her head。 Somerset could for the first time see
her face。 Though humanly imperfect； as is every face we see；
it was one which made him think that the best in woman…kind no
less than the best in psalm…tunes had gone over to the
Dissenters。 He had certainly seen nobody so interesting in
his tour hitherto； she was about twenty or twenty…oneperhaps
twenty…three； for years have a way of stealing marches even
upon beauty's anointed。 The total dissimilarity between the
expression of her lineaments and that of the countenances
around her was not a little surprising； and was productive of
hypotheses without measure as to how she came there。 She was；
in fact； emphatically a modern type of maidenhood； and she
looked ultra…modern by reason of her environment： a
presumably sophisticated being among the simple onesnot
wickedly so； but one who knew life fairly well for her age。
Her hair； of good English brown； neither light nor dark； was
abundanttoo abundant for convenience in tying； as it seemed；
and it threw off the lamp…light in a hazy lustre。 And though
it could not be said of her features that this or tha
