Vedder Court was a very drunkard among tenement1 groups. Its decrepit2 old wooden buildings, as if weak-kneed from dissipation and senile decay, leaned against each other crookedly3 for support, and leered down, at the sodden4 swarms5 beneath, out of broken-paned windows which gave somehow a ludicrous effect of bleared eyes. A heartless civic6 impulse had once burdened them with fire escapes, and these, though they were comparatively new, had already partaken of the general decay, and looked, with their motley cluttering7 of old bedding, and nondescript garments hung out to dry, and various utensils8 of the kitchen and laundry, and various unclassified junk, as if they were a sort of foul9, fungoid growth which had taken root from the unspeakable uncleanliness within. There had once been a narrow strip of curbed10 soil in the centre of the street, where three long-since departed trees had given the quarter its name of “Court,” but this space was now as bare and dry as the asphalt surrounding it, and, as it was too small even for the purpose of children at play, a wooden bench, upon which no one ever sat, as indeed why should they, had long ago been placed on it, to become loose-jointed and weather-splintered and rotted, like all the rest of the neighbourhood.
89As for its tenants11; they were exactly the sort of birds one might expect to find in such foul nests. They were of many nations, but of just two main varieties; stupid and squalid, or thin and furtive12; but they were all dirty, and they bore, in their complexions13, the poison of crowded breathing spaces, and bad sewerage, and unwholesome or insufficient14 food.
Into this mire15, on a day when melting snow had fallen and made all underfoot a black, shining, oily, sticky canal, there drove an utterly16 out-of-place little electric coupé, set low, and its glistening17 plate glass windows hung with absurd little lace curtains held back by pink ribbon bows. At the wheel was the fresh-cheeked Gail Sargent, in a driving suit and hat and veil of brown, and with her was the twinkling-eyed Rufus Manning, whose white beard rippled18 down to his second waistcoat button. They drove slowly the length of the court and back again, the girl studying every detail with acute interest. They stopped in front of Temple Mission, which, with its ugly red and blue lettering nearly erased19 by years of monthly scrubbings, occupied an old store room once used as a saloon.
“So this is the chrysalis from which the butterfly cathedral is to emerge,” commented Gail, as Manning held the door open for her, and before she rose she peered again around the uninviting “court,” which not even the bright winter sunshine could relieve of its dinginess20; rather, the sun made it only the more dismal21 by presenting the ugliness more in detail.
“This is the mine which produces the gold which is to gild22 the altar,” assented23 Manning, studying the sidewalk. “I don’t think you’d better come in here. You’ll spoil your shoes.”
90“I want to see it all this time because I’m never coming back,” insisted Gail, and placed one daintily shod foot on the step.
“Then I’ll have to shame Sir Walter Raleigh,” laughed the silvery-bearded Manning, and, to her gasping24 surprise, he caught her around the waist and lifted her across to the door, whereat several soiled urchins25 laughed, and one vinegary-faced old woman grinned, in horrible appreciation26, and dropped Manning a familiarly respectful courtesy.
There was no one in the mission except a broad-shouldered man with a roughly hewn face, who ducked his head at Manning and touched his forefinger27 to the side of his head. He was placing huge soup kettles in their holes in the counter at the rear of the room, and Manning called attention to this.
“A practical mission,” he explained. “We start in by saving the bodies.”
“Do you get any further?” inquired Gail, glancing from the empty benches and the atrociously coloured “religious” pictures on the walls to the windows, past which eddied28 a mass of humanity all but submerged in hopelessness.
“Sometimes,” replied Manning gravely. “I have seen a soul or two even here. It is because of these two or three possibilities that the mission is kept up. It might interest you to know that Market Square Church spends fifteen thousand dollars a year in charity relief in Vedder Court alone.”
Gail’s eyelids29 closed, her lashes30 curved on her cheeks for an instant, and the corners of her lips twitched31.
“And how much a year does Market Square Church take out of Vedder Court?”
