¡¨Is¡¡he¡¡so¡¡weak¡¡that¡¡he¡¡cannot¡¡spare¡¡the¡¡help¡¡of¡¡a¡¡weary¡¡man£¿¡¡¡¡But¡¡I
think¡¡he¡¡must¡¡prefer¡¡quality¡¡to¡¡quantity£»¡¡and¡¡for¡¡healthy¡¡work¡¡you
must¡¡be¡¡healthy¡¡yourself¡£¡¡¡¡How¡¡can¡¡you¡¡be¡¡the¡¡visible¡¡sign¡¡of¡¡the
Christ¡present¡¡amongst¡¡men£»¡¡if¡¡you¡¡inhabit¡¡an¡¡exhausted£»¡¡irritable
brain£¿¡¡¡¡Go¡¡to¡¡God's¡¡infirmary¡¡and¡¡rest¡¡a¡¡while¡£¡¡¡¡Bring¡¡back¡¡health
from¡¡the¡¡country¡¡to¡¡those¡¡that¡¡cannot¡¡go¡¡to¡¡it¡£¡¡¡¡If¡¡on¡¡the¡¡way¡¡it¡¡be
transmuted¡¡into¡¡spiritual¡¡forms£»¡¡so¡¡much¡¡the¡¡better¡£¡¡¡¡A¡¡little¡¡more
of¡¡God¡¡will¡¡make¡¡up¡¡for¡¡a¡¡good¡¡deal¡¡less¡¡of¡¡you¡£'
'What¡¡did¡¡he¡¡say¡¡to¡¡that£¿'
'He¡¡said¡¡our¡¡Lord¡¡died¡¡doing¡¡the¡¡will¡¡of¡¡his¡¡Father¡£¡¡¡¡I¡¡told
him¡¨Yes£»¡¡when¡¡his¡¡time¡¡was¡¡come£»¡¡not¡¡sooner¡£¡¡¡¡Besides£»¡¡he¡¡often
avoided¡¡both¡¡speech¡¡and¡¡action¡£¡¨¡¡¡¨Yes£»¡¨¡¡he¡¡answered£»¡¡¡¨but¡¡he¡¡could
tell¡¡when£»¡¡and¡¡we¡¡cannot¡£¡¨¡¡¡¨Therefore£»¡¨¡¡I¡¡rejoined£»¡¡¡¨you¡¡ought¡¡to
accept¡¡your¡¡exhaustion¡¡as¡¡a¡¡token¡¡that¡¡your¡¡absence¡¡will¡¡be¡¡the¡¡best
thing¡¡for¡¡your¡¡people¡£¡¡¡¡If¡¡there¡¡were¡¡no¡¡God£»¡¡then¡¡perhaps¡¡you¡¡ought
to¡¡work¡¡till¡¡you¡¡drop¡¡down¡¡deadI¡¡don't¡¡know¡£¡¨'
'Is¡¡he¡¡gone¡¡yet£¿'
'No¡£¡¡He¡¡won't¡¡go¡£¡¡¡¡I¡¡couldn't¡¡persuade¡¡him¡£'
'When¡¡do¡¡you¡¡go£¿'
'To¡morrow¡£'
'I¡¡shall¡¡be¡¡ready£»¡¡if¡¡you¡¡really¡¡mean¡¡it¡£'
'That's¡¡an¡¡if¡¡worthy¡¡only¡¡of¡¡a¡¡courtier¡£¡¡¡¡There¡¡may¡¡be¡¡much¡¡virtue
in¡¡an¡¡if£»¡¡as¡¡Touchstone¡¡says£»¡¡for¡¡the¡¡taking¡¡up¡¡of¡¡a¡¡quarrel£»¡¡but
that¡¡if¡¡is¡¡bad¡¡enough¡¡to¡¡breed¡¡one£»'¡¡said¡¡Falconer£»¡¡laughing¡£¡¡'Be¡¡at
the¡¡Paddington¡¡Station¡¡at¡¡noon¡¡to¡morrow¡£¡¡¡¡To¡¡tell¡¡the¡¡whole¡¡truth£»
I¡¡want¡¡you¡¡to¡¡help¡¡me¡¡with¡¡my¡¡father¡£'
This¡¡last¡¡was¡¡said¡¡at¡¡the¡¡door¡¡as¡¡he¡¡showed¡¡me¡¡out¡£
