the way to peace-第7部分
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off for three days and nights！〃
〃The Lord has upheld me； and His right hand has sustained me；〃
Athalia quoted； with an uplifted look。
〃Yee；〃 old Jane assented； 〃but He likes sense； Athalia； and there
ain't any reason why two of us shouldn't take turns settin'
up with her tonight。〃
〃This is my service；〃 Athalia said； smiling joyously。
Eldress Hannah； lying with closed eyes； said； suddenly：
〃Athalia； don't be foolish and conceited。 You go right along
to your bed； Jane and Mary'll look after me。〃
It took Athalia a perceptible minute to get herself in hand
sufficiently to say； meekly； 〃Yee； Eldress。〃 When she had shut
the door behind her with perhaps something more than Shaker
emphasis； the Eldress opened her eyes and smiled at old Jane。
〃She's smart；〃 she said。
〃Yee；〃 said Sister Jane； and there was a little chuckle。
The sick woman closed her eyes again and sighed。
〃What a nurse Lydia was！〃 she said； and added； suddenly：
〃How is Nathan getting along with Lewis？ There isn't much
more time； I guess；〃 she ended； mildly； 〃she won't last it
out another summer。〃
〃She's done better than I expected to stay till now；〃 Jane said；
and the Eldress nodded。
But it was； perhaps； a natural result of Athalia's abounding energy
that toward the end of that second winter in the Shaker village she
should grow irritable。 The spring work was very heavy that year。
Brother William was too feeble to do even the light； pottering
tasks that had been allotted to him； and his vague babblings
about the spirits ceased altogether。 In April old Jane died；
and that put extra burdens on Athalia's capable shoulders。
〃But I notice I don't get anything extra for my work； not even thanks！〃
she told Lewis； sharply； and forgot to call him 〃Brother。〃
She had walked down Lonely Lake Road and stopped at his gate。
She looked thinner； her forget…me…not eyes were clouded； and there
was an impatient line about her lips； instead of the faint；
ecstatic smile which was part of her early experience。
〃Yes； there's lots of work to be done；〃 he agreed； 〃but when people
do it together〃
〃What do you think？〃she interrupted him； her lip drooping
a little in a half…contemptuous smile〃they've heard
again from that Sister Lydia who ran away！ You know
who I mean？Brother Nathan is always talking about her。
They think she'll come back。 _I_ should say good riddance！
Though of course if it's genuine repentance I'll be glad。
Only I don't think it is。〃
〃How pleased Nathan will be！〃 Lewis said。
〃Oh； he's pleased； he's rather too pleased for a Shaker；
it strikes me。〃
Lewis frowned。 〃There is joy in the presence of the angels；〃
he reminded her； gravely。
〃Angels！〃 she said； with a laugh； 〃I don't believe so much
in the angels as I did before I knew so much about them。
I understand that when this 'angel' comes back I am to give up
my room to her； if you please； because it used to be hers。
Oh； I'm of no importance nowLewis；〃 she broke off； suddenly；
〃who has our house this year？〃
〃Davis； he wants to re…lease it in May。〃
〃He just takes it by the year； doesn't he？〃 she asked。
He nodded。 〃Wants a five…years' lease next time。〃
〃Well； don't give it to him！〃 she said； and added； frowning：
〃You ought to go back yourself； you know。 It's foolish for you
to be here。 Why； it's almost two years！〃
〃Time flies；〃 he said； smiling。
She laughed and sighed。 〃YesI mean yeeindeed； it does！
I was just thinking； Lewis； we've been married ten years！〃
〃No； eight years。 We were married just eight years；〃
he said； soberly。
The color flew into her face。 〃Oh； yee； we were married eight
years when I came in。〃
He looked at her with great tenderness。 〃Athalia； I have to confess
to you that when you came I didn't think it would last with you。
I distrusted the Holy Spirit。 And I came； myself； against my will；
as you know。 But now I begin to think you were ledand perhaps you
have led me。〃
Athalia gave a little gasp〃WHAT！〃
〃I am not sure yet；〃 he said。
〃You said Shakerism was unhuman！〃 Athalia protested； with a thrill
of panic in her voice。
〃Ah！〃 he cried； his voice suddenly kindling； 〃you know
what Nathan is always saying？'That's not against it'？
Athalia； its unhumanness； as you call it； is why I think it
may be of God。 The human in us must give way to the divine。
'First that which is natural； then that which is spiritual。'〃
〃Idon't understand；〃 she said； faintly； 〃you are not a Shaker？〃
〃No；〃 he said； 〃not yet。 But perhaps some dayI am trying
to follow you； Athalia。〃
She caught her breath with a frightened look。 〃FollowME？〃 Then she
burst out crying。
〃Why； Tay！〃 he said； bewildered； 〃what is it； dear？〃
But she had left him； stumbling blindly as she walked；
her face hidden in her hands。
Lewis went back into his house； and； lighting his lamp；
