第52章

"Yes," he said grimly: "that is the typical stanza.And the very last charity-sermon I heard was infected with it.After giving many good reasons for charity, the preacher wound up with 'and, for all you give, you will be repaid a thousandfold!' Oh the utter meanness of such a motive, to be put before men who do know what self-sacrifice is, who can appreciate generosity and heroism! Talk of Original Sin!"he went on with increasing bitterness."Can you have a stronger proof of the Original Goodness there must be in this nation, than the fact that Religion has been preached to us, as a commercial speculation, for a century, and that we still believe in a God?""It couldn't have gone on so long," Lady Muriel musingly remarked, "if the Opposition hadn't been practically silenced--put under what the French call la cloture.Surely in any lecture-hall, or in private society, such teaching would soon have been hooted down?""I trust so," said Arthur: "and, though I don't want to see 'brawling in church' legalised, I must say that our preachers enjoy an enormous privilege--which they ill deserve, and which they misuse terribly.

We put our man into a pulpit, and we virtually tell him 'Now, you may stand there and talk to us for half-an-hour.We won't interrupt you by so much as a word! You shall have it all your own way!' And what does he give us in return? Shallow twaddle, that, if it were addressed to you over a dinner-table, you would think 'Does the man take me for a fool?'"The return of Eric from his walk checked the tide of Arthur's eloquence, and, after a few minutes' talk on more conventional topics, we took our leave.Lady Muriel walked with us to the gate."You have given me much to think about," she said earnestly, as she gave Arthur her hand.

"I'm so glad you came in!" And her words brought a real glow of pleasure into that pale worn face of his.

On the Tuesday, as Arthur did not seem equal to more walking, I took a long stroll by myself, having stipulated that he was not to give the whole day to his books, but was to meet me at the Hall at about tea-time.On my way back, I passed the Station just as the afternoon-train came in sight, and sauntered down the stairs to see it come in.But there was little to gratify my idle curiosity: and, when the train was empty, and the platform clear, I found it was about time to be moving on, if I meant to reach the Hall by five.

As I approached the end of the platform, from which a steep irregular wooden staircase conducted to the upper world, I noticed two passengers, who had evidently arrived by the train, but who, oddly enough, had entirely escaped my notice, though the arrivals had been so few.

They were a young woman and a little girl: the former, so far as one could judge by appearances, was a nursemaid, or possibly a nursery-governess, in attendance on the child, whose refined face, even more than her dress, distinguished her as of a higher class than her companion.

The child's face was refined, but it was also a worn and sad one, and told a tale (or so I seemed to read it) of much illness and suffering, sweetly and patiently borne.She had a little crutch to help herself along with: and she was now standing, looking wistfully up the long staircase, and apparently waiting till she could muster courage to begin the toilsome ascent.

There are some things one says in life--as well as things one does--which come automatically, by reflex action, as the physiologists say (meaning, no doubt, action without reflection, just as lucus is said to be derived 'a non lucendo').Closing one's eyelids, when something seems to be flying into the eye, is one of those actions, and saying "May I carry the little girl up the stairs?" was another.

It wasn't that any thought of offering help occurred to me, and that then I spoke: the first intimation I had, of being likely to make that offer, was the sound of my own voice, and the discovery that the offer had been made.The servant paused, doubtfully glancing from her charge to me, and then back again to the child."Would you like it, dear?"she asked her.But no such doubt appeared to cross the child's mind:

she lifted her arms eagerly to be taken up."Please!" was all she said, while a faint smile flickered on the weary little face.I took her up with scrupulous care, and her little arm was at once clasped trustfully round my neck.

[Image...The lame child]