In¡¡the¡¡afternoon¡¡we¡¡were¡¡nearing¡¡Bristol¡£¡¡¡¡It¡¡was¡¡a¡¡lovely¡¡day¡¡in
October¡£¡¡¡¡Andrew¡¡had¡¡been¡¡enjoying¡¡himself£»¡¡but¡¡it¡¡was¡¡evidently
rather¡¡the¡¡pleasure¡¡of¡¡travelling¡¡in¡¡a¡¡first¡class¡¡carriage¡¡like¡¡a
gentleman¡¡than¡¡any¡¡delight¡¡in¡¡the¡¡beauty¡¡of¡¡heaven¡¡and¡¡earth¡£¡¡¡¡The
country¡¡was¡¡in¡¡the¡¡rich¡¡sombre¡¡dress¡¡of¡¡decay¡£
'Is¡¡it¡¡not¡¡remarkable£»'¡¡said¡¡my¡¡friend¡¡to¡¡me£»¡¡'that¡¡the¡¡older¡¡I
grow£»¡¡I¡¡find¡¡autumn¡¡affecting¡¡me¡¡the¡¡more¡¡like¡¡spring£¿'
'I¡¡am¡¡thankful¡¡to¡¡say£»'¡¡interposed¡¡Andrew£»¡¡with¡¡a¡¡smile¡¡in¡¡which¡¡was
mingled¡¡a¡¡shade¡¡of¡¡superiority£»¡¡'that¡¡no¡¡change¡¡of¡¡the¡¡seasons¡¡ever
affects¡¡me¡£'
'Are¡¡you¡¡sure¡¡you¡¡are¡¡right¡¡in¡¡being¡¡thankful¡¡for¡¡that£»¡¡father£¿'
asked¡¡his¡¡son¡£
His¡¡father¡¡gazed¡¡at¡¡him¡¡for¡¡a¡¡moment£»¡¡seemed¡¡to¡¡bethink¡¡himself
after¡¡some¡¡feeble¡¡fashion¡¡or¡¡other£»¡¡and¡¡rejoined£»
'Well£»¡¡I¡¡must¡¡confess¡¡I¡¡did¡¡feel¡¡a¡¡touch¡¡of¡¡the¡¡rheumatism¡¡this
morning¡£'
How¡¡I¡¡pitied¡¡Falconer£¡¡¡¡¡Would¡¡he¡¡ever¡¡see¡¡of¡¡the¡¡travail¡¡of¡¡his¡¡soul
in¡¡this¡¡man£¿¡¡¡¡But¡¡he¡¡only¡¡smiled¡¡a¡¡deep¡¡sweet¡¡smile£»¡¡and¡¡seemed¡¡to
be¡¡thinking¡¡divine¡¡things¡¡in¡¡that¡¡great¡¡head¡¡of¡¡his¡£
At¡¡Bristol¡¡we¡¡went¡¡on¡¡board¡¡a¡¡small¡¡steamer£»¡¡and¡¡at¡¡night¡¡were
landed¡¡at¡¡a¡¡little¡¡village¡¡on¡¡the¡¡coast¡¡of¡¡North¡¡Devon¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡hotel
to¡¡which¡¡we¡¡went¡¡was¡¡on¡¡the¡¡steep¡¡bank¡¡of¡¡a¡¡tumultuous¡¡little¡¡river£»
which¡¡tumbled¡¡past¡¡its¡¡foundation¡¡of¡¡rock£»¡¡like¡¡a¡¡troop¡¡of¡¡watery
horses¡¡galloping¡¡by¡¡with¡¡ever¡dissolving¡¡limbs¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡elder¡¡Falconer
retired¡¡almost¡¡as¡¡soon¡¡as¡¡we¡¡had¡¡had¡¡supper¡£¡¡¡¡My¡¡friend¡¡and¡¡I
