robert falconer- 第103部分

a　different　heart　I　carried　within　me！　　And　what　a　different　London

it　was　outside　of　me！　　The　scent　of　the　hayfields　came　on　the

hardly…moving　air。　　It　was　a　strange　morninga　new　day　of　unknown

historyin　whose　young　light　the　very　streets　were　transformed；

looking　clear　and　clean；　and　wondrously　transparent　in　perspective；

with　unknown　shadows　lying　in　unexpected　nooks；　with　projection　and

recess；　line　and　bend；　as　I　had　never　seen　them　before。　　The　light

was　coming　as　if　for　the　first　time　since　the　city　sprang　into

beingas　if　a　thousand　years　had　rolled　over　it　in　darkness　and

lamplight；　and　now；　now；　after　the　prayers　and　longings　of　ages；　the

sun　of　God　was　ascending　the　awful　east；　and　the　spirit…voice　had

gone　forth：　'Arise；　shine；　for　thy　light　is　come。'



It　was　a　well…behaved；　proper　London　through　which　I　walked　home。

Here　and　there；　it　is　true；　a　debauched…looking　man；　with　pale

face；　and　red　sleepy　eyes；　or　a　weary；　withered　girl；　like　a

half…moon　in　the　daylight；　straggled　somewhither。　　But　they　looked

strange　to　the　London　of　the　morning。　　They　were　not　of　it。　　Alas

for　those　who　creep　to　their　dens；　like　the　wild　beasts　when　the　sun

arises；　because　the　light　has　shaken　them　out　of　the　world。　　All　the

horrid　phantasms　of　the　Valley　of　the　Shadow　of　Death　that　had　risen

from　the　pit　with　the　vaporous　night　had　sunk　to　escape　the　arrows

of　the　sun；　once　more　into　its　bottomless　depth。　　If　any　horrid　deed

was　doing　now；　how　much　more　horrid　in　the　awful　still　light　of　this

first　hour　of　a　summer　morn！　　How　many　evil　passions　now　lay　sunk

under　the　holy　waves　of　sleep！　　How　many　heartaches　were　gnawing

only　in　dreams；　to　wake　with　the　brain；　and　gnaw　in　earnest　again！

And　over　all　brooded　the　love　of　the　Lord　Christ；　who　is　Lord　over

all　blessed　for　ever；　and　shall　yet　cast　death　and　hell　into　the

lake　of　firethe　holy　purifying　Fate。



I　got　through　my　sole　engagementa　very　dreary　one；　for　surely

never　were　there　stupider　young　people　in　the　whole　region　of　rank

than　those　to　whom　duty　and　necessity　sent　me　on　the　Wednesday

mornings　of　that　London　seasoneven　with　some　enjoyment。　　For　the

lessons　Falconer　had　been　giving　me　clung　to　me　and　grew　on　me　until

I　said　thus　to　myself：　'Am　I　to　believe　only　for　the　poor；　and　not

for　the　rich？　　Am　I　not　to　bear　with　conceit　even；　hard　as　it　is　to

teach？　for　is　not　this　conceit　itself　the　measure　as　the　consequence

of　incapacity　and　ignorance？　　They　cannot　help　being　born　stupid；

any　more　than　some　of　those　children　in　St。　Giles's　can　help　being

born　preternaturally；　unhealthily　clever。　　I　am　going　with　my　friend

this　evening：　that　hope　is　enough　to　make　me　strong　for　one　day　at

least。'　　So　I　set　myself　to　my　task；　and　that　morning　wiled　the

first　gleam　of　intelligent　delight　out　of　the　eyes　of　one　poor

little　washed…out　ladyship。　　I　could　have　kissed　her　from　positive

thankfulness。



The　day　did　wear　over。　　The　evening　did　come。　　I　was　with　my

friendfor　friend　I　could　call　him　none　the　less　and　all　the　more

that　I　worshipped　him。



'I　have　business　in　Westminster；'　he　said；　'and　then　on　the　other

side　of　the　water。'



'I　am　more　and　more　astonished　at　your　knowledge　of　London；　Mr。

Falconer；'　I　said。　'You　must　have　a　great　faculty　for　places。'



