the way to peace-第3部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


〃Well；〃　he　admitted；　〃I　must　say　there's　more　to　it　than　I　supposed。

They've　studied　the　Prophecies；　that's　evident。　　And　they're　not　narrow

in　their　belief。　　They're　really　Unitarians。〃



〃Narrow？〃　she　said〃they　are　as　wide　as　heaven　itself！

And；　oh；　the　peace　of　it！〃



〃But　they　are　NOT　human；〃　he　would　insist；　smiling；　〃no　marriage

that's　not　human；　little　Tay。〃



It　was　not　until　two　months　later　that　he　began　to　feel

vaguely　uneasy。　　〃Yes；　it's　interesting；〃　he　admitted；

〃but　nobody　in　these　days　would　want　to　be　a　Shaker。〃

To　which　she　replied；　boldly；　〃Why　not？〃



That　was　all；　but　it　was　enough。　　Lewis　Hall's　face　suddenly　sobered。

He　had　not　stumbled　along　behind　her　in　all　her　emotional　experiences

without　learning　to　read　the　guide…posts　to　her　thought。

〃I　hope　she'll　get　through　with　it　soon；〃　he　said　to　himself；

with　a　worried　frown；　〃it　isn't　wholesome　for　a　mind　like　'Thalia's

to　dwell　on　this　kind　of　thing。〃



It　was　in　November　that　she　broke　to　him　that　she　had　written

Eldress　Hannah　to　ask　if　she　might　come　and　visit　the　community；

and　had　been　answered　〃Yee。〃



Lewis　was　silent　with　consternation；　he　went　out　to　the　sawmill

and　climbed　up　into　the　loft　to　think　it　all　out　alone。

Should　he　forbid　it？　　He　knew　that　was　nonsense；　in　the　first　place；

his　conception　of　the　relation　of　husband　and　wife　did　not　include

that　kind　of　thing；　but　more　than　that；　opposition　would；　he　said

to　himself；　〃push　her　in。〃　　Not　into　Shakerism；　〃'Thalia　couldn't

be　a　Shaker　to　save　her　life；〃　he　thought；　with　an　involuntary　smile；

but　into　an　excited　discontent　with　her　comfortable；　prosaic　life。

No；　definite　opposition　to　the　visit　must　not　be　thought　ofbut　he　must

try　and　persuade　her　not　to　go。　　How？　　What　plea　could　he　offer？

His　own　loneliness　without　her　he　could　not　bring　himself　to　speak　of；

he　shrank　from　taking　what　seemed　to　him　an　advantage。

He　might　urge　that　she　would　find　it　cold　and　uncomfortable　in　those　old

frame　houses　high　up　on　the　hills；　or　that　it　would　be　bad　for　her

health　to　take　the　rather　wearing　journey　at　this　time　of　year。

But　he　knew　too　well　how　little　effect　any　such　prudent　counsels

would　have。　　The　very　fact　that　her　interest　had　lasted　for　more

than　three　months　showed　that　it　had　really　struck　roots　into

her　mind；　and　mere　prudence　would　not　avail　much。　　Still；　he　would

urge　prudence；　then；　if　she　was　determined；　she　must　go。

〃She'll　get　sick　of　it　in　a　fortnight；〃　he　said；　but　for　the　present

he　must　let　her　have　her　head；　even　if　she　was　making　a　mistake。

She　had　a　right　to　have　her　head；　he　reminded　himself〃but　I　must

tell　those　people　to　keep　her　warm；　she　takes　cold　so　easily。〃



He　got　up　and　looked　out　of　the　window；　below；　in　the　race；

there　was　a　jam　of　logs；　and　the　air　was　keen

with　the　pungent　smell　of　sawdust　and　new　boards。

The　whir　and　thud　of　the　machinery　down…stairs　sent　a　faint

quiver　through　the　planks　under　his　feet。　　〃The　mill　will　net

a　good　profit　this　year；〃　he　said　to　himself；　absently。

〃'Thalia　can　have　pretty　nearly　anything　she　wants。〃

And　even　as　he　said　it　he　had　a　sudden；　vague　misgiving：

if　she　didn't　have　everything　she　wanted；　perhaps　she　would

