,,the ,,inside ,,of ,,the ,,cup  ,by    
,winston ,churchill   ,volume #g4       
,,xxiii4  ,,the ,,choice ,,xxiv4   ,,the
 ,,vestry ,,meets ,,xxv4    ,,rise1     
,,crowned ,,with ,,light6 ,,xxvi4       
,,the ,,current ,,of ,,life    ,,chapter
 ,,xxiii  ,,the ,,choice   ,i           
,pondering over ,alison's note1 he      
suddenly recalled and verified some     
phrases which had struck him that summer
 on reading ,harnack's celebrated       
,history of ,dogma1 and around these he 
framed his reply4 ,to act as if faith in
 eternal life and in the living ,christ 
was the simplest thing in the world1 or 
a dogma to which one has to submit1 is  
irreligious4 4 4 ,it is ,christian to   
pray that ,god would give the ,spirit to
 make us strong to overcome the feelings
 and the doubts of nature4 4 4 ,where   
this faith1 obtained in this way1       
exists1 it has always been supported by 
the conviction that the ,man lives who  
brought life and immortality to light4  
,to hold fast this faith is the goal of 

life1 for only what we consciously      
strive for is in this matter our own4   
,what we think we possess is very soon  
lost4  ,the feelings and the doubts of  
nature6 ,the ,divine ,discontent1 the   
striving against the doubt that every   
honest soul experiences and admits4     
,thus the contrast between her and these
 others who accepted and went their     
several ways was brought home to him4   
,he longed to talk to her1 but his days 
were full4 ,yet the very thought of her 
helped to bear him up as his trials1 his
 problems accumulated2 nor would he at  
any time have exchanged them for the    
former false peace which had been bought
 7he perceived more and more clearly7 at
 the price of compromise4  ,the worst of
 these trials1 perhaps1 was a           
conspicuous article in a newspaper      
containing a garbled account of his     
sermon and of the sensation it had      
produced amongst his fashionable        
parishioners4 ,he had refused to see the
 reporter1 but he had been made out a   

hero1 a socialistic champion of the     
poor4 ,the black headlines were         
nauseating2 and beside them1 in         
juxtaposition1 were pen portraits of    
himself and of ,eldon ,parr4 ,there were
 rumours that the banker had left the   
church until the recalcitrant rector    
should be driven out of it2 the usual   
long list of ,mr4 ,parr's benefactions  
was included1 and certain veiled        
paragraphs concerning his financial     
operations4 ,mr4 ,ferguson1 ,mr4        
,plimpton1 ,mr4 ,constable1 did not     
escape1--although they1 too1 had refused
 to be interviewed 4 4 4 4  ,the article
 brought to the parish house a bevy of  
reporters who had to be fought off1 and 
another batch of letters1 many of them  
from ministers1 in approval or          
condemnation4  ,his fellow-clergymen    
called1 some to express sympathy and    
encouragement1 more of them to voice in 
person indignant and horrified protests4
 ,dr4 ,annesley of ,calvary--a          
counterpart of whose rubicund face might

 have been found in the ,council of     
,trent or in mediaeval fish-markets     
--pronounced his anathemas with his     
hands folded comfortably over his       
stomach1 but eventually threw to the    
winds every vestige of his              
ecclesiastical dignity 4 4 4 4  ,then   
there came a note from the old bishop1  
who was traveling4 ,a kindly note1      
withal1 if non-committal1--to the effect
 that he had received certain           
communications1 but that his physician  
would not permit him to return for      
another ten days or so4 ,he would then  
be glad to see ,mr4 ,holder and talk    
with him4  ,what would the bishop do8   
,holder's relations with him had been   
more than friendly1 but whether the     
bishop's views were sufficiently liberal
 to support him in the extreme stand he 
had taken he could not surmise4 ,for it 
meant that the bishop1 too1 must enter  
into a conflict with the first layman of
 his diocese1 of whose hospitality he   
had so often partaken1 whose            

contributions had been on so lordly a   
scale4 ,the bishop was in his seventieth
 year1 and had hitherto successfully    
fought any attempt to supply him with an
 assistant1--coadjutor or suffragan4    
,at such times the fear grew upon       
,hodder that he might be recommended for
 trial1 forced to abandon his fight to  
free the ,church from the fetters that  
bound her3 that the implacable hostility
 of his enemies would rob him of his    
opportunity4  ,thus ties were broken1   
many hard things were said and brought  
to his ears4 ,there were vacancies in   
the classes and guilds1 absences that   
pained him1 silences that wrung him4 4 4
 4  ,of all the conversations he held1  
that with ,mrs4 ,constable was perhaps  
the most illuminating and distressing4  
,as on that other occasion1 when he had 
gone to her1 this visit was under the   
seal of confession1 unknown to her      
husband4 ,and ,hodder had been taken    
aback1 on seeing her enter his office1  
by the very tragedy in her face--the    

tragedy he had momentarily beheld once  
before4 ,he drew up a chair for her1 and
 when she had sat down she gazed at him 
some moments without speaking4  ,i had  
to come1 she said2 there are some things
 ,i feel ,i must ask you4 ,for ,i have  
been very miserable since ,i heard you  
on ,sunday4  ,he nodded gently4  ,i knew
 that you would change your             
views--become broader1 greater4 ,you may
 remember that ,i predicted it4  ,yes1  
he said4  ,i thought you would grow more
 liberal1 less bigoted1 if you will     
allow me to say so4 ,but ,i didn't      
anticipate-- she hesitated1 and looked  
up at him again4  ,that ,i would take   
the extreme position ,i have taken1 he  
assisted her4  ,oh1 ,mr4 ,hodder1 she   
cried impulsively1 was it necessary to  
go so far8 and all at once4 ,i am here  
not only because ,i am miserable1 but ,i
 am concerned on your account4 ,you hurt
 me very much that day you came to me1  
but you made me your friend4 ,and ,i    
wonder if you really understand the     

terrible1 bitter feeling you have       
aroused1 the powerful enemies you have  
made by speaking so--so unreservedly8   
,i was prepared for it1 he answered4    
,surely1 ,mrs4 ,constable1 once ,i have 
arrived at what ,i believe to be the    
truth1 you would not have me temporize8 
,she gave him a wan smile4  ,in one     
respect1 at least1 you have not changed1
 she told him4 ,i am afraid you are not 
the temporizing kind4 ,but wasn't       
there1--mayn't there still be a way to  
deal with this fearful situation8 ,you  
have made it very hard for us--for them4
 ,you have given them no loophole of    
escape4 ,and there are many1 like me1   
who do not wish to see your career      
ruined1 ,mr4 ,hodder4  ,would you       
prefer1 he asked1 to see my soul        
destroyed8 ,and your own8  ,her lips    
twitched4  ,isn't there any other way   
but that8 ,can't this transformation1   
which you say is necessary and vital1   
come gradually8 ,you carried me away as 
,i listened to you1 ,i was not myself   

when ,i came out of the church4 ,but ,i 
have been thinking ever since4 ,consider
 my husband1 ,mr4 ,hodder1 her voice    
faltered4 ,i shall not mince matters    
with you--,i know you will not pretend  
to misunderstand me4 ,i have never seen 
him so upset since since that time      
,gertrude was married4 ,he is in a most 
cruel position4 ,i confessed to you once
 that ,mr4 ,parr had made for us all the
 money we possess4 ,everett is fond of  
you1 but if he espouses your cause1 on  
the vestry1 we shall be ruined4  ,hodder
 was greatly moved4  ,it is not my      
cause1 ,mrs4 ,constable1 he said4       
,surely1 ,christianity is not so harsh  
and uncompromising as that6 ,and do you 
quite do justice to--to some of these   
men8 ,there was no one to tell them the 
wrongs they were committing--if they    
were indeed wrongs4 ,our civilization is
 far from perfect4  ,the ,church may    
have been remiss1 mistaken1 the rector  
replied4 ,but the ,christianity she has 
taught1 adulterated though it were1 has 

never condoned the acts which have      
become commonplace in modern finance4   
,there must have been a time1 in the    
life of every one of these men1 when    
they had to take that first step against
 which their consciences revolted1 when 
they realized that fraud and taking     
advantage of the ignorant and weak were 
wrong4 ,they have deliberately preferred
 gratification in this life to spiritual
 development--if indeed they believe in 
any future whatsoever4 ,for 'whosoever  
will save his life shall lose it' is as 
true to-day as it ever was4 ,they have  
had their choice--they still have it4   
,i am to blame1 she cried4 ,i drove my  
husband to it1 ,i made him think of     
riches1 it was ,i who cultivated ,mr4   
,parr4 ,and oh1 ,i suppose ,i am justly 
punished4 ,i have never been happy for  
one instant since that day4  ,he watched
 her1 pityingly1 as she wept4 ,but      
presently she raised her face1          
wonderingly4  ,you do believe in the    
future life after--after what you have  

been through8  ,i do1 he answered       
simply4  ,yes--,i am sure you do4 ,it is
 that1 what you are1 convinces me you   
do4 ,even the remarkable and sensible   
explanation you gave of it when you     
interpreted the parable of the talents  
is not so powerful as the impression    
that you yourself believe after thinking
 it out for yourself --not accepting the
 old explanations4 ,and then1 she added1
 with a note as of surprise1 you are    
willing to sacrifice everything for it6 
,and you8 he asked4 ,cannot you1 too1   
believe to that extent8  ,everything8   
she repeated4 ,it would mean--poverty4  
,no--,god help me --,i cannot face it4  
,i have become too hard4 ,i cannot do   
without the world4 ,and even if ,i      
could6 ,oh1 you cannot know what you ask
 ,everett1 my husband--,i must say it1  
you make me tell you everything--is not 
free4 ,he is little better than a slave 
to ,eldon ,parr4 ,i hate ,eldon ,parr1  
she added1 with startling inconsequence4
  ,if ,i had only known what it would   

lead to when ,i made ,everett what he   
is6 ,but ,i knew nothing of business1   
and ,i wanted money1 position to satisfy
 my craving at the loss of--that other  
thing4 ,and now ,i couldn't change my   
husband if ,i would4 ,he hasn't the     
courage1 he hasn't the vision4 ,what    
there was of him1 long ago1 has been    
killed--and ,i killed it4 ,he           
isn't--anybody1 now4  ,she relapsed     
again into weeping4  ,and then it might 
not mean only poverty--it might mean    
disgrace4  ,disgrace6 the rector        
involuntarily took up the word4  ,there 
are some things he has done1 she said in
 a low voice1 which he thought he was   
obliged to do which ,eldon ,parr made   
him do4  ,but ,mr4 ,parr1 too--8 ,hodder
 began4  ,oh1 it was to shield ,eldon   
,parr4 ,they could never be traced to   
him4 ,and if they ever came out1 it     
would kill my husband4 ,tell me1 she    
implored1 what can ,i do8 ,what shall ,i
 do8 ,you are responsible4 ,you have    
made me more bitterly unhappy than ever4

  ,are you willing1 he asked1 after a   
moment1 to make the supreme             
renunciation8 to face poverty1 and      
perhaps disgrace1 to save your soul and 
others8  ,and--others8  ,yes4 ,your     
sacrifice would not1 could not be in    
vain4 ,otherwise ,i should be merely    
urging on you the individualism which   
you once advocated with me4             
,renunciation4 ,she pronounced the word 
questioningly4 ,can ,christianity really
 mean that--renunciation of the world8  
,must we take it in the drastic sense of
 the ,church of the early centuries-the 
,church of the ,martyrs8  ,christianity 
demands all of us1 or nothing1 he       
replied4 ,but the false interpretation  
of renunciation of the early ,church has
 cast its blight on ,christianity even  
to our day4 ,oriental asceticism1       
,stoicism1 ,philo and other influences  
distorted ,christ's meaning4            
,renunciation does not mean asceticism1 
retirement from the world1 a denial of  
life4 ,and the early ,christian1 since  

he was not a citizen1 since he took the 
view that this mortal existence was     
essentially bad and kept his eyes       
steadfastly fixed on another1 was the   
victim at once of false philosophies and
 of the literal messianic prophecies of 
the ,jews1 which were taken over with   
,christianity4 ,the earthly kingdom     
which was to come was to be the result  
of some kind of a cataclysm4            
,personally1 ,i believe our ,lord merely
 used the ,messianic literature as a    
convenient framework for his spiritual  
,kingdom of heaven1 and that the        
,gospels misinterpret his meaning on    
this point4  ,renunciation is not the   
withdrawal from1 the denial of life1 but
 the fulfilment of life1 the submission 
to the divine will and guidance in order
 that our work may be shown us4         
,renunciation is the assumption1 at     
once1 of heavenly and earthly           
citizenship1 of responsibility for      
ourselves and our fellow-men4 ,it is the
 realization that the other world1 the  

inner1 spiritual world1 is here1 now1   
and that the soul may dwell in it before
 death1 while the body and mind work for
 the coming of what may be called the   
collective kingdom4 ,life looked upon in
 that way is not bad1 but good1--not    
meaningless1 but luminous4  ,she had    
listened hungrily1 her eyes fixed upon  
his face4  ,and for me8 she questioned4 
,for you1 he answered1 leaning forward  
and speaking with a conviction that     
shook her profoundly1 if you make the   
sacrifice of your present unhappiness1  
of your misery1 all will be revealed4   
,the labour which you have shirked1     
which is now hidden from you1 will be   
disclosed1 you will justify your        
existence by taking your place as an    
element of the community4 ,you will be  
able to say of yourself1 at last1 ',i am
 of use4'  ,you mean--social work8  ,the
 likeness of this to ,mrs4 ,plimpton's  
question struck him4 ,she had called it 
charity4 ,how far had they wandered in  
their teaching from the ,revelation of  

