Her whispered "Yes, Alf, yes!" might, of course, represent an exclamation3 apropos4 of almost anything. For instance, the words might form the tail-end of almost any sort of domestic conversation—or perhaps a talk about holding a Sunday School rally in the fall. The incomplete phrase might, in one's imagination, expand itself into something like this: "Yes, we really must. Nothing like a well-planned rally to stir up the interest of the young folks. Yes, Alf, yes!" But as a matter of fact, Mrs. Needham and her husband had not been discussing any such matters. The authentic5 conversation, to go back a little, which had just antedated6 egress7 from the cottage living room, ran, in fact, as follows:
"Alf, I do want you two to get better acquainted!"
"What?"
"More intimate, and not...."
"Well, Anna?"
"Not quite so—so stiff, somehow...."
"H'm-m-m!"
[Pg 130]
"Alf, she's so good-hearted. If it's true she has changed any way, who knows but you might have an influence ...?"
He sighed heavily. They stood facing each other. It became a little formal.
"Alf, this would be a splendid chance. She's right out there on the steps!"
"Oh, well—really! Not this morning. No, not just now, when we're all keyed up about Barry. In the course of time, I daresay...."
"Oh, now, Alf," she coaxed8, in a very low, throaty, persuasive9 contralto. "Oh, do go out there now! I'll call Hilda in for something. There's—there's some mending—ought to be done right away," she quickly added, as the suspicion hovered10 between them that Hilda would be called in on mere11 pretense12.
"Anna, maybe this afternoon."
"Now! Oh, Alf—now!"
"Anna, I—"
"Yes, Alf, yes!"
And so he was gently pushed on to the porch.
Hilda and Marjory looked up. There was a barricade13 of mosquito netting between them and the emerged pair. Hilda was flushed. She had just been waving to some one in the water. Marjory's eyes kindled14 with indefinite mirth, and at this kindling15 the minister's heart quaked a little. There was something about his wife's sister—yes, he thoroughly16 admitted it now; there was something about her. She was strange and incompatible17. Had she, [Pg 131]indeed, become inclined to be atheistical18 in her beliefs? Was that what made him feel so uncomfortable, always, in her presence? He a man of the pulpit, it would be natural that the ungodly should fill him with distrust; natural they should make him wary19 and cautious. Was it that in Marjory? Was it that?
"Hilda, see here a minute," said Mrs. Needham; and she beckoned20 discreetly21. Hilda followed her mother into the cottage.
This left the Rev. Needham on one side of the screening and Miss Whitcom on the other. Miss Whitcom still sat on the second step with the pen in her hand. She had dipped the pen a good many times, but the letter was no further advanced. She turned to watch Leslie get in the last full strokes and crawl out. He lay in the hot sand a moment or so before racing22 indoors.
The Rev. Needham had sunk into the nearest chair, and sat there rocking, with just perceptible nervousness, clearing his throat from time to time in a manner which appeared to afford that portion of his anatomy23 no appreciable24 relief. It seemed a kind of moral clearing. It was the vague articulation25 of incertitude26.
As a matter of fact, Marjory had forgotten all about her brother-in-law. She was musing27. At length a more desperate laryngeal disturbance28 than any that had preceded brought her back to contemporary consciousness.
[Pg 132]
"Ho!" she cried. "I didn't know you were there, Alfred!" There were times when he thought her almost coarse.
"I thought I'd just come out here a few minutes," he said. "It's quite cool on this side, till the sun gets round." The minister sighed. He had an uncomfortable inner feeling that he hadn't quite justified29 his presence. It was, to be sure, his own porch; but that did not make any difference. Dimly he hoped his relation would not relinquish30 her position on the second step.
Marjory dipped her pen again, but the letter was doomed31. With a gesture of languid, smiling despair the task was conclusively32 abandoned.
"No, it's no use," she muttered, rather unintelligibly33. "I never can concentrate at a resort."