be　happier？　　But　the　idea　was　too　new　and　too　subtle　to　follow　up；

so　the　result　of　that　troubled　hour　in　the　mill…chamber　was

only　that　he　made　no　very　resolute　objection　to　Athalia's

acceptance　of　Eldress　Hannah's　permission　to　come。

It　had　been　given　grudgingly　enough。





The　family　were　gathered　in　the　sitting…room；　they　had　had　their　supper

the　eight　elderly　women　and　the　three　elderly　men；　all　that　were　left

of　the　community。　　The　room　had　the　austere　and　shining　cleanness

which　Athalia　had　called　a　perfume；　but　it　was　full　of　homely　comfort。

A　blue…and…white　rag　carpet　in　the　centre　left　a　border　of　bare　floor；

painted　pumpkin…yellow；　there　was　a　glittering　airtight　stove　with

isinglass　windows　that　shone　like　square；　red　eyes；　a　gay　patchwork

cushion　in　the　seat　of　a　rocking…chair　was　given　up　to　the　black　cat；

whose　sleek　fur　glistened　in　the　lamplight。　　Three　of　the　sisters

knitted　silently；　two　others　rocked　back　and　forth；　their　tired；

idle　hands　in　their　laps；　their　eyes　closed；　the　other　three　yawned；

and　spoke　occasionally　between　themselves　of　their　various　tasks。

Brother　Nathan　read　his　weekly　FARMER；　Brother　William　turned　over

the　leaves　of　a　hymn…book　and　appeared　to　count　them　with　noiseless；

moving　lips；　Brother　George　cut　pictures　out　of　the　back　of

a　magazine；　yawning　sometimes；　and　looking　often　at　his　watch。

Into　this　quietness　Eldress　Hannah's　still　voice　came：



〃I　have　heard　from　Lydia　again。〃　　There　was　a　faint　stir；　but　no

one　spoke。　　〃The　Lord　is　dealing　with　her；〃　Eldress　Hannah　said；

〃she　is　in　great　misery。〃



Brother　George　nodded。　　〃That　is　good；　He　works　in　a　mysterious　way

she's　real　miserable；　is　she？　　Well；　well；　that's　good。

The　mercies　of　the　Lord　are　everlasting；〃　he　ended；　in　a　satisfied　voice；

and　began　to　read　again。



〃Amen！amen！〃　said　Brother　William；　vaguely。



〃Poor　Lydy！〃　　Brother　Nathan　murmured。



〃And　I　had　another　letter；〃　the　Eldress　proceeded；

〃from　that　young　woman　who　came　here　in　AugustAthalia　Hall；

do　you　remember？she　asked　two　questions　to　the　minute！

She　wants　to　visit　us。〃



Brother　Nathan　looked　at　her　over　his　spectacles；　and　one　of　the　sisters

opened　her　eyes。



〃I　don't　see　why　she　should；〃　Eldress　Hannah　added。



Two　of　the　old　brothers　nodded　agreement。



〃The　curiosity　of　the　world's　people　does　not　help　their　souls；〃

said　one　of　the　knitters。



〃She　thinks　we　walk　in　the　Way　to　Peace；〃　said　the　Eldress。



〃Yee；　we　do；〃　said　Brother　George。



〃Shall　I　tell　her　'nay'？〃　the　Eldress　questioned；　calmly。



〃Yee；〃　said　Brother　George；　and　the　dozing　sisters　murmured　〃Yee。〃



〃Wait；〃　said　Brother　Nathan；　〃her　husbandHE　has　something　to　him。

Let　her　come。〃



〃But　if　she　visited　us；　how　would　that　affect　him？〃

Eldress　Hannah　asked；　surprised　into　faint　animation。



〃If　she　was　moved　to　stay　it　would　affect　him；〃　Brother　Nathan　said；

dryly；　〃he　would　come；　too；　and　there　are　very　few　of　us　left；　Eldress。

He　would　be　a　great　gain。〃



There　was　a　long　silence。　　Brother　William's　gray　head　sagged　on

his　shoulder；　and　the　hymn…book　slipped　from　his　gnarled　old　hands。

The　knitting　sisters　began；　one　after　another；　to　stab　their　needles

into　their　balls　of　gray　yarn　and　roll　their　work　up　in　their　aprons。



〃It's　getting　late；　Eldress；〃　one　of　them　said；　and　glanced

at　the　clock。



