"Oh, my Mother, still remember
What the sainted Bernard hath said,—
None hath ever, ever found thee wanting
Who hath called upon thine aid."
or:
"Rose of the Cross! thou mystic flower!"
or Father Faber's splendid hymn:
Well, if you didn't, God help you!
I used to read a book sometimes—sometimes Father Gratry's "Month of May," sometimes that good little book by the Abbé Berlioux. But when the people began to yawn I flung the book aside, and said a few simple words to the congregation. And I spoke21 out of a full heart, a very full heart, and the waters flowed over, and flooded all the valleys.
The 31st of May fell on Sunday; and it was on this Sunday evening Father Letheby was to preach in the cathedral. I told the people all about it; and we offered the evening devotions for his success. Somehow I thought there was a note of emphasis in the "Holy Marys" that evening; and a little additional pathos22 in the children's voices. Miss Campion presided at the harmonium that evening in place of Father Letheby. I think, indeed, that the people considered that prayers for their young curate were a little superfluous23; because, as we came out, I was able to hear a few comments and predictions:—
"Faith, you may make your mind aisy about him. They never heard anything like it before, I promise you."
"I heard they used to say over there in England that Father Burke himself couldn't hould a candle to him."
"If he'd spake a little aisier," said a village critic, who had a great opinion of himself, since he was called upon to propose a resolution at a Land-League meeting, "and rise his wice, he'd bate25 thim all."
"Did you ever hear Father Mac?" said an old laborer26, dressed in the ancient Irish fashion, but old Father Time had been snipping27 at his garments as he couldn't touch himself. "That was the pracher! He hadn't his aiqual in Ireland. I rimimber wance a Good Friday sermon he prached in Loughboro'. Begor, you couldn't stick a pin between the people, they were so packed together. He kem out on the althar, and you could hear a pin dhrop. He had a crucifix in his hand, and he looked sorrowful like. 'In the Name av the Father,' sez he; thin he shtopped and looked round; 'and av the Holy Ghost,' sez he, and he shtopped ag'in; 'but where's the Son?' sez he, rising his wice; and begor, 't was like the day of gineral jedgment. Thin he tore off a black veil that was on the crucifix, and he threw it on the althar, and he held up the crucifix in the air, and he let a screech28 out of him that you could hear at Moydore; and—"
"Was that all the sarmon?" said a woman who was an interested listener.
"Was that all?" cried the narrator indignantly. "It wasn't all. He prached that night two mortial hours, and"—he looked around to command attention and admiration—"he never fetched a sup of wather the whole time, though it was tender his hands."
"Glory be to God," said the listeners; "sure 't was wandherful. And is he dead, Jer?"
"Dead?" cried Jer, rather contemptuously, for he was on the lofty heights of success; "did ye never hear it?"
"Wisha, how could we, and 't is so far back?"
"Some other time," said Jer, with a little pitying contempt.
"Ye may as well tell it now," said an old woman; "I hard the people shpake av him long ago; but sure we forget everything, even God sometimes."
"Well," said Jer, sitting on a long, level tombstone, "maybe ye don't know how the divil watches priests when they are on a sick-call. He does, thin. Fram the time they laves the house till they returns he is on their thrack, thrying to circumwent them, ontil he gets the poor sowl into his own dirty claws. Sometimes he makes the mare29 stumble and fall; sometimes he pulls down a big branch of a three, and hits the priest across the face; sometimes he hangs out a lanthern to lade him into a bog30. All he wants is to keep him away, and WHAT he has wid him, and thin he gobbles up that poor sowl, as a fox would sling31 a chicken over his showlder, and takes him off to his din32. Well, this night Father Mac was called out late. It was as dark as the caves down there by the say av a winter's night. As he wint along the road, he began praying softly to himself, for he knew the divil was watching him. All of a suddint he was taken out av his saddle and pitched head foremost in a brake of briars. When he recovered himself he looked around him and saw at a distance—"
"I thought it was dark, Jer," said a young mason, who knew that Jer was drawing the long bow.
"Av coorse it was, but couldn't ye see a light shining even on a dark night, my fine young man?" said Jer, in a temper.
"Oh, was it a light?" said the mason.
"Ye ought to think twice before intherrupting yer elders," said Jer. "Well, as I was saying, when he come to himself, he looked around, and he asked, in a loud wice, 'Is there anny wan19 there who could sarve Mass for a priest?' There was no answer. Thin he said a second time, 'For the love av God, is there anny wan there who could sarve Mass for a priest?'"