"Beg pardon, Marjory?"
"I just want to dream and dream all day. Isn't it dreadfully delightful35?"
"Yes—we like it up here," he replied, the least bit stiffly.
"Alfred, how did you ever happen to come so far?"
"So far?"
"Yes; aren't there any resorts in Ohio?"
"Well, you see it was, to begin with, on account of the Summer Assembly...."
She didn't fully34 fathom36 it until he had explained: "We're a sort of religious colony here on the Point."
"Oh-h-h!" cried the lady then, with the air of one[Pg 133] who is vastly—perhaps a little satirically—enlightened. "I understand now what Anna meant yesterday when she spoke37 about 'visiting clergymen.' You hold meetings, I presume, and then have some refreshments38 at the end?"
"No refreshments," he replied, in a rather dry tone, reproving her at the same time, with an almost sharp glance.
"Well," she agreed, with a touch of apology, "I suppose you wouldn't. I was thinking of some of our Tahulamaji pow-wows."
To this he made no reply; but the somewhat chill dignity of the silence which ensued provoked, alas39, an even more unfortunate question.
"Alfred, I know you'll consider me perfectly40 awfully41 impossible, but it's been such a long time.... I've forgotten—I really have.... It—it isn't Methodist, is it ...?"
"Methodist, Marjory?"
"What I mean is, you're not.... Oh, Alfred, for heaven's sake before I simply explode with chagrin42, do quickly tell me what you are!"
"My denomination43?" he asked unhappily.
"That's the word! Do please forgive a poor creature who's lived so long in out-of-the-way places that she's half forgotten how to be civilized44!"
"There are certain things," the Rev. Needham told himself icily, "one never quite forgets, unless one...." He started a little, raised his eyes wanly46 to hers, but shifted them quickly to the[Pg 134] landscape. "I am a Congregational minister, Marjory," he said.
"Oh, dear me! Of course! I'm sure I remembered subconsciously47. Don't you think such a thing is possible?"
"You mean ...?" He seemed unable fully to concentrate, either—though not primarily because this was a resort.
"I mean remembering subconsciously. But you see it's all because in Tahulamaji we get so fearfully lax about everything."
Was this his cue? He fidgeted, glanced sidewise to see whether his wife were within range of his voice.
"I presume there's a great deal of laxness in Tahulamaji...."
"Well," she pondered, accepting his wider implication. "Yes, I'm afraid so. Still, of course, one must never lose sight of the missionaries48."
"Yes!" brightened her brother-in-law. "We help support a missionary49 in Tahulamaji. Perhaps you—"
"No, Alfred, no. I'm afraid I've never had that pleasure. You see I've been so busy, and the missionary seems always so busy, too."
"There's much to be done," he reminded her simply.
She was quite serious and respectful. He began to grow more at ease; more expansive; told her a great deal about what missionaries do in foreign[Pg 135] lands, and especially what the missionary in Tahulamaji was doing. His talk grew really interesting. Then there was a shift which brought them round to the activities of the church in America.
"We're trying to broaden out all we can," he told her. "Every year new opportunities seem to be opening up. We have to keep abreast50 of the times. For instance, there's the parish house—"
Leslie's arrival interrupted them. He was now dressed in white and wore a purple tie. Hilda came skipping across the porch and ran down the steps to him.
"You must wish us luck!" she called back over her shoulder.
"Just bushels of it!" Miss Whitcom called loudly after them.
Mrs. Needham had come to the door of the cottage. She stood surveying the situation so laboriously51 contrived52. Having Marjory out there on the second step and her husband above in the rocker, with a wall of netting between them, did not somehow seem very auspicious53. But she sighed and quickly withdrew; it was better than no situation at all. She thought of a text her husband had used once: "Be ye content with what the Lord giveth"—or something to that effect.