the ,master1 since it was as new and    
incomprehensible to these so-called     
,christians as to ,nicodemus himself6   
,all ,christian work is social1 ,mrs4   
,constable1 but it is founded on love4  
',thou shaft love thy neighbour as      
thyself4' ,you hold your own soul       
precious1 since it is the shrine of     
,god4 ,and for that reason you hold     
equally precious your neighbour's soul4 
,love comes first1 as revelation1 as    
imparted knowledge1 as the divine gist  
of autonomy--self-government4 ,and then 
one cannot help working1 socially1 at   
the task for which we are made by nature
 most efficient4 ,and in order to       
discover what that task is1 we must     
wait4  ,why did not some one tell me    
this1 when ,i was young8 she asked--not 
speaking to him4 ,it seems so simple4   
,it is simple4 ,the difficult thing is  
to put it into practice--the most       
difficult thing in the world4 ,both     
courage and faith are required1 faith   
that is content to trust as to the      

nature of the reward4 ,it is the wisdom 
of foolishness4 ,have you the courage8  
,she pressed her hands together4        
,alone--perhaps ,i should have4 ,i don't
 know4 ,but my husband6 ,i was able to  
influence him to his destruction1 and   
now ,i am powerless4 ,darkness has      
closed around me4 ,he would not--he will
 not listen to me4  ,you have tried8  ,i
 have attempted to talk to him1 but the 
whole of my life contradicts my words4  
,he cannot see me except as1 the woman  
who drove him into making money4        
,sometimes ,i think he hates me4        
,hodder recalled1 as his eyes rested on 
her compassionately1 the sufferings of  
that other woman in ,dalton ,street4    
,would you have me desert him--after all
 these years8 she whispered4 ,i often   
think he would be happier1 even now4  ,i
 would have you do nothing save that    
which ,god himself will reveal to you4  
,go home1 go into the church and        
pray--pray for knowledge4 ,i think you  
will find that you are held responsible 

for your husband4 ,pray that that which 
you have broken1 you may mend again4    
,do you think there is a chance8        
,hodder made a gesture4  ,god alone can 
judge as to the extent of his           
punishments4  ,she got to her feet1     
wearily4  ,i feel no hope--,i feel no   
courage1 but--,i will try4 ,i see what  
you mean--that my punishment is my      
powerlessness4  ,he bent his head4  ,you
 are so strong--perhaps you can help me4
  ,i shall always be ready1 he replied4 
,he escorted her down the steps to the  
dark blue brougham with upstanding1     
chestnut horses which was waiting at the
 curb4 ,but ,mrs4 ,constable turned to  
the footman1 who held open the door4    
,you may stay here awhile1 she said to  
him1 and gave ,hodder her hand4444  ,she
 went into the church 4 4 4 4    ,,ii   
,asa ,waring and his son-in-law1 ,phil  
,goodrich1 had been to see ,hodder on   
the subject of the approaching vestry   
meeting1 and both had gone away not a   
little astonished and impressed by the  

calmness with which the rector looked   
forward to the conflict4 ,others of his 
parishioners1 some of whom were more    
discreet in their expressions of        
sympathy1 were no less surprised by his 
attitude2 and even his theological      
adversaries1 such as ,gordon ,atterbury1
 paid him a reluctant tribute4 ,thanks1 
perhaps1 to the newspaper comments as   
much as to any other factor1 in the     
minds of those of all shades of opinion 
in the parish the issue had crystallized
 into a duel between the rector and     
,eldon ,parr4 ,bitterly as they resented
 the glare of publicity into which ,st4 
,john's had been dragged1 the first     
layman of the diocese was not beloved2  
and the fairer-minded of ,hodder's      
opponents1 though appalled1 were forced 
to admit in their hearts that the       
methods by which ,mr4 ,parr had made his
 fortune and gained his ascendency would
 not bear scrutiny 4 4 4 4 ,some of them
 were disturbed1 indeed1 by the         
discovery that there had come about in  

them1 by imperceptible degrees1 in the  
last few years a new and critical       
attitude towards the ways of modern     
finance3 moat of them had an            
uncomfortable feeling that ,hodder was  
somehow right1--a feeling which they    
sought to stifle when they reflected    
upon the consequences of facing it4 ,for
 this would mean a disagreeable shaking 
up of their own lives4 ,few of them were
 in a position whence they might cast   
stones at ,eldon ,parr 4 4 4 4  ,what   
these did not grasp was the fact that   
that which they felt stirring within    
them was the new and spiritual product  
of the dawning twentieth century--the   
,social ,conscience4 ,they wished       
heartily that the new rector who had    
developed this disquieting personality  
would peacefully resign and leave them  
to the former1 even tenor of their      
lives4 ,they did not for one moment     
doubt the outcome of his struggle with  
,eldon ,parr4 ,the great banker was     
known to be relentless1 his name was    

synonymous with victory4 ,and yet1      
paradoxically1 ,hodder compelled their  
inner sympathy and admiration6 4 4 4    
,some of them1 who did not attempt      
peremptorily to choke the a processes   
made the startling discovery that they  
were not1 after all1 so shocked by his  
doctrines as they had at first supposed4
 ,the trouble was that they could not   
continue to listen to him1 as formerly1 
with comfort4444 ,one thing was certain1
 that they had never expected to look   
forward to a vestry meeting with such   
breathless interest and anxiety4 ,this  
clergyman had suddenly accomplished the 
surprising feat of reviving the ,church 
as a burning1 vital factor in the life  
of the community6 ,he had discerned her 
enemy1 and defied his power 4 4 4 4  ,as
 for ,hodder1 so absorbed had he been by
 his experiences1 so wrung by the human 
contacts1 the personal problems which he
 had sought to enter1 that he had       
actually given no thought to the battle 
before him until the autumn afternoon1  

heavy with smoke1 had settled down into 
darkness4 ,the weather was damp and     
cold1 and he sat musing on the ordeal   
now abruptly confronting him before his 
study fire when he heard a step behind  
him4 ,he turned to recognize1 by the    
glow of the embers1 the heavy figure of 
,nelson ,langmaid4  ,i hope ,i'm not    
disturbing you1 ,hodder1 he said4 ,the  
janitor said you were in1 and your door 
is open4  ,not at all1 replied the      
rector1 rising4 ,as he stood for a      
moment facing the lawyer1 the thought of
 their friendship1 and how it had begun 
in the little rectory overlooking the   
lake at ,bremerton1 was uppermost in his
 mind1--yes1 and the memory of many     
friendly1 literary discussions in the   
same room where they now stood1 of      
pleasant dinners at ,langmaid's house in
 the ,west ,end1 when the two of them   
had often sat talking until late into   
the nights4  ,i must seem very          
inhospitable1 said ,hodder4 ,i'll light 
the lamp--it's pleasanter than the      

electric light4  ,the added illumination
 at first revealed the lawyer in his    
familiar aspect1 the broad shoulders1   
the big1 reddish beard1 the dome-like   
head1 --the generous person that seemed 
to radiate scholarly benignity1 peace1  
and good-will4 ,but almost instantly the
 rector became aware of a new and       
troubled1 puzzled glance from behind the
 round spectacles4 4 4  ,i thought ,i'd 
drop in a moment on my way up town-- he 
began4 ,and the note of uncertainty in  
his voice1 too1 was new4 ,hodder drew   
towards the fire the big chair in which 
it had been ,langmaid's wont to sit1 and
 perhaps it was the sight of this       
operation that loosed the lawyer's      
tongue4  ,confound it1 ,hodder6 he      
exclaimed1 ,i like you--,i always have  
liked you4 ,and you've got a hundred    
times the ability of the average        
clergyman4 ,why in the world did you    
have to go and make all this trouble8   
,by so characteristic a remark ,hodder  
was both amused and moved4 ,it revealed 

so perfectly the point of view and      
predicament of the lawyer1 and it was   
also an expression of an affection which
 the rector cordially1 returned 4 4 4 4 
,before answering1 he placed his visitor
 in the chair1 and the deliberation of  
the act was a revelation of the         
unconscious poise of the clergyman4 ,the
 spectacle of this self-command on the  
brink of such a crucial event as the    
vestry meeting had taken ,langmaid aback
 more than he cared to show4 ,he had    
lost the old sense of comradeship1 of   
easy equality2 and he had the odd       
feeling of dealing with a new man1 at   
once familiar and unfamiliar1 who had   
somehow lifted himself out of the       
everyday element in which they          
heretofore had met4 ,the clergyman had  
contrived to step out of his1           
,langmaid's1 experience3 had actually   
set him--who all his life had known no  
difficulty in dealing with men--to      
groping for a medium of communication 4 
4 4 4  ,hodder sat down on the other    

side of the fireplace4 ,he1 too1 seemed 
to be striving for a common footing4    
,it was a question of proclaiming the   
truth when at last ,i came to see it1   
,langmaid4 ,i could not help doing what 
,i did4 ,matters of policy1 of a false  
consideration for individuals could not 
enter into it4 ,if this were not so1 ,i 
should gladly admit that you had a just 
grievance1 a peculiar right to demand   
why ,i had not remained the strictly    
orthodox person whom you induced to come
 here4 ,you had every reason to         
congratulate yourself that you were     
getting what you doubtless would call a 
safe man4  ,i'll admit ,i had a twinge  
of uneasiness after ,i came home1       
,langmaid confessed4  ,hodder smiled at 
his frankness4  ,but that disappeared4  
,yes1 it disappeared4 ,you seemed to    
suit 'em so perfectly4 ,i'll own up1    
,hodder1 that ,i was a little hurt that 
you did not come and talk to me just    
before you took the                     
extraordinary--before you changed your  

opinions4  ,would it have done any good8
 asked the rector1 gently4 ,would you   
have agreed with me any better than you 
do now8 ,i am perfectly willing1 if you 
wish1 to discuss with you any views of  
mine which you may not indorse4 ,and it 
would make me very happy1 ,i assure you1
 if ,i could bring you to look upon the 
matter as ,i do4  ,this was a poser4    
,and whether it were ingenuous1 or had  
in it an element of the scriptural      
wisdom of the serpent1 ,langmaid could  
not have said4 ,as a lawyer1 he admired 
it4  ,i wasn't in church1 as usual1--,i 
didn't hear the sermon1 he replied4 ,and
 ,i never could make head or tail of    
theology--,i always told you that4 ,what
 ,i deplore1 ,hodder1 is that you've    
contrived to make a hornets' nest out of
 the most peaceful and contented        
congregation in ,america4 ,couldn't you 
have managed to stick to religion       
instead of getting mixed up with        
socialism8  ,so you have been given the 
idea that my sermon was socialistic8 the

 rector said4  ,socialistic and         
heretical1--it seems4 ,of course ,i'm   
not much of an authority on heresy1 but 
they claim that you went out of your way
 to knock some of their most cherished  
and sacred beliefs in the head4  ,but   
suppose ,i have come to the honest      
conclusion that in the first place these
 so-called cherished beliefs have no    
foundation in fact1 and no influence on 
the lives of the persons who cherished  
them1 no real connection with           
,christianity8 ,what would you have me  
do1 as a man8 ,continue to preach them  
for the sake of the lethargic peace of  
which you speak8 leave the church       
paralyzed1 as ,i found it8  ,paralyzed6 
,you've got the most influential people 
in the city4  ,hodder regarded him for a
 while without replying4  ,so has the   
,willesden ,club1 he said4  ,langmaid   
laughed a little1 uncomfortably4  ,if   
,christianity1 as one of the ancient    
popes is said to have remarked1 were    
merely a profitable fable1 the rector   

continued1 there might be something in  
your contention that ,st4 ,john's1 as a 
church1 had reached the pinnacle of     
success4 ,but let us ignore the         
spiritual side of this matter as        
non-vital1 and consider it from the     
practical side4 ,we have the most       
influential people in the city1 but we  
have not their children4 ,that does not 
promise well for the future4 ,the       
children get more profit out of the     
country clubs4 ,and then there is       
another question3 is it going to        
continue to be profitable8 ,is it as    
profitable now as it was1 say1 twenty   
years ago8  ,you've got out of my depth1
 said ,nelson ,langmaid4  ,i'll try to  
explain4 ,as a man of affairs1 ,i think 
you will admit1 if you reflect1 that the
 return of ,st4 ,john's1 considering the
 large amount of money invested1 is     
scarcely worth considering4 ,and ,i am  
surprised that as astute a man as ,mr4  
,pair has not been able to see this long
 ago4 ,if we clear all the cobwebs away1

 what is the real function of this      
church as at present constituted8 ,why  
this heavy expenditure to maintain      
religious services for a handful of     
people8 ,is it not1 when we come down to
 facts1 an increasingly futile effort to
 bring the influences of religion--of   
superstition1 if you will--to bear on   
the so-called lower classes in order    
that they may remain contented with     
their lot1 with that station and        
condition in the world where--it is     
argued--it has pleased ,god to call     
them8 ,if that were not so1 in my       
opinion there are very few of the       
privileged classes who would invest a   
dollar in the ,church4 ,and the proof of
 it is that the moment a clergyman      
raises his voice to proclaim the true   
message of ,christianity they are up in 
arms with the cry of socialism4 ,they   
have the sense to see that their        
privileges are immediately threatened4  
,looking at it from the financial side1 
it would be cheaper for them to close up

 their churches4 ,it is a mere waste of 
time and money1 because the influence on
 their less fortunate brethren in a     
worldly sense has dwindled to nothing4  
,few of the poor come near their        
churches in these days4 ,the profitable 
fable is almost played out4  ,hodder had
 spoken without bitterness1 yet his     
irony was by no means lost on the       
lawyer4 ,langmaid1 if the truth be told1
 found himself for the moment in the    
unusual predicament of being at a loss1 
for the rector had put forward with more
 or less precision the very cynical view
 which he himself had been clever enough
 to evolve4  ,haven't they the right1 he
 asked1 somewhat lamely to demand the   
kind of religion they pay for8          
,provided you don't call it religion1   
said the rector4  ,langmaid smiled in   
spite of himself4  ,see here1 ,hodder1  
he said1 ,i've always confessed frankly 
that ,i knew little or nothing about    
religion4 ,i've come here this evening  
as your friend1 without authority from  

anybody1 he added significantly1 to see 
if this thing couldn't somehow be       
adjusted peaceably1 for your sake as    
well as others'4 ,come1 you must admit  
there's a grain of justice in the       
contention against you4 ,when ,i went on
 to ,bremerton to get you ,i had no real
 reason for supposing that these views  
would develop4 ,i made a contract with  
you in all good faith4  ,and ,i with    
you1 answered the rector4 ,perhaps you  
do not realize1 ,langmaid1 what has been
 the chief factor in developing these   
views4  ,the lawyer was silent1 from    
caution4  ,i must be frank with you4 ,it
 was the discovery that ,mr4 ,parr and  
others of my chief parishioners were so 
far from being ,christians as to        
indulge1 while they supported the       
,church of ,christ1 in operations like  
that of the ,consolidated ,tractions    
,company1 wronging their fellow-men and 
condemning them to misery and hate4 ,and
 that you1 as a lawyer1 used your       
talents to make that operation possible4