"Begor, I always thought that was the shtory about the priest that forgot to say the Masses for the dead, and kem out av of his grave on Christmas night," said an old woman.
"Thrue for ye, so it is," said another. "Many and many's the time we heard it."
"Begor, Jer," said a young man, "ye 're getting mixed."
"Jer could tell that story betther, if he had a couple of glasses in, I'm thinking," said the young mason, as they strolled away and left Jer sitting on the monument.
So was this great actor hissed35 off the stage. It was a bad breakdown36, and there was no mercy. It turned the women's conversation back to their curate.
"May the Lord stringthen and help him in his endeavor, our darlin' man," said one.
"Amin, thin, and may the Blessed Vargin put the words into his mouth that he has to shpake," cried another. The children listened gravely. All that they could conjecture37 was that Father Letheby was engaged on a great and dangerous enterprise.
I never had a moment's doubt but that their prayers were heard and their predictions verified, although when Father Letheby called the next day he looked depressed38 and gloomy enough.
"Well," I said, "a great success, of course?"
"You broke down badly just in the middle?"
"Well, no, indeed; there was certainly no breakdown, but the whole thing was evidently a failure."
"Let me see," I cried. "There are certain infallible indications of the success or failure of a sermon. Were there any priests present?"
"About twenty, I think," he replied. "That was the worst of it. You don't mind the people at all."
"And weren't they very enthusiastic," I asked, "when you returned to the sacristy?"
"No, indeed. Rather the contrary, which makes me think that I said something either perilous40 or ill-advised."
"Humph! Didn't any fellow come up to you and knock the breath out of your body by slapping you on the back?"
"No!" he replied sadly.
"Didn't any fellow say: Prospere procede, et regna?"
"No!" he said. "It was just the other way."
"Didn't any fellow shake you by the hand even, and say: Prosit! prosit!! prosit!!!"
"I'm afraid not," he said gloomily.
"That's bad. Nor even, macte virtute esto, Titus Manlius?"
"No," he said. "There was no indication of sympathy whatsoever41."
"Didn't any fellow drop into the vernacular42, and say: 'Put the hand there. Sure I never doubted you,' and wring43 your hand as if he wanted to dislocate it?"
"No, no, no! There was simply dead silence."
"And perhaps they looked at you over their shoulders, and whispered together, as they put their surplices into their bags, and stared at you as if you were a sea-monster?"
"Something that way, indeed," said my poor curate.
"Yes. The bishop came over and said he was very grateful, indeed, for that beautiful sermon. But that, of course, was purely45 conventional."
"And the people? How did they take it?"
"You don't think you were talking over their heads?"
"No, indeed. Even the poor women who were gathered under the pulpit stared at me unmercifully; and I think a few persons in front were much affected48."
I waited for a few minutes to draw my deductions49. But they were logical enough.
"My dear boy," I said at length, "from a long and profound experience of that wilful50 thing called human nature, allow me to tell you that every indication you have mentioned points to the fact that you have preached not only an edifying and useful, but a remarkable51 sermon—"
"Oh, that's only your usual goodness, Father Dan," he broke in. "I'm quite certain it was a failure. Look at the attitude of the priests!"
"That is just my strongest foundation," I replied. "If their enthusiasm had taken the other shapes I suggested, I should have despaired."
"Well, 't is over, for better, for worse," said he; "I did my best for our Lady, and she won't blame me if I failed."
"That is sound Christian52 philosophy," I replied; "leave it there. But don't be too flushed if my predictions come true."
"Hallo! another innovation! Where are you going to stop, I wonder?"
"Why not have it?" he said. "It will be a sermon to the people!"
"Around the church, you mean," I conjectured54, "and back again to the High Altar?"
"No! but through the village, and out there along the path that cuts the turf over the cliffs, and then back to the mill, where we can have Benediction (I'll extemporize55 an altar), and down the main road, and to the church."
"Go on! go on!" I said in a resigned manner; "perhaps you'll invite our pious56 friend, Campion, down to Benediction—"
I looked at this young prestidigitateur in a bewildered manner. He was not noticing me.
"You know," he said, "I'll put Campion and Ormsby and the doctor, and the old Tertiary, Clohessy, under the canopy. It's time that these men should be made to understand that they are Catholics in reality as well as in name."
"I have got faculties59 from the bishop," he continued, "to receive Ormsby, and to use the short form. He'll be a noble Catholic. He is intelligent, and deeply in earnest."