The Rev. Needham cleared his throat, again privately54 a little nervous. For no reason at all there had seemed to him a godless twang to her gracious, full-voiced "just bushels of it!"
Miss Whitcom recovered the threads for him.[Pg 136] "Yes, yes, Alfred. Quite so. You were saying something about a parish house."
"We hope to build one, in the spring ... if we can," he went on. "The money's partly raised. Of course it takes a long time—money doesn't seem very plentiful55 just now. But the parish house, when we get it"—his eyes lighted softly—"will add so much to our practical facilities."
She noted56 this softness, and it touched her a little. All the same she had some not very soothing57 things to say.
"Yes, I've no doubt. I'm quite amazed—I may say almost frightened, Alfred—at the development of the common-sense idea in America. You notice it especially, I suppose, coming in like this from a long absence. The change, I may say, quite smites58 one. It's baffling—it's bewildering! Good gracious, all the old, moony Victorianism gone! The whole ecclesiastical life of the community made over into something so dashing and up-to-date that I tell you frankly60, Alfred, I'd be almost afraid to go into a church, for fear I might no longer know how to behave! It's amazing, Alfred—it really is—how 'practical' religion has grown. I tell you I never would have dreamed the church had such a future! I come back from my long sojourn61 in heathendom, and what do I find? I find religion all slicked up on to a strict business basis. At last the church of God has reached an appreciation62 of the value and importance of money! Everywhere you read of mammoth63 [Pg 137]campaigns to raise millions of dollars. You have to have a real business head on your shoulders nowadays—don't you find it so, Alfred?—to be a minister. It's wonderful simply beyond belief! If Christ were to walk in suddenly I know he would have to show his card at the door. I know they would ask him what he came about and how long the interview would take. Practical Christianity, you call it, don't you, Alfred?"
"Marjory, I...."
"Ah—now I've shocked you! Yes, I see I have. You mustn't mind my speaking out so bluntly. It's a way I've rather fallen into of late, I'm afraid. And when I say the new Christianity seems baffling to me, I mean it's quite splendidly baffling. Practical Christianity—what a fine idea it was! I wonder who thought of it. Yes, the church was always too exclusive. There can be no doubt of it. Practical Christianity—practical philanthropy—with the elaborate social service bureaus—they've just simply transformed everything. What a hustle64 and bustle—and what undreamed-of efficiency! Just think how efficiently65 the church stood back of the war! And yet—you must pardon me—I somehow can't help feeling that even with all its slogans and its hail-fellow slaps across your shoulders.... You know"—she interrupted herself, in a way, but it was to pursue the same trend of thought—"I had quite an adventure on the train, coming from New York. I watched a Bishop66 retire! Oh, don't look so scandalized, Alfred. Of course it was quite all right."
[Pg 138]
"I hope so, Marjory," he murmured limply.
"I must tell you about the Bishop, Alfred. He was just the kind of man you would expect a Protestant bishop to be—his face, I mean. Calm—so very calm—and so gently yet firmly ecclesiastic59! He wore an unobtrusive but stylish67 clerical costume of soft grey, and a little gold cross hung round his neck—you know. It struck me as never before how close the Episcopacy is snuggling up to Rome.... Oh, but I must tell you about the Bishop's going to bed!"
The Rev. Needham sat there almost breathless on his screened porch. His dismay might have struck one as speechless—at any rate, he was speechless.
"The Bishop," continued Miss Whitcom, "seemed very weary. There was a quiet, tired look in his eyes. He had his dinner early, sitting all alone at one of the little tables on the shady side. I ate my dinner at another of the little tables, and was quite fascinated. There was something so patrician68 about him. He was so subtly sleek69! I didn't see him again until his berth70 was made up. But the making up, Alfred, was what fascinated me more than the Bishop himself! The porter was just fitting things together when I came in from my simple dinner. He spread down one mattress71, and then—Alfred, I gasped72 to see it—he spread down another right on top of it!"