  ,hold on6 cried ,langmaid1 now plainly
 agitated4 ,you have no right--you can  
know nothing of that affair4 ,you do not
 understand business4  ,i'm afraid1     
replied the rector1 sadly1 that ,i      
understand one side of it only too well4
  ,the ,church has no right to meddle   
outside of her sphere1 to dictate to    
politics and business4  ,her sphere1    
said ,holder1--is the world4 ,if she    
does not change the world by sending out
 ,christians into it1 she would better  
close her doors4  ,well1 ,i don't intend
 to quarrel with you1 ,holder4 ,i       
suppose it can't be helped that we look 
at these things differently1 and ,i     
don't intend to enter into a defence of 
business4 ,it would take too long1 and  
it wouldn't help any4 ,he got to his    
feet4 ,whatever happens1 it won't       
interfere with our personal friendship1 
even if you think me a highwayman and ,i
 think you a--  ,a fanatic1 ,holder     
supplied4 ,he had risen1 too1 and stood1
 with a smile on his face1 gazing at the

 lawyer with an odd scrutiny4  ,an      
idealist1 ,i was going to say1 ,langmaid
 answered1 returning the smile1 ,i'll   
admit that we need them in the world4   
,it's only when one of them gets in the 
gear-box 4 4 4 4  ,the rector laughed4  
,and thus they stood1 facing each other4
  ,langmaid1 ,holder asked1 don't you   
ever get tired and disgusted with the   
,juggernaut car8  ,the big lawyer       
continued to smile1 but a sheepish1     
almost boyish expression came over his  
face4 ,he had not credited the clergyman
 with so much astuteness4  ,business1   
nowadays1 is--business1 ,holder4 ,the   
,juggernaut car claims us all4 ,it has  
become-if you will permit me to continue
 to put my similes into slang--the      
modern band wagon4 ,and we lawyers have 
to get on it1 or fall by the wayside4   
,holder stared into the fire4  ,i       
appreciate your motive in coming here1  
he said1 at length1 and ,i do you the   
justice of believing it was friendly1   
that the fact that you are1 in a way1   

responsible for me to--to the           
congregation of ,st4 ,john's did not    
enter into it4 ,i realize that ,i have  
made matters particularly awkward for   
you4 ,you have given them in me1 and in 
good faith1 something they didn't       
bargain for4 ,you haven't said so1 but  
you want me to resign4 ,on the one hand1
 you don't care to see me tilting at the
 windmills1 or1 better1 drawing down on 
my head the thunderbolts of your gods4  
,on the other hand1 you are just a      
little afraid for your gods4 ,if the    
question in dispute were merely an      
academic one1 ,i'd accommodate you at   
once4 ,but ,i can't4 ,i've thought it   
all out1 and ,i have made up my mind    
that it is my clear duty to remain here 
and1 if ,i am strong enough1 wrest this 
church from the grip of ,eldon ,parr and
 the men whom he controls4  ,i am       
speaking plainly1 and ,i understand the 
situation thoroughly4 ,you will probably
 tell me1 as others have done1 that no  
one has ever opposed ,eldon ,parr who   

has not been crushed4 ,i go in with my  
eyes open1 ,i am willing to be crushed1 
if necessary4 ,you have come here to    
warn me1 and ,i appreciate your motive4 
,now ,i am going to warn you1 in all    
sincerity and friendship4 ,i may be     
beaten1 ,i may be driven out4 ,but the  
victory will be mine nevertheless4      
,eldon ,parr and the men who stand with 
him in the struggle will never recover  
from the blow ,i shall give them4 ,i    
shall leave them crippled because ,i    
have the truth on my side1 and the truth
 is irresistible4 ,and they shall not be
 able to injure me permanently4 ,and    
you1 ,i regret deeply to say1 will be   
hurt1 too4 ,i beg you1 for no selfish   
reason1 to consider again the part you  
intend to play in this affair4  ,such   
was the conviction1 such the            
unlooked-for fire with which the rector 
spoke that ,langmaid was visibly shaken 
and taken aback in spite of himself4    
,do you mean1 he demanded1 when he had  
caught his breath1 that you intend to   

attack us publicly8  ,is that the only  
punishment you can conceive of8 the     
rector asked4 ,the reproach in his voice
 was in itself a denial4  ,i beg your   
pardon1 ,hodder1 said the lawyer1       
quickly4 ,and ,i am sure you honestly   
believe what you say1 but--  ,in your   
heart you1 too1 believe it1 ,langmaid4  
,the retribution has already begun4     
,nevertheless you will go on--for a     
while4 ,he held out his hand1 which     
,langmaid took mechanically4 ,i bear you
 no ill-will4 ,i am sorry that you      
cannot yet see with sufficient clearness
 to save yourself4  ,langmaid turned and
 picked up his hat and stick and left   
the room without another word4 ,the     
bewildered1 wistful look which had      
replaced the ordinarily benign and      
cheerful expression haunted ,hodder long
 after the lawyer had gone4 ,it was the 
look of a man who has somehow lost his  
consciousness of power4     ,,chapter   
,,xxiv  ,,the ,,vestry ,,meets  ,at nine
 o'clock that evening ,hodder stood     

alone in the arched vestry room1 and the
 sight of the heavy ,gothic chairs      
ranged about the long table brought up  
memories of comfortable1 genial meetings
 prolonged by chat and banter4444 ,the  
noise of feet1 of subdued voices beside 
the coat room in the corridor1 aroused  
him4 ,all of the vestry would seem to   
have arrived at once4  ,he regarded them
 with a detached curiosity as they      
entered1 reading them with a new        
insight4 ,the trace of off-handedness in
 ,mr4 ,plimpton's former cordiality was 
not lost upon him--an intimation that   
his star had set4 ,mr4 ,plimpton had    
seen many breaches healed--had healed   
many himself4 ,but he had never been    
known as a champion of lost causes4     
,well1 here we are1 ,mr4 ,hodder1 on the
 stroke1 he remarked4 ,as a vestry1 ,i  
think we're entitled to the first prize 
for promptness4 ,how about it1 ,everett8
  ,everett ,constable was silent4  ,good
 evening1 ,mr4 ,hodder1 he said4 ,he did
 not offer to shake hands1 as ,mr4      

,plimpton had done1 but sat down at the 
far end of the table4 ,he looked tired  
and worn2 sick1 the rector thought1 and 
felt a sudden swelling of compassion for
 the pompous little man whose fibre was 
not as tough as that of these other     
condottieri3 as ,francis ,ferguson's1   
for instance1 although his soft hand and
 pink and white face framed in the black
 whiskers would seem to belie any fibre 
whatever4  ,gordon ,atterbury hemmed and
 hawed1--,ah1 ,mr4 ,hodder1 and seated  
himself beside ,mr4 ,constable1 in a    
chair designed to accommodate a portly  
bishop4 ,both of them started nervously 
as ,asa ,waring1 holding his head high1 
as a man should who has kept his        
birthright1 went directly to the rector4
  ,i'm glad to see you1 ,mr4 ,hodder1 he
 said1 and turning defiantly1 surveyed  
the room4 ,there was an awkward silence4
 ,mr4 ,plimpton edged a little nearer4  
,the decree might have gone forth for   
,mr4 ,hodder's destruction1 but ,asa    
,waring was a man whose displeasure was 

not to be lightly incurred4  ,what's    
this ,i hear about your moving out of   
,hamilton ,place1 ,mr4 ,waring8 ,you'd  
better come up and take the ,spaulding  
lot1 in ,waverley1 across from us4  ,i  
am an old man1 ,mr4 ,plimpton1 ,asa     
,waring replied4 ,i do not move as      
easily as some other people in these    
days4  ,everett ,constable produced his 
handkerchief and rubbed his nose        
violently4 ,but ,mr4 ,plimpton was      
apparently undaunted4  ,i have always   
said1 he observed1 that there was       
something very fine in your sticking to 
that neighbourhood after your friends   
had gone4 ,here's ,phil6  ,phil         
,goodrich looked positively belligerent1
 and as he took his stand on the other  
side of ,hodder his father-in-law smiled
 at him grimly4 ,mr4 ,goodrich took hold
 of the rector's arm4  ,i missed one or 
two meetings last spring1 ,mr4 ,hodder1 
he said1 but ,i'm going to be on hand   
after this4 ,my father1 ,i believe1     
never missed a vestry meeting in his    

life4 ,perhaps that was because they    
used to hold most of 'em at his house4  
,and serve port and cigars1 ,i'm told1  
,mr4 ,plimpton put in4  ,that was an    
inducement1 ,wallis1 ,i'll admit1       
answered ,phil4 ,but there are even     
greater inducements now4  ,in view of   
,phil ,goodrich's well-known liking for 
a fight1 this was too pointed to admit  
of a reply1 but ,mr4 ,plimpton was      
spared the attempt by the entrance of4  
,nelson ,langmaid4 ,the lawyer1 as he   
greeted them1 seemed to be preoccupied1 
nor did he seek to relieve the tension  
with his customary joke4 ,a few moments 
of silence followed1 when ,eldon ,parr  
was seen to be standing in the doorway1 
surveying them4  ,good evening1         
gentlemen1 he said coldly1 and without  
more ado went to his customary chair1   
and sat down in it4 ,immediately        
followed a scraping of other chairs4    
,there was a dominating quality about   
the man not to be gainsaid4  ,the rector
 called the meeting to order 4 4 4 4    

,during the routine business none of the
 little asides occurred which produce   
laughter4 ,every man in the room was    
aware of the intensity of ,eldon ,parr's
 animosity1 and yet he betrayed it      
neither by voice1 look1 or gesture4     
,there was something uncanny in this    
self-control1 this sang froid with which
 he was wont to sit at boards waiting   
unmoved for the time when he should draw
 his net about his enemies1 and strangle
 them without pity4 ,it got on          
,langmaid's nerves--hardened as he was  
to it4 ,he had seen many men in that    
net2 some had struggled1 some had taken 
their annihilation stoically2 honest    
merchants1 freebooters1 and brigands4   
,most of them had gone out1 with their  
families1 into that precarious          
border-land of existence in which the   
to-morrows are ever dreaded4  ,yet here1
 somehow1 was a different case4         
,langmaid found himself going back to   
the days when his mother had taken him  
to church1 and he could not bear to look

 at1 ,hodder4 ,since six o'clock that   
afternoon--had his companions but known 
it--he had passed through one of the    
worst periods of his existence4 4 4 4   
,after the regular business had been    
disposed of a brief interval was        
allowed1 for the sake of decency1 to    
ensue4 ,that ,eldon ,parr would not lead
 the charge in person was a foregone    
conclusion4 ,whom1 then1 would he put   
forward8 ,for obvious reasons1 not      
,wallis ,plimpton or ,langmaid1 nor     
,francis ,ferguson4 ,hodder found his1  
glance unconsciously fixed upon ,everett
 ,constable1 who1 moved nervously and   
slowly pushed back his chair4 ,he was   
called upon1 in this hour and in the    
church his father had helped to found1  
to make the supreme payment for the     
years of financial prosperity4 ,although
 a little man1 with his shoulders thrown
 back and his head high1 he generally   
looked impressive when he spoke1 and his
 fine features and clear-cut ,english   
contributed to the effect4 ,but now his 

face was strained1 and his voice seemed 
to lack command as he bowed and         
mentioned the rector's name4 ,eldon     
,parr sat back4  ,gentlemen1 ,mr4       
,constable began1 ,i feel it my duty to 
say something this evening1 something   
that distresses me4 ,like some of you   
who are here present1 ,i have been on   
this vestry for many years1 and my      
father was on it before me4 ,i was      
brought up under ,dr4 ,gilman1 of whom  
,i need not speak4 ,all here1 except our
 present rector1 knew him4 ,this church1
 ,st4 ,john's1 has been a part--a--large
 part--of my life4 ,and anything that   
seems to touch its welfare1 touches me4 
,when ,dr4 ,gilman died1 after so many  
years of faithful service1 we faced a   
grave problem1--that of obtaining a     
young man of ability1 an active man who 
would be able to assume the             
responsibilities of a large and growing 
parish1 and at the same time carry on   
its traditions1 precious to us all2 one 
who believed in and preached1 ,i need   

