all roads lead to calvary-第56部分

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d　God。

And　suddenly　a　great　peace　came　to　her。　　One　was　not　alone　in　the　fight；　God　was　with　us：　　the　great　Comrade。　　The　evil　and　the　cruelty　all　round　her：　　she　was　no　longer　afraid　of　it。　　God　was　coming。　　Beyond　the　menace　of　the　passing　day；　black　with　the　war's　foul　aftermath　of　evil　dreams　and　hatreds；　she　saw　the　breaking　of　the　distant　dawn。　　The　devil　should　not　always　triumph。　　God　was　gathering　His　labourers。

God　was　conquering。　　Unceasing　through　the　ages；　God's　voice　had　crept　round　man；　seeking　entry。　　Through　the　long　darkness　of　that　dim　beginning；　when　man　knew　no　law　but　self；　unceasing　God　had　striven：　　until　at　last　one　here　and　there；　emerging　from　the　brute；　had　heardhad　listened　to　the　voice　of　love　and　pity；　and　in　that　hour；　unknowing；　had　built　to　God　a　temple　in　the　wilderness。

Labourers　together　with　God。　　The　mighty　host　of　those　who　through　the　ages　had　heard　the　voice　of　God　and　had　made　answer。　　The　men　and　women　in　all　lands　who　had　made　room　in　their　hearts　for　God。　Still　nameless；　scattered；　unknown　to　one　another：　　still　powerless　as　yet　against　the　world's　foul　law　of　hate；　they　should　continue　to　increase　and　multiply；　until　one　day　they　should　speak　with　God's　voice　and　should　be　heard。　　And　a　new　world　should　be　created。

God。　　The　tireless　Spirit　of　eternal　creation；　the　Spirit　of　Love。　What　else　was　it　that　out　of　formlessness　had　shaped　the　spheres；　had　planned　the　orbits　of　the　suns。　　The　law　of　gravity　we　named　it。　　What　was　it　but　another　name　for　Love；　the　yearning　of　like　for　like；　the　calling　to　one　another　of　the　stars。　　What　else　but　Love　had　made　the　worlds；　had　gathered　together　the　waters；　had　fashioned　the　dry　land。　　The　cohesion　of　elements；　so　we　explained　it。　　The　clinging　of　like　to　like。　　The　brotherhood　of　the　atoms。

God。　　The　Eternal　Creator。　　Out　of　matter；　lifeless　void；　he　had　moulded　His　worlds；　had　ordered　His　endless　firmament。　　It　was　finished。　　The　greater　task　remained：　　the　Universe　of　mind；　of　soul。　　Out　of　man　it　should　be　created。　　God　in　man　and　man　in　God：　made　in　like　image：　　fellow　labourers　together　with　one　another：　together　they　should　build　it。　　Out　of　the　senseless　strife　and　discord；　above　the　chaos　and　the　tumult　should　be　heard　the　new　command：　　〃Let　there　be　Love。〃

The　striking　of　the　old　church　clock　recalled　her　to　herself。　　But　she　had　only　a　few　minutes'　walk　before　her。　　Mary　had　given　up　her　Church　work。　　It　included　the　cleaning；　and　she　had　found　it　beyond　her　failing　strength。　　But　she　still　lived　in　the　tiny　cottage　behind　its　long　strip　of　garden。　　The　door　yielded　to　Joan's　touch：　it　was　seldom　fast　closed。　　And　knowing　Mary's　ways；　she　entered　without　knocking　and　pushed　it　to　behind　her；　leaving　it　still　ajar。

And　as　she　did　so；　it　seemed　to　her　that　someone　passing　breathed　upon　her　lips　a　little　kiss：　　and　for　a　while　she　did　not　move。　Then；　treading　softly；　she　looked　into　the　room。