lighted¡¡our¡¡pipes£»¡¡and¡¡sat¡¡by¡¡the¡¡open¡¡window£»¡¡for¡¡although¡¡the
autumn¡¡was¡¡so¡¡far¡¡advanced£»¡¡the¡¡air¡¡here¡¡was¡¡very¡¡mild¡£¡¡¡¡For¡¡some
time¡¡we¡¡only¡¡listened¡¡to¡¡the¡¡sound¡¡of¡¡the¡¡waters¡£
'There¡¡are¡¡three¡¡things£»'¡¡said¡¡Falconer¡¡at¡¡last£»¡¡taking¡¡his¡¡pipe¡¡out
of¡¡his¡¡mouth¡¡with¡¡a¡¡smile£»¡¡'that¡¡give¡¡a¡¡peculiarly¡¡perfect¡¡feeling
of¡¡abandonment£º¡¡the¡¡laughter¡¡of¡¡a¡¡child£»¡¡a¡¡snake¡¡lying¡¡across¡¡a
fallen¡¡branch£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡rush¡¡of¡¡a¡¡stream¡¡like¡¡this¡¡beneath¡¡us£»¡¡whose
only¡¡thought¡¡is¡¡to¡¡get¡¡to¡¡the¡¡sea¡£'
We¡¡did¡¡not¡¡talk¡¡much¡¡that¡¡night£»¡¡however£»¡¡but¡¡went¡¡soon¡¡to¡¡bed¡£
None¡¡of¡¡us¡¡slept¡¡well¡£¡¡¡¡We¡¡agreed¡¡in¡¡the¡¡morning¡¡that¡¡the¡¡noise¡¡of
the¡¡stream¡¡had¡¡been¡¡too¡¡much¡¡for¡¡us¡¡all£»¡¡and¡¡that¡¡the¡¡place¡¡felt
close¡¡and¡¡torpid¡£¡¡¡¡Andrew¡¡complained¡¡that¡¡the¡¡ceaseless¡¡sound
wearied¡¡him£»¡¡and¡¡Robert¡¡that¡¡he¡¡felt¡¡the¡¡aimless¡¡endlessness¡¡of¡¡it
more¡¡than¡¡was¡¡good¡¡for¡¡him¡£¡¡¡¡I¡¡confess¡¡it¡¡irritated¡¡me¡¡like¡¡an
anodyne¡¡unable¡¡to¡¡soothe¡£¡¡¡¡We¡¡were¡¡clearly¡¡all¡¡in¡¡want¡¡of¡¡something
different¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡air¡¡between¡¡the¡¡hills¡¡clung¡¡to¡¡them£»¡¡hot¡¡and
moveless¡£¡¡¡¡We¡¡would¡¡climb¡¡those¡¡hills£»¡¡and¡¡breathe¡¡the¡¡air¡¡that
flitted¡¡about¡¡over¡¡their¡¡craggy¡¡tops¡£
As¡¡soon¡¡as¡¡we¡¡had¡¡breakfasted£»¡¡we¡¡set¡¡out¡£¡¡¡¡It¡¡was¡¡soon¡¡evident¡¡that
Andrew¡¡could¡¡not¡¡ascend¡¡the¡¡steep¡¡road¡£¡¡¡¡We¡¡returned¡¡and¡¡got¡¡a
carriage¡£¡¡¡¡When¡¡we¡¡reached¡¡the¡¡top£»¡¡it¡¡was¡¡like¡¡a¡¡resurrection£»¡¡like
a¡¡dawning¡¡of¡¡hope¡¡out¡¡of¡¡despair¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡cool¡¡friendly¡¡wind¡¡blew¡¡on
our¡¡faces£»¡¡and¡¡breathed¡¡strength¡¡into¡¡our¡¡frames¡£¡¡¡¡Before¡¡us¡¡lay¡¡the