"And who is this great man he is bringing from Dublin?" I asked.
"Oh! the doctor? An old chum. They have seen some rough and smooth weather together. This fellow is gone mad about his profession, and he studies eighteen hours out of the twenty-four—"
"He ought to be a Master of Conference," I interrupted. "But won't our own man be jealous?"
"Not at all. He says he has done his best for Alice; and if any one else can help her on, he'll be delighted. But he is not sanguine60, nor am I."
"Nor I. It appears a deep-rooted affair. But what a visitation—God's angel, cloaked from head to foot in blackness, and with a flaming sword."
We were both silent, thinking of many things.
"Then the procession will be all right, sir?" he said at last, waking up.
"I hope so," I said resignedly. "Everything else that you have touched you have adorned61. This will follow suit."
"Thank you, sir," he said. "It will be a glorious day for the children."
"By the way," I said, as he was going, "was Duff at the sermon?"
"He was, poor fellow; and I am afraid he got a wigging62 from the bishop. At least they were walking up and down there near the sacristy for at least half an hour before dinner. You know Duff is an awfully63 clever fellow. He has written some articles in the leading English magazines, in which, curiously64 enough, he quite agrees with Professor Sayce, the eminent65 Assyriologist, who has tried to disprove the theories about the Pentateuch originated by Graf and Wellhausen—"
"My dear fellow, this is not a conference. Spare my old nerves all that nonsense. The Bible is God's own Word—that is enough for me. But what about Duff?"
"Well, at table, the bishop was specially66 and expressly kind to him, and drew him out about all these matters, and made him shine; and you know how well Duff can talk—"
"I wouldn't doubt the bishop," I said; "he always does the kind and the right thing."
"By the way, I forgot a moment ago to say that Duff met me this morning at the station, and said, I am sure with perfect sincerity67: 'Letheby, I must congratulate you. You taught me a sharp lesson the other day; you taught me a gentler lesson last evening. Pray for me that I may keep farther away from human will-o'-the-wisps, and nearer the Eternal Light than I have been.' I shook his hand warmly. Sedes sapientiæ, ora pro24 nobis."
"I've asked him over to dine on the day our fishing-boat will be launched," said Father Letheby, after a pause. "Some of the brethren are coming; and you'll come, sir? Duff is very anxious to meet you."
"Of course," I replied. "I never refuse so delightful69 an invitation. But why should Duff be anxious to meet me?"
"I really don't know, except that you are, as you know yourself, sir, a celebrity70. He thinks a great deal of you."
"Probably a great deal more than I am disposed to think of myself. Did he say so?"
"Oh, dear, yes! He said: 'I must make the acquaintance of that pastor71 of yours, Letheby, he's an immortal72 genius!'"
"An immortal genius! Well, you must know, my innocent young man, that that expression is susceptible73 of a double interpretation—it may mean an immortal fame like William Shakespeare's, or an immortal fame like Jack74 Falstaff's; it may mean a Cervantes, or a Don Quixote, a fool who has eclipsed the name of his Creator. But, as I am charitably inclined, I shall give your learned friend the benefit of the doubt, and meet him as one of my many admirers, rather than as one of my few critics. Perhaps he may change his opinion of me, for better, for worse, on a closer acquaintance."
"I'm quite sure, sir, that there will be a mutual75 appreciation76. That's arranged, then—the procession on Corpus Christi, and dinner the day of our launch."