"Another, Marjory?" The minister appeared quite absorbed, almost fascinated.
[Pg 139]
"Had he taken the whole section?" she demanded.
To this no reply was ventured, and she continued:
"Or did he get them both as a kind of divine dispensation? Anyway, the bed, I must say, looked almost royal. There were four pillows instead of two, and they were given little special pats and caresses73. All of a sudden I thought of Jacob's stone, Alfred. Wasn't it funny? I couldn't help it. And then I thought about 'the Son of Man hath not where to lay His head'—wasn't it curious? And then, only then, Alfred (you see how slow I am), it occurred to me that this must be a part of the new order of things! It came to me almost like an inspiration that the bed of the Bishop must have something to do with Practical Christianity. But I'm forgetting the last appealing touch, Alfred. The Bishop had a huge bag of golf sticks with him. They reposed74 all night in the upper berth!"
She ended her rather long story about the Bishop; and its precise interpretation75 remained a thing of doubt for the minister. Was she serious? Or was she only laughing? His bearing now argued a preparedness for either mood. But whatever her motive76, in a moment Miss Whitcom appeared to have forgotten all about the Bishop and to be busy with other matters. The Rev. Needham sat on his own side of the netting and didn't know just what he ought to do or say. What was to be done, what said? Fortunately, at this vaguely77 uncomfortable juncture,[Pg 140] there came another, and this time a really important, interruption.
Steps were heard on the sparse78 planking which served for sidewalk between Beachcrest and the road to Crystalia.
The minister, rising quickly, began rubbing his hands together. "It must be Mr. Barry," he said.
Mrs. Needham appeared at the cottage door, as though bidden by some psychic79 intelligence. "Are they here?" she asked excitedly.
"I can't see yet, for the shrubbery. But I think I hear Louise's voice."
"I see her," Miss Whitcom advised them from her position on the steps. "And what's more," she added, while her sister hastily patted and preened80 herself, "I see him also!"
"Mr. Barry?"
"Um. Rather tall. Not exactly bad looking.... But," she added darkly, "they're walking ever so far apart!"
What did she mean by that? The Rev. Needham glanced a little nervously81 at his wife and unconsciously began humming the Invocation.
They arrived. Lynndal was presented to Mrs. Needham, then to Miss Whitcom. He was, of course, very warmly greeted by the minister.
Louise looked troubled....
The Dutch clock in the cottage living room set up a spiteful striking: one, two, three, four (each stroke tart45 and inimical), five, six, seven, eight (as[Pg 141] though from the very depths of its mechanism82 it would cry out against the terrific irony83 of life), nine, ten....
Lynndal had come all the way from Arizona.
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1
rev
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| v.发动机旋转，加快速度 | |
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doorway
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| n.门口，(喻)入门；门路，途径 | |
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exclamation
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| n.感叹号，惊呼，惊叹词 | |
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apropos
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| adv.恰好地；adj.恰当的；关于 | |
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authentic
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| a.真的，真正的；可靠的，可信的，有根据的 | |
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antedated
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| v.（在历史上）比…为早( antedate的过去式和过去分词 )；先于；早于；（在信、支票等上）填写比实际日期早的日期 | |
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egress
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coaxed
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| v.哄，用好话劝说( coax的过去式和过去分词 )；巧言骗取；哄劝，劝诱 | |
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persuasive
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| adj.有说服力的，能说得使人相信的 | |
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hovered
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| 鸟( hover的过去式和过去分词 )； 靠近（某事物）； （人）徘徊； 犹豫 | |
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mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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pretense
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| n.矫饰，做作，借口 | |
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barricade
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| n.路障，栅栏，障碍；vt.设路障挡住 | |
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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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kindling
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thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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incompatible
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| adj.不相容的，不协调的，不相配的 | |
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atheistical
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| adj.无神论（者）的 | |
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wary
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| adj.谨慎的，机警的，小心的 | |
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beckoned
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discreetly
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racing
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| n.竞赛，赛马；adj.竞赛用的，赛马用的 | |
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anatomy
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| n.解剖学，解剖；功能，结构，组织 | |
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appreciable
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| adj.明显的，可见的，可估量的，可觉察的 | |
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articulation
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incertitude
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| n.疑惑，不确定 | |
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musing
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| n. 沉思，冥想 adj. 沉思的, 冥想的 动词muse的现在分词形式 | |
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disturbance
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| n.动乱，骚动；打扰，干扰；(身心)失调 | |
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justified
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| a.正当的，有理的 | |
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relinquish
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| v.放弃，撤回，让与，放手 | |
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doomed
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| 命定的 | |
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conclusively