ocean£»¡¡the¡¡visible¡¡type¡¡of¡¡the¡¡invisible£»¡¡and¡¡the¡¡vessels¡¡with¡¡their
white¡¡sails¡¡moved¡¡about¡¡over¡¡it¡¡like¡¡the¡¡thoughts¡¡of¡¡men¡¡feebly
searching¡¡the¡¡unknown¡£¡¡¡¡Even¡¡Andrew¡¡Falconer¡¡spread¡¡out¡¡his¡¡arms¡¡to
the¡¡wind£»¡¡and¡¡breathed¡¡deep£»¡¡filling¡¡his¡¡great¡¡chest¡¡full¡£
'I¡¡feel¡¡like¡¡a¡¡boy¡¡again£»'¡¡he¡¡said¡£
His¡¡son¡¡strode¡¡to¡¡his¡¡side£»¡¡and¡¡laid¡¡his¡¡arm¡¡over¡¡his¡¡shoulders¡£
'So¡¡do¡¡I£»¡¡father£»'¡¡he¡¡returned£»¡¡'but¡¡it¡¡is¡¡because¡¡I¡¡have¡¡got¡¡you¡£'
The¡¡old¡¡man¡¡turned¡¡and¡¡looked¡¡at¡¡him¡¡with¡¡a¡¡tenderness¡¡I¡¡had¡¡never
seen¡¡on¡¡his¡¡face¡¡before¡£¡¡¡¡As¡¡soon¡¡as¡¡I¡¡saw¡¡that£»¡¡I¡¡no¡¡longer¡¡doubted
that¡¡he¡¡could¡¡be¡¡saved¡£
We¡¡found¡¡rooms¡¡in¡¡a¡¡farm¡house¡¡on¡¡the¡¡topmost¡¡height¡£
'These¡¡are¡¡poor¡¡little¡¡hills£»¡¡Falconer£»'¡¡I¡¡said¡£¡¡'Yet¡¡they¡¡help¡¡one
like¡¡mountains¡£'
'The¡¡whole¡¡question¡¡is£»'¡¡he¡¡returned£»¡¡'whether¡¡they¡¡are¡¡high¡¡enough
to¡¡lift¡¡you¡¡out¡¡of¡¡the¡¡dirt¡£¡¡¡¡Here¡¡we¡¡are¡¡in¡¡the¡¡airs¡¡of
heaventhat¡¡is¡¡all¡¡we¡¡need¡£'
'They¡¡make¡¡me¡¡think¡¡how¡¡often£»¡¡amongst¡¡the¡¡country¡¡people¡¡of
Scotland£»¡¡I¡¡have¡¡wondered¡¡at¡¡the¡¡clay¡feet¡¡upon¡¡which¡¡a¡¡golden¡¡head
of¡¡wisdom¡¡stood£¡¡¡¡¡What¡¡poor¡¡needs£»¡¡what¡¡humble¡¡aims£»¡¡what¡¡a¡¡narrow
basement¡¡generally£»¡¡was¡¡sufficient¡¡to¡¡support¡¡the¡¡statues¡¡of
pure¡eyed¡¡Faith¡¡and¡¡white¡handed¡¡Hope£»'
'Yes£»'¡¡said¡¡Falconer£º¡¡'he¡¡who¡¡is¡¡faithful¡¡over¡¡a¡¡few¡¡things¡¡is¡¡a
lord¡¡of¡¡cities¡£¡¡¡¡It¡¡does¡¡not¡¡matter¡¡whether¡¡you¡¡preach¡¡in
Westminster¡¡Abbey£»¡¡or¡¡teach¡¡a¡¡ragged¡¡class£»¡¡so¡¡you¡¡be¡¡faithful¡£¡¡¡¡The
faithfulness¡¡is¡¡all¡£'
After¡¡an¡¡early¡¡dinner¡¡we¡¡went¡¡out¡¡for¡¡a¡¡walk£»¡¡but¡¡we¡¡did¡¡not¡¡go¡¡far
