all roads lead to calvary-第15部分

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wish　to　be　sent　to　boarding…school。　　How　would　you　like　to　go　to　Girton　and　be　a　B。A。　like　Miss　Allway？〃　she　asked；　turning　to　the　child。

Phillips's　entrance　saved　the　need　of　a　reply。　　To　the　evident　surprise　of　his　wife　he　was　in　evening　clothes。

〃Hulloa。　　You've　got　'em　on；〃　she　said。

He　laughed。　　〃I　shall　have　to　get　used　to　them　sooner　or　later；〃　he　said。

Joan　felt　relievedshe　hardly　knew　whythat　he　bore　the　test。　　It　was　a　well…built；　athletic　frame；　and　he　had　gone　to　a　good　tailor。　He　looked　taller　in　them；　and　the　strong；　clean…shaven　face　less　rugged。

Joan　sat　next　to　him　at　the　round　dinner…table　with　the　child　the　other　side　of　him。　　She　noticed　that　he　ate　as　far　as　possible　with　his　right　handhis　hands　were　large；　but　smooth　and　well　shaped　his　left　remaining　under　the　cloth；　beneath　which　the　child's　right　hand；　when　free；　would　likewise　disappear。　　For　a　while　the　conversation　consisted　chiefly　of　anecdotes　by　Mr。　Airlie。　　There　were　few　public　men　and　women　about　whom　he　did　not　know　something　to　their　disadvantage。　　Joan；　listening；　found　herself　repeating　the　experience　of　a　night　or　two　previous；　when；　during　a　performance　of　Hamlet；　Niel　Singleton；　who　was　playing　the　grave…　digger；　had　taken　her　behind　the　scenes。　　Hamlet；　the　King　of　Denmark　and　the　Ghost　were　sharing　a　bottle　of　champagne　in　the　Ghost's　dressing…room：　　it　happened　to　be　the　Ghost's　birthday。　　On　her　return　to　the　front　of　the　house；　her　interest　in　the　play　was　gone。　　It　was　absurd　that　it　should　be　so；　but　the　fact　remained。

Mr。　Airlie　had　lunched　the　day　before　with　a　leonine　old　gentleman　who　every　Sunday　morning　thundered　forth　Social　Democracy　to　enthusiastic　multitudes　on　Tower　Hill。　　Joan　had　once　listened　to　him　and　had　almost　been　converted：　　he　was　so　tremendously　in　earnest。　　She　now　learnt　that　he　lived　in　Curzon　Street；　Mayfair；　and　filled；　in　private　life；　the　perfectly　legitimate　calling　of　a　company　promoter　in　partnership　with　a　Dutch　Jew。　　His　latest　prospectus　dwelt　upon　the　profits　to　be　derived　from　an　amalgamation　of　the　leading　tanning　industries：　　by　means　of　which　the　price　of　leather　could　be　enormously　increased。

It　was　utterly　illogical；　but　her　interest　in　the　principles　of　Social　Democracy　was　gone。

A　very　little　while　ago；　Mr。　Airlie；　in　his　capacity　of　second　cousin　to　one　of　the　ladies　concerned；　a　charming　girl　but　impulsive；　had　been　called　upon　to　attend　a　family　council　of　a　painful　nature。　　The　gentleman's　name　took　Joan's　breath　away：　　it　was　the　name　of　one　of　her　heroes；　an　eminent　writer：　　one　might　almost　say　prophet。　　She　had　hitherto　read　his　books　with　grateful　reverence。　　They　pictured　for　her　the　world　made　perfect；　and　explained　to　her　just　precisely　how　it　was　to　be　accomplished。　But；　as　far　as　his　own　particular　corner　of　it　was　concerned；　he　seemed　to　have　made　a　sad　mess　of　it。　　Human　nature　of　quite　an　old…fashioned　pattern　had　crept　in　and　spoilt　all　his　own　theories。

Of　course　it　was　unreasonable。　　The　sign…post　may　remain　embedded　in　weeds：　　it　notwithstanding　points　the　way　to　the　fair　city。　　She　told　herself　this；　but　it　left　her　still　short…tempered。　　She　didn't　care　which　way　it　pointed。　　She　didn't　believe　there　was　any　fair　city。