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unintelligibly
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| 难以理解地 | |
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fully
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delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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fathom
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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refreshments
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| n.点心,便餐;(会议后的)简单茶点招 待 | |
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alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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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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awfully
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| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
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chagrin
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| n.懊恼；气愤；委屈 | |
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denomination
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| n.命名，取名，(度量衡、货币等的)单位 | |
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civilized
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| a.有教养的，文雅的 | |
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tart
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| adj.酸的；尖酸的，刻薄的；n.果馅饼；淫妇 | |
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wanly
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| adv.虚弱地；苍白地，无血色地 | |
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subconsciously
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| ad.下意识地，潜意识地 | |
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missionaries
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| n.传教士( missionary的名词复数 ) | |
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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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abreast
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| adv.并排地；跟上(时代)的步伐，与…并进地 | |
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laboriously
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| adv.艰苦地；费力地；辛勤地；（文体等）佶屈聱牙地 | |
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contrived
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| adj.不自然的，做作的；虚构的 | |
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auspicious
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| adj.吉利的；幸运的，吉兆的 | |
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privately
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| adv.以私人的身份，悄悄地，私下地 | |
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plentiful
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| adj.富裕的，丰富的 | |
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noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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soothing
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| adj.慰藉的；使人宽心的；镇静的 | |
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smites
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| v.猛打，重击，打击( smite的第三人称单数 ) | |
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ecclesiastic
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| n.教士，基督教会；adj.神职者的，牧师的，教会的 | |
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frankly
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| adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说 | |
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sojourn
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| v./n.旅居，寄居；逗留 | |
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appreciation
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| n.评价；欣赏；感谢；领会，理解；价格上涨 | |
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mammoth
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| n.长毛象；adj.长毛象似的，巨大的 | |
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hustle
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efficiently
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| adv.高效率地，有能力地 | |
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bishop
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| n.主教，（国际象棋）象 | |
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67
stylish
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| adj.流行的，时髦的；漂亮的，气派的 | |
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patrician
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| adj.贵族的，显贵的；n.贵族；有教养的人；罗马帝国的地方官 | |
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69
sleek
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| adj.光滑的，井然有序的；v.使光滑，梳拢 | |
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70
berth
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| n.卧铺，停泊地，锚位；v.使停泊 | |
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71
mattress
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| n.床垫，床褥 | |
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72
gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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73
caresses
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| 爱抚，抚摸( caress的名词复数 ) | |
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reposed
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| v.将（手臂等）靠在某人（某物）上( repose的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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interpretation
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| n.解释，说明，描述；艺术处理 | |
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76
motive
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| n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的 | |
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77
vaguely
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| adv.含糊地，暖昧地 | |
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78
sparse
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| adj.稀疏的，稀稀落落的，薄的 | |
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79
psychic
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| n.对超自然力敏感的人；adj.有超自然力的 | |
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80
preened
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| v.（鸟）用嘴整理（羽毛）( preen的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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81
nervously
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| adv.神情激动地，不安地 | |
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82
mechanism
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| n.机械装置；机构，结构 | |
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irony
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| n.反语，冷嘲；具有讽刺意味的事，嘲弄 | |
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