Then followed a story of which Mary Magna was the centre, with T-S and myself for background. The reporter had hunted out the Mexican family with which Carpenter had spent the night, and he drew a touching2 picture of Carpenter praying over Mary in this humble3 home, and converting her to a better life. Would the “million dollar vamp,” as the “Examiner” called her, now take to playing only religious parts? Mary was noncommittal on the point; and pending4 her decision, the “Examiner” published her portraits in half a dozen of her most luxurious5 roles—for example, as Salome after taking off the seventh veil. Side by side with Carpenter, that had a real “punch,” you may believe!
The telephone rang, and there was the voice of T-S, fairly raving6. He didn't mind the “Examiner” stuff; that was good business, but that in the “Times”—he was going to sue the “Times” for a million dollars, by God, and would I back him in his claim that he had not put Carpenter up to the healing business?
After a bit, the magnate began apologizing for his repudiation7 of the prophet. He was in a position, just now with these hard times, where the Wall Street crowd could ruin him if he got in bad with them. And then he told me a curious story. Last night, after the meeting, young Everett, his secretary, had come to him and asked if he could have a couple of months' leave of absence without pay. He was so much interested in Carpenter that he wanted to follow him and help him!
“Y' know, Billy,” said the voice over the phone, “y' could a' knocked me over vit a fedder! Dat young feller, he vas alvays so quiet, and such a fine business feller, I put him in charge of all my collections. I said to him, 'Vot you gonna do?' And he said, 'I gonna learn from Mr. Carpenter.' Says I, 'Vot you gonna learn?' and he says, 'I gonna learn to be a better man.' Den8 he vaits a minute, and he says, 'Mr. T-S, he told me to foller him!' J' ever hear de like o' dat?”
“What did you say?”
“Vot could I say? I vanted to say, 'Who's givin' you de orders?' But I couldn't, somehow! I hadda tell him to go ahead, and come back before he forgot all my business.”
I dressed, and had my breakfast, and drove to St. Bartholomew's. It was a November morning, bright and sunny, as warm as summer; and it is always such a pleasure to see that goodly company of ladies and gentlemen, so perfectly9 groomed10, so perfectly mannered, breathing a sense of peace and well being. Ah, that wonderful sense of well being! “God's in His Heaven, all's right with the world!” And what a curious contrast with the Labor11 Temple! For a moment I doubted Carpenter; surely these ladies with their decorative12 bonnets13, their sweet perfumes, their gowns of rose and lilac and other pastel shades—surely they were more important life-products than women in frowsy and dowdy14 imitation clothes! Surely it was better to be serene15 and clean and pleasant, than to be terrible and bewildered, sick and quarrelsome! I was seized by a frenzy16, a sort of instinctive17 animal lust18 for this life of ease and prettiness. No matter if those dirty, raucous-voiced hordes19 of strikers, and others of their “ilk”—as the “Times” phrased it—did have to wash my clothes and scrub my floors, just so that I stayed clean and decent!
I bowed to a score or two of the elegant ladies, and to their escorts in shiny top hats and uncreased kid gloves, and went into the exquisite20 church with its glowing stained glass window, and looked up over the altar—and there stood Carpenter! I tell you, it gave me a queer shock. There he was, up in the window, exactly where he had always been; I thought I had suddenly wakened from a dream. There had been no “prophet fresh from God,” no mass-meeting at Grant Hall, no editorial in the “Times”! But suddenly I heard a voice at my elbow: “Billy, what is this awful thing you've been doing?” It was my Aunt Caroline, and I asked what she meant, and she answered, “That terrible prophet creature, and getting your name into the papers!”
So I knew it was true, and I walked with my dear, sweet old auntie down the aisle21, and there sat Aunt Jennie, with her two lanky22 girls who have grown inches every time I run into them; and also Uncle Timothy. Uncle Timothy was my guardian23 until I came of age, so I am a little in awe24 of him, and now I had to listen to his whispered reproaches—it being the first principle of our family never to “get into the papers.” I told him that it wasn't my fault I had been knocked down by a mob, and surely I couldn't help it if this man Carpenter found me while I was unconscious, and made me well. Nor could I fail to be polite to my benefactor25, and try to help him about. My Uncle Timothy was amazed, because he had accepted the “Times” story that it was all a “movie” hoax26. Everybody will tell you in Western City that they “never believe a word they read in the 'Times'”; but of course they do—they have to believe something, and what else have they?
I was trying to think about that picture over the altar. Of course, they would naturally have replaced it! I wondered who had found old de Wiggs up there; I wondered if he knew about it, and if he had any idea who had played that prank27. I looked to his pew; yes, there he sat, rosy28 and beaming, bland29 as ever! I looked for old Peter Dexter, president of the Dexter Trust Company—yes, he was in his pew, wizened30 and hunched31 up, prematurely32 bald. And Stuyvesant Gunning, of the Fidelity33 National—they were all here, the masters of the city's finance and the pillars of “law and order.” Some wag had remarked if you wanted to call directors' meeting after the service, you could settle all the business of Western City in St. Bartholomew's!