There　was　a　famous　preacher。　　He　lived　the　simple　life　in　a　small　house　in　Battersea；　and　consecrated　all　his　energies　to　the　service　of　the　poor。　　Almost；　by　his　unselfish　zeal；　he　had　persuaded　Joan　of　the　usefulness　of　the　church。　　Mr。　Airlie　frequently　visited　him。　　They　interested　one　another。　　What　struck　Mr。　Airlie　most　was　the　self…sacrificing　devotion　with　which　the　reverend　gentleman's　wife　and　family　surrounded　him。　　It　was　beautiful　to　see。　　The　calls　upon　his　moderate　purse；　necessitated　by　his　wide…spread　and　much　paragraphed　activities；　left　but　a　narrow　margin　for　domestic　expenses：　　with　the　result　that　often　the　only　fire　in　the　house　blazed　brightly　in　the　study　where　Mr。　Airlie　and　the　reverend　gentleman　sat　talking：　　while　mother　and　children　warmed　themselves　with　sense　of　duty　in　the　cheerless　kitchen。　　And　often；　as　Mr。　Airlie；　who　was　of　an　inquiring　turn　of　mind；　had　convinced　himself；　the　only　evening　meal　that　resources　would　permit　was　the　satisfying　supper　for　one　brought　by　the　youngest　daughter　to　her　father　where　he　sat　alone　in　the　small　dining…room。

Mr。　Airlie；　picking　daintily　at　his　food；　continued　his　stories：　of　philanthropists　who　paid　starvation　wages：　　of　feminists　who　were　a　holy　terror　to　their　women　folk：　　of　socialists　who　travelled　first…class　and　spent　their　winters　in　Egypt　or　Monaco：　of　stern　critics　of　public　morals　who　preferred　the　society　of　youthful　affinities　to　the　continued　company　of　elderly　wives：　　of　poets　who　wrote　divinely　about　babies'　feet　and　whose　children　hated　them。

〃Do　you　think　it's　all　true？〃　Joan　whispered　to　her　host。

He　shrugged　his　shoulders。　　〃No　reason　why　it　shouldn't　be；〃　he　said。　　〃I've　generally　found　him　right。〃

〃I've　never　been　able　myself；〃　he　continued；　〃to　understand　the　Lord's　enthusiasm　for　David。　　I　suppose　it　was　the　Psalms　that　did　it。〃

Joan　was　about　to　offer　comment；　but　was　struck　dumb　with　astonishment　on　hearing　McKean's　voice：　　it　seemed　he　could　talk。　He　was　telling　of　an　old　Scotch　peasant　farmer。　　A　mean；　cantankerous　old　cuss　whose　curious　pride　it　was　that　he　had　never　given　anything　away。　　Not　a　crust；　nor　a　sixpence；　nor　a　rag；　and　never　would。　　Many　had　been　the　attempts　to　make　him　break　his　boast：　　some　for　the　joke　of　the　thing　and　some　for　the　need；　but　none　had　ever　succeeded。　　It　was　his　one　claim　to　distinction　and　he　guarded　it。

One　evening　it　struck　him　that　the　milk…pail；　standing　just　inside　the　window；　had　been　tampered　with。　　Next　day　he　marked　with　a　scratch　the　inside　of　the　pan　and；　returning　later；　found　the　level　of　the　milk　had　sunk　half　an　inch。　　So　he　hid　himself　and　waited；　and　at　twilight　the　next　day　the　window　was　stealthily　pushed　open；　and　two　small；　terror…haunted　eyes　peered　round　the　room。　　They　satisfied　themselves　that　no　one　was　about　and　a　tiny　hand　clutching　a　cracked　jug　was　thrust　swiftly　in　and　dipped　into　the　pan；　and　the　window　softly　closed。

He　knew　the　thief；　the　grandchild　of　an　old　bed…ridden　dame　who　lived　some　miles　away　on　the　edge　of　the　moor。　　The　old　man　stood　long；　watching　the　small　cloaked　figure　till　it　was　lost　in　the　darkness。　　It　was　not　till　he　lay　upon　his　dying　bed　that　he　confessed　it。　　But　each　evening；　from　that　day；　he　would　steal　into　the　room　and　see　to　it　himself　that　the　window　was　left　ajar。

After　the　coffee；　Mrs。　Phillips　proposed　their　adjourning　to　the　〃drawing…room〃　the　other　side　of　the　folding　doors；　which　had　been　left　open。　　Phillips　asked　her　to　leave　Joan　and　himself　where　they　were。　　He　wanted　to　talk　to　her。　　He　promised　not　to　bore　her　for　more　than　ten　minutes。