“I was waiting for that bit of impertinence,” 91laughed Manning. “I shall be surprised at nothing you say since that first day when you characterised Market Square Church as a remarkably32 lucrative33 enterprise. Have you never felt any compunctions of conscience over that?”
“Not once,” answered Gail promptly34. She had started to seat herself on one of the empty benches, but had changed her mind. “If I had been given to any such self-injustice, however, I should reproach myself now. I think Market Square Church not only commercial but criminal.”
“I’ll have to give your soul a chastisement,” smiled Manning. “These people must live somewhere, and because Vedder Court, being church property, is exempt35 from taxation36, they find cheaper rents here than anywhere in the city. If we were to put up improved buildings, I don’t know where they would go, because we would be compelled to charge more rent.”
“In order to make the same rate of profit,” responded Gail. “Out of all this misery37, Market Square Church is reaping a harvest rich enough to build a fifty million dollar cathedral, and I have sufficient disregard for the particular Deity38 under whom you do business, to feel sure that he would not destroy it by lightning. I want out of here.”
“Frankly39, so do I,” admitted Manning; “although I’m ashamed of myself. It’s all right for you, who are young, to be fastidious, but your Daddy Manning is coward enough to want to make his peace with Heaven, after a life which put a few blots40 on the book.”
She looked at him speculatively41 for a moment, and then she laughed.
“You know, I don’t believe that, Daddy Manning. You’re an old fraud, who does good by stealth, in order 92to gain the reputation of having been picturesquely42 wicked. Tell me why you belong to Market Square Church.”
“Because it’s so respectable,” he twinkled down at her. “When an old sinner has lost every other claim to respectability, he has himself put on the vestry.”
He dropped behind on their way to the door, to surreptitiously slip something, which looked like money, to the man with the roughly hewn countenance43, and as he stood talking, the Reverend Smith Boyd came in, not quite breathlessly, but as if he had hurried.
“I knew you were here,” he said, taking Gail’s slender hand in his own; then his eyes turned cold.
“You recognised my pink ribbon bows,” and she laughed up at him frankly. “You haven’t been over to sing lately.”
“No,” he replied, seemingly blunt, because he could not say he had been too busy.
“Why?” this innocently round-eyed.
Even bluntness could not save him here.
“I’ll have our music selected,” and, in the very midst of her brightness, she was stopped by the sudden sombreness in the rector’s eyes.
“Eight o’clock?”
“That will be quite agreeable.”
Simple little conversation; quite trivial indeed, but it had been attended by much shifting thought. To begin with, the rector regretted the necessity of disapproving45 of a young lady so undeniably attractive. She was a pleasure to the eye and a stimulus46 to the mind, and always his first impulse when he thought of her 93was one of pleasure, but in the very moment of taking her hand, he saw again that picture of Gail, clasped in the arms of the impulsive47 young man from home. That picture had made it distasteful for him to call and sing. He had not been too busy! Another incident flashed back to him. The night of the toboggan party, when she had stood with her face upturned, and the moonlight gleaming on her round white throat. He had trembled, much to his later sorrow, as he fastened the scarf about her warm neck. However, she was the visiting niece of one of his vestrymen, who lived next door to the rectory. She was particularly charming in this outfit48 of brown, which enhanced so much her rich tints49.
Gail jerked her pretty head impatiently. If the Reverend Smith Boyd meant to be as sombre as this, she’d rather he’d stay at home. He was dreadfully gloomy at times; though she was compelled to admit that he was good-looking, in a manly50 sort of way, and had a glorious voice and a stimulating51 mind. She invariably recalled him with pleasure, but something about him aggravated52 her so. Strange about that quick withdrawal53 of his hand. It was almost rude. He had done the same thing at the toboggan party. He had fastened her scarf, and then he had jerked away his hands as if he were annoyed! However, he was the rector, and her Uncle Jim was a vestryman, and they lived right next door.