It　welcomed　her；　as　always；　with　its　smile　of　cosy　neatness。　　The　spotless　curtains　that　were　Mary's　pride：　　the　gay　flowers　in　the　window；　to　which　she　had　given　children's　names：　　the　few　poor　pieces　of　furniture；　polished　with　much　loving　labour：　　the　shining　grate：　　the　foolish　china　dogs　and　the　little　china　house　between　them　on　the　mantelpiece。　　The　fire　was　burning　brightly；　and　the　kettle　was　singing　on　the　hob。

Mary's　work　was　finished。　　She　sat　upright　in　her　straight…backed　chair　before　the　table；　her　eyes　half　closed。　　It　seemed　so　odd　to　see　those　little　work…worn　hands　idle　upon　her　lap。

Joan's　present　lay　on　the　table　near　to　her；　as　if　she　had　just　folded　it　and　placed　it　there：　　the　little　cap　and　the　fine　robe　of　lawn：　　as　if　for　a　king's　child。

Joan　had　never　thought　that　Death　could　be　so　beautiful。　　It　was　as　if　some　friend　had　looked　in　at　the　door；　and；　seeing　her　so　tired；　had　taken　the　work　gently　from　her　hands；　and　had　folded　them　upon　her　lap。　　And　she　had　yielded　with　a　smile。

Joan　heard　a　faint　rustle　and　looked　up。　　A　woman　had　entered。　　It　was　the　girl　she　had　met　there　on　a　Christmas　Day；　a　Miss　Ensor。　Joan　had　met　her　once　or　twice　since　then。　　She　was　still　in　the　chorus。　　Neither　of　them　spoke　for　a　few　minutes。

〃I　have　been　expecting　every　morning　to　find　her　gone；〃　said　the　girl。　　〃I　think　she　only　waited　to　finish　this。〃　　She　gently　unfolded　the　fine　lawn　robe；　and　they　saw　the　delicate　insertion　and　the　wonderful；　embroidery。

〃I　asked　her　once；〃　said　the　girl；　〃why　she　wasted　so　much　work　on　them。　　They　were　mostly　only　for　poor　people。　　'One　never　knows；　dearie；'　she　answered；　with　that　childish　smile　of　hers。　　'It　may　be　for　a　little　Christ。'〃

They　would　not　let　less　loving　hands　come　near　her。


Her　father　had　completed　his　business；　and　both　were　glad　to　leave　London。　　She　had　a　sense　of　something　sinister；　foreboding；　casting　its　shadow　on　the　sordid；　unclean　streets；　the　neglected　buildings　falling　into　disrepair。　　A　lurking　savagery；　a　half…veiled　enmity　seemed　to　be　stealing　among　the　people。　　The　town's　mad　lust　for　pleasure：　　its　fierce；　unjoyous　laughter：　　its　desire　ever　to　be　in　crowds　as　if　afraid　of　itself：　　its　orgies　of　eating　and　drinking：　its　animal…like　indifference　to　the　misery　and　death　that　lay　but　a　little　way　beyond　its　own　horizon！　　She　dared　not　remember　history。　Perhaps　it　would　pass。

The　long；　slow　journey　tried　her　father's　strength；　and　assuming　an　authority　to　which　he　yielded　obedience　tempered　by　grumbling；　Joan　sent　him　to　bed；　and　would　not　let　him　come　down　till　Christmas　Day。　　The　big；　square　house　was　on　the　outskirts　of　the　town　where　it　was　quiet；　and　in　the　afternoon　they　walked　in　the　garden　sheltered　behind　its　high　brick　wall。

He　told　her　of　what　had　been　done　at　the　works。　　Arthur's　plan　had　succeeded。　　It　might　not　be　the　last　word；　but　at　least　it　was　on　the　road　to　the　right　end。　　The　men　had　been　brought　into　it　and　shared　the　management。　　And　the　disasters　predicted　had　proved　groundless。

〃You　won't　be　able　to　indulge　in　all　your　mad　schemes；〃　he　laughed；　〃but　there'll　be　enough　to　help　on　a　few。　　And　you　will　be　among　friends。　　Arthur　told　me　he　had　explained　it　to　you　and　that　you　had　agreed。〃

