第10章

Thesimpleservicewenton；thefirstlessonwasread。Itcriedwoeuponthemthatjoinedhousetohouseandfieldtofield，thatdrawiniquitywithcordsofvanityandsinasitwerewithacartrope；

thatcallevilgoodandgoodevil，thatputdarknessforlightandlightfordarkness，thatjustifythewickedforreward；thatfeastfullbutregardnottheworkoftheLord，neitherconsidertheoperationofHishand，forofsuchitprophesiedthattheirhousesgreatandfairshouldbewithoutinhabitantanddesolate。

Itwasverywellread，andAlan，listening，thoughtthatthedenunciationsoftheoldseerofthousandsofyearsagowerenotinappropriatetothedwellersinsomehousesgreatandfairofhisownday，who，whatevertheydidorleftundone，regardednottheworkoftheLord，neitherconsideredtheoperationofHishand。PerhapsBarbarathoughtsotoo；atanyratearathersadlittlesmileappearedonceortwiceuponhersweet，firmfaceastheimmortalpoemechoeddowntheaisle。

Thepeacethatpassethunderstandingwasinvokedupontheirheads，andrisingwiththerestofthescantycongregationtheywentaway。

“Shallwewalkhomebythewoods，Alan？“askedBarbara。“Itisthreemilesround，butwedon’tlunchtilltwo。“

Henodded，andpresentlytheywerealoneinthosewoods，thebeautifulwoodsthroughwhichthebreathofspringwasbreathing，treadinguponcarpetsofbluebells，violetandprimrose；quitealone，unaccompaniedsavebythewildthingsthatstoleacrosstheirpath，undisturbedsavebythesoundofthesingingbirdsandofthewindamongthetrees。

“Whatdidyoumean，Barbara，whenyousaidthatIshouldbeagratefulmanto-day？“askedAlanpresently。

Barbaralookedhimintheeyesinthatopen，virginalfashionofhersandansweredinthewordsofthelesson，“’Woeuntothemthatdrawiniquitywiththecordsofvanityandsinasitwerewithacart-rope，thatlayhousetohouse，’“andthroughanopeninginthewoodsshepointedtotheroofofTheCourtstandingononehill，andtotheroofofOldHallstandinguponanother——“’andfieldtofield，’“andwithasweepofherhandsheindicatedallthecountryround，“’formanyhousesgreatandfairthathavemusicintheirfeastsshallbeleftdesolate。’“Thenturningshesaid:

“Doyouunderstandnow，Alan？“

“Ithinkso，“heanswered。“YoumeanthatIhavebeeninbadcompany。“

“Verybad，Alan。Oneofthemismyownuncle，butthetruthremainsthetruth。Alan，theyarenobetterthanthieves；allthiswealthisstolen，andIthankGodthatyouhavefounditoutintimebeforeyoubecameoneoftheminheartaswellasinname。“

“IfyourefertotheSaharaSyndicate，“hesaid，“theideaissoundenough；indeed，Iamresponsibleforit。Thethingcanbedone，greatbenefitswouldresult，toolongtogointo。“

“Yes，yes，Alan，butyouknowthattheynevermeantodoit，theyonlymeantogetthemillionsfromthepublic。Ihavelivedwithmyunclefortenyears，eversincemypoorfatherdied，andIknowthebackstairsofthebusiness。Therehavebeenhalfadozenschemeslikethis，andalthoughtheyhavehadtheirbadtimes，verybadtimes，heandSirRoberthavegrownricherandricher。Butwhathashappenedtothosewhohaveinvestedinthem？Oh！letusdropthesubject，itisunpleasant。Formyselfitdoesn’tmatter，becausealthoughitisn’tundermycontrol，Ihavemoneyofmyown。Youknowweareaplebeianlotonthemaleside，mygrandfatherwasadraperinalargewayofbusiness，myfatherwasacoal-merchantwhomadeagreatfortune。Hisbrother，myuncle，inwhommyfatheralwaysbelievedimplicitly，tooktowhatiscalledFinance，andwhenmyfatherdiedheleftme，hisonlychild，inhisguardianship。UntilIamfiveandtwentyIcannotevenmarryortouchahalfpennywithouthisconsent；infactifI

shouldmarryagainsthiswillthemostofmymoneygoestohim。“

“Iexpectthathehasgotitalready，“saidAlan。

“No，Ithinknot。Ifoundoutthat，althoughitisnotmine，itisnothis。Hecan’tdrawitwithoutmysignature，andIsteadilyrefusetosignanything。Againandagaintheyhavebroughtmedocuments，andI

havealwayssaidthatIwouldconsiderthematfiveandtwenty，whenI

cameofageundermyfather’swill。IwentontheslytoalawyerinKingswellandpaidhimaguineaforhisadvice，andheputmeuptothat。’Signnothing，’hesaid，andIhavesignednothing，so，exceptbyforgerynothingcanhavegone。Stillforallthatitmayhavegone。

ForanythingIknowIamnotworthmorethantheclothesIstandin，althoughmyfatherwasaveryrichman。“

