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CHAPTER XXIV
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Samuel had had nothing to eat since morning, but he did not feel hungry. He was faint from grief and despair. To encounter a man of the world like Mr. Wygant, cold and merciless and masterful—that was a terrible ordeal1 for him. The man seemed to him like some great fortress2 of evil; and what could he do, save to gaze at it in impotent rage?
He went home, and Sophie met him at the door. “I thought you wanted an early supper, Samuel,” said she.
“Why?” he asked dully.
“You had something to do at the church tonight!”
“Yes,” he recollected3, “there's to be a vestry meeting, and I have to light up. But I'm tired of the church work.”
“Tired of the church work!” gasped4 the child. “Yes,” he said. And then to the amazed and terrified family, he told the story of his day's experiences.
Sophie listened, thrilling with excitement. “And you went to see Mr. Wygant!” she cried in awe5. “Oh, Samuel, how brave of you!”
“He ordered me out of his house,” said the boy bitterly. “And Dr. Vince has gone back on me—I have no one at all to help.”
Sophie came to him and flung her arms about him. “You have us, Samuel!” she exclaimed. “We will stand by you—won't we mother?”
“Yes,” said Mrs. Stedman—“but what can poor people like us do?”
“And then you have Miss Gladys!” cried Sophie after a moment.
“Miss Gladys!” he echoed. “Will she take my part against her own father?”
“She told you that she loved you, Samuel,” said the child. “And she knows that you are in the right.”
“I will have to go and see her,” said Samuel after a little. “I promised that I would come and tell what happened.”
“And I will see her, too!” put in the other. “Oh, I'm sure she'll stand by you!”
The child's face was aglow6 with excitement; and Samuel looked at her, and for the first time it occurred to him that Sophie was really beautiful. Her face had filled out and her color had come back, since she had been getting one meal every day at the Wygant's. “Don't you think Miss Gladys will help, mother?” she asked.
“I don't know,” said Mrs. Stedman dubiously7.
“It's very terrible—I can't see why such things have to be.”
“You think that Samuel did right, don't you?” cried the child.
“I—I suppose so,” she answered. “It's hard to say—it will make so much trouble. And if Miss Gladys were angry, then you might lose your place!”
“Oh, mother!” cried Sophie. And the two young people gazed at each other in sudden dismay. That was something they had never thought of.
“You mustn't do it, Sophie!” cried the boy. “You must leave it to me!”
“But why should you make all the sacrifices?” replied Sophie. “If it's right for you, isn't it right for me?”
“But, Sophie!” wailed8 Mrs. Stedman. “If you lost this place we should all starve!”
And again they stared at each other with terror in their eyes. “Sophie,” said Samuel, “I forbid you to have anything to do with it!”
But in his heart he knew that he might as well not have said this. And Mrs. Stedman knew it, too, and turned white with fear.
The boy ate a few hurried mouthfuls, and then went off to his work at the church. But he did not go with the old joy in his soul. Before this it had been the work of the Lord that he had been doing; but now he was only serving the Wygants—and the Hickmans—apparently one always served them, no matter where or how he worked in this world.
“You are late,” said old Mr. Jacobs, the sexton, when he arrived.
“Yes, sir,” said Samuel.
“Dr. Vince left word that he wanted to see you as soon as you came.”
The boy's heart gave a leap. Had the doctor by any chance repented9? “Where is he?” he asked.
“In the vestry room,” said the other; and the boy went there.
The instant he entered, Dr. Vince sprang to his feet. “Samuel,” he cried vehemently10, “this thing has got to stop!”
“What thing, Dr. Vince?”
“Your conduct is beyond endurance, boy—you are driving me to distraction11!”
“What have I done now, sir?”
“My brother-in-law has just been here, making a terrible disturbance12. You have been defaming him among the congregation of the church!”
“But, Dr. Vince!” cried Samuel, in amazement13. “I have done nothing of the sort!”
“But you must have! Everyone is talking about it!”
