Some little time before the supper-bell rang, De Forrest sauntered in, and witnessed a scene that both surprised and puzzled him. And yet a lover would scarcely have found, in the quiet and pretty picture that the parlor1 and its occupants made, any ground for jealousy2. Hemstead was at the centre-table, under the now-lighted chandelier, reading aloud from the Bible. Lottie sat by the hearth3, the firelight playing upon an unusually grave and thoughtful face.
"Well," he exclaimed, "you look for all the world like an old married couple keeping Sunday together."
Of course Hemstead flushed. But why should Lottie's color grow richer than the ruddy fire-light warranted? She knew she was blushing, and the fact puzzled her, for it was a new experience to find the blood flying into her face, and her heart in a sudden flutter.
She was also excessively annoyed at De Forrest's intrusion, for such it seemed, though he had an equal right to the parlor with herself. We usually judge unjustly, in proportion as we feel strongly.
But the habit of her old, insincere life swayed her, and she said lightly, "If, instead of dozing4 away the whole afternoon, you would follow Mr. Hemstead's example and read the Bible, you would be the better for it."
"I would have read to you all the afternoon, if you had given me a chance, and even from the Bible if you had asked for it," De Forrest replied, with an injured air.
"Well, you see Mr. Hemstead is a predestined missionary5, and he no doubt thought, and correctly too, that he would never find a truer object of missionary effort than myself; so I have obtained a better knowledge of the Bible this afternoon than ever before."
They were now joined by others, and the conversation became general.
Soon after they went out to supper.
The depression of the sermon appeared to have passed from the rest, as well as from Lottie and Hemstead, though for different reasons. The latter had gone out of themselves toward God, and had found Him the source of light and cheer. The others had forgotten Him, and still remained in the dim, chill grottos6 of their unbelief, illumining their darkness by such artificial and earth-lit tapers7 as the occasion offered. Mrs. Marchmont's apartments were cosey and elegant, the supper was inviting8, the ruddy wood-fire and easy chairs suggested luxurious9 comfort; and why should they not be comfortable, and quietly forget their dismal10 thoughts about God, and the self-denial of the Cross? The current of ordinary and worldly life, which Hemstead's sincere but mistaken words had rudely interrupted, now began to flow on as quietly and smoothly11 as before.
But with Lottie it was very different, and the tides of her life seemed seeking new channels.
Bel, and to a certain extent the others, noted12 peculiarities13 in her manner and that of Hemstead. Her moodiness14 was gone, but in its place was not her old levity15. When Moses came down from the presence of God, his face shone so that he was compelled to veil its brightness; and it has ever seemed true that nearness to God and His truth gives spiritual light and attractiveness to the plainest features.
Lottie was more than beautiful that evening. She was radiant. Like a sunrise in June, two forms of pure, ennobling love were dawning in her heart; and the first, faint, unrecognized emotions illumined her face strangely at times. Her manner was unusually gentle, and while responding to the general conversation she had many moments of abstraction, and was evidently carrying on a chain of thought very different from that appearing upon the surface of their table-talk. But all remembered that Lottie abounded16 in moods, and she was what the commonplace call "an odd girl."
But why Hemstead, after his gloom and chagrin17 at dinner, should now be beaming, was not so clear. Bel thought, "The poor moth18! Lottie has been dazzling him with her dangerous smiles. It's a shame."
After supper Harcourt appeared, and sacred music was in order. Even De Forrest and Addie joined in this with considerable zest19. It was the proper, and about the only thing that could be done on a Sabbath evening. The most irreligious feel better for the occasional indulgence of a little religious sentimentality. When the aesthetic20 element is supreme21, and thorny22 self-denial absent, devotion is quite attractive to average humanity. Moreover the dwarfed23 spiritual nature of the most materialistic24 often craves25 its natural sustenance26; and Sabbath evening at times suggests to the worldly that which alone can satisfy. The "Sun of Righteousness" sheds a pale, reflected ray upon them; but this is better than utter darkness, and may lure27 forward where the Divine smile will beam fully28 upon them. Do not let us undervalue Sunday evening sentiment and sacred music, even though occurring where there was a dance yesterday, and where there will be a revel29 to-morrow. There must always be a first support on which the grovelling30 vine can begin to climb heavenward.
Though sentiment, like pale moonlight, causes no ripe and wholesome31 growth, it is better than darkness, and is proof that the vivifying light is shining somewhere.
In the case of Hemstead, however, the words of praise and prayer composing the hymns32 sung were the intelligent utterances34 of a believing heart to the natural object of its faith and devotion.
Lottie was not much given to sentiment, even in religion, and the sacred words, a week before, would have come from her lips only, while she thought of other things; but now she was surprised to find how her heart was stirred by them, and how, from being empty phrases, they were becoming full of beautiful meaning.
That was a memorable35 Sabbath evening to her. It seemed as if within her old, earth-born, material life, a subtile spiritual one had been kindled36, which illumined and glorified37 everything.
She felt as if endowed with a new sense, by means of which she was becoming dimly conscious of a new and different world. She was more than happy: she was thrilling with strange and mysterious joy, and was elated beyond measure, as if Christian38 principle and heaven were already won; as many a pilgrim is happier before the quickly coming fall into the "Slough39 of Despond" than ever again until within the gates of the Celestial40 City.