The　others　rose　and　moved　away。　　Hilda　came　and　stood　before　Joan　with　her　hands　behind　her。

〃I　am　going　to　bed　now；〃　she　said。　　〃I　wanted　to　see　you　from　what　Papa　told　me。　　May　I　kiss　you？〃

It　was　spoken　so　gravely　that　Joan　did　not　ask　her；　as　in　lighter　mood　she　might　have　done；　what　it　was　that　Phillips　had　said。　　She　raised　her　face　quietly；　and　the　child　bent　forward　and　kissed　her；　and　went　out　without　looking　back　at　either　of　them；　leaving　Joan　more　serious　than　there　seemed　any　reason　for。　　Phillips　filled　his　pipe　and　lighted　it。

〃I　wish　I　had　your　pen；〃　he　said；　suddenly　breaking　the　silence。　〃I'm　all　right　at　talking；　but　I　want　to　get　at　the　others：　　the　men　and　women　who　never　come；　thinking　it　has　nothing　to　do　with　them。　　I'm　shy　and　awkward　when　I　try　to　write。　　There　seems　a　barrier　in　front　of　me。　　You　break　through　it。　　One　hears　your　voice。　　Tell　me；〃　he　said；　〃are　you　getting　your　way？　　Do　they　answer　you？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Joan。　　〃Not　any　great　number　of　them；　not　yet。　　But　enough　to　show　that　I　really　am　interesting　them。　　It　grows　every　week。〃

〃Tell　them　that；〃　he　said。　　〃Let　them　hear　each　other。　　It's　the　same　at　a　meeting。　　You　wait　ten　minutes　sometimes　before　one　man　will　summon　up　courage　to　put　a　question；　but　once　one　or　two　have　ventured　they　spring　up　all　round　you。　　I　was　wondering；〃　he　added；　〃if　you　would　help　me；　let　me　use　you；　now　and　again。〃

〃It　is　what　I　should　love；〃　she　answered。　　〃Tell　me　what　to　do。〃　She　was　not　conscious　of　the　low；　vibrating　tone　in　which　she　spoke。

〃I　want　to　talk　to　them；〃　he　said；　〃about　their　stomachs。　　I　want　them　to　see　the　need　of　concentrating　upon　the　food　problem：　insisting　that　it　shall　be　solved。　　The　other　things　can　follow。〃

〃There　was　an　old　Egyptian　chap；〃　he　said；　〃a　governor　of　one　of　their　provinces；　thousands　of　years　before　the　Pharaohs　were　ever　heard　of。　　They　dug　up　his　tomb　a　little　while　ago。　　It　bore　this　inscription：　　'In　my　time　no　man　went　hungry。'　　I'd　rather　have　that　carved　upon　my　gravestone　than　the　boastings　of　all　the　robbers　and　the　butchers　of　history。　　Think　what　it　must　have　meant　in　that　land　of　drought　and　famine：　　only　a　narrow　strip　of　river　bank　where　a　grain　of　corn　would　grow；　and　that　only　when　old　Nile　was　kind。　　If　not；　your　nearest　supplies　five　hundred　miles　away　across　the　desert；　your　only　means　of　transport　the　slow…moving　camel。　　Your　convoy　must　be　guarded　against　attack；　provided　with　provisions　and　water　for　a　two　months'　journey。　　Yet　he　never　failed　his　people。　　Fat　year　and　lean　year：　　'In　my　time　no　man　went　hungry。'　　And　here；　to…day；　with　our　steamships　and　our　railways；　with　the　granaries　of　the　world　filled　to　overflowing；　one　third　of　our　population　lives　on　the　border　line　of　want。　　In　India　they　die　by　the　roadside。　　What's　the　good　of　it　all：　　your　science　and　your　art　and　your　religion！　　How　can　you　help　men's　souls　if　their　bodies　are　starving？　　A　hungry　man's　a　hungry　beast。

〃I　spent　a　week　at　Grimsby；　some　years　ago；　organizing　a　fisherman's　union。　　They　used　to　throw　the　fish　back　into　the　sea；　tons　upon　tons　of　it；　that　men　had　risked　their　lives　to　catch；　that　would　have　fed　half　London's　poor。　　There　was　a　'glut'　of　it；　they　said。　　The　'market'　didn't　want　it。　　Funny；　isn't　it；　a　'glut'　of　food：　　and　the　kiddies　can't　learn　their　lessons　for　want　of　it。　I　was　talking　with　a　farmer　down　in　Kent。　　The