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
fragrance
|
|
| n.芬芳，香味，香气 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
incense
|
|
| v.激怒；n.香，焚香时的烟，香气 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
banished
|
|
| v.放逐，驱逐( banish的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
picturesqueness
|
|
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
exhausted
|
|
| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
edifying
|
|
| adj.有教训意味的，教训性的，有益的v.开导，启发( edify的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
benediction
|
|
| n.祝福；恩赐 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
maxim
|
|
| n.格言，箴言 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
pretentious
|
|
| adj.自命不凡的，自负的，炫耀的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
flaunting
|
|
| adj.招摇的，扬扬得意的，夸耀的v.炫耀，夸耀( flaunt的现在分词 )；有什么能耐就施展出来 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
primroses
|
|
| n.报春花( primrose的名词复数 )；淡黄色；追求享乐（招至恶果） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
purgatory
|
|
| n.炼狱；苦难；adj.净化的，清洗的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
symbolical
|
|
| a.象征性的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
hymn
|
|
| n.赞美诗，圣歌，颂歌 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
hymns
|
|
| n.赞美诗，圣歌，颂歌( hymn的名词复数 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
forth
|
|
| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
wondrous
|
|
| adj.令人惊奇的，奇妙的；adv.惊人地；异乎寻常地；令人惊叹地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
contemplating
|
|
| 深思，细想，仔细考虑( contemplate的现在分词 )； 注视，凝视； 考虑接受（发生某事的可能性）； 深思熟虑，沉思，苦思冥想 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
wan
|
|
| (wide area network)广域网 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
swelling
|
|
| n.肿胀 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
spoke
|
|
| 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 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
pathos
|
|
| n.哀婉，悲怆 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
superfluous
|
|
| adj.过多的，过剩的，多余的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
pro
|
|
| n.赞成，赞成的意见，赞成者 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
bate
|
|
| v.压制；减弱；n.（制革用的）软化剂 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
laborer
|
|
| n.劳动者，劳工 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
snipping
|
|
| n.碎片v.剪( snip的现在分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
screech
|
|
| n./v.尖叫；(发出)刺耳的声音 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
mare
|
|
| n.母马，母驴 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
bog
|
|
| n.沼泽；室...陷入泥淖 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
sling
|
|
| vt.扔；悬挂；n.挂带；吊索，吊兜；弹弓 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
din
|
|
| n.喧闹声，嘈杂声 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
ballad
|
|
| n.歌谣，民谣，流行爱情歌曲 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
pint
|
|
| n.品脱 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
hissed
|
|
| 发嘶嘶声( hiss的过去式和过去分词 )； 发嘘声表示反对 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
breakdown
|
|
| n.垮，衰竭；损坏，故障，倒塌 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
conjecture
|
|
| n./v.推测，猜测 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
depressed
|
|
| adj.沮丧的，抑郁的，不景气的，萧条的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
moodily
|
|
| adv.喜怒无常地；情绪多变地；心情不稳地；易生气地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
perilous
|
|
| adj.危险的，冒险的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
whatsoever
|
|
| adv.（用于否定句中以加强语气）任何；pron.无论什么 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
vernacular
|
|
| adj.地方的，用地方语写成的；n.白话；行话；本国语；动植物的俗名 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
wring
|
|
| n.扭绞；v.拧，绞出，扭 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
bishop
|
|
| n.主教，（国际象棋）象 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
purely
|
|
| adv.纯粹地，完全地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
attentive
|
|
| adj.注意的，专心的；关心(别人)的，殷勤的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
apparently
|
|
| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
affected
|
|
| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
deductions
|
|
| 扣除( deduction的名词复数 )； 结论； 扣除的量； 推演 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
wilful
|
|
| adj.任性的，故意的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
remarkable
|
|
| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
Christian
|
|
| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
abruptly
|
|
| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
conjectured
|
|
| 推测，猜测，猜想( conjecture的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
extemporize
|
|
| v.即席演说，即兴演奏，当场作成 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
pious
|
|
| adj.虔诚的；道貌岸然的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
57
canopy
|
|
| n.天篷，遮篷 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
58
audacity
|
|
| n.大胆，卤莽，无礼 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
59
faculties
|
|
| n.能力( faculty的名词复数 )；全体教职员；技巧；院 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
60
sanguine
|
|
| adj.充满希望的，乐观的，血红色的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
61
adorned
|
|
| [计]被修饰的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
62
wigging
|
|
| n.责备，骂，叱责 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
63
awfully
|
|
| adv.可怕地，非常地，极端地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
64
curiously
|
|
| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
65
eminent
|
|
| adj.显赫的，杰出的，有名的，优良的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
66
specially
|
|
| adv.特定地；特殊地；明确地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
67
sincerity
|
|
| n.真诚，诚意；真实 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
68
humbly
|
|
| adv. 恭顺地，谦卑地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
69
delightful
|
|
| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
70
celebrity
|
|
| n.名人，名流；著名，名声，名望 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
71
pastor
|
|
| n.牧师，牧人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
72
immortal
|
|
| adj.不朽的；永生的，不死的；神的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
73
susceptible
|
|
| adj.过敏的，敏感的；易动感情的，易受感动的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
74
jack
|
|
| n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
75
mutual
|
|
| adj.相互的，彼此的；共同的，共有的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
76
appreciation
|
|
| n.评价；欣赏；感谢；领会，理解；价格上涨 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |