all roads lead to calvary-第50部分

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nd　weak。　　One　had　to　pretend　that　one　was　not　afraid　of　it。

Flossie　had　joined　every　society　she　could　hear　of　that　was　working　for　the　League　of　Nations。　　Her　hope　was　that　it　would　get　itself　established　before　young　Frank　grew　up。

〃Not　that　I　really　believe　it　will；〃　she　confessed。　　〃A　draw　might　have　disgusted　us　all　with　fighting。　　As　it　is；　half　the　world　is　dancing　at　Victory　balls；　exhibiting　captured　guns　on　every　village　green；　and　hanging　father's　helmet　above　the　mantelpiece；　while　the　other　half　is　nursing　its　revenge。　　Young　Frank　only　cares　for　life　because　he　is　looking　forward　to　one　day　driving　a　tank。　　I've　made　up　my　mind　to　burn　Sam's　uniform；　but　I　expect　it　will　end　in　my　wrapping　it　up　in　lavender　and　hiding　it　away　in　a　drawer。　　And　then　there　will　be　all　the　books　and　plays。　　No　self…respecting　heroine；　for　the　next　ten　years　will　dream　of　marrying　anyone　but　a　soldier。〃

Joan　laughed。　　〃Difficult　to　get　anything　else；　just　at　present；〃　she　said。　　〃It's　the　soldiers　I'm　looking　to　for　help。　　I　don't　think　the　men　who　have　been　there　will　want　their　sons　to　go。　　It's　the　women　I'm　afraid　of。〃

Flossie　caught　sight　of　the　clock　and　jumped　up。　　〃Who　was　it　said　that　woman　would　be　the　last　thing　man　would　civilize？〃　she　asked。

〃It　sounds　like　Meredith；〃　suggested　Joan。　　〃I　am　not　quite　sure。〃

〃Well；　he's　wrong；　anyhow；〃　retorted　Flossie。　　〃It's　no　good　our　waiting　for　man。　　He　is　too　much　afraid　of　us　to　be　of　any　real　help　to　us。　　We　shall　have　to　do　it　ourselves。〃　　She　gave　Joan　a　hug　and　was　gone。

Phillips　was　still　abroad　with　the　Army　of　Occupation。　　He　had　tried　to　get　out　of　it；　but　had　not　succeeded。　　He　held　it　to　be　gaoler's　work；　and　the　sight　of　the　starving　populace　was　stirring　in　him　a　fierce　anger。

He　would　not　put　up　again　for　Parliament。　　He　was　thinking　of　going　back　to　his　old　work　upon　the　Union。　　〃Parliament　is　played　out；〃　he　had　written　her。　　〃Kings　and　Aristocracies　have　served　their　purpose　and　have　gone；　and　now　the　Ruling　Classes；　as　they　call　themselves；　must　be　content　to　hear　the　bell　toll　for　them　also。　Parliament　was　never　anything　more　than　an　instrument　in　their　hands；　and　never　can　be。　　What　happens？　　Once　in　every　five　years　you　wake　the　people　up：　　tell　them　the　time　has　come　for　them　to　exercise　their　Heaven…ordained　privilege　of　putting　a　cross　against　the　names　of　some　seven　hundred　gentlemen　who　have　kindly　expressed　their　willingness　to　rule　over　them。　　After　that；　you　send　the　people　back　to　sleep；　and　for　the　next　five　years　these　seven　hundred　gentlemen；　consulting　no　one　but　themselves；　rule　over　the　country　as　absolutely　as　ever　a　Caesar　ruled　over　Rome。　　What　sort　of　Democracy　is　that？　　Even　a　Labour　Governmentsupposing　that　in　spite　of　the　Press　it　did　win　throughwhat　would　be　its　fate？　Separated　from　its　base；　imprisoned　within　those　tradition…haunted　walls；　it　would　lose　touch　with　the　people；　would　become　in　its　turn　a　mere　oligarchy。　　If　the　people　are　ever　to　govern　they　must　keep　their　hand　firmly　upon　the　machine；　not　remain　content　with　pulling　a　lever　and　then　being　shown　the　door。〃

She　had　sent　a　note　by　messenger　to　Mary　Stopperton　to　say　she　was　coming。　　Mary　had　looked　very　fragile　the　last　time　she　had　seen　her；　just　before　leaving　for　France；　and　she　had　felt　a　fear。　　Mary　had　answered　in　her　neat；　thin；　quavering　writing；　asking　her　to　come　early　in　the　morning。　　Sometimes　she　was　a　little　tired　and　had　to　lie　down　again。　　She　had　been　waiting　for　Joan。　　She　had　a　present　for　her。

The　morning　promised　to　be　fair；　and　she　decided　to　walk　by　way　of　the　Embankment。　　The　great　river　with　its　deep；　strong　patience　had　always　been　a　friend　to　her。　　It　was　Sunday　and　the　city　was　still　sleeping。　　The　pale　December　sun　rose　above　the　mist　as　she　reached　the　corner　of　Westminster　Bridge；　turning　the　river　into　silver　and　flooding　the　silent　streets　with　a　soft；　white；　tender　light。

The　tower　of　Chelsea　Church　brought　back　to　her　remembrance　of　the　wheezy　old　clergyman　who　had　preached　there　that　Sunday　evening；　that　now　seemed　so　long　ago；　when　her　footsteps　had　first　taken　her　that　way　by　chance。　　Always　she　had　intended　making　inquiries　and　discovering　his　name。　　Why　had　she　never　done　so？　　It　would　surely　have　been　easy。　　He　was　someone　she　had　known　as　a　child。　　She　had　become　quite　convinced　of　that。　　She　could　see　his　face　close　to　hers　as　if　he　had　lifted　her　up　in　his　arms　and　was　smiling　at　her。　But　pride　and　power　had　looked　out　of　his　eyes　then。

It　was　earlier　than　the　time　she　had　fixed　in　her　own　mind　and；　pausing　with　her　elbows　resting　on　the　granite　parapet；　she　watched　the　ceaseless　waters　returning　to　the　sea；　bearing　their　burden　of　impurities。

〃All　roads　lead　to　Calvary。〃　　It　was　curious　how　the　words　had　dwelt　with　her；　till　gradually　they　had　become　a　part　of　her　creed。　She　remembered　how　at　first　they　had　seemed　to　her　a　threat　chilling　her　with　fear。　　They　had　grown　to　be　a　promise；　a　hope　held　out　to　all。　　The　road　to　Calvary！　　It　was　the　road　to　life。　By　the　giving　up　of　self　we　gained　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　drinki