before¡¡we¡¡sat¡¡down¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡grass¡£¡¡¡¡Falconer¡¡laid¡¡himself¡¡at¡¡full
length¡¡and¡¡gazed¡¡upwards¡£
'When¡¡I¡¡look¡¡like¡¡this¡¡into¡¡the¡¡blue¡¡sky£»'¡¡he¡¡said£»¡¡after¡¡a¡¡moment's
silence£»¡¡'it¡¡seems¡¡so¡¡deep£»¡¡so¡¡peaceful£»¡¡so¡¡full¡¡of¡¡a¡¡mysterious
tenderness£»¡¡that¡¡I¡¡could¡¡lie¡¡for¡¡centuries£»¡¡and¡¡wait¡¡for¡¡the¡¡dawning
of¡¡the¡¡face¡¡of¡¡God¡¡out¡¡of¡¡the¡¡awful¡¡loving¡kindness¡£'
I¡¡had¡¡never¡¡heard¡¡Falconer¡¡talk¡¡of¡¡his¡¡own¡¡present¡¡feelings¡¡in¡¡this
manner£»¡¡but¡¡glancing¡¡at¡¡the¡¡face¡¡of¡¡his¡¡father¡¡with¡¡a¡¡sense¡¡of¡¡his
unfitness¡¡to¡¡hear¡¡such¡¡a¡¡lofty¡¡utterance£»¡¡I¡¡saw¡¡at¡¡once¡¡that¡¡it¡¡was
for¡¡his¡¡sake¡¡that¡¡he¡¡had¡¡thus¡¡spoken¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡old¡¡man¡¡had¡¡thrown
himself¡¡back¡¡too£»¡¡and¡¡was¡¡gazing¡¡into¡¡the¡¡sky£»¡¡puzzling¡¡himself£»¡¡I
could¡¡see£»¡¡to¡¡comprehend¡¡what¡¡his¡¡son¡¡could¡¡mean¡£¡¡¡¡I¡¡fear¡¡he
concluded£»¡¡for¡¡the¡¡time£»¡¡that¡¡Robert¡¡was¡¡not¡¡gifted¡¡with¡¡the¡¡amount
of¡¡common¡sense¡¡belonging¡¡of¡¡right¡¡to¡¡the¡¡Falconer¡¡family£»¡¡and¡¡that
much¡¡religion¡¡had¡¡made¡¡him¡¡a¡¡dreamer¡£¡¡¡¡Still£»¡¡I¡¡thought¡¡I¡¡could¡¡see
a¡¡kind¡¡of¡¡awe¡¡pass¡¡like¡¡a¡¡spiritual¡¡shadow¡¡across¡¡his¡¡face¡¡as¡¡he
gazed¡¡into¡¡the¡¡blue¡¡gulfs¡¡over¡¡him¡£¡¡¡¡No¡¡one¡¡can¡¡detect¡¡the¡¡first
beginnings¡¡of¡¡any¡¡life£»¡¡and¡¡those¡¡of¡¡spiritual¡¡emotion¡¡must¡¡more
than¡¡any¡¡lie¡¡beyond¡¡our¡¡ken£º¡¡there¡¡is¡¡infinite¡¡room¡¡for¡¡hope¡£
Falconer¡¡said¡¡no¡¡more¡£¡¡¡¡We¡¡betook¡¡ourselves¡¡early¡¡within¡¡doors£»¡¡and
he¡¡read¡¡King¡¡Lear¡¡to¡¡us£»¡¡expounding¡¡the¡¡spiritual¡¡history¡¡of¡¡the
poor¡¡old¡¡king¡¡after¡¡a¡¡fashion¡¡I¡¡had¡¡never¡¡conceivedshowing¡¡us¡¡how
the¡¡said¡¡history¡¡was¡¡all¡¡compressed£»¡¡as¡¡far¡¡as¡¡human¡¡eye¡¡could¡¡see