“You just escaped a blowing up, Doctor Boyd,” observed “Daddy” Manning, joining them, and his eyes twinkled from one to the other. “Our young friend from the west is harsh with the venerable Market Square Church.”
“Again?” and the Reverend Smith Boyd was gracious 94enough to smile. “What is the matter with it this time?”
“It is not only commercial, but criminal,” repeated Manning, with a sly smile at Gail, who now wore a little red spot in each cheek.
“The mere55 fact that your question needs an answer is sufficient indication of the callousness56 of every one connected with Market Square Church,” she promptly informed him. “That the church should permit a spot like this to exist, when it has the power to obliterate57 it, is unbelievable; but that it should make money from the condition is infamous58!”
The Reverend Smith Boyd’s cold eyes turned green, as he glared at this daring young person. In offending the dignity of Market Square Church she offended his own.
“What would you have us do?” he quietly asked.
“Retire from business,” she informed him, nettled59 by the covert60 sneer61 at her youth and inexperience. She laid aside a new perplexity for future solution. In moments such as this the rector was far from ministerial, and he displayed a quickness to anger quite out of proportion to the apparent cause. “The whole trouble with Market Square Church, and of the churches throughout the world, is that they have no God. The Creator has been reduced to a formula.”
Daddy Manning saved the rector the pain of any answer.
“You’re a religious anarchist,” he charged Gail.
“By no means,” she replied. “I am a devoted63 follower64 of the Divine Spirit, the Divine Will, the Divine 95Law; but not of the church; for it has forgotten these things.”
“You don’t know what you are saying,” the rector told her.
“That isn’t all you mean,” she retorted. “What you have in mind is that, being a woman, and young, I should be silent. You would not permit thought if you could avoid it, for when people begin to think, religion lives but the church dies; as it is doing to-day.”
“Are you quite consistent?” he charged. “You have just been objecting to the prosperity of the church.”
“Financially,” she admitted; “but it is a spiritual bankrupt. Your financial prosperity is a direct sign of your religious decay. Your financial bankruptcy67 will come later, as it has done in France, as it is doing in Italy, as it will do all over the world. Humanity treats the church with the generosity68 due a once valuable servant who has out-lived his usefulness.”
“My dear child, humanity can never do without religion,” interposed Daddy Manning.
“Agreed,” said Gail; “but it outgrows69 them. It outgrew70 paganism, idolatry, and a score of minor71 phases in between. Now it is outgrowing72 the religion of creed73, in its progress toward morality. What we need is a new religion.”
“You are blaming the church with a fault which lies in the people,” protested the rector, shocked and disturbed, and yet feeling it his duty to set Gail right. He was ashamed of himself for having been severe with her in his mind. She was less frivolous74 than he had 96thought, and what she needed was spiritual instruction. “The people are luke-warm.”
“What else could they be with the watery75 spiritual gruel76 which the church provides?” retorted Gail. “You feed us discarded bugaboos, outworn tenets, meaningless forms and ceremonies. All the rest of the world progresses, but the church stands still. Once in a decade some sect77 patches its creed, and thinks it has been revolutionary, when in fact it has only caught up with a point which was passed by humanity at large, in its advancing intelligence, fifty years before.”
“I am interested in knowing what your particular new religion would be like,” remarked Daddy Manning, his twinkling eyes resting affectionately on her.
“It would be a return to the simple faith in God,” Gail told him reverently78. “It is still in the hearts of the people, as it will always be; but they have nowhere to gather together and worship.”
Daddy Manning laughed as he detected that bit of sarcasm.
“According to that we are wasting our new cathedral.”
“Absolutely!” and it struck the rector with pain that Gail had never looked more beautiful than now, with her cheeks flushed and her brown eyes snapping with indignation. “Your cathedral will be a monument, built out of the profits wrung79 from squalor, to the vanity of your congregation. If I were the dictator of this wonderful city of achievement, I would decree that cathedral never to be built, and Vedder Court to be utterly destroyed!”