'I　think　rather　the　contrary；'　he　answered。　'But　there　is　no　end　to

the　growth　of　a　faculty；　if　one　only　uses　itespecially　when　his

whole　nature　is　interested　in　its　efficiency；　and　makes　demands　upon

it。　　The　will　applies　to　the　intellect；　the　intellect　communicates

its　necessities　to　the　brain；　the　brain　bestirs　itself；　and　grows

more　active；　the　eyes　lend　their　aid；　the　memory　tries　not　to　be

behind；　and　at　length　you　have　a　man　gifted　in　localities。'



'How　is　it　that　people　generally　can　live　in　such　quiet　ignorance　of

the　regions　that　surround　them；　and　the　kind　of　humanity　so　near

them？'　　I　said　after　a　pause。



'It　does　seem　strange。　　It　is　as　if　a　man　should　not　know　who　were

in　his　own　house。　　Would…be　civilization　has　for　the　very　centre　of

its　citadel；　for　the　citizens　of　its　innermost　city；　for　the　heart

around　which　the　gay　and　fashionable；　the　learned；　the　artistic；　the

virtuous；　the　religious　are　gathered；　a　people　some　of　whom　are

barbarous；　some　cruel；　many　miserable；　many　unhappy；　save　for　brief

moments　not　of　hope；　but　of　defiance；　distilled　in　the　alembic　of

the　brain　from　gin：　what　better　life　could　steam　up　from　such　a

Phlegethon！　　Look　there：　〃Cream　of　the　Valley！〃　　As　if　the　mocking

serpent　must　with　sweet　words　of　Paradise　deepen　the　horrors　of　the

hellish　compound；　to　which　so　many　of　our　brothers　and　sisters　made

in　the　image　of　God；　fly　as　to　their　only　Saviour　from　the　misery　of

feeling　alive。'



'How　is　it　that　the　civilized　people　of　London　do　not　make　a

simultaneous　inroad　upon　the　haunts　of　the　demons　and　drive　them

out？'



'It　is　a　mercy　they　do　not。　　They　would　only　do　infinite　mischief。

The　best　notion　civilization　seems　to　have　isnot　to　drive　out　the

demons；　but　to　drive　out　the　possessed；　to　take　from　them　the　poor

refuges　they　have；　and　crowd　them　into　deeper　and　more　fetid

hellsto　make　room　for　what？more　and　more　temples　in　which　Mammon

may　be　worshipped。　　The　good　people　on　the　other　hand　invade　them

with　foolish　tracts；　that　lie　against　God；　or　give　their　money　to

build　churches；　where　there　is　as　yet　no　people　that　will　go　to

them。　　Why；　the　other　day；　a　young　clergyman　bored　me；　and　would

have　been　boring　me　till　now；　I　think；　if　I　would　have　let　him；　to

part　with　a　block　of　my　houses；　where　I　know　every　man；　woman；　and

child；　and　keep　them　in　comparative　comfort　and　cleanliness　and

decency；　to　say　no　more；　that　he　might　pull　them　down　and　build　a

church　upon　the　sitenot　quite　five　minutes'　walk　from　the　church

where　he　now　officiates。'