of¡¡it£»¡¡into¡¡the¡¡few¡¡months¡¡that¡¡elapsed¡¡between¡¡his¡¡abdication¡¡and
his¡¡death£»¡¡how¡¡in¡¡that¡¡short¡¡time¡¡he¡¡had¡¡to¡¡learn¡¡everything¡¡that¡¡he
ought¡¡to¡¡have¡¡been¡¡learning¡¡all¡¡his¡¡life£»¡¡and¡¡how£»¡¡because¡¡he¡¡had
put¡¡it¡¡off¡¡so¡¡long£»¡¡the¡¡lessons¡¡that¡¡had¡¡then¡¡to¡¡be¡¡given¡¡him¡¡were
awfully¡¡severe¡£
I¡¡thought¡¡what¡¡a¡¡change¡¡it¡¡was¡¡for¡¡the¡¡old¡¡man¡¡to¡¡lift¡¡his¡¡head¡¡into
the¡¡air¡¡of¡¡thought¡¡and¡¡life£»¡¡out¡¡of¡¡the¡¡sloughs¡¡of¡¡misery¡¡in¡¡which
he¡¡had¡¡been¡¡wallowing¡¡for¡¡years¡£
CHAPTER¡¡XVII¡£
IN¡¡THE¡¡COUNTRY¡£
The¡¡next¡¡morning¡¡Falconer£»¡¡who¡¡knew¡¡the¡¡country£»¡¡took¡¡us¡¡out¡¡for¡¡a
drive¡£¡¡¡¡We¡¡passed¡¡through¡¡lanes¡¡and¡¡gates¡¡out¡¡upon¡¡all¡¡open¡¡moor£»
where¡¡he¡¡stopped¡¡the¡¡carriage£»¡¡and¡¡led¡¡us¡¡a¡¡few¡¡yards¡¡on¡¡one¡¡side¡£
Suddenly£»¡¡hundreds¡¡of¡¡feet¡¡below¡¡us£»¡¡down¡¡what¡¡seemed¡¡an¡¡almost
precipitous¡¡descent£»¡¡we¡¡saw¡¡the¡¡wood¡embosomed£»¡¡stream¡trodden
valley¡¡we¡¡had¡¡left¡¡the¡¡day¡¡before¡£¡¡¡¡Enough¡¡had¡¡been¡¡cleft¡¡and
scooped¡¡seawards¡¡out¡¡of¡¡the¡¡lofty¡¡table¡land¡¡to¡¡give¡¡room¡¡for¡¡a¡¡few
little¡¡conical¡¡hills¡¡with¡¡curious¡¡peaks¡¡of¡¡bare¡¡rock¡£¡¡¡¡At¡¡the¡¡bases
of¡¡these¡¡hills¡¡flowed¡¡noisily¡¡two¡¡or¡¡three¡¡streams£»¡¡which¡¡joined¡¡in
one£»¡¡and¡¡trotted¡¡out¡¡to¡¡sea¡¡over¡¡rocks¡¡and¡¡stones¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡hills¡¡and
the¡¡sides¡¡of¡¡the¡¡great¡¡cleft¡¡were¡¡half¡¡of¡¡them¡¡green¡¡with¡¡grass£»¡¡and
half¡¡of¡¡them¡¡robed¡¡in¡¡the¡¡autumnal¡¡foliage¡¡of¡¡thick¡¡woods¡£¡¡¡¡By¡¡the
streams¡¡and¡¡in¡¡the¡¡woods¡¡nestled¡¡pretty¡¡houses£»¡¡and¡¡away¡¡at¡¡the
mouth¡¡of¡¡the¡¡valley¡¡and¡¡the¡¡stream¡¡lay¡¡the¡¡village¡£¡¡¡¡All¡¡around£»¡¡on
our¡¡level£»¡¡
СÌáʾ£º°´ »Ø³µ [Enter] ¼ü ·µ»ØÊéÄ¿£¬°´ ¡û ¼ü ·µ»ØÉÏÒ»Ò³£¬ °´ ¡ú ¼ü ½øÈëÏÂÒ»Ò³¡£
ÔÞÒ»ÏÂ
Ìí¼ÓÊéÇ©¼ÓÈëÊé¼Ü