“It is perhaps just as well that you are not the dictator of the city.” The young Reverend Smith Boyd gazed down at her from his six feet of serious purpose, 97with all his previous disapproval80 intensified81. “The history of Market Square Church is rich with instances of its usefulness in both the spiritual and the material world, with evidence of its power for good, with justification82 for its existence, with reason for its acts. You make the common mistake of judging an entire body from one surface indication. Do you suppose there is no sincerity83, no conscience, no consecration84 in Market Square Church?” His deep, mellow85 baritone vibrated with the defence of his purpose and that of the institution which he represented. “Why do you suppose our vestrymen, whose time is of enormous value, find a space amid their busy working hours for the affairs of Market Square Church? Why do you suppose the ladies of our guild86, who have agreeable pursuits for every hour of the day, give their time to committee and charity work?” He paused for a hesitant moment. “Why do you suppose I am so eager for the building, on American soil, of the most magnificent house of worship in the world?”
Gail’s pretty upper lip curled.
“Personal ambition!” she snapped, and, without waiting to see the pallor which struck his face to stone, she heeled her way out through the mud to her coupé.
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1
tenement
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| n.公寓；房屋 | |
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decrepit
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| adj.衰老的，破旧的 | |
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crookedly
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| adv. 弯曲地，不诚实地 | |
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sodden
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| adj.浑身湿透的；v.使浸透；使呆头呆脑 | |
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swarms
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| 蜂群，一大群( swarm的名词复数 ) | |
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civic
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| adj.城市的，都市的，市民的，公民的 | |
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cluttering
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| v.杂物，零乱的东西零乱vt.( clutter的现在分词 )；乱糟糟地堆满，把…弄得很乱；（以…） 塞满… | |
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utensils
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| 器具，用具，器皿( utensil的名词复数 )； 器物 | |
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foul
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| adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规 | |
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curbed
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| v.限制，克制，抑制( curb的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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tenants
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| n.房客( tenant的名词复数 )；佃户；占用者；占有者 | |
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furtive
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| adj.鬼鬼崇崇的，偷偷摸摸的 | |
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complexions
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| 肤色( complexion的名词复数 )； 面色； 局面； 性质 | |
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insufficient
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| adj.(for，of)不足的，不够的 | |
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mire
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| n.泥沼，泥泞；v.使...陷于泥泞，使...陷入困境 | |
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utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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glistening
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| adj.闪耀的，反光的v.湿物闪耀，闪亮( glisten的现在分词 ) | |
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rippled
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| 使泛起涟漪（ripple的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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erased
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| v.擦掉( erase的过去式和过去分词 )；抹去；清除 | |
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dinginess
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| n.暗淡，肮脏 | |
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dismal
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| adj.阴沉的，凄凉的，令人忧郁的，差劲的 | |
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gild
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| vt.给…镀金，把…漆成金色，使呈金色 | |
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assented
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| 同意，赞成( assent的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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gasping
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| adj. 气喘的, 痉挛的 动词gasp的现在分词 | |
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urchins
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| n.顽童( urchin的名词复数 )；淘气鬼；猬；海胆 | |
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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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forefinger
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| n.食指 | |
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eddied
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| 起漩涡，旋转( eddy的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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eyelids
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| n.眼睑( eyelid的名词复数 )；眼睛也不眨一下；不露声色；面不改色 | |
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lashes
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| n.鞭挞( lash的名词复数 )；鞭子；突然猛烈的一击；急速挥动v.鞭打( lash的第三人称单数 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥 | |
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twitched
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| vt.& vi.（使）抽动，（使）颤动（twitch的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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remarkably
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| ad.不同寻常地，相当地 | |
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lucrative
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| adj.赚钱的，可获利的 | |
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promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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exempt
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| adj.免除的；v.使免除；n.免税者，被免除义务者 | |
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taxation
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| n.征税，税收，税金 | |
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misery
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| n.痛苦，苦恼，苦难；悲惨的境遇，贫苦 | |
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deity
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| n.神，神性；被奉若神明的人(或物) | |