It　was　a　blowing；　moon…lit　night。　　The　gaslights　flickered　and

wavered　in　the　gusts　of　wind。　　It　was　cold；　very　cold　for　the

season。　　Even　Falconer　buttoned　his　coat　over　his　chest。　　He　got　a

few　paces　in　advance　of　me　sometimes；　when　I　saw　him　towering　black

and　tall　and　somewhat　gaunt；　like　a　walking　shadow。　　The　wind

increased　in　violence。　　It　was　a　north…easter；　laden　with　dust；　and

a　sense　of　frozen　Siberian　steppes。　　We　had　to　stoop　and　head　it　at

the　corners　of　streets。　　Not　many　people　were　out；　and　those　who

were；　seemed　to　be　hurrying　home。　　A　few　little　provision…shops；　and

a　few　inferior　butchers'　stalls　were　still　open。　　Their　great　jets

of　gas；　which　looked　as　if　they　must　poison　the　meat；　were　flaming

fierce　and　horizontal；　roaring　like　fiery　flags；　and　anon　dying　into

a　blue　hiss。　　Discordant　singing；　more　like　the　howling　of　wild

beasts；　came　from　the　corner　houses；　which　blazed　like　the　gates　of

hell。　　Their　doors　were　ever　on　the　swing；　and　the　hot　odours　of

death　rushed　out；　and　the　cold　blast　of　life　rushed　in。　　We　paused　a

little　before　one　of　themover　the　door；　upon　the　sign；　was　in　very

deed　the　name　Death。　　There　were　ragged　women　within　who　took　their

half…dead　babies　from　their　bare；　cold；　cheerless　bosoms；　and　gave

them　of　the　poison　of　which　they　themselves　drank　renewed　despair　in

the　name　of　comfort。　　They　say　that　most　of　the　gin　consumed　in

London　is　drunk　by　women。　　And　the　little　clay…coloured　baby…faces

made　a　grimace　or　two；　and　sank　to　sleep　on　the　thin　tawny　breasts

of　the　mothers；　who　having　gathered　courage　from　the　essence　of

despair；　faced　the　scowling　night　once　more；　and　with　bare　necks　and

hopeless　hearts　wentwhither？　　Where　do　they　all　go　when　the

gin…hells　close　their　yawning　jaws？　　Where　do　they　lie　down　at

night？　　They　vanish　like　unlawfully　risen　corpses　in　the　graves　of

cellars　and　garrets；　in　the　charnel…vaults　of　pestiferously…crowded

lodging…houses；　in　the　prisons　of　police…stations；　under　dry　arches；

within　hoardings；　or　they　make　vain　attempts　to　rest　the　night　out

upon　door…steps　or　curbstones。　　All　their　life　long　man　denies　them

the　one　right　in　the　soil　which　yet　is　so　much　theirs；　that　once

that　life　is　over；　he　can　no　longer　deny　itthe　right　of　room　to

lie　down。　　Space　itself　is　not　allowed　to　be　theirs　by　any　right　of

existence：　the　voice　of　the　night…guardian　commanding　them　to　move

on；　is　as　the　howling　of　a　death…hound　hunting　them　out　of　the　air

into　their　graves。



In　St。　James's　we　came　upon　a　group　around　the　gates　of　a　great

house。　　Visitors　were　coming　and　going；　and　it　was　a　show　to　be　had

for　nothing　by　those　who　had　nothing　to　pay。　　Oh！　the　children　with

clothes　too　ragged　to　hold　pockets　for　their　chilled　hands；　that

stared　at　the　childless　duchess　descending　from　her　lordly　carriage！

Oh！　the　wan　faces；　once　lovely　as　theirs；　it　may　be；　that　gazed

meagre　and　pinched　and　hungry　on　the　young　maidens　in　rose…colour

and　blue；　tripping　lightly　through　the　avenue　of　their　eager

eyesnot　yet　too　envious　of　unattainable　felicity　to　gaze　with

admiring　sympathy　on　those　who　seemed　to　them　the　angels；　the

goddesses　of　their　kind。　'O　God！'　　I　thought；　but　dared　not　speak；

'and　thou　couldst　make　all　these　girls　so　lovely！　　Thou　couldst　give

them　all　the　gracious　garments　of　rose　and　blue　and　white　if　thou

wouldst！　　Why　should　these　not　be　like　those？　　They　are　hungry　even；

and　wan　and　torn。　　These　too　are　thy　children。　　There　is　wealth

enough　in　thy　mines　and　in　thy　green　fields；　room　enough　in　thy

starry　spaces；　O　God！'　　But　a　voicethe　echo　of　Falconer's

teaching；　awoke　in　my　heart'Because　I　would　have　these　more

blessed　than　those；　and　those　more　blessed　with　them；　for　they　are

all　my　children。'



By　the　Mall　we　came　into　Whitehall；　and　so　to　Westminster　Bridge。

Falconer　had　changed　his　mind；　and　would　cross　at　once。　　The

present　bridge　was　not　then　finished；　and　the　old　bridge　alongside

of　it　was　still　in　use　for　pedestrians。　　We　went　upon　it　to　reach

the　other　side。　　Its　centre　rose　high　above　the　other；　for　the　line

of