“Ifso，weareaboutinthesameboat，Barbara，“Alanansweredwithalaugh，“formypresentpossessionsareYarleys，whichbringsinabout￡100ayearlessthantheinterestonitsmortgagesandcostofupkeep，andthe￡1700thatAylwardpaidmebackonFridayformyshares。IfIhadstucktothemIunderstandthatinaweekortwoI

shouldhavebeenworth￡100，000，andnowyousee，hereIam，overthirtyyearsofagewithoutaprofession，invalidedoutofthearmyandhavingfailedinfinance，amerebitofdriftwoodwithouthopeandwithoutatrade。“

Barbara’sbrowneyesgrewsoftwithsympathy，orwasittears？

“Youareacuriouscreature，Alan，“shesaid。“Whydidn’tyoutakethe￡17，000forthatfetishofyours？Itwouldhavebeenafairdealandhavesetyouonyourlegs。“

“Idon’tknow，“heanswereddejectedly。“Itwentagainstthegrain，sowhatistheuseoftalkingaboutit？IthinkmyolduncleAustintoldmeitwasn’ttobepartedwith——no，perhapsitwasJeekie。BothertheYellowGod！itisalwayscroppingup。“

“Yes，“repliedBarbara，“theYellowGodisalwayscroppingup，especiallyinthisneighbourhood。“

Theywalkedonawhileinsilence，tillsuddenlyBarbarasatdownuponaboleoffelledoakandbegantocry。

“Whatisthematterwithyou？“askedAlan。

“Idon’tknow，“sheanswered。“Everythinggoeswrong。Iliveinakindofgildedhell。Idon’tlikemyuncleandIloaththemenhebringsabouttheplace。Ihavenofriends，Iscarcelyknowawomanintimately，IhavetroublesIcan’ttellyouand——Iamwretched。YouaretheonlycreatureIhavelefttotalkto，andIsupposethatafterthisrowyoumustgoawaytootomakeyourliving。“

Alanlookedatherthereweepingonthelogandhisheartswelledwithinhim，forhehadlovedthisgirlforyears。

“Barbara，“hegasped，“pleasedon’tcry，itupsetsme。Youknowyouareagreatheiress——“

“Thatremainstobeproved，“sheanswered。“Butanyway，whathasittodowiththecase？“

“Ithaseverythingtodowithit，atleastsofarasIamconcerned。

Ifithadn’tbeenforthatIshouldhaveaskedyoutomarrymealongwhileago，becauseIloveyou，asIwouldnow，butofcourseitisimpossible。“

Barbaraceasedherweeping，wipedhereyeswiththebackofherhand，andlookedupathim。

“Alan，“shesaid，“IthinkthatyouarethebiggestfoolIeverknew——

notbutthatafoolisratherrefreshingwhenonelivesamongknaves。“

“IknowIamafool，“heanswered。“IfIwasn’tIshouldnothavementionedmymisfortunetoyou，butsometimesthingsaretoomuchforone。Forgetitandforgiveme。“

“Oh！yes，“shesaid；“Iforgiveyou；awomancangenerallyforgiveamanforbeingfondofher。Whatevershemaybe，sheisreadytotakealenientviewofhishumanweakness。Butastoforgetting，thatisadifferentmatter。Idon’texactlyseewhyIshouldbesoanxioustoforget，whohaven’tmanypeopletocareaboutme，“andshelookedathiminquiteanewfashion，oneindeedwhichgavehimsomethingofashock，forhehadnotthoughtthenymph-likeBarbaracapableofsuchalookasthat。Sheandanysortofpassionhadalwaysseemedsofarapart。

NowafterallAlanwasverymuchaman，ifamodestone，withallaman’sinstincts，andthereforethereareappearancesofthefemalefacewhichevensuchashecouldnotentirelymisinterpret。

“You——don’t——mean，“hesaiddoubtfully，“youdon’treallymean——“

andhestoodhesitatingbeforeher。

“Ifyouwouldputyourquestionalittlemoreclearly，Alan，Imightbeabletogiveyouananswer，“shereplied，thatquaintlittlesmileofherscreepingtothecornersofhermouthlikesunshinethroughamistofrain。

“Youdon’treallymean，“hewenton，“thatyoucareanythingaboutme，like，likeIhavecaredforyouforyears？“

“Oh！Alan，“shesaid，laughingoutright，“whyinthenameofgoodnessshouldn’tIcareaboutyou？Ididn’tsaythatIdo，mind，butwhyshouldn’tI？Whatisthegulfbetweenus？“

“Theoldone，“heanswered，“thatbetweenDivesandLazarus——thatbetweentherichandthepoor。“

“Alan，“saidBarbara，lookingdown，“Idon’tknowwhathascomeoverme，butforsomeunexplainedandinexplicablereasonIaminclinedtogiveLazarusalead——acrossthatgulf，thefirstone，Imean，notthesecond！“

Liketheglancewhichprecededit，thiswasasayingthatevenAlancouldnotmisunderstand。Hesathimselfonthelogbesideher，whileshe，stilllookingdown，watchedhimoutofthecornersofhereyes。

Hewentred，hewentwhite，hisheartbeatveryviolently。Thenhestretchedouthisbigbrownhandandtookhersmallwhiteone，andasthisfamiliarityproducednoremonstrance，letitfall，andpassinghisarmabouther，drewhertohimandembracedher，notonce，butoften，withsuchvigourthatasquirrelwhichhadbeenwatchingtheseproceedingsfromaneighbouringtree，boltedrounditscandalizedandwasseennomore。