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frankly
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| adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说 | |
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blots
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| 污渍( blot的名词复数 )； 墨水渍； 错事； 污点 | |
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speculatively
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| adv.思考地，思索地；投机地 | |
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picturesquely
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countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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evaded
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| 逃避( evade的过去式和过去分词 )； 避开； 回避； 想不出 | |
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disapproving
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| adj.不满的，反对的v.不赞成( disapprove的现在分词 ) | |
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46
stimulus
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| n.刺激，刺激物，促进因素，引起兴奋的事物 | |
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impulsive
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| adj.冲动的，刺激的；有推动力的 | |
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outfit
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| n.（为特殊用途的）全套装备，全套服装 | |
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49
tints
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| 色彩( tint的名词复数 )； 带白的颜色； （淡色）染发剂； 痕迹 | |
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manly
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| adj.有男子气概的；adv.男子般地，果断地 | |
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51
stimulating
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| adj.有启发性的，能激发人思考的 | |
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52
aggravated
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| 使恶化( aggravate的过去式和过去分词 )； 使更严重； 激怒； 使恼火 | |
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withdrawal
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| n.取回，提款；撤退，撤军；收回，撤销 | |
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severely
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| adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地 | |
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55
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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56
callousness
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obliterate
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| v.擦去，涂抹，去掉...痕迹，消失，除去 | |
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infamous
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| adj.声名狼藉的，臭名昭著的，邪恶的 | |
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nettled
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| v.拿荨麻打，拿荨麻刺（nettle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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covert
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| adj.隐藏的；暗地里的 | |
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sneer
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| v.轻蔑；嘲笑；n.嘲笑，讥讽的言语 | |
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softened
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| （使）变软( soften的过去式和过去分词 )； 缓解打击； 缓和； 安慰 | |
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devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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follower
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| n.跟随者；随员；门徒；信徒 | |
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triumphant
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| adj.胜利的，成功的；狂欢的，喜悦的 | |
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sarcasm
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| n.讥讽，讽刺，嘲弄，反话 （adj.sarcastic） | |
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67
bankruptcy
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| n.破产；无偿付能力 | |
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68
generosity
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| n.大度，慷慨，慷慨的行为 | |
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69
outgrows
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| 长[发展] 得超过（某物）的范围( outgrow的第三人称单数 )； 长[发展]得不能再要（某物）； 长得比…快； 生长速度超过 | |
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70
outgrew
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| 长[发展] 得超过（某物）的范围( outgrow的过去式 )； 长[发展]得不能再要（某物）； 长得比…快； 生长速度超过 | |
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71
minor
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| adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修 | |
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72
outgrowing
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| 长[发展] 得超过（某物）的范围( outgrow的现在分词 )； 长[发展]得不能再要（某物）； 长得比…快； 生长速度超过 | |
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73
creed
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| n.信条；信念，纲领 | |
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74
frivolous
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| adj.轻薄的；轻率的 | |
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75
watery
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| adj.有水的，水汪汪的；湿的，湿润的 | |
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76
gruel
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| n.稀饭，粥 | |
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77
sect
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| n.派别，宗教，学派，派系 | |
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78
reverently
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| adv.虔诚地 | |
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79
wrung
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| 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） | |
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80
disapproval
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| n.反对，不赞成 | |
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81
intensified
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| v.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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82
justification
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| n.正当的理由；辩解的理由 | |
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83
sincerity
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| n.真诚，诚意；真实 | |
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84
consecration
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| n.供献，奉献，献祭仪式 | |
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85
mellow
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| adj.柔和的；熟透的；v.变柔和；(使)成熟 | |
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86
guild
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| n.行会，同业公会，协会 | |
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