In vain he raised his big muscular hand over the tumult2.
Troops of young men and women with flushed faces, some laughing, some crying, sprang from their seats, rushed to the platform and seized his hand.
The strains of the national hymn3 suddenly burst from the crowd, and they rose en masse singing it with triumphant4 peal5. As its last note died away a woman’s voice started “Nearer, My God, to Thee,” the people caught it instantly and its mighty6 chorus rolled heavenward. The singing had in it the spontaneous rhythm of hearts transported by resistless feeling. For half an hour they stood and sang the old familiar hymns7 whose sentences were wet with the tears and winged with the hopes and mysteries of their lives.
Instead of a sermon, Gordon read his resignation as pastor8 of the Pilgrim Church.
And then, folding his hands behind him, in trumpet9 tones he cried:
“Next Sunday morning will be the last service I will ever conduct in this church; the Sunday morning following, at eleven o’clock, the first services of the ‘Church of the Son of Man’ will be held in the old Grand Opera House. It will seat four thousand people. All who wish to join this independent society are cordially invited to be present and bring your friends. The work of building the ‘Temple of Man’ will begin at once. Within six months we hope to lay its corner-stone.”
The meeting was closed at once with the Doxology and Benediction10.
The reporters crowded around him for fuller details. He refused to give any further information. They interviewed every officer of the church and congregation from whom any news might be secured, and it was nine o’clock before the excitement had subsided11 and the crowd left.
The organist and quartet choir12 lingered to rehearse their music for the following Sunday.
Gordon retired13 to his study, where he had asked Kate to meet him for an important conference.
The church opened on the cross street and stretched its barn shape through the entire block. The study was beside the pulpit platform, a little beyond the centre of the building. Behind it was the Sunday-school and reading-room, opening on the rear.
Kate had the keys to the reading-room, which was under her direction, and Gordon asked her to come to his study from the rear entrance through the Sunday-school room that she might avoid the suspicion of the reporters. For the same reason he did not wish to be seen at her house. He had left the door of his study unlocked for her, and she entered before the crowd had left the church.
Within a few moments from the time she unlocked the door of the reading-room, Van Meter’s detectives informed him that she was in the pastor’s study and that he had left the rear door open for her to secretly enter.
The Deacon despatched one of his men with an anonymous15 note to Ruth informing her that Gordon was in his study alone by secret appointment with Kate Ransom16, and giving to her duplicate keys to every door in the church building.
The detective did not see Ruth, but the maid said she was at home, and he handed her the package.
Gordon had telephoned to her briefly17 the facts of the excitement of the morning, and told her he was so exhausted18 that he would not return for dinner, but would take his meals at a hotel and come home after the evening service.
When Ruth received the note and keys she was brooding over his absence and peering in the depths of the widening gulf19 which separated them in such a crisis of his life.
The note threw her into the wildest excitement. All the old fiery20 temper and jealousy21 which she had kept smouldering in restraint now burst its bounds.
Flushed and trembling she rushed from the house and soon reached the church.
She opened the door gently, and with soft feline22 step was about to enter the Sunday-school room to reach his study, when through the glass sliding partition she heard the voice of Van Meter talking in the dark to a detective and a reporter.
She listened intently.
“I wish you had a flashlight camera,” he was saying. “His wife will be here in a few minutes and the scene in that room would be worth ten thousand dollars. I have a good photograph of the woman you can use. You can get his anywhere.”
“It will be a great scoop23 on the other fellows who will write up the Temple without the Priestess!” the reporter whispered.
“I’d give a thousand dollars to see his face in the morning when he picks up your paper and reads its headlines,” chuckled24 the Deacon. “His eloquence25, his bullfrog voice, his curling locks, his splendid eyes, will all be needed, and will all of them be inadequate26 to the occasion.”
“It will be tough on that beautiful woman, the scandal—by George, it’s a pity,” the reporter sighed.
“But it will be a great day for the little black-eyed spitfire wife of his he’s been neglecting for the past year. Her revenge will be sweet. I’ve been sorry enough for her.”
“I wonder if she will promptly27 sue for a divorce?”
“Yes; you can write that down without an interview,” the Deacon replied.
Ruth had come raging in anger against her husband. But the cold words of these men, whispering in the dark their joy over his downfall, stopped the beat of her heart.
She could see the big cruel headlines in the morning paper, holding her beloved up to shame in the hour of his triumph. Surely this would be what he deserved. But she loved him—yes, good or bad, she loved him. He was the hero of her girl’s soul, the father of her beautiful children, and in spite of all his coldness and neglect he was her heart’s desire.