“Doctor,” said the boy solemnly, “you are mistaken. I went to see Mr. Wygant, as I told you I would. Besides that, I have not spoken to a single soul about it, except just now to Sophie and Mrs. Stedman.—Oh, yes,” he added quickly—“and to Miss Gladys!”
“Ah!” exclaimed the other. “There you have it! Miss Gladys is a school friend of Mr. Hickman's daughter; and, of course, she went at once to tell her. And, of course, she will tell everyone else she knows—the whole congregation will be gossiping about it to-morrow!”
“I am very sorry, sir.”
“You see the trouble you cause me! And I must tell you plainly, Samuel, that this thing cannot go on another minute. Unless you are prepared to give up these absurd ideas of yours and attend to your duties as the sexton's boy, it will be necessary for you to leave the church.”
Samuel was staring at him aghast. “Leave the church!” he cried.
“Most assuredly!” declared the other.
“Dr. Vince!” exclaimed the other. “Do you mean that you would actually try to turn me out of the church?”
“I would, sir!”
“But, doctor, have you the right to do that?”
“The right? Why not?”
“You have the right to take away my work. But to turn me out of the church?”
“Samuel,” cried the distracted clergyman, “am I not the rector of this church?”
“But, doctor,” cried Samuel, “it is the church of God!”
There was a long pause.
Finally, Samuel took up the conversation again. “Tell me, Dr. Vince,” he said. “When Mr. Hickman came to see you, did he deny that he had committed that crime?”
“I did not ask him,” replied the other.
“You didn't ask him!” exclaimed the boy in dismay. “You didn't even care that much?”
Again there was a pause. “I asked Mr. Wygant,” said Samuel in a low voice. “And he confessed that he was guilty.”
“What!” cried the other.
“He confessed it—his whole conversation was a confession15 of it. He said everybody did those things, because that was the way to make money, and everybody wanted to make money. He called it competition. And then I asked him why he came to the church of Jesus, and he ordered me out of his house.”
Dr. Vince was listening with knitted brows. “And what do you propose to do now,” he asked.
“I don't know, sir. I suppose I shall have to expose him.”
“Samuel,” exclaimed the clergyman, “in all this wild behavior of yours, does it never occur to you that you owe some gratitude16 to me?”
“Oh, doctor!” cried the boy, clasping his hands in agony. “Don't say anything like that to me!”
“I do say it!” persisted the other. “I saved you and helped you; and now you are causing me most terrible suffering!”
“Doctor,” protested Samuel, “I would do anything in the world for you—I would die for you. But you ask me to be false to my duty; and how can I do that?”
“But does it never occur to you that older and wiser people may be better able to judge than you are?”
“But the facts are so plain, sir! And you have never answered me! You simply command me to be silent!”
The other did not reply.
“When I came to you,” went on Samuel, “you taught me about love and brotherhood—about self-sacrifice and service. And I took you at your word, sir. As God is my witness, I have done nothing but try to apply what you told me! I have tried to help the poor and oppressed. And how could I know that you did not really mean what you said?”
“Samuel,” protested the other, “you have no right to say that! I am doing all that I can. I preach upon these things very often.”
“Yes!” exclaimed the boy, “but what do you preach? Do you tell the truth to these rich people who come to your church? Do you say to them: 'You are robbing the poor. You are the cause of all the misery17 which exists in this town—you carry the guilt14 of it upon your souls. And you must cease from robbery and oppression—you must give up this wealth that you have taken from the people!' No—you don't say that—you know that you don't! And can't you see what that means, Dr. Vince—it means that the church is failing in its mission! And there will have to be a new church—somewhere, somehow! For these things exist! They are right here in our midst, and something must be done!”
And the boy sprang forward in his excitement, stretching out his arms. “The people are starving! Right here about us—here in Lockmanville! They are starving! starving! starving! Don't you understand, Dr. Vince? Starving!”
The doctor wrung18 his hands in his agitation19. “Boy,” he exclaimed, “this thing cannot go on. I cannot stand it any longer!”
“But what am I to do, sir?”
“You are to submit yourself to my guidance. I ask you, once for all, Will you give up these wild courses of yours?”