scarcely add1 the accepted doctrines of 
the ,church1 which we have been taught  
to think are sacred and necessary to    
salvation4 ,and in the discovery of the 
,reverend ,mr4 ,hodder1 we had reason to
 congratulate ourselves and the parish4 
,he was all that we had hoped for1 and  
more4 ,his sermons were at once a       
pleasure and an instruction4  ,i wish to
 make it clear1 he continued1 that in   
spite of the pain ,mr4 ,hodder's words  
of last ,sunday have given me1 ,i       
respect and honour him still1 and wish  
him every success4 ,but1 gentlemen1 ,i  
think it is plain to all of you that he 
has changed his religious convictions4  
,as to the causes through which that    
change has come about1 ,i do not pretend
 to know4 ,to say the least1 the        
transition is a startling one1 one for  
which some of us were totally           
unprepared4 ,to speak restrainedly1 it  
was a shock--a shock which ,i shall     
remember as long as ,i live4  ,i need   
not go into the doctrinal question here1

 except to express my opinion that the  
fundamental facts of our religion were  
contradicted4 ,and we have also to      
consider the effect of this preaching on
 coming generations for whom we are     
responsible4 ,there are1 no doubt1 other
 fields for ,mr4 ,hodder's usefulness4  
,but ,i think it may safely be taken as 
a principle that this parish has the    
right to demand from the pulpit that    
orthodox teaching which suits it1 and to
 which it has been accustomed4 ,and ,i  
venture further to give it as my        
opinion--to put it mildly that others   
have been as disturbed and shocked as   
,i4 ,i have seen many1 talked with many1
 since ,sunday4 ,for these reasons1 with
 much sorrow and regret1 ,i venture to  
suggest to the vestry that ,mr4 ,hodder 
resign as our rector4 ,and ,i may add   
what ,i believe to be the feeling of all
 present1 that we have nothing but good 
will for him1 although we think we might
 have been informed of what he intended 
to do4  ,and that in requesting him to  

resign we are acting for his own good as
 well as our own1 and are thus avoiding 
a situation which threatens to become   
impossible1--one which would bring      
serious reflection on him and calamity  
on the church4 ,we already1 in certain  
articles in the newspapers1 have had an 
indication of the intolerable notoriety 
we may expect1 although ,i hold ,mr4    
,hodder innocent in regard to those     
articles4 ,i am sure he will have the   
good sense to see this situation as ,i  
see it1 as the majority of the parish   
see it4  ,mr4 ,constable sat down1      
breathing hard4 ,he had not looked at   
the rector during the whole of his      
speech1 nor at ,eldon ,parr4 ,there was 
a heavy silence1 and then ,philip       
,goodrich rose1 square1 clean-cut1      
aggressive4  ,i1 too1 gentlemen1 have   
had life-long association with this     
church1 he began deliberately4 ,and for 
,mr4 ,hodder's sake ,i am going to give 
you a little of my personal history1    
because ,i think it typical of thousands

 of men of my age all over this country4
 ,it was nobody's fault1 perhaps1 that  
,i was taught that the ,christian       
religion depended on a certain series of
 nature miracles and a chain of         
historical events1 and when ,i went     
,east to school ,i had more of this same
 sort of instruction4 ,i have never1    
perhaps1 been overburdened with         
intellect1 but the time arrived         
nevertheless when ,i began to think for 
myself4 ,some of the older boys went    
once1 ,i remember1 to the rector of the 
school--a dear old man--and frankly     
stated our troubles4 ,to use a modern   
expression1 he stood pat on everything4 
,i do not say it was a consciously      
criminal act1 he probably saw no way out
 himself4 ,at any rate1 he made us all  
agnostics at one stroke4  ,what ,i      
learned in college of science and       
history and philosophy merely confirmed 
me in my agnosticism4 ,as a complete    
system for the making of atheists and   
materialists1 ,i commend the education  

which ,i received4 ,if there is any man 
here who believes religion to be an     
essential factor in life1 ,i ask him to 
think of his children or grandchildren  
before he comes forward to the support  
of ,mr4 ,constable4  ,in that sermon    
which he preached last ,sunday1 ,mr4    
,hodder1 for the first time in my life1 
made ,christianity intelligible to me4  
,i want him to know it4 ,and there are  
other men and women in that congregation
 who feel as ,i do4 ,gentlemen1 there is
 nothing ,i would not give to have had  
,christianity put before me in that     
simple and inspiring way when ,i was a  
boy4 ,and in my opinion ,st4 ,john's is 
more fortunate to-day than it ever has  
been in its existence4 ,mr4 ,hodder     
should have an unanimous testimonial of 
appreciation from this vestry for his   
courage4 ,and if the vote requesting him
 to resign prevails1 ,i venture to      
predict that there is not a man on this 
vestry who will not live to regret it4  
,phil ,goodrich glared at ,eldon ,parr1 

who remained unmoved4  ,permit me to    
add1 he said1 that this controversy1 in 
other respects than doctrine1 is more   
befitting to the ,middle ,ages than to  
the twentieth century1 when this ,church
 and other denominations are passing    
resolutions in their national           
conventions with a view to unity and    
freedom of belief4  ,mr4 ,langmaid1 ,mr4
 ,plimpton1 and ,mr4 ,constable sat     
still4 ,mr4 ,ferguson made no move4 ,it 
was ,gordon ,atterbury who rushed into  
the breach1 and proved that the         
extremists are allies of doubtful value4
  ,he had1 apparently1 not been idle    
since ,sunday1 and was armed cap-a pie  
with time-worn arguments that need not  
be set down4 ,all of which went to show 
that ,mr4 ,goodrich had not referred to 
the ,middle ,ages in vain4 ,for ,gordon 
,atterbury was a born school-man4 ,but  
he finished by declaring1 at the end of 
twenty minutes 7much as he regretted the
 necessity of saying it71 that ,mr4     
,hodder's continuance as rector would   

mean the ruin of the church in which all
 present took such a pride4 ,that the   
great majority of its members would     
never submit to what was so plainly     
heresy4  ,it was then that ,mr4         
,plimpton gathered courage to pour oil  
on the waters4 ,there was nothing1 in   
his opinion1 he remarked smilingly1 in  
his function as peacemaker1 to warrant  
anything but the most friendly          
interchange of views4 ,he was second to 
none in his regard for ,mr4 ,hodder1 in 
his admiration for a man who had the    
courage of his convictions4 ,he had not 
the least doubt that ,mr4 ,hodder did   
not desire to remain in the parish when 
it was so apparent that the doctrines   
which he now preached were not          
acceptable to most of those who         
supported the church4 ,and he added     
7with sublime magnanimity7 that he      
wished ,mr4 ,hodder the success which he
 was sure he deserved1 and gave him     
every assurance of his friendship4  ,asa
 ,waring was about to rise1 when he     

perceived that ,hodder himself was on   
his feet4 ,and the eyes of every man1   
save one1 were fixed on him             
irresistibly4 ,the rector seemed unaware
 of it4 ,it was ,philip ,goodrich who   
remarked to his father-in-law1 as they  
walked home afterwards1 of the sense he 
had had at that moment that there were  
just two men in the room1--,hodder and  
,eldon ,parr4 ,all the rest were        
ciphers2 all had lost1 momentarily1     
their feelings of partisanship and were 
conscious only of these two intense1    
radiating1 opposing centres of force2   
and no man1 oddly enough1 could say     
which was the stronger4 ,they seemingly 
met on equal terms4 ,there could not be 
the slightest doubt that the rector did 
not mean to yield1 and yet they might   
have been puzzled if they had asked     
themselves how they had read the fact in
 his face or manner4 ,for he betrayed   
neither anger nor impatience4  ,no more 
did the financier reveal his own        
feelings4 ,he still sat back in his     

chair1 unmoved1 in apparent             
contemplation4 ,the posture was familiar
 to ,langmaid4  ,would he destroy1 too1 
this clergyman8 ,for the first time in  
his life1 and as he looked at ,hodder1  
the lawyer wondered4 ,hodder did not    
defend himself1 made no apologies4      
,christianity was not a collection of   
doctrines1 he reminded them1--but a mode
 of life4 ,if anything were clear to    
him1 it was that the present situation  
was not1 with the majority of them1 a   
matter of doctrines1 but of             
unwillingness to accept the message and 
precept of ,jesus ,christ1 and lead     
,christian lives4 ,they had made use of 
the doctrines as a stalking-horse4      
,there was a stir at this1 and ,hodder  
paused a moment and glanced around the  
table4 ,but no one interrupted4  ,he was
 fully aware of his rights1 and he had  
no intention of resigning4 ,to resign   
would be to abandon the work for which  
he was responsible1 not to them1 but to 
,god4 ,and he was perfectly             

willing--nay1 eager to defend his       
,christianity before any ecclesiastical 
court1 should the bishop decide that a  
court was necessary4 ,the day of        
freedom1 of a truer vision was at hand1 
the day of ,christian unity on the vital
 truths1 and no better proof of it could
 be brought forward than the change in  
him4 ,in his ignorance and blindness he 
had hitherto permitted compromise1 but  
he would no longer allow those who made 
only an outward pretence of being       
,christians to direct the spiritual     
affairs of ,st4 ,john's1 to say what    
should and what should not be preached4 
,this was to continue to paralyze the   
usefulness of the church1 to set at     
naught her mission1 to alienate those   
who most had need of her1 who hungered  
and thirsted after righteousness1 and   
went away unsatisfied4  ,he had hardly  
resumed his seat when ,everett          
,constable got up again4 ,he remarked1  
somewhat unsteadily1 that to prolong the
 controversy would be useless and       

painful to all concerned1 and he        
infinitely regretted the necessity of   
putting his suggestion that the rector  
resign in the form of a resolution 4 4 4
 4 ,the vote was taken4 ,six men raised 
their hands in favour of his            
resignation--,nelson ,langmaid among    
them3 two1 ,asa ,waring and ,philip     
,goodrich1 were against it4 ,after      
announcing the result1 ,hodder rose4    
,for the reason ,i have stated1         
gentlemen1 ,i decline to resign1 he     
said4 ,i stand upon my canonical rights4
  ,francis ,ferguson arose1 his voice   
actually trembling with anger4 ,there is
 something uncanny in the passion of a  
man whose life has been ordered by the  
inexorable rules of commerce1 who has   
been wont to decide all questions from  
the standpoint of dollars and cents4 ,if
 one of his own wax models had suddenly 
become animated1 the effect could not   
have been more startling4  ,in the      
course of this discussion1 he declared1 
,mr4 ,hodder had seen fit to make grave 

and in his opinion unwarranted charges  
concerning the lives of some1 if not    
all1 of the gentlemen who sat here4 ,it 
surprised him that these remarks had not
 been resented1 but he praised a        
,christian forbearance on the part of   
his colleagues which he was unable to   
achieve4 ,he had no doubt that their    
object had been to spare ,mr4 ,hodder's 
feelings as much as possible1 but ,mr4  
,hodder had shown no disposition to     
spare their own4 ,he had outraged them1 
,mr4 ,ferguson thought1--wantonly so4   
,he had made these preposterous and     
unchristian charges an excuse for his   
determination to remain in a position   
where his usefulness had ceased4  ,no   
one1 unfortunately1 was perfect in this 
life1--not even ,mr4 ,hodder4 ,he1      
,francis ,ferguson1 was far from        
claiming to be so4 ,but he believed that
 this arraignment of the men who stood  
highest in the city for decency1 law1   
and order1 who supported the ,church1   
who revered its doctrines1 who tried to 

live ,christian lives1 who gave their   
time and their money freely to it and to
 charities1 that this arraignment was an
 arrogant accusation and affront to be  
repudiated4 ,he demanded that ,mr4      
,hodder be definite4 ,if he had any     
charges to make1 let him make them here 
and now4  ,the consternation1 the horror
 which succeeded such a stupid and      
unexpected tactical blunder on the part 
of the usually astute ,mr4 ,ferguson    
were felt rather than visually          
discerned4 ,the atmosphere might have   
been described as panicky4 ,asa ,waring 
and ,phil ,goodrich smiled as ,wallis   
,plimpton1 after a moment's hush1       
scrambled to his feet1 his face pale1   
his customary easiness and nonchalance  
now the result of an obvious effort4    
,he1 too1 tried to smile1 but swallowed 
instead as he remembered his property in
 ,dalton ,street 4 4 4 4 ,nelson        
,langmaid smiled1 in spite of himself4 4
 4 ,mr4 ,plimpton implored his          
fellow-members not to bring             

personalities into the debate1 and he   
was aware all the while of the curious1 
pitying expression of the rector4 ,he   
breathed a sigh of relief at the opening
 words of ,hodder1 who followed him4    
,gentlemen1 he said1 ,i have no         
intention of being personal1 even by    
unanimous consent4 ,but if ,mr4         
,ferguson will come to me after this    
meeting ,i shall have not the least     
objection to discussing this matter with
 him in so far as he himself is         
concerned4 ,i can only assure you now   
that ,i have not spoken without warrant4
  ,there was1 oddly enough1 no          
acceptance of this offer by ,mr4        
,ferguson4 ,another silence ensued1     
broken1 at last1 by a voice for which   
they had all been unconsciously waiting2
 a voice which1 though unemotional1     
cold1 and matter-of-fact1 was           
nevertheless commanding1 and long       
accustomed to speak with an overwhelming
 authority4 ,eldon ,parr did not rise4  
,mr4 ,hodder1 he said1 in one respect   