〃Then　I'll　tell　her　she　may　come？〃　said　Eldress　Hannah；　reluctantly。



〃He　can　make　the　wrath　of　man　to　praise　Him；〃　Brother　Nathan

encouraged　her。



〃Yee；　but　I　never　heard　that　He　could　make　the　foolishness　of　woman

do　it；〃　the　old　woman　said；　grimly。



As　the　brothers　and　sisters　parted　at　the　door　of　the　sitting…room

Brother　Nathan　plucked　at　the　Eldress's　sleeve；　〃Is　she

very　wretchedLydia？　　Where　is　she　now；　Eldress？　　Poor　Lydy！

poor　little　Lydy！〃





The　fortnight　of　Athalia's　absence　wore　greatly　upon

her　husband。　　Apprehension　lurked　in　the　back　of　his　mind。

In　the　mill；　or　out　on　the　farm；　or　when　he　sat　down　among

his　shabby；　old；　calf…skin　books；　he　was　assailed　by　the　memory

of　all　her　various　fancies　during　their　married　life。

Some　of　them　were　no　more　remarkable　or　unexpected　than　this

interest　in　Shakerism。　　He　began　to　be　slowly　frightened。

Suppose　she　should　take　it　into　her　head？



When　her　fortnight　was　nearly　up　and　he　was　already　deciding　whether；

when　he　drove　over　to　Depot　Corners　to　meet　her；　he　would　take　Ginny's

colt　or　the　new　mare；　a　letter　came　to　say　she　was　going　to　stay

a　week　longer。



〃I　believe；〃　she　wroteher　very　pen；　in　the　frantic　down…hill　slope

of　her　lines；　betraying　the　excitement　of　her　thoughts〃I　believe

that　for　the　first　time　in　my　life　I　have　found　my　God！〃　　The　letter

was　full　of　dashes　and　underlining；　and　on　the　last　page　there　was

a　blistered　splash　into　which　the　ink　had　run　a　little　on　the　edges。



Lewis　Hall's　heart　contracted　with　an　almost　physical　pang。

〃I　must　go　and　get　her　right　off；〃　he　said；　〃this　thing　is　serious！〃

And　yet；　after　a　wakeful　night；　he　decided；　with　the　extraordinary

respect　for　her　individuality　so　characteristic　of　the　man

a　respect　that　may　be　called　foolish　or　divine；　as　you　happen

to　look　at　ithe　decided　not　to　go。　　If　he　dragged　her　away

from　the　Shakers　against　her　will；　what　would　be　gained？

〃I　must　give　her　her　head；　and　let　her　see　for　herself　that　it's

all　moonshine；〃　he　told　himself；　painfully；　over　and　over；

〃my　seeing　it　won't　accomplish　anything。〃　　But　he　counted

the　hours　until　she　would　come　home。



When　she　came；　as　soon　as　he　saw　her　walking　along　the　platform　looking

for　him　while　he　stood　with　his　hand　on　Ginny's　colt's　bridle；　even　before

she　had　spoken　a　single　word；　even　then　he　knew　what　had　happened

the　uplifted　radiance　of　her　face　announced　it。



But　she　did　not　tell　him　at　once。　　On　the　drive　home；　in　the　dark

December　afternoon；　he　was　tense　with　apprehension；　once　or　twice

he　ventured　some　questions　about　the　Shakers；　but　she　put　them　aside

with　a　curious　gentleness；　her　voice　a　little　distant　and　monotonous；

her　words　seemed　to　come　only　from　the　surface　of　her　mind。

When　he　lifted　her　out　of　the　sleigh　at　their　own　door　he　felt

a　subtle　resistance　in　her　whole　body；　and　when；　in　the　hall；

he　put　his　arms　about　her　and　tried　to　kiss　her；　she　drew　back

sharply　and　said：



〃No！PLEASE！〃　　Then；　as　they　stood　there　in　the　chilly　entry；　she　burst

into　a　passionate　explanation：　　she　had　been　convicted　and　converted！

She　had　found　her　Saviour！　　She



〃There；　there；　little　Tay；〃　he　broke　in；　sadly；　〃supper　is　ready；　dear。〃

He　heard　a　smothered　exclamationthat　it　was　smothered　showed　how

completely　she　was　immersed　in　a　new　experienc