“Dr. Vince,” cried Samuel, “I cannot! I cannot!”
“Then I tell you it will be necessary for us to part. You will give up your position, and you will leave the church.”
The tears started into Samuel's eyes. “Doctor,” he cried frantically20, “don't cast me out! Don't! I beg you on my knees, sir!”
“I have spoken,” said the other, clenching21 his hands.
“But think what you are doing!” protested the boy. “You are casting out your own soul! You are turning your back upon the truth!”
“I tell you you must go!” exclaimed the doctor.
“But think of it! It means the end of the church. For don't you see—I shall have to fight you! I shall have to expose you! And I shall prevail over you, because I have the truth with me—because you have cast it out! Think what you are doing when you cast out the truth!”
“I will hear no more of this!” cried Dr. Vince wildly. “You are raving22. I tell you to go! I tell you to go! Go now!”
And Samuel turned and went, sobbing23 meanwhile as if his heart would break.


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 ordeal B4Pzs     
n.苦难经历,(尤指对品格、耐力的)严峻考验
参考例句:
  • She managed to keep her sanity throughout the ordeal.在那场磨难中她始终保持神志正常。
  • Being lost in the wilderness for a week was an ordeal for me.在荒野里迷路一星期对我来说真是一场磨难。
2 fortress Mf2zz     
n.堡垒,防御工事
参考例句:
  • They made an attempt on a fortress.他们试图夺取这一要塞。
  • The soldier scaled the wall of the fortress by turret.士兵通过塔车攀登上了要塞的城墙。
3 recollected 38b448634cd20e21c8e5752d2b820002     
adj.冷静的;镇定的;被回忆起的;沉思默想的v.记起,想起( recollect的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • I recollected that she had red hair. 我记得她有一头红发。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • His efforts, the Duke recollected many years later, were distinctly half-hearted. 据公爵许多年之后的回忆,他当时明显只是敷衍了事。 来自辞典例句
4 gasped e6af294d8a7477229d6749fa9e8f5b80     
v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 );喘息;倒抽气;很想要
参考例句:
  • She gasped at the wonderful view. 如此美景使她惊讶得屏住了呼吸。
  • People gasped with admiration at the superb skill of the gymnasts. 体操运动员的高超技艺令人赞叹。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
5 awe WNqzC     
n.敬畏,惊惧;vt.使敬畏,使惊惧
参考例句:
  • The sight filled us with awe.这景色使我们大为惊叹。
  • The approaching tornado struck awe in our hearts.正在逼近的龙卷风使我们惊恐万分。
6 aglow CVqzh     
adj.发亮的;发红的;adv.发亮地
参考例句:
  • The garden is aglow with many flowers.园中百花盛开。
  • The sky was aglow with the setting sun.天空因夕阳映照而发红光。
7 dubiously dubiously     
adv.可疑地,怀疑地
参考例句:
  • "What does he have to do?" queried Chin dubiously. “他有什么心事?”琴向觉民问道,她的脸上现出疑惑不解的神情。 来自汉英文学 - 家(1-26) - 家(1-26)
  • He walked out fast, leaving the head waiter staring dubiously at the flimsy blue paper. 他很快地走出去,撇下侍者头儿半信半疑地瞪着这张薄薄的蓝纸。 来自辞典例句
8 wailed e27902fd534535a9f82ffa06a5b6937a     
v.哭叫,哀号( wail的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • She wailed over her father's remains. 她对着父亲的遗体嚎啕大哭。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
  • The women of the town wailed over the war victims. 城里的妇女为战争的死难者们痛哭。 来自辞典例句
9 repented c24481167c6695923be1511247ed3c08     