seems to be under the delusion that we  
are still in the ,middle ,ages1 instead 
of the twentieth century1 since he      
assumes the right to meddle with the    
lives of his parishioners1 to be the    
sole judge of their actions4 ,that      
assumption will not1 be tolerated by    
free men4 ,i1 for one1 gentlemen1 do    
not1 propose to have a socialist for the
 rector of the church which ,i attend   
and support4 ,and ,i maintain the       
privilege of an ,american citizen to set
 my own standards1 within the law1 and  
to be the sole arbitrar of those        
standards4  ,good6 muttered ,gordon     
,atterbury4 ,langmaid moved             
uncomfortably4  ,i shall not waste      
words1 the financier continued4 ,there  
is in my mind no question that we are   
justified in demanding from our rector  
the ,christian doctrines to which we    
have given our assent1 and which are    
stated in the ,creeds4 ,that they shall 
be subject to the whims of the rector is
 beyond argument4 ,i do not pretend to1 

understand either1 gentlemen1 the nature
 of the extraordinary change that has   
taken place in the rector of ,st4       
,john's4 ,i am not well versed m        
psychology4 ,i am incapable of flights  
myself4 ,one effect of this change is an
 attitude on which reasonable           
considerations would seem to have no    
effect4  ,our resources1 fortunately1   
are not yet at an end4 ,it has been my  
hope1 on account of my former friendship
 with ,mr4 ,hodder1 that an             
ecclesiastical trial might not be       
necessary4 ,it now seems inevitable4 ,in
 the meantime1 since ,mr4 ,hodder has   
seen fit to remain in spite of our      
protest1 ,i do not intend to enter this 
church4 ,i was prepared1 gentlemen1 as  
some of you no doubt know1 to spend a   
considerable sum in adding to the beauty
 of ,st4 ,john's and to the charitable  
activities of the parish4 ,mr4 ,hodder  
has not disapproved of my gifts in the  
past1 but owing to his present scruples 
concerning my worthiness1 ,i naturally  

hesitate to press the matter now4 ,mr4  
,parr indulged in the semblance of a    
smile4 ,i fear that he must take the    
responsibility of delaying this benefit1
 with the other responsibilities he has 
assumed4  ,his voice changed4 ,it became
 sharper4  ,in short1 ,i propose to     
withhold all contributions for whatever 
purpose from this church while ,mr4     
,hodder is rector1 and ,i advise those  
of you who have voted for his           
resignation to do the same4 ,in the     
meantime1 ,i shall give my money to     
,calvary1 and attend its services4 ,and 
,i shall offer further a                
resolution--which ,i am informed is     
within our right--to discontinue ,mr4   
,hodder's salary4  ,there was that in   
the unparalleled audacity of ,eldon     
,parr that compelled ,hodder's unwilling
 admiration4 ,he sat gazing at the      
financier during this speech1           
speculating curiously on the inner      
consciousness of the man who could utter
 it4 ,was it possible that he had no    

sense of guilt8 ,even so1 he had shown a
 remarkable astuteness in relying on the
 conviction that he 7,hodder7 would not 
betray what he knew4  ,he was suddenly  
aware that ,asa ,waring was standing    
beside him4  ,gentlemen1 said ,mr4      
,waring1 ,i have listened to this       
discussion as long as ,i can bear it    
with patience4 ,had ,i been told of it1 
,i should have thought it incredible    
that the methods of the money changers  
should be applied to the direction and  
control of the house of ,god4 ,in my    
opinion there is but one word which is  
suitable for what has passed here       
to-night1 and the word is persecution4  
,perhaps ,i have lived too long ,i have 
lived to see honourable1 upright men    
deprived of what was rightfully theirs1 
driven from their livelihood by the     
rapacity of those who strive to         
concentrate the wealth and power of the 
nation into their hands4 ,i have seen   
this power gathering strength1          
stretching its arm little by little over

 the institutions ,i fought to preserve1
 and which ,i cherish over our politics1
 over our government1 yes1 and even over
 our courts4 ,i have seen it poisoning  
the business honour in which we formerly
 took such a pride1 ,i have seen it     
reestablishing a slavery more pernicious
 than that which millions died to       
efface4 ,i have seen it compel a        
subservience which makes me ashamed1 as 
an ,american1 to witness4  ,his glance1 
a withering moral scorn1 darted from    
under the grizzled eyebrows and alighted
 on one man after another1 and none met 
it4 ,everett ,constable coughed1 ,wallis
 ,plimpton shifted his position1 the    
others sat like stones4 ,asa ,waring was
 giving vent at last to the pent-up     
feelings of many years4  ,and now that  
power1 which respects nothing1 has crept
 into the sanctuary of the ,church4 ,our
 rector recognizes it1 ,i recognize     
it1--there is not a man here who1 in his
 heart1 misunderstands me4 ,and when a  
man is found who has the courage to     

stand up against it1 ,i honour him with 
all my soul1 and a hope that was almost 
dead revives in me4 ,for there is one   
force1 and one force alone1 able to     
overcome the power of which ,i speak1   
--the ,spirit of ,christ4 ,and the      
mission of the ,church is to disseminate
 that spirit4 ,the ,church is the       
champion on which we have to rely1 or   
give up all hope of victory4 ,the       
,church must train the recruits4 ,and if
 the ,church herself is betrayed into   
the hands of the enemy1 the battle is   
lost4  ,if ,mr4 ,hodder is forced out of
 this church1 it would be better to lock
 the doors4 ,st4 ,john's will be held   
up1 and rightfully1 to the scorn of the 
city4 ,all the money in the world will  
not save her4 ,though crippled1 she has 
survived one disgrace1 when she would   
not give free shelter to the man who    
above all others expressed her true     
spirit1 when she drove ,horace ,bentley 
from her doors after he had been        
deprived of the fortune which he was    

spending for his fellow-men4 ,she will  
not survive another4  ,i have no doubt  
,mr4 ,parr's motion to take from ,mr4   
,hodder his living will go through4 ,and
 still ,i urge him not to resign4 ,i am 
not a rich man1 even when such property 
as ,i have is compared to moderate      
fortunes of these days1 but ,i would pay
 his salary willingly out of my own     
pocket rather than see him go 4 4 4 4   
,i call the attention of the ,chairman1 
said ,eldon ,parr1 after a certain      
interval in which no one had ventured to
 speak1 to the motion before the vestry 
relating to the discontinuance of ,mr4  
,hodder's salary4  ,it was then that the
 unexpected happened4 ,gordon ,atterbury
 redeemed himself4 ,his respect for ,mr4
 ,waring1 he said1 made him hesitate to 
take issue with him4  ,he could speak   
for himself and for a number of people  
in the congregation when he reiterated  
his opinion that they were honestly     
shocked at what ,mr4 ,hodder had        
preached1 and that this was his sole    

motive in requesting ,mr4 ,hodder to    
resign4 ,he thought1 under the          
circumstances1 that this was a matter   
which might safely be left with the     
bishop4 ,he would not vote to deprive   
,mr4 ,hodder of his salary4  ,the motion
 was carried by a vote of five to three4
 ,for ,eldon ,parr well knew that his   
will needed no reenforcement by         
argument4 ,and this much was to be said 
for him1 that after he had entered a    
battle he never hesitated1 never under  
any circumstances reconsidered the      
probable effect of his course4  ,as for 
the others1 those who had supported him1
 they were cast in a less heroic mould4 
,even ,francis ,ferguson4 ,as between   
the devil and the deep sea1 he was      
compelled1 with as good a grace as      
possible1 to choose the devil4 ,he was  
utterly unable to contemplate the       
disaster which might ensue if certain   
financial ties1 which were thicker than 
cables1 were snapped4 ,but his affection
 for the devil was not increased by thus

 being led into a charge from which he  
would willingly have drawn back4 ,asa   
,waring might mean nothing to ,eldon    
,parr1 but he meant a great deal to     
,francis ,ferguson1 who had by no means 
forgotten his sensations of satisfaction
 when ,mrs4 ,waring had made her first  
call in ,park ,street on ,francis       
,ferguson's wife4 ,he left the room in  
such a state of absent-mindedness as    
actually to pass ,mr4 ,parr in the      
corridor without speaking to him4  ,the 
case of ,wallis ,plimpton was even      
worse4 ,he had married the ,gores1 but  
he had sought to bind himself with hoops
 of steel to the ,warings4 ,he had      
always secretly admired that old ,roman 
quality 7which the ,goodriches --their  
connections--shared7 of holding fast to 
their course unmindful and rather       
scornful of influence which swayed their
 neighbours4 ,the clan was sufficient   
unto itself1 satisfied with a moderate  
prosperity and a continually increasing 
number of descendants4 ,the name was    

unstained4 ,such are the strange        
incongruities in the hearts of men1 that
 few realized the extent to which       
,wallis ,plimpton had partaken of the   
general hero-worship of ,phil ,goodrich4
 ,he had assiduously cultivated his     
regard1 at times discreetly boasted of  
it1 and yet had never been sure of it4  
,and now fate1 in the form of his       
master1 ,eldon ,parr had ironically     
compelled him at one stroke to undo the 
work of years4 ,as soon as the meeting  
broke up1 he crossed the room4  ,i can't
 tell you how much ,i regret this1      
,phil1 he said4 ,charlotte has very     
strong convictions1 you know1 and so    
have ,i4 ,you can understand1 ,i am     
sure1 how certain articles of belief    
might be necessary to one person1 and   
not to another4  ,yes1 said ,phil1 ,i   
can understand4 ,we needn't mention the 
articles1 ,wallis4 ,and he turned his   
back4  ,he never knew the pain he       
inflicted4 ,wallis ,plimpton looked at  
the rector1 who stood talking to ,mr4   

,waring1 and for the first time in his  
life recoiled from an overture4         
,something in the faces of both men     
warned him away4  ,even ,everett        
,constable1 as they went home in the    
cars together1 was brief with him1 and  
passed no comments when ,mr4 ,plimpton  
recovered sufficiently to elaborate on  
the justification of their act1 and upon
 the extraordinary stand taken by ,phil 
,goodrich and ,mr4 ,waring4  ,they might
 have told us what they were going to   
do4  ,everett ,constable eyed him4      
,would it have made any difference1     
,plimpton8 he demanded4  ,after that    
they rode in silence1 until they came to
 a certain ,west ,end corner1 where they
 both descended4 ,little ,mr4           
,constable's sensations were1 if        
anything1 less enviable1 and he had not 
,mr4 ,plimpton's recuperative powers4   
,he had sold that night1 for a mess of  
pottage1 the friendship and respect of  
three generations4 ,and he had fought1  
for pay1 against his own people4  ,and  

lastly1 there was ,langmaid1 whose      
feelings almost defy analysis4 ,he chose
 to walk through the still night the    
four miles--that separated him from his 
home4 ,and he went back over the years  
of his life until he found1 in the      
rubbish of the past1 a forgotten and    
tarnished jewel4 ,the discovery pained  
him4 ,for that jewel was the ideal he   
had carried away1 as a youth1 from the  
old law school at the bottom of         
,hamilton ,place1 --a gift from no less 
a man than the great lawyer and         
public-spirited citizen1 ,judge ,henry  
,goodrich--,philip ,goodrich's          
grandfather1 whose seated statue marked 
the entrance of the library4 ,he1       
,nelson ,langmaid1 --had gone forth from
 that school resolved to follow in the  
footsteps of that man1--but somehow he  
missed the path4 ,somehow the jewel had 
lost its fire4 ,there had come a        
tempting offer1 and a struggle--just    
one3 a readjustment on the plea that the
 world had changed since the days of    