〃Yes；〃　she　answered。　　〃It　was　the　last　time　he　came　to　see　me　in　London。　　And　I　could　not　help　feeling　a　bit　jealous。　　He　was　doing　things　while　I　was　writing　and　talking。　　But　I　was　glad　he　was　an　Allway。　　It　will　be　known　as　the　Allway　scheme。　　New　ways　will　date　from　it。〃

She　had　thought　it　time　for　him　to　return　indoors；　but　he　pleaded　for　a　visit　to　his　beloved　roses。　　He　prided　himself　on　being　always　able　to　pick　roses　on　Christmas　Day。

〃This　young　man　of　yours；〃　he　asked；　〃what　is　he　like？〃

〃Oh；　just　a　Christian　gentleman；〃　she　answered。　　〃You　will　love　him　when　you　know　him。〃

He　laughed。　　〃And　this　new　journal　of　his？〃　he　asked。　　〃It's　got　to　be　published　in　London；　hasn't　it？〃

She　gave　a　slight　start；　for　in　their　letters　to　one　another　they　had　been　discussing　this　very　point。

〃No；〃　she　answered；　〃it　could　be　circulated　just　as　well　from；　say；　Birmingham　or　Manchester。〃

He　was　choosing　his　roses。　　They　held　their　petals　wrapped　tight　round　them；　trying　to　keep　the　cold　from　their　brave　hearts。　　In　the　warmth　they　would　open　out　and　be　gay；　until　the　end。

〃Not　Liverpool？〃　he　suggested。

〃Or　even　Liverpool；〃　she　laughed。

They　looked　at　one　another；　and　then　beyond　the　sheltering　evergreens　and　the　wide　lawns　to　where　the　great　square　house　seemed　to　be　listening。

〃It's　an　ugly　old　thing；〃　he　said。

〃No；　it　isn't；〃　she　contradicted。　　〃It's　simple　and　big　and　kind。　I　always　used　to　feel　it　disapproved　of　me。　　I　believe　it　has　come　to　love　me；　in　its　solemn　old　brick　way。〃

〃It　was　built　by　Kent　in　seventeen…forty　for　your　great…great　grandfather；〃　he　explained。　　He　was　regarding　it　more　affectionately。　　〃Solid　respectability　was　the　dream；　then。〃

〃I　think　that's　why　I　love　it；〃　she　said：　　〃for　it's　dear；　old…　fashioned　ways。　　We　will　teach　it　the　new　dreams；　too。　　It　will　be　so　shocked；　at　first。〃

They　dined　in　state　in　the　great　dining…room。

〃I　was　going　to　buy　you　a　present；〃　he　grumbled。　　〃But　you　wouldn't　let　me　get　up。〃

〃I　want　to　give　you　something　quite　expensive；　Dad；〃　she　said。　〃I've　had　my　eye　on　it　for　years。〃

She　slipped　her　hand　in　his。　　〃I　want　you　to　give　me　that　Dream　of　yours；　that　you　built　for　my　mother；　and　that　all　went　wrong。　　They　call　it　Allway's　Folly；　and　it　makes　me　so　mad。　　I　want　to　make　it　all　come　true。　　May　I　try？〃


It　was　there　that　he　came　to　her。

She　stood　beneath　the　withered　trees；　beside　the　shattered　fountain。　　The　sad…faced　ghosts　peeped　out　at　her　from　the　broken　windows　of　the　little　silent　houses。

She　wondered　later　why　she　had　not　been　surprised　to　see　him。　　But　at　the　time　it　seemed　to　be　in　the　order　of　things　that　she　should　look　up　and　find　him　there。

She　went　to　him　with　outstretched　arms。

〃I'm　so　glad　you've　come；〃　she　said。　　〃I　was　just　wanting　you。〃

They　sat　on　the　stone　step　of　the　fountain；　where　they　were　sheltered　from　the　wind；　and　she　buttoned　his　long　coat　about　him。

〃Do　you　think　you　will　go　on　doing　it？〃　he　asked；　with　a　laugh。

〃I'm　so　afraid；〃　she　answered　gravely。　　〃That　I