对(自己的所为)感到懊悔或忏悔( repent的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • He repented his thoughtlessness. 他后悔自己的轻率。
  • Darren repented having shot the bird. 达伦后悔射杀了那只鸟。
10 vehemently vehemently     
adv. 热烈地
参考例句:
  • He argued with his wife so vehemently that he talked himself hoarse. 他和妻子争论得很激烈,以致讲话的声音都嘶哑了。
  • Both women vehemently deny the charges against them. 两名妇女都激烈地否认了对她们的指控。
11 distraction muOz3l     
n.精神涣散,精神不集中,消遣,娱乐
参考例句:
  • Total concentration is required with no distractions.要全神贯注,不能有丝毫分神。
  • Their national distraction is going to the disco.他们的全民消遣就是去蹦迪。
12 disturbance BsNxk     
n.动乱,骚动;打扰,干扰;(身心)失调
参考例句:
  • He is suffering an emotional disturbance.他的情绪受到了困扰。
  • You can work in here without any disturbance.在这儿你可不受任何干扰地工作。
13 amazement 7zlzBK     
n.惊奇,惊讶
参考例句:
  • All those around him looked at him with amazement.周围的人都对他投射出惊异的眼光。
  • He looked at me in blank amazement.他带着迷茫惊诧的神情望着我。
14 guilt 9e6xr     
n.犯罪;内疚;过失,罪责
参考例句:
  • She tried to cover up her guilt by lying.她企图用谎言掩饰自己的罪行。
  • Don't lay a guilt trip on your child about schoolwork.别因为功课责备孩子而使他觉得很内疚。
15 confession 8Ygye     
n.自白,供认,承认
参考例句:
  • Her confession was simply tantamount to a casual explanation.她的自白简直等于一篇即席说明。
  • The police used torture to extort a confession from him.警察对他用刑逼供。
16 gratitude p6wyS     
adj.感激,感谢
参考例句:
  • I have expressed the depth of my gratitude to him.我向他表示了深切的谢意。
  • She could not help her tears of gratitude rolling down her face.她感激的泪珠禁不住沿着面颊流了下来。
17 misery G10yi     
n.痛苦,苦恼,苦难;悲惨的境遇,贫苦
参考例句:
  • Business depression usually causes misery among the working class.商业不景气常使工薪阶层受苦。
  • He has rescued me from the mire of misery.他把我从苦海里救了出来。
18 wrung b11606a7aab3e4f9eebce4222a9397b1     
绞( wring的过去式和过去分词 ); 握紧(尤指别人的手); 把(湿衣服)拧干; 绞掉(水)
参考例句:
  • He has wrung the words from their true meaning. 他曲解这些字的真正意义。
  • He wrung my hand warmly. 他热情地紧握我的手。
19 agitation TN0zi     
n.搅动;搅拌;鼓动,煽动
参考例句:
  • Small shopkeepers carried on a long agitation against the big department stores.小店主们长期以来一直在煽动人们反对大型百货商店。
  • These materials require constant agitation to keep them in suspension.这些药剂要经常搅动以保持悬浮状态。
20 frantically ui9xL     
ad.发狂地, 发疯地
参考例句:
  • He dashed frantically across the road. 他疯狂地跑过马路。
  • She bid frantically for the old chair. 她发狂地喊出高价要买那把古老的椅子。
21 clenching 1c3528c558c94eba89a6c21e9ee245e6     
v.紧握,抓紧,咬紧( clench的现在分词 )
参考例句:
  • I'll never get used to them, she thought, clenching her fists. 我永远也看不惯这些家伙,她握紧双拳,心里想。 来自飘(部分)
  • Clenching her lips, she nodded. 她紧闭着嘴唇,点点头。 来自辞典例句
22 raving c42d0882009d28726dc86bae11d3aaa7     
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
参考例句:
  • The man's a raving lunatic. 那个男子是个语无伦次的疯子。
  • When I told her I'd crashed her car, she went stark raving bonkers. 我告诉她我把她的车撞坏了时,她暴跳如雷。
23 sobbing df75b14f92e64fc9e1d7eaf6dcfc083a     
<主方>Ⅰ adj.湿透的
参考例句:
  • I heard a child sobbing loudly. 我听见有个孩子在呜呜地哭。
  • Her eyes were red with recent sobbing. 她的眼睛因刚哭过而发红。


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