,judge ,goodrich1 whose uncompromising  
figure had begun to fade3 an exciting   
discovery that he1 ,nelson ,langmaid1   
possessed the gift of drawing up        
agreements which had the faculty of     
passing magically through the meshes of 
the ,statutes4 ,affluence had followed1 
and fame1 and even that high office     
which the ,judge himself had held1 the  
,presidency of the ,state ,bar          
,association4 ,in all that time1 one    
remark1 which he had tried to forget1   
had cut him to the quick4 ,bedloe       
,hubbell had said on the political      
platform that ,langmaid got one hundred 
thousand dollars a year for keeping     
,eldon ,parr out of jail4  ,once he     
stopped in the street1 his mind suddenly
 going back to the action of the        
financier at the vestry meeting4        
,confound him6 he said aloud1 he has    
been a fool for once4 ,i told him not to
 do it4  ,he stood at last in the ample 
vestibule of his house1 singling out his
 latch-key1 when suddenly the door      

opened1 and his daughter ,helen         
appeared4  ,oh1 dad1 she cried1 why are 
you so-late8 ,i've been watching for    
you4 ,i know you've let ,mr4 ,hodder    
stay4  ,she gazed at him with widened   
eyes4  ,don't tell me that you've made  
him resign4 ,i can't--,i won't believe  
it4  ,he isn't going to resign1 ,helen1 
,langmaid replied1 in an odd voice4     
,he--he refused to4     ,,chapter ,,xxv 
,,rise1 ,,crowned ,,with ,,light6   ,i  
,the ,church of ,st4 ,john's1 after a   
peaceful existence of so many years1 had
 suddenly become the stage on which     
rapid and bewildering dramas were       
played3 the storm-centre of chaotic     
forces1 hitherto unperceived1 drawn from
 the atmosphere around her4 ,for there  
had been more publicity1 more           
advertising4 ,the ,rector of ,st4       
,john's will not talk--such had been one
 headline3 neither would the vestry     
talk4 ,and yet1 despite all this        
secrecy1 the whole story of the         
suspension of ,hodder's salary was in   

print1 and an editorial 7which was sent 
to him7 from a popular and sensational  
journal1 on tainted money1 in which     
,hodder was held up to the public as a  
martyr because he refused any longer to 
accept for the ,church ill-gotten gains 
from ,consolidated ,tractions and the   
like4  ,this had opened again the       
floodgates of the mails1 and it seemed  
as though every person who had a real or
 fancied grievance against ,eldon ,parr 
had written him4 ,nor did others of his 
congregation escape4 ,the press of      
visitors at the parish house suddenly   
increased once more1 men and women came 
to pour into his ears an appalling      
aeries of confessions2 wrongs which1    
like ,garvin's1 had engendered bitter   
hatreds2 woes1 temptations1             
bewilderments4 ,hodder strove to keep   
his feet1 sought wisdom to deal         
patiently with all1 though at times he  
was tried to the uttermost4 ,and he held
 steadfastly before his mind the great  
thing1 that they did come4 ,it was what 

he had longed for1 prayed for1 despaired
 of4 ,he was no longer crying in the    
empty wilderness1 but at last in        
touch-in natural touch with life3 with  
life in all its sorrow1 its crudity and 
horror4 ,he had contrived1 by the grace 
of ,god1 to make the connection for his 
church4  ,that church might have been   
likened to a ship sailing out of the    
snug harbour in which she had lain so   
long to range herself gallantly beside  
those whom she had formerly beheld1 with
 complacent cowardice1 fighting her     
fight3 young men and women1 enlisted    
under other banners than her own1 doing 
their part in the battle of the         
twentieth century for humanity4 ,her    
rector was her captain4 ,it was he who  
had cut her cables1 quelled1 for a time 
at least1 her mutineers2 and sought to  
hearten those of her little crew who    
wavered1 who shrank back appalled as    
they realized something of the immensity
 of the conflict in which her destiny   
was to be wrought out4  ,to carry on the

 figure1 ,philip ,goodrich might have   
been deemed her first officer4 ,he1 at  
least1 was not appalled1 but grimly     
conscious of the greatness of the task  
to which they had set their hands4 ,the 
sudden transformation of conservative   
,st4 ,john's was no more amazing than   
that of the son of a family which had   
never been without influence in the     
community4 ,but that influence had      
always been conservative4 ,and ,phil    
,goodrich had hitherto taken but a      
listless interest in the church of his  
fathers4 ,fortune had smiled upon him1  
trusts had come to him unsought4 ,he had
 inherited the family talent for the    
law1 the freedom to practise when and   
where he chose4 ,his love of active     
sport had led him into many vacations1  
when he tramped through marsh and       
thicket after game1 and at five and     
forty there was not an ounce of         
superfluous flesh on his hard body4 ,in 
spite of his plain speaking1 an         
overwhelming popularity at college had  

followed him to his native place1 and no
 organization1 sporting or serious1 was 
formed in the city that the question was
 not asked1 ,what does ,goodrich think  
about it8  ,his whole-souled enlistment 
in the cause of what was regarded as    
radical religion became1 therefore1 the 
subject of amazed comment in the many   
clubs he now neglected4 ,the squabble in
 ,st4 ,john's1 as it was generally      
referred to1 had been aired in the      
press1 but such was the magic in a name 
made without conscious effort that ,phil
 ,goodrich's participation in the       
struggle had a palpably disarming       
effect3 and there were not a few men who
 commonly spent their ,sunday mornings  
behind plate-glass windows1 surrounded  
by newspapers1 as well as some in the   
athletic club 7whose contests ,mr4      
,goodrich sometimes refereed7 who went  
to ,st4 ,john's out of curiosity and who
 waited1 afterwards1 for an interview   
with ,phil or the rector4 ,the remark of
 one of these was typical of others4 ,he

 had never taken much stock in religion1
 but if ,goodrich went in for it he     
thought he'd go and look it over4       
,scarcely a day passed that ,phil did   
not drop in at the parish house4444 ,and
 he set himself1 with all the vigour of 
an unsquandered manhood1 to help ,hodder
 to solve the multitude of new problems 
by which they were beset4  ,a free      
church was a magnificent ideal1 but how 
was it to be carried on without an      
,eldon ,parr1 a ,ferguson1 a ,constable1
 a ,mrs4 ,larrabbee1 or a ,gore who     
would make up the deficit at the end of 
the year8 ,could weekly contributions1  
on the envelope system1 be relied upon1 
provided the people continued to come   
and fill the pews of absent and outraged
 parishioners8 ,the music was the most  
expensive in the city1 although ,mr4    
,taylor1 the organist1 had come to the  
rector and offered to cut his salary in 
half1 and to leave that in abeyance     
until the finances could be adjusted4   
,and his example had been followed by   

some of the high-paid men in the choir4 
,others had offered to sing without pay4
 ,and there were the expenses of the    
parish house1 an alarming sum now ,eldon
 ,parr had withdrawn3 the salaries of   
the assistants4 ,hodder1 who had saved a
 certain sum in past years1 would take  
nothing for the present 4 4 4 4 ,asa    
,waring and ,phil ,goodrich borrowed on 
their own responsibility 4 4 4    ,,ii  
,something of the overwhelming nature of
 the forces ,hodder had summoned was    
visibly apparent on that first ,sunday  
after what many had called his apostasy4
 ,instead of the orderly1               
sprucely-dressed groups of people which 
were wont to linger in greetings before 
the doors of ,st4 ,john's1 a motley     
crowd thronged the pavement and streamed
 into the church1 pressing up the aisles
 and invading the sacred precincts where
 decorous parishioners had for so many  
years knelt in comfort and seclusion4   
,the familiar figure of ,gordon         
,atterbury was nowhere to be seen1 and  

the ,atterbury pew was occupied by      
shop-girls in gaudy hats4 ,eldon ,parr's
 pew was filled1 ,everett ,constable's1 
,wallis ,plimpton's2 and the ushers who 
had hastily been mustered were          
awestricken and powerless4 ,such a      
resistless invasion by the hordes of the
 unknown might well have struck with    
terror some of those who hitherto had   
had the courage to standup loyally in   
the rector's support4 ,it had a distinct
 flavour of revolution3 contained1 for  
some1 a grim suggestion of a time when  
that vague1 irresponsible1 and restless 
monster1 the mob1 would rise in its     
might and brutally and inexorably take  
possession of all property4  ,alison had
 met ,eleanor ,goodrich in ,burton      
,street1 and as the two made their way  
into the crowded vestibule they         
encountered ,martha ,preston1 whose     
husband was ,alison's cousin1 in the act
 of flight4  ,you're not going in6 she  
exclaimed4  ,of course we are4  ,mrs4   
,preston stared at ,alison in amazement4

  ,i didn't know you were still here1   
she said1 irrelevantly4 ,i'm pretty     
liberal1 my dear1 as you know1--but this
 is more than ,i can stand4 ,look at    
them6 ,she drew up her skirts as a woman
 brushed against her4 ,i believe in the 
poor coming to church1 and all that1 but
 this is mere vulgar curiosity1 the     
result of all that odious advertising in
 the newspapers4 ,my pew is filled with 
them4 ,if ,i had stayed1 ,i should have 
fainted4 ,i don't know what to think of 
,mr4 ,hodder4  ,mr4 ,hodder is not to   
blame for the newspapers1 replied       
,alison1 warmly4 ,she glanced around her
 at the people pushing past1 her eyes   
shining1 her colour high1 and there was 
the ring of passion in her voice which  
had do ,martha ,preston a peculiarly    
disquieting effect4 ,i think it's       
splendid that they are here at all6 ,i  
don't care what brought them4  ,mrs4    
,preston stared again4 ,she was a       
pretty1 intelligent woman1 at whose     
dinner table one was sure to hear the   

discussion of some modern problem3 she  
believed herself to be a socialist4 ,her
 eyes sought ,eleanor ,goodrich's1 who  
stood by1 alight with excitement4  ,but 
surely you1 ,eleanor-you're not going   
in6 ,you'll never be able to stand it1  
even if you find a seat4 ,the few people
 we know who've come are leaving4 ,i    
just saw the ,allan ,pendletons4  ,have 
you seen ,phil8 ,eleanor asked4  ,oh1   
yes1 he's in there1 and even he's       
helpless4 ,and as ,i came out poor ,mr4 
,bradley was jammed up against the wall4
 ,he seemed perfectly stunned 4 4 4 4   
,at this moment they were thrust apart4 
,eleanor quivered as she was carried    
through the swinging doors into the     
church4  ,i think you're right1 she     
whispered to ,alison1 it is splendid4   
,there's something about it that takes  
hold of me1 that carries one away4 ,it  
makes me wonder how it can be           
guided--what will come of it8  ,they    
caught sight of ,phil pushing his way   
towards them1 and his face bore the set 

look of belligerency which ,eleanor knew
 so well1 but he returned her smile4    
,alison's heart warmed towards him4     
,what do you think of this8 he demanded4
 ,most of our respectable friends who   
dared to come have left in a towering   
rage--to institute lawsuits1 probably4  
,at tiny rate1 strangers are not being  
made to wait until ten minutes after the
 service begins4 ,that's one barbarous  
custom abolished4  ,strangers seem to   
have taken matters in their own hands   
for once ,eleanor smiled4 ,we've made up
 our minds to stay1 ,phil1 even if we   
have to stand4  ,that's the right       
spirit1 declared her husband1 glancing  
at ,alison1 who had remained silent1    
with approval and by no means a         
concealed surprise4 ,i think ,i know of 
a place where ,i can squeeze you in1    
near ,professor ,bridges and ,sally1 on 
the side aisle4  ,are ,george and ,sally
 here8 ,eleanor exclaimed4  ,hodder1    
said ,phil1 is converting the heathen4  
,you couldn't have kept ,george away4   

,and it was ,george who made ,sally     
stay6  ,presently they found themselves 
established between a rawboned young    
workingman who smelled strongly of soap1
 whose hair was plastered tightly       
against his forehead1 and a young woman 
who leaned against the wall4 ,the black 
in which she was dressed enhanced the   
whiteness and weariness of her face1 and
 she sat gazing ahead of her1 apparently
 unconscious of those who surrounded    
her1 her hands tightly folded in her    
lap4 ,in their immediate vicinity1      
indeed1 might have been found all the   
variety of type seen in the ordinary    
street car4 ,and in truth there were    
some who seemed scarcely to realize they
 were not in a public vehicle4 ,an      
elaborately dressed female in front of  
them1 whose expansive hat brushed her   
neighbours1 made audible comments to a  
stout man with a red neck which was set 
in a crease above his low collar4  ,they
 tell me ,eldon ,parr's pew has a gold  
plate on it4 ,i wish ,i knew which it   

was4 ,it ain't this one1 anyway1 ,i'll  
bet4  ,say1 they march in in this kind  
of a church1 don't they8 some one said  
behind them4  ,eleanor1 with her lips   
tightly pressed1 opened her prayer book4
 ,alison's lips were slightly parted as 
she gazed about her1 across the aisle4  
,her experience of the ,sunday before1  
deep and tense as it had been1 seemed as
 nothing compared to this2 the presence 
of all these people stimulated her      
inexpressibly1 fired her2 and she felt  
the blood pulsing through her body as   
she contrasted this gathering with the  
dignified1 scattered congregation she   
had known4 ,she scarcely recognized the 
church itself 4 4 4 ,she speculated on  
the homes from which these had come1 and
 the motives which had brought them4    
,for a second the perfume of the woman  
in front1 mingling with other less      
definable odours1 almost sickened her1  
evoking suggestions of tawdry1 trivial1 
vulgar lives1 fed on sensation and      
excitement2 but the feeling was almost  

immediately swept away by a renewed     
sense of the bigness of the thing which 
she beheld1--of which1 indeed1 she was a
 part4 ,and her thoughts turned more    
definitely to the man who had brought it
 all about4 ,could he control it1 subdue
 it8 ,here was ,opportunity suddenly    
upon him1 like a huge1 curving1         
ponderous wave4 ,could he ride it8 or   
would it crush him remorselessly8       
,sensitive1 alert1 quickened as she was1
 she began to be aware of other values3 
of the intense spiritual hunger in the  
eyes of the woman in black1 the yearning
 of barren1 hopeless existences4 ,and   
here and there ,alison's look fell upon 
more prosperous individuals whose       
expressions proclaimed incredulity1 a   
certain cynical amusement at the        
spectacle3 others seemed uneasy1 as     
having got more than they had bargained 
for1 deliberating whether to flee 4 4 4 
and then1 just as her suspense was      
becoming almost unbearable1 the service 
began4 4 4 4  ,how it had been          

accomplished1 the thing she later felt1 
was beyond the range of intellectual    
analysis4 ,nor could she have told how  
much later1 since the passage of time   
had gone unnoticed4 ,curiosities1       
doubts1 passions1 longings1             
antagonisms--all these seemed--as the   
most natural thing in the world--to have
 been fused into one common but         
ineffable emotion4 ,such1 at least1 was 
the impression to which ,alison         
startlingly awoke4 ,all the while she   
had been conscious of ,hodder1 from the 
moment she had heard his voice in the   
chancel2 but somehow this consciousness 
of him had melted1 imperceptibly1 into  
that of the great congregation1 once    
divided against itself1 which had now   
achieved unity of soul4  ,the mystery as
 to how this had been effected was the  
more elusive when she considered the    
absence of all methods which might have 
been deemed revivalistic4 ,few of those 
around her evinced a familiarity with   
the historic service4 ,and then occurred

