CHAPTER XIX PARDONED

My sentence had been for a period of fifteen years. Allowing for a commutation for good conduct of two years and six months, I would still have to serve twelve years and six months. Looking ahead, the end of that period seemed long in the future. I did not dare to dwell on my time. Constant brooding over their misfortune is what sends so many prisoners to the insane asylum¹. I tried to spend my time in much reading and a little writing, yet the time seemed endlessly long. From five on a Saturday afternoon to six on Monday morning I was locked in my cell. The ventilation was poor, as I have found it so in all such places. The warden² had once told me that it would do me no good to go to church, and I seldom went. The character of the[Pg 100] chaplain had alienated³ me from thoughts of religion and I drifted into the philosophy of the atheist⁴. I read the books of the so-called freethinkers, and in the reading assimilated some of their teachings. I took much pains that my pals⁵ in the prison should know where I stood in this matter of religion, and I was soon known among them as an atheist of the first water. Strange to say, among the men in the different prisons of my experience, I have seldom found an out-and-out atheist. The great majority of them believe, and believe strongly, in their Creator. It is one of the paradoxes⁶ of their nature. I am glad to say that I myself am no exception.

One day there happened to fall into my hands an announcement of a poetry contest that a certain newspaper was about to begin. I thought, that possessing a little ability along these lines, I would try for the prize of twenty-five dollars offered for the best verse. It was a contest wherein the verse offered should show the value of the want ads of the particular paper. I wrote a[Pg 101] doggerel⁷ and sent my effort to the paper. Some few days after, I received the welcome news that my verse had won the prize. By reason of this there came into my life two friendships that have molded my career into straight and legitimate⁸ channels.

One of these men, to whom I am directly indebted to my liberty at this moment, noticed my effort in the paper and came over to see me. I at first hesitated to meet him. I wanted no friendships, I thought, from men of the outside world. You see my nature had been so deadened by my method of living that I wanted no companionship except that coming from men of my own class. I knew the common type of the reformer and wanted no dealings with men of that kind. I finally consented to see him. His type of mind and sensible methods soon appealed to me. We saw each other frequently and corresponded. In time he brought me my pardon. There is a big spot in my heart for him.

My other friend is a minister. I have always been a little shy on meeting preachers[Pg 102] of the gospel. Why I do not know. But there was always something in my make-up that ever made me lukewarm toward men of that class. I had this against ministers, that the most of them whom I had met lacked, for want of a better term, the strong masculine personality all real men should possess. They appeared to me to have a sort of sticky sense of goodness about them that seems unreal for men of this life to have. They left the impression of feminism upon me. I have thought, too, somehow, that the minister of the present does not know life as it really is, that he spends too much of his time in preaching and too little in doing. Of course I believe that as a class they are all doing all they can toward a betterment of social and industrial life, but I would rather they took their facts from life than from books.

Have you ever met a man whose talk with you has left the impression that it is a good thing, after all, to live? Such an impression did I receive from my first talk with this minister. A man with masculinity[Pg 103] written all over him; a man of strong convictions, yet possessed⁹ of a nature as broad as the Atlantic. He knows life as it is, not as it is written of. A true follower¹⁰ of the majestic¹¹ Christ, he takes his religion seriously, and as of the seven-days-a-week kind, never happier than when he is serving some one else. He has impressed me always as a friend to tie to.

1 asylum   

n.避难所，庇护所，避难

参考例句：

• The people ask for political asylum.人们请求政治避难。
• Having sought asylum in the West for many years,they were eventually granted it.他们最终获得了在西方寻求多年的避难权。

2 warden   

n.监察员，监狱长，看守人，监护人

参考例句：

• He is the warden of an old people's home.他是一家养老院的管理员。
• The warden of the prison signed the release.监狱长签发释放令。

3 alienated   

adj.感到孤独的，不合群的v.使疏远( alienate的过去式和过去分词 )；使不友好；转让；让渡（财产等）

参考例句：

• His comments have alienated a lot of young voters. 他的言论使许多年轻选民离他而去。
• The Prime Minister's policy alienated many of her followers. 首相的政策使很多拥护她的人疏远了她。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 atheist   

n.无神论者

参考例句：

• She was an atheist but now she says she's seen the light.她本来是个无神论者，可是现在她说自己的信仰改变了。
• He is admittedly an atheist.他被公认是位无神论者。

5 pals   

n.朋友( pal的名词复数 )；老兄；小子；（对男子的不友好的称呼）家伙

参考例句：

• We've been pals for years. 我们是多年的哥们儿了。
• CD 8 positive cells remarkably increased in PALS and RP(P CD8+细胞在再生脾PALS和RP内均明显增加(P 来自互联网

6 paradoxes   

n.似非而是的隽语，看似矛盾而实际却可能正确的说法( paradox的名词复数 )；用于语言文学中的上述隽语；有矛盾特点的人[事物，情况]

参考例句：

• Contradictions and paradoxes arose in increasing numbers. 矛盾和悖论越来越多。 来自辞典例句
• As far as these paradoxes are concerned, the garden definitely a heterotopia. 就这些吊诡性而言，花园无疑地是个异质空间。 来自互联网

7 doggerel   

n.拙劣的诗，打油诗

参考例句：

• The doggerel doesn't filiate itself.这首打油诗没有标明作者是谁。
• He styled his poem doggerel.他把他的这首诗歌叫做打油诗。

8 legitimate   

adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法

参考例句：

• Sickness is a legitimate reason for asking for leave.生病是请假的一个正当的理由。
• That's a perfectly legitimate fear.怀有这种恐惧完全在情理之中。

9 possessed   

adj.疯狂的；拥有的，占有的

参考例句：

• He flew out of the room like a man possessed.他像着了魔似地猛然冲出房门。
• He behaved like someone possessed.他行为举止像是魔怔了。

10 follower   

n.跟随者；随员；门徒；信徒

参考例句：

• He is a faithful follower of his home football team.他是他家乡足球队的忠实拥护者。
• Alexander is a pious follower of the faith.亚历山大是个虔诚的信徒。

11 majestic   

adj.雄伟的，壮丽的，庄严的，威严的，崇高的

参考例句：

• In the distance rose the majestic Alps.远处耸立着雄伟的阿尔卑斯山。
• He looks majestic in uniform.他穿上军装显得很威风。