The organ pealed34 and the white-robed choir35 marched in, bearing the golden crosses, and followed by the Reverend Dr. Lettuce-Spray, smooth-shaven, plump and beautiful, his eyes bent36 reverently37 on the floor. They were singing with fervor38 that most orthodox of hymns40:
The church's one foundation Is Jesus Christ, her Lord.
It is a beautiful old service, as you may know, and I had been taught to love it and thrill to it as a little child, and we never forget those things. Peace and propriety41 are its keynotes; order and dignity, combined with sensuous42 charm. Everyone knows his part, and it moves along like a beautiful machine. I knelt and prayed, and then sat and listened, and then stood and sang—over and over for perhaps three-quarters of an hour. We came to the hymn39 which precedes the sermon, and turning to the number, we obediently proclaimed:
The Son of God goes forth43 to war A kingly crown to gain: His blood-red banner streams afar: Who follows in His train?
During the singing of the last verse, the Reverend Lettuce-Spray had moved silently into the pulpit. After the choir had sung “Amen,” he raised his hands in invocation—and at that awesome44 moment I saw Carpenter come striding up the aisle!
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1
pawns
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| n.（国际象棋中的）兵( pawn的名词复数 )；卒；被人利用的人；小卒v.典当，抵押( pawn的第三人称单数 )；以（某事物）担保 | |
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touching
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| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
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humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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pending
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| prep.直到，等待…期间；adj.待定的；迫近的 | |
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luxurious
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| adj.精美而昂贵的；豪华的 | |
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6
raving
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| adj.说胡话的；疯狂的，怒吼的；非常漂亮的；令人醉心[痴心]的v.胡言乱语(rave的现在分词)n.胡话；疯话adv.胡言乱语地；疯狂地 | |
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7
repudiation
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| n.拒绝；否认；断绝关系；抛弃 | |
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den
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| n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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10
groomed
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| v.照料或梳洗（马等）( groom的过去式和过去分词 )；使做好准备；训练；（给动物）擦洗 | |
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11
labor
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| n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦 | |
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12
decorative
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| adj.装饰的，可作装饰的 | |
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13
bonnets
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| n.童帽( bonnet的名词复数 )；（烟囱等的）覆盖物；（苏格兰男子的）无边呢帽；（女子戴的）任何一种帽子 | |
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14
dowdy
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| adj.不整洁的；过旧的 | |
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serene
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| adj. 安详的，宁静的，平静的 | |
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16
frenzy
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| n.疯狂，狂热，极度的激动 | |
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instinctive
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| adj.(出于)本能的；直觉的；(出于)天性的 | |
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lust
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| n.性(淫)欲；渴(欲)望；vi.对…有强烈的欲望 | |
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19
hordes
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| n.移动着的一大群( horde的名词复数 )；部落 | |
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20
exquisite
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| adj.精美的；敏锐的；剧烈的，感觉强烈的 | |
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aisle
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| n.（教堂、教室、戏院等里的）过道，通道 | |
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lanky
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| adj.瘦长的 | |
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guardian
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| n.监护人；守卫者，保护者 | |
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24
awe
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| n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧 | |
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25
benefactor
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| n. 恩人，行善的人，捐助人 | |
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26
hoax
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| v.欺骗，哄骗，愚弄；n.愚弄人，恶作剧 | |
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27
prank
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| n.开玩笑，恶作剧；v.装饰；打扮；炫耀自己 | |
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28
rosy
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| adj.美好的，乐观的，玫瑰色的 | |
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bland
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| adj.淡而无味的，温和的，无刺激性的 | |
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wizened
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| adj.凋谢的；枯槁的 | |
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31
hunched
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| （常指因寒冷、生病或愁苦）耸肩弓身的，伏首前倾的 | |
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prematurely
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| adv.过早地，贸然地 | |
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fidelity
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| n.忠诚，忠实；精确 | |
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34
pealed
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| v.（使）（钟等）鸣响，（雷等）发出隆隆声( peal的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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35
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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36
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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37
reverently
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| adv.虔诚地 | |
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38
fervor
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| n.热诚；热心；炽热 | |
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39
hymn
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| n.赞美诗，圣歌，颂歌 | |
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40
hymns
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| n.赞美诗，圣歌，颂歌( hymn的名词复数 ) | |
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41
propriety
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| n.正当行为；正当；适当 | |
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42
sensuous
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| adj.激发美感的；感官的，感觉上的 | |
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43
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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44
awesome
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| adj.令人惊叹的，难得吓人的，很好的 | |
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