 to her his explanation of personality  
as the medium by which all truth is     
revealed1 by which the current of       
religion1 the motive power in all       
history1 is transmitted4 ,surely this   
was the explanation1 if it might be     
called one6 ,that tingling sense of a   
pervading spirit which was his1--and yet
 not his4 ,he was the incandescent      
medium1 and yet1 paradoxically1 gained  
in identity and individuality and was   
inseparable from the thing itself4  ,she
 could not see him4 ,a pillar hid the   
chancel from her view4  ,the service1 to
 which she had objected as archaic1     
became subordinate1 spiritualized1      
dominated by the personality4 ,hodder   
had departed from the usual custom by   
giving out the page of the psalter3 and 
the verses1 the throbbing responses     
which arose from every corner of the    
church1 assumed a new significance1 the 
vision of the ancient seer revived4 ,one
 verse he read resounded with prophecy4 
,thou shalt deliver me from the         

strivings of the people3 and thou shalt 
make me the head of the heathen4  ,and  
the reply3  ,a people whom ,i have not  
known shall serve me4  ,the working-man 
next to ,alison had no prayer-book4 ,she
 thrust her own into his hand1 and they 
read from it together 4 4 4 4  ,when    
they came to the second hymn the woman  
in front of her had wonderfully shed her
 vulgarity4 ,her voice--a really good   
one--poured itself out3         ,see a  
long race thy spacious courts adorn1    
,see future sons1 and daughters yet     
unborn1         ,in crowding ranks on   
every side arise1         ,demanding    
life1 impatient for the skies4  ,once   
,alison would have been critical of the 
words ,she was beyond that1 now4 ,what  
did it matter1 if the essential ,thing  
were present8  ,the sermon was a        
surprise4 ,and those who had come for   
excitement1 for the sensation of hearing
 a denunciation of a class they envied  
and therefore hated1 and nevertheless   
strove to imitate1 were themselves      

rebuked4 ,were not their standards the  
same8 ,and if the standard were false1  
it followed inevitably that the life was
 false also4  ,hodder fairly startled   
these out of their preconceived notions 
of ,christianity4 ,let them shake out of
 their minds everything they had thought
 it to mean1 churchgoing1 acceptance of 
creed and dogma1 contributive charity1  
withdrawal from the world1 rites and    
ceremonies3 it was none of these4  ,the 
motive in the world to-day was the      
acquisition of property2 the motive of  
,christianity was absolutely and        
uncompromisingly opposed to this4 ,shock
 their practical sense as it might1     
,christianity looked forward with       
steadfast faith to a time when the      
incentive to amass property would be    
done away with1 since it was a source of
 evil and a curse to mankind4 ,if they  
would be ,christians1 let them face     
that4 ,let them enter into life1 into   
the struggles going on around them      
to-day against greed1 corruption1       

slavery1 poverty1 vice and crime4 ,let  
them protest1 let them fight1 even as   
,jesus ,christ had fought and protested4
 ,for as sure as they sat there the day 
would come when they would be called to 
account1 would be asked the             
question--what had they done to make the
 ,united ,states of ,america a better   
place to live in8  ,there were in the   
,apostolic writings and tradition       
misinterpretations of life which had    
done much harm4 ,early ,christianity had
 kept its eyes fixed on another world1  
and had ignored this3 had overlooked the
 fact that every man and woman was put  
here to do a particular work4 ,in the   
first epistle of ,peter the advice was  
given1 submit yourselves to every       
ordinance of man for the ,lord's sake4  
,but ,christ had preached democracy1    
responsibility1 had foreseen a          
millennium1 the fulfilment of his       
,kingdom1 when all men1 inspired by the 
,spirit1 would make and keep in spirit  
the ordinances of ,god4  ,before they   

could do ,god's work and man's work they
 must first be awakened1 filled with    
desire4 ,desire was power4 ,and he      
prayed that some of them1 on this day1  
would receive that desire1 that power   
which nothing could resist4 ,the desire 
which would lead each and every one to  
the gates of the ,inner ,world which was
 limitless and eternal1 filled with     
dazzling light 4 4 4 4  ,let them have  
faith then4 ,not credulity in a vague   
,god they could not imagine1 but faith  
in the ,spirit of the ,universe1        
humanity1 in ,jesus ,christ who had been
 the complete human revelation of that  
,spirit1 who had suffered and died that 
man might not live in ignorance of it4  
,to doubt humanity1--such was the ,great
 ,refusal1 the sin against the ,holy    
,ghost1 the repudiation of the only true
 ,god6  ,after a pause1 he spoke simply 
of his hope for ,st4 ,john's4 ,if he    
remained here his ambition was that it  
would be the free temple of humanity1 of
 ,jesus ,christ1 supported not by a few1

 but by all1--each in accordance with   
his means4 ,of those who could afford   
nothing1 nothing would be required4     
,perhaps this did not sound practical1  
nor would it be so if the transforming  
inspiration failed4 ,he could only trust
 and try1 hold up to them the vision of 
the ,church as a community of willing   
workers for the ,kingdom 4 4 4    ,,iii 
,after the service was over the people  
lingered in the church1 standing in the 
pews and aisles1 as though loath to     
leave4 ,the woman with the perfume and  
the elaborate hat was heard to utter a  
succinct remark4  ,say1 ,charlie1 ,i    
guess he's all right4 ,i never had it   
put like that4  ,the thick-necked man's 
reply was inaudible4  ,eleanor ,goodrich
 was silent and a little pale as she    
pressed close to ,alison4 ,her          
imagination had been stretched1 as it   
were1 and she was still held in awe by  
the vastness of what she had heard and  
seen4 ,vaster even than ever1--so it    
appeared now1--demanding greater        

sacrifices than she had dreamed of4 ,she
 looked back upon the old as at receding
 shores4  ,alison1 with absorbed        
fascination1 watched the people2        
encountered1 here and there1            
recognitions from men and women with    
whom she had once danced and dined in   
what now seemed a previous existence4   
,why had they come8 and how had they    
received the message8 ,she ran into a   
little man1 a dealer in artists'        
supplies who once had sold her paints   
and brushes1 who stared and bowed       
uncertainly4 ,she surprised him by      
taking his hand4  ,did you like it8 she 
asked1 impulsively4  ,it's what ,i've   
been thinking for years1 ,miss ,parr1 he
 responded1 thinking and feeling4 ,but  
,i never knew it was ,christianity4 ,and
 ,i never thought-- he stopped and      
looked at her1 alarmed4  ,oh1 she said1 
,i believe in it1 too--or try to4  ,she 
left him1 mentally gasping 4 4 4 4      
,without1 on the sidewalk1 ,eleanor     
,goodrich was engaged in conversation   

with a stockily built man1 inclined to  
stoutness2 he had a brown face and a    
clipped1 bristly mustache4 ,alison      
paused involuntarily1 and saw him start 
and hesitate as his clear1 direct gaze  
met her own4  ,bedloe ,hubbell was one  
of those who had once sought to marry   
her4 ,she recalled him as an amiable and
 aimless boy2 and after she had gone    
,east she had received with incredulity 
and then with amusement the news of his 
venture into altruistic politics4 ,it   
was his efficiency she had doubted1 not 
his sincerity4 ,later tidings1          
contemptuous and eventually irritable   
utterances of her own father1 together  
with accounts in the ,new ,york         
newspapers of his campaign1 had         
convinced her in spite of herself that  
,bedloe ,hubbell had actually shaken the
 seats of power4 ,and somehow1 as she   
now took him in1 he looked it4  ,his    
transformation was one of the signs1 one
 of the mysteries of the times4 ,the    
ridicule and abuse of the press1 the    

opposition and enmity of his childhood  
friends1 had developed the man of force 
she now beheld1 and who came forward to 
greet her4  ,alison6 he exclaimed4 ,he  
had changed in one sense1 and not in    
another4 ,her colour deepened as the    
sound of his voice brought back the     
lapsed memories of the old intimacy4    
,for she had been kind to him1 kinder   
than to any other2 and the news of his  
marriage--to a woman from the ,pacific  
coast--had actually induced in her      
certain longings and regrets4 ,when the 
cards had reached her1 ,new ,york and   
the excitement of the life into which   
she had been weakly1 if somewhat        
unwittingly1 drawn had already begun to 
pall4  ,i'm so glad to see you1 she told
 him4 ,i've heard--so many things4 ,and 
,i'm very much in sympathy with what    
you're doing4  ,they crossed the street1
 and walked away from the church        
together4 ,she had surprised him1 and   
made him uncomfortable4  ,you've been   
away so long1 he managed to say1 perhaps

 you do not realize--  ,oh1 yes1 ,i do1 
she interrupted4 ,i am on the other     
side1 on your side4 ,i thought of       
writing you1 when you nearly won last   
autumn4  ,you see it1 too8 he exclaimed4
  ,yes1 ,i've changed1 too4 ,not so much
 as you1 she added1 shyly4 ,i always had
 a certain sympathy1 you know1 with the 
,robin ,hoods4  ,he laughed at her      
designation1 both pleased and taken     
aback by her praise4 4 4 ,but he        
wondered if she knew the extent of his  
criticism of her father4  ,that rector  
is a wonderful man1 he broke out1       
irrelevantly4 ,i can't get over' him--,i
 can't quite grasp the fact that he     
exists1 that he has dared to do what he 
has done4  ,this brought her colour     
back1 but she faced him bravely4 ,you   
think he is wonderful1 then8  ,don't    
you8 he demanded4  ,she assented4 ,but  
,i am curious to know why you do4       
,somehow1 ,i never thought of--you--    
,as religious1 he supplied4 ,and you8   
,if ,i remember rightly--  ,yes1 she    

interrupted1 ,i revolted1 too4 ,but ,mr4
 ,hodder puts it so --it makes one      
wonder4  ,he has not only made me       
wonder1 declared ,bedloe ,hubbell1      
emphatically1 ,i never knew what        
religion was until ,i heard this man    
last ,sunday4  ,last ,sunday6  ,until   
then1 ,i hadn't been inside of a church 
for fifteen years1--except to get       
married4 ,my wife takes the children1   
occasionally1 to a ,presbyterian church 
near us4  ,and why1 did you go then8 she
 asked4  ,i am a little ashamed of my   
motive1 he confessed4 ,there were       
rumours --,i don't pretend to know how  
they got about-- he hesitated1 once more
 aware of delicate ground4 ,wallis      
,plimpton said something to a man who   
told me4 ,i believe ,i went out of sheer
 curiosity to hear what ,hodder would   
have to say4 ,and then1 ,i had been     
reading1 wondering whether there were   
anything in ,christianity1 after all4   
,yes8 she said1 careless now as to what 
cause he might attribute her eagerness4 

,and he gave you something8  ,it was    
then she grasped the truth that this    
sudden renewed intimacy was the result  
of the impression ,hodder had left upon 
the minds of both4  ,he gave me         
everything1 ,bedloe ,hubbell replied4 ,i
 am willing to acknowledge it freely4   
,in his explanation of the parable of   
the ,prodigal ,son1 he gave me the clew 
to our modern times4 ,what was for me an
 inextricable puzzle has become clear as
 day4 ,he has made me understand1 at    
last1 the force which stirred me1 which 
goaded me until ,i was fairly compelled 
to embark in the movement which the     
majority of our citizens still continue 
to regard as quixotic4 ,i did not       
identify that force with religion1 then1
 and when ,i looked back on the first   
crazy campaign we embarked upon1 with   
the whole city laughing at me and at the
 obscure and impractical personnel we   
had1 there were moments when it seemed  
incomprehensible folly4 ,i had nothing  
to gain1 and everything to lose by such 

a venture4 ,i was lazy and easy-going1  
as you know4 ,i belonged to the         
privileged class1 ,i had sufficient     
money to live in comparative luxury all 
my days1 ,i had no grudge against these 
men whom ,i had known all my life4  ,but
 it must have had some beginning1 said  
,alison4  ,i was urged to run for the   
city council1 by these very men4 ,bedloe
 ,hubbell smiled at the recollection4   
,they accuse me now of having indulged  
once in the same practice1 for which ,i 
am condemning them4 ,our company did    
accept rebates1 and we sought favours   
from the city government4 ,i have       
confessed it freely on the platform4    
,even during my first few months in the 
council what may be called the old      
political practices seemed natural to   
me4 ,but gradually the iniquity of it   
all began to dawn on me1 and then ,i    
couldn't rest until ,i had done         
something towards stopping it4  ,at     
length ,i began to see1 he continued1   
that education of the masses was to be  

our only preserver1 that we should have 
to sink or swim by that4 ,i began to    
see1 dimly1 that this was true for other
 movements going on to-day4 ,now comes  
,hodder with what ,i sincerely believe  
is the key4 ,he compels men like me to  
recognize that our movements are not    
merely moral1 but religious4 ,religion1 
as yet unidentified1 is the force behind
 these portentous stirrings of politics 
in our country1 from sea to sea4 ,he    
aims1 not to bring the ,church into     
politics1 but to make her the feeder of 
these movements4 ,men join them to-day  
from all motives1 but the religious is  
the only one to which they may safely be
 trusted4 ,he has rescued the jewel from
 the dust-heap of tradition1 and holds  
it up1 shining1 before our eyes4        
,alison looked at her companion4  ,that1
 she said1 is a very beautiful phrase4  
,bedloe ,hubbell smiled queerly4  ,i    
don't know why ,i'm telling you all     
this4 ,i can't usually talk about it4   
,but the sight of that congregation this