And the feeling came crushing down upon her that perhaps she had failed somehow to do her whole duty. She had been wilful28 and fretful and had not kept in touch and sympathy with his work. She had demanded a perfect love and loyalty29, and in agony she asked herself if she had given as much as she had demanded. Had she not thought too much of her own rights and wrongs and too little of his hopes and burdens? And perhaps because of this he was to be crushed at a blow, and his enemies laugh at his calamity30 and give to her their maudlin31 pity.
She could hear the sweet strains of the organ in the church and the soprano singing the Gloria.
She held her hand on her heart for a moment, as though it were breaking, and suddenly her soul was born anew.
Out of the shadows of self and self-seeking she lifted up her head into the sunlight of a perfect love, a love that suffereth long and is kind, vaunteth not itself, is not puffed32 up, seeketh not its own, believeth all things, endureth all things—love that never faileth.
“Lord, have mercy on me, and help me—I must save him!” she cried in agony.
Rapidly retracing33 her steps, she passed back into the street and around the block to the front of the church.
To her joy she encountered no one. The Deacon was so sure of his triumph he had withdrawn34 his detectives from the street and had them massed as witnesses in the Sunday-school room. He was sure they would emerge by that way, for it was Gordon’s usual way of exit, and the choir was still singing in the church.
With feverish35 haste she applied36 the key to the spring lock of the door for the members’ entrance and passed noiselessly down the aisle37 in the shadows under the gallery, unobserved by the choir. Only the lights about the organ were burning.
When she reached the door of the study she paused.
What if she found him with his arms about her and his lips on hers? Could she control herself? Would she not spring on the woman, with all the tiger of her hot Southern blood from centuries of proud ancestry38 tingling39 in her tapering40 fingers, and tear those blue eyes from her head? She must be sure. No; it was over now. She had conquered self. She would save him.
Slipping the key softly into the lock, she entered and stood a moment, her stormy eyes burning a deep, steady fire.
They were studying a map of the city with eager interest in the location of the Temple and did not see or hear her.
As she saw them thus, a sense of gratitude41 soothed42 her excitement and gave perfect control of her voice.
“Frank,” she said quietly.
“Ruth!” he exclaimed in amazement43, striding toward her, while Kate blushed and, with dilated44 eyes, stared at her, dumb with fear of a scene of violence.
“Yes,” she continued in even, rapid tones, “I have come, in love, not anger, to save you both from shame and disgrace. That room behind you is full of detectives and reporters. They are waiting for the choir to leave to find you here alone. They sent for me to give a fitting climax45 to the scene. They have your photograph already, Miss Ransom, and the reporter is preparing his article on the hidden Priestess of the new Temple.”
“Oh, I thank you!” Kate cried, trembling.
“Keep your thanks. I do this from no regard for you. Frankly46, I hate you—hate and envy yoi your terrible beauty that has robbed me of that which I hold dearer than life.”
“But I do not hate you, Mrs. Gordon. I have for you only the kindliest feelings,” Kate protested.
“I prefer your hatred47. But we have no time for talk.”
Ruth quickly removed her hat and cloak and handed them to Kate.
“Exchange with me and pass quickly out of the church by the little front door. Keep under the shadows of the gallery and the choir cannot see you.”
In a moment it was done, and Gordon faced his wife alone.
“My dear, that was a beautiful deed you have just done.”
“Don’t say ‘my dear’ to me again until we have come to an understanding of this meeting,” his wife said, closing her lips firmly.
“As you will,” he gravely answered.
“When we are at home to-night alone I will hear your explanation.”
“What you have told me is of such importance I cannot go home to-night. I must see friends who will reach that newspaper in time to know what Van Meter can have printed. It may keep me the whole night.”
“Very well; it will not be the first night I have spent alone,” she answered bitterly.
“I will go with you to the elevated station, and will be home certainly early in the morning.”
They stepped from the study, and Gordon turned the electric switch, filling the room with a blaze of light.
Van Meter and his men blinked in amazement at the sight of the preacher and his wife quietly walking toward them.
“You contemptible48 old sneak49!” he hissed50. “How dare you crawl into this room to spy on me?”
“I thought I had good reasons for being here,” he spluttered, nervously51 clearing his throat.
“Well, you thought a lie as your father, the devil, did before you.”