sat down to pore over one of Brother Nathan's books。
He was concerned； but he smiled a little； it was so like
Athalia to cry when she was happy！ He did not see his wife
for several days。 The Eldress said Sister 'Thalia was
not well； and Lewis looked sorry； but made no comment。
He was a little anxious； but he did not dwell upon his anxiety。
In the next few days he worked hard all day in Brother Nathan's
herb…house； where the air was hazy with the aromatic dust
of tansy and pennyroyal； then hurried home at night to sit
down to his books； so profoundly absorbed in them that sometimes
he only knew that it was time to sleep because the dawn fell
white across the black…lettered page。
But one night； a week later； when he came home from work；
he did not open his Bible； he stood a long time in his doorway；
looking at the sunset； and； as he looked； his face seemed to shine
with some inner light。 The lake was like glass； high in the upper
heavens thin golden lines of cloud had turned to rippling copper；
the sky behind the black circle of the hills was a clear；
pale green； and in the growing dusk the water whitened like snow。
〃'Glass mingled with fire；'〃 he murmured to himself；
〃yes； 'great and marvellous are Thy works； Lord God Almighty；
just and true are Thy ways； Thou King of Saints！'〃 And what
more marvellous work than this wonder of his own salvation？
Brought here against his will； against his judgment！
How he had struggled against the Spirit。 He was humbled to
the earth at the remembrance of it； 〃if I had my way； we wouldn't
have walked up the hill from the station that morning！〃 。 。 。
The flushing heavens faded into ashes； but the solemn glow
of half…astonished gratitude lingered on his face。
〃Lewis；〃 some one said in the darkness of the lane〃LEWIS！〃 Athalia came
up the path swiftly and put her hands on his arm。 〃Lewis； II want
to go home。〃 She sobbed as she spoke。
He started as if she had struck him。
〃Lewis； Lewis； let us go home！〃
The flame of mystical satisfaction went out of his face as a lighted
candle goes out in the wind。
〃There isn't any home now； Athalia；〃 he said； with a sombre look；
〃there's only a house。 Come in；〃 he added； heavily； 〃we must
talk this out。〃
She followed him； and for a moment they neither of them spoke；
he fumbled about in the warm darkness for a match； and lifting the shade；
lighted the lamp on the table； then he looked at her。 〃Athalia；〃 he said；
in a terrified voice； 〃I am_I am a Shaker！_〃
〃Nonono！〃 she said。 She grew very white； and sat down；
breathing quickly。 Then the color came back faintly into her lips。
〃Don't say it； Lewis； it isn't true。 It can't be true！〃
〃It is true；〃 he said； with a groan。 He had sunk into a chair；
and his face was hidden in his hands。 〃What are we going to do？〃
he said； hoarsely。
〃Why； you mustn't be！〃 she cried； 〃you can't bethat's all。
You can't STAY if I go！〃
〃I must stay；〃 he said。
There was a stunned silence。 Then she said； in an amazed whisper：
〃What！ You don't love me any more？〃
Still he was silent。
〃Youdon'tloveme；〃 she said； as if repeating some astounding fact；
which she could not yet believe。
He seemed to gather his courage up。
〃I have〃 he tried to speak； faltered； broke； went on：
〃I havethe kindliest feelings toward you； 'Thalia〃his last
word was in a whisper。
〃Stop！〃 she protested； with a frightened look〃oh； stop！
don't say THAT！〃 He did not speak； and suddenly； looking at
his fixed face； she cried out； violently： 〃Oh； why； why did
I go up to the graveyard that day？ Why did you let me？〃
She stared at him； her forget…me…not eyes dilating with dismay。
〃It all came from that。 If we hadn't walked up the hill
that morning〃 He was speechless。 Then； abruptly； she sprang
to her feet； and； running to him； knelt beside him and
tried to pull down the hands in which he had again hidden
his face。 〃Lewis； it's ITay！ You don't 'feel kindly'
to ME？ Lewis； you haven't stopped loving me？〃
〃I am a Shaker；〃 he said； helplessly。 〃I can't give up my religion；
even for you。〃
He got on his feet and stood before her； his empty palms hanging at his
sides in that strange gesture of entire hopelessness； he tried to speak；
but no words came。 The lamp on the table flickered a little。
Their shadows loomed gigantic on the wall behind them； the little hot
room was very still。
〃You think you don't love me？〃 Athalia said； between set teeth；
〃_I know better！_〃 With a laugh she caught his arm with both
her shaking hands； and kissed him once； and then again。
Still he was silent。 Then with a cry she threw herself against
his breast。 〃I love you；〃 she said； passionately； 〃and you love me！
Nothing on earth will make me believe you don't love me；〃
and for one vital moment her lips burned against his。
His arms did not close about her；but his hands clinched slightly。
Then he moved back a step