Lottie's flame-like spirit was not prone41 to take anything coolly; and now that her soul was kindled by fire from heaven, and in addition her whole nature awakened42 by the as yet unrecognized, but strongest of earthly forces,—the natural love of her heart for the one to whom only had been given the power to inspire it, little wonder that her but half-suppressed excitement was surprising both to herself and others,—little wonder that she was more radiant than ever she had been upon the gayest and most brilliant occasions.
There was nothing unnatural43 in her experience. She had looked upon the face of Him who is the light and life of the world. Let her enjoy the brief ecstasy44. Never chill the soul that is thrilling with the first strong pulses of spiritual life by discouraging doubts. Remind such, if you will, that now, as with the disciples45 of old, the moments on the Mount of Transfiguration are few, and the days of work and self-denial on the lowly plain many. But do not fail to close your homily with the assurance that the work and self-denial are of earth, while the illumined mount is the type of an eternal heaven.
The evening was passing. While devotion burned more brightly, sentiment was flickering46 out. The others were growing weary. Hemstead had the tact47 to see this, and he also wished to be alone that he might think over the bewildering experiences of the day. Therefore he suggested that they close with Ray Palmer's beautiful hymn33, that from the first moment of faith, until faith's fruition, is the appropriate language of those who accept of God's remedy for evil.
"My faith looks up to Thee,
Thou Lamb of Calvary,
Saviour48 divine.
Now hear me while I pray,
Take all my guilt49 away,
O, let me from this day
Be wholly Thine."
He hoped that with Lottie it might crown the teachings of the day, and fix her thoughts on the true source of help.
This hope found a richer fulfilment than he expected, for to her awakened spirit the lines seemed inspired to express her deepest need. As the last words trembled from her lips the rush of feeling was too strong for repression50, and she impetuously left the room.
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1
parlor
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| n.店铺，营业室；会客室，客厅 | |
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jealousy
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| n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌 | |
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hearth
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| n.壁炉炉床，壁炉地面 | |
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4
dozing
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| v.打瞌睡,假寐 n.瞌睡 | |
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missionary
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| adj.教会的，传教(士)的；n.传教士 | |
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grottos
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| n.（吸引人的）岩洞，洞穴，（人挖的）洞室( grotto的名词复数 ) | |
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tapers
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| （长形物体的）逐渐变窄( taper的名词复数 )； 微弱的光； 极细的蜡烛 | |
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8
inviting
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| adj.诱人的，引人注目的 | |
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9
luxurious
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| adj.精美而昂贵的；豪华的 | |
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dismal
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| adj.阴沉的，凄凉的，令人忧郁的，差劲的 | |
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smoothly
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| adv.平滑地，顺利地，流利地，流畅地 | |
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noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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peculiarities
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| n. 特质, 特性, 怪癖, 古怪 | |
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14
moodiness
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| n.喜怒无常；喜怒无常，闷闷不乐；情绪 | |
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15
levity
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| n.轻率，轻浮，不稳定，多变 | |
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abounded
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| v.大量存在，充满，富于( abound的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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chagrin
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| n.懊恼；气愤；委屈 | |
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moth
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| n.蛾，蛀虫 | |
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19
zest
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| n.乐趣；滋味，风味；兴趣 | |
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aesthetic
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| adj.美学的，审美的，有美感 | |
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supreme
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| adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的 | |
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thorny
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| adj.多刺的，棘手的 | |
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dwarfed
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| vt.（使）显得矮小（dwarf的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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24
materialistic
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| a.唯物主义的，物质享乐主义的 | |
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craves
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| 渴望，热望( crave的第三人称单数 )； 恳求，请求 | |
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sustenance
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| n.食物，粮食；生活资料；生计 | |
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lure
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| n.吸引人的东西，诱惑物；vt.引诱，吸引 | |
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28
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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29
revel
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| vi.狂欢作乐，陶醉；n.作乐，狂欢 | |
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30
grovelling
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| adj.卑下的，奴颜婢膝的v.卑躬屈节，奴颜婢膝( grovel的现在分词 )；趴 | |
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31
wholesome
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| adj.适合；卫生的；有益健康的；显示身心健康的 | |
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32
hymns
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| n.赞美诗，圣歌，颂歌( hymn的名词复数 ) | |
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33
hymn
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| n.赞美诗，圣歌，颂歌 | |
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34
utterances
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| n.发声( utterance的名词复数 )；说话方式；语调；言论 | |
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35
memorable
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| adj.值得回忆的，难忘的，特别的，显著的 | |
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kindled
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| （使某物）燃烧，着火( kindle的过去式和过去分词 )； 激起（感情等）； 发亮，放光 | |
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glorified
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| 美其名的，变荣耀的 | |
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38
Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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39
slough
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| v.蜕皮，脱落，抛弃 | |
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40
celestial
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| adj.天体的；天上的 | |
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41
prone
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| adj.(to)易于…的，很可能…的；俯卧的 | |
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42
awakened
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| v.（使）醒( awaken的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）觉醒；弄醒；（使）意识到 | |
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43
unnatural
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| adj.不自然的；反常的 | |
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44
ecstasy
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| n.狂喜，心醉神怡，入迷 | |
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45
disciples
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| n.信徒( disciple的名词复数 )；门徒；耶稣的信徒；（尤指）耶稣十二门徒之一 | |
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46
flickering
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| adj.闪烁的，摇曳的，一闪一闪的 | |
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47
tact
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| n.机敏，圆滑，得体 | |
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48
saviour
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| n.拯救者，救星 | |
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49
guilt
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| n.犯罪；内疚；过失，罪责 | |
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50
repression
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| n.镇压，抑制，抑压 | |
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