“Apparently a mistake somewhere,” stammered52 the Deacon, looking sheepishly at Mrs. Gordon. “And I’d like to explain to you, sir, that I didn’t bring that cat.”
“Well, cat or no cat, I give you a parting warning. We will not meet again in this church, and if I ever catch you sneaking53 around me I’ll take a whip and thrash you as I would a cur, you little ferret-eyed imp14 of hell!”
The Deacon cowered54 beneath the furious giant figure and beckoned55 to the detectives.
Gordon and his wife passed by them and out into the night.
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收听单词发音
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1
subscribed
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| v.捐助( subscribe的过去式和过去分词 )；签署，题词；订阅；同意 | |
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2
tumult
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| n.喧哗；激动，混乱；吵闹 | |
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hymn
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| n.赞美诗，圣歌，颂歌 | |
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triumphant
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| adj.胜利的，成功的；狂欢的，喜悦的 | |
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5
peal
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| n.钟声；v.鸣响 | |
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6
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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hymns
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| n.赞美诗，圣歌，颂歌( hymn的名词复数 ) | |
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8
pastor
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| n.牧师，牧人 | |
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9
trumpet
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| n.喇叭，喇叭声；v.吹喇叭，吹嘘 | |
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10
benediction
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| n.祝福；恩赐 | |
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11
subsided
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| v.（土地）下陷（因在地下采矿）( subside的过去式和过去分词 )；减弱；下降至较低或正常水平；一下子坐在椅子等上 | |
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12
choir
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| n.唱诗班，唱诗班的席位，合唱团，舞蹈团；v.合唱 | |
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13
retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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imp
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| n.顽童 | |
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15
anonymous
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| adj.无名的；匿名的；无特色的 | |
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16
ransom
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| n.赎金，赎身；v.赎回，解救 | |
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briefly
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| adv.简单地，简短地 | |
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18
exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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19
gulf
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| n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂 | |
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20
fiery
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| adj.燃烧着的，火红的；暴躁的；激烈的 | |
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21
jealousy
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| n.妒忌，嫉妒，猜忌 | |
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22
feline
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| adj.猫科的 | |
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23
scoop
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| n.铲子，舀取，独家新闻；v.汲取，舀取，抢先登出 | |
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24
chuckled
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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25
eloquence
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| n.雄辩；口才，修辞 | |
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26
inadequate
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| adj.(for,to)不充足的，不适当的 | |
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promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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28
wilful
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| adj.任性的，故意的 | |
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29
loyalty
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| n.忠诚，忠心 | |
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30
calamity
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| n.灾害，祸患，不幸事件 | |
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31
maudlin
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| adj.感情脆弱的，爱哭的 | |
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32
puffed
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| adj.疏松的v.使喷出( puff的过去式和过去分词 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧 | |
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33
retracing
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| v.折回( retrace的现在分词 )；回忆；回顾；追溯 | |
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34
withdrawn
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| vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出 | |
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35
feverish
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| adj.发烧的，狂热的，兴奋的 | |
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36
applied
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| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
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37
aisle
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| n.（教堂、教室、戏院等里的）过道，通道 | |
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38
ancestry
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| n.祖先，家世 | |
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39
tingling
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| v.有刺痛感( tingle的现在分词 ) | |
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40
tapering
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| adj.尖端细的 | |
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41
gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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42
soothed
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| v.安慰( soothe的过去式和过去分词 )；抚慰；使舒服；减轻痛苦 | |
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43
amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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44
dilated
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| adj.加宽的，扩大的v.（使某物）扩大，膨胀，张大( dilate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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45
climax
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| n.顶点；高潮；v.(使)达到顶点 | |
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46
frankly
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| adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说 | |
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47
hatred
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| n.憎恶，憎恨，仇恨 | |
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48
contemptible
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| adj.可鄙的，可轻视的，卑劣的 | |
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49
sneak
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| vt.潜行(隐藏,填石缝)；偷偷摸摸做；n.潜行；adj.暗中进行 | |
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50
hissed
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| 发嘶嘶声( hiss的过去式和过去分词 )； 发嘘声表示反对 | |
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51
nervously
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| adv.神情激动地，不安地 | |
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52
stammered
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| v.结巴地说出( stammer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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53
sneaking
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| a.秘密的，不公开的 | |
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54
cowered
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| v.畏缩，抖缩( cower的过去式 ) | |
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55
beckoned
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| v.（用头或手的动作）示意，召唤( beckon的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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