 morning1 mixed as it was1 and the way  
he managed to weld it together4  ,ah1   
you noticed that6 she exclaimed sharply4
  ,noticed it6  ,i know4 ,it was a      
question of feeling it4  ,there was a   
silence4  ,will he succeed8 she asked   
presently4  ,ah1 said ,bedloe ,hubbell1 
how is it possible to predict it8 ,the  
forces against him are tremendous1 and  
it is usually the pioneer who suffers4  
,i agree absolutely with his definition 
of faith1 ,i have it4 ,and the work he  
has done already can never be undone4   
,the time is ripe1 and it is something  
that he has men like ,phil ,goodrich    
behind him1 and ,mr4 ,waring4 ,i'm going
 to enlist1 and from now on ,i intend to
 get every man and woman upon whom ,i   
have any influence whatever to go to    
that church 4 4 4 4 ,a little later     
,alison1 marvelling1 left him4          
,,chapter ,,xxvi  ,,the ,,current ,,of  
,,life   ,i  ,the year when ,hodder had 
gone east--to ,bremerton and ,bar       
,harbor1 he had read in the train a     

magazine article which had set fire to  
his imagination4 ,it had to do with the 
lives of the men1 the engineers who     
dared to deal with the wild and terrible
 power of the western hills1 who        
harnessed and conquered roaring rivers1 
and sent the power hundreds of miles    
over the wilderness1 by flimsy wires1 to
 turn the wheels of industry and light  
the dark places of the cities4 ,and1    
like all men who came into touch with   
elemental mysteries1 they had their     
moments of pure ecstasy1 gaining a      
tingling1 intenser life from the contact
 with dynamic things2 and other moments 
when1 in their struggle for mastery1    
they were buffeted about1 scorched1 and 
almost overwhelmed4  ,in these days the 
remembrance of that article came back to
 ,hodder4 ,it was as though he1 too1    
were seeking to deflect and guide a     
force --the ,force of forces4 ,he1 too1 
was buffeted1 scorched1 and bruised1 at 
periods scarce given time to recover    
himself in the onward rush he himself   

had started1 and which he sought to     
control4 ,problems arose which demanded 
the quick thinking of emergency4 ,he1   
too1 had his moments of reward1 the     
reward of the man who is in touch with  
reality4  ,he lived1 from day to day1 in
 a bewildering succession of            
encouragements and trials1 all          
unprecedented4 ,if he remained at ,st4  
,john's1 an entire new organization     
would be necessary 4 4 4 4 ,he did not  
as yet see it clearly2 and in the       
meantime1 with his vestry alienated1    
awaiting the bishop's decision1 he could
 make no definite plans1 even if he had 
had the leisure4 ,wholesale desertions  
had occurred in the guilds and          
societies1 the activities of which had  
almost ceased4 ,little ,tomkinson1 the  
second assistant1 had resigned2 and     
,mc,crae1 who worked harder than ever   
before1 was already marked1 ,hodder     
knew1 for dismissal if he himself were  
defeated4  ,and then there was the ever 
present question of money4 ,it remained 

to be seen whether a system of voluntary
 offerings were practicable4 ,for       
,hodder had made some inquiries into the
 so-called free churches1 only to       
discover that there were benefactors    
behind them1 benefactors the            
,christianity of whose lives was often  
doubtful4  ,one morning he received in  
the mail the long-expected note from the
 bishop1 making an appointment for the  
next day4 ,hodder1 as he read it over   
again1 smiled to himself4 4 4 ,he could 
gather nothing of the mind of the writer
 from the contents4  ,the piece of news 
which came to him on the same morning   
swept completely the contemplations of  
the approaching interview from his mind4
 ,sally ,grover stopped in at the parish
 house on her way to business4  ,kate   
,marcy's gone1 she announced1 in her    
abrupt fashion4  ,gone6 he exclaimed1   
and stared at her in dismay4 ,gone      
where8  ,that's just it1 said ,miss     
,grover4 ,i wish ,i knew4 ,i reckon we'd
 got into the habit of trusting her too 

much1 but it seemed the only way4 ,she  
wasn't in her room last night1 but ,ella
 ,finley didn't find it out until this  
morning1 and she ran over scared to     
death1 to tell us about it4             
,involuntarily the rector reached for   
his hat4  ,i've sent out word among our 
friends in ,dalton ,street1 ,sally      
continued4 ,an earthquake could not have
 disturbed her outer1 matter-of-fact    
calmness4 ,but ,hodder was not deceived3
 he knew that she was as profoundly     
grieved and discouraged as himself4 ,and
 ,i've got old ,gratz1 the              
cabinet-maker1 on the job4 ,if she's in 
,dalton ,street1 he'll find her4  ,but  
what--8 ,hodder began4  ,sally threw up 
her hands4  ,you never can tell1 with   
that kind4 ,but it sticks in my mind    
she's done something foolish4  ,foolish8
  ,sally twitched1 nervously4  ,somehow 
,i don't think it's a spree--but as ,i  
say1 you can't tell4 ,she's full of     
impulses4 ,you remember how she         
frightened us once before1 when she went

 off and stayed all night with the woman
 she used to know in the flat house1    
when she heard she was sick8  ,hodder   
nodded4  ,you've inquired there8  ,that 
woman went to the hospital1 you know4   
,she may be with another one4 ,if she   
is1 ,gratz ought to find her4 4 4 ,you  
know there was a time1 ,mr4 ,hodder1    
when ,i didn't have much hope that we'd 
pull her through4 ,but we got hold of   
her through her feelings4 ,she'd do     
anything for ,mr4 ,bentley --she'd do   
anything for you1 and the way she stuck 
to that embroidery was fine4 ,i don't   
say she was cured1 but whenever she'd   
feel one of those fits coming on she'd  
let us know about it1 and we'd watch    
her4 ,and ,i never saw one of that kind 
change so4 ,why1 she must be almost as  
good looking now as she ever was4  ,you 
don't think she has done                
anything--desperate8 asked ,hodder1     
slowly4  ,sally comprehended4           
,well--somehow ,i don't4 ,she used to   
say if she ever got drunk again she'd   

never come back4 ,but she didn't have   
any money--she's given ,mr4 ,bentley    
every cent of it4 ,and we didn't have   
any warning4 ,she was as cheerful as    
could be yesterday morning1 ,mrs4       
,mc,quillen says4  ,it might not do any 
harm to notify the police1 replied      
,hodder1 rising4 ,i'll go around to     
headquarters now4  ,he was glad of the  
excuse for action4 ,he could not have   
sat still4 ,and as he walked rapidly    
across ,burton ,street he realized with 
a pang how much his heart had been set  
on ,kate ,marcy's redemption4 ,in spite 
of the fact that every moment of his    
time during the past fortnight had been 
absorbed by the cares1 responsibilities1
 and trials thrust upon him1 he         
reproached himself for not having gone  
oftener to ,dalton ,street4 ,and yet1 if
 ,mr4 ,bentley and ,sally ,grower had   
been unable to foresee and prevent this1
 what could he have done8  ,at police   
headquarters he got no news4 ,the chief 
received him deferentially1             

sympathetically1 took down ,kate        
,marcy's description1 went so far as to 
remark1 sagely1 that too much mustn't be
 expected of these women1 and said he   
would notify the rector if she were     
found4 ,the chief knew and admired ,mr4 
,bentley1 and declared he was glad to   
meet ,mr4 ,hodder4 4 4 ,hodder left1 too
 preoccupied to draw any significance   
from the nature of his welcome4 ,he went
 at once to ,mr4 ,bentley's4  ,the old  
gentleman was inclined to be hopeful1 to
 take ,sally ,grower's view of the      
matter4 4 ,he trusted1 he said1 ,sally's
 instinct4 ,and ,hodder came away less  
uneasy1 not a little comforted by a     
communion which never failed to fortify 
him1 to make him marvel at the calmness 
of that world in which his friend lived1
 a calmness from which no vicarious     
sorrow was excluded4 ,and before ,hodder
 left1 ,mr4 ,bentley had drawn from him 
some account of the more recent         
complexities at the church4 ,the very   
pressure of his hand seemed to impart   

courage4  ,you won't stay and have      
dinner with me8  ,the rector regretfully
 declined4  ,i hear the bishop has      
returned1 said ,mr4 ,bentley1 smiling4  
,hodder was surprised4 ,he had never    
heard ,mr4 ,bentley speak of the bishop4
 ,of course he must know him4  ,i have  
my talk with him to-morrow4  ,mr4       
,bentley said nothing1 but pressed his  
hand again 4 4 4 4  ,on ,tower ,street1 
from the direction of the church1 he    
beheld a young man and a young woman    
approaching him absorbed in             
conversation4 ,even at a distance both  
seemed familiar1 and presently he       
identified the lithe and dainty figure  
in the blue dress as that of the        
daughter of his vestryman1 ,francis     
,ferguson4 ,presently she turned her    
face1 alight with animation1 from her   
companion1 and recognized him4  ,it's   
,mr4 ,hodder6 she exclaimed1 and was    
suddenly overtaken with a crimson       
shyness4 ,the young man seemed equally  
embarrassed as they stood facing the    

rector4  ,i'm afraid you don't remember 
me1 ,mr4 ,hodder1 he said4 ,i met you at
 ,mr4 ,ferguson's last spring4  ,then it
 came to him4 ,this was the young man   
who had made the faux pas which had     
caused ,mrs4 ,ferguson so much          
consternation1 and who had so manfully  
apologized afterwards4 ,his puzzled     
expression relaxed into a smile1 and he 
took the young man's hand4  ,i was going
 to write to you1 said ,nan1 as she     
looked up at the rector from under the  
wide brim of her hat4 ,our engagement is
 to be announced ,wednesday4  ,hodder   
congratulated them4 ,there was a brief  
silence1 when ,nan said tremulously3    
,we're coming to ,st4 ,john's6  ,i'm    
very glad1 ,hodder replied1 gravely4 ,it
 was one of those compensating moments1 
for him1 when his tribulations vanished2
 and the tributes of the younger        
generation were those to which his heart
 most freely responded4 ,but the        
situation1 in view of the attitude of   
,francis ,ferguson1 was too delicate to 

be dwelt upon4  ,i came to hear you last
 ,sunday1 ,mr4 ,hodder1 the young man   
volunteered1 with that mixture of       
awkwardness and straightforwardness     
which often characterize his sex and age
 in referring to such matters4 ,and ,i  
had an idea of writing you1 too1 to tell
 you how much ,i liked what you said4   
,but ,i know you must have had many     
letters4 ,you've made me think4  ,he    
flushed1 but met the rector's eye4 ,nan 
stood regarding him with pride4  ,you've
 made me think1 too1 she added4 ,and we 
intend to pitch in and help you1 if we  
can be of any use4  ,he parted from     
them1 wondering4 ,and it was not until  
he had reached the parish house that it 
occurred to him that he was as yet      
unenlightened as to the young man's name
 4 4 4 4  ,his second reflection brought
 back to his mind ,kate ,mercy1 for it  
was with a portion of ,nan ,ferguson's  
generous check that her board had been  
paid4 ,and he recalled the girl's hope1 
as she had given it to him1 that he     

would find some one in ,dalton ,street  
to help 4 4 4 4    ,,ii  ,there might1  
to the mundane eye1 have been an element
 of the ridiculous in the spectacle of  
the rector of ,st4 ,john's counting his 
gains1 since he had chosen--with every  
indication of insanity--to bring the    
pillars of his career crashing down on  
his own head4 ,by no means the least1   
however1 of the treasures flung into his
 lap was the tie which now bound him to 
the ,philip ,goodriches1 which otherwise
 would never have been possible4 ,and as
 he made his way thither on this        
particular evening1 a renewed sense came
 upon him of his emancipation from the  
dreary1 useless hours he had been wont  
to spend at other dinner tables4 ,that  
existence appeared to him now as the    
glittering1 feverish unreality of a     
nightmare filled with restless women and
 tired men who drank champagne1 thus    
gradually achieving--by the time cigars 
were reached--an artificial vivacity4   
,the caprice and superficiality of the  

one sex1 the inability to dwell upon or 
even penetrate a serious subject1 the   
blindness to what was going on around   
them2 the materialism1 the money        
standard of both1 were nauseating in the
 retrospect4  ,how1 indeed1 had life    
once appeared so distorted to him1 a    
professed servant of humanity1 as to    
lead him in the name of duty into that  
galley8  ,such was the burden of his    
thought when the homelike front of the  
,goodrich house greeted him in the      
darkness1 its enshrouded windows        
gleaming with friendly light4 ,as the   
door opened1 the merry sound of         
children's laughter floated down the    
stairs1 and it seemed to ,hodder as     
though a curse had been lifted4 4 4 4   
,the lintel of this house had been      
marked for salvation1 the scourge had   
passed it by3 the scourge of social     
striving which lay like a blight on a   
free people4  ,within1 the note of      
gentility1 of that instinctive good     
taste to which many greater mansions    

aspired in vain1 was sustained4 ,the    
furniture1 the pictures1 the walls and  
carpets were true expressions of the    
individuality of master and mistress1 of
 the unity of the life lived together2  
and the rector smiled as he detected1 in
 a corner of the hall1 a sturdy but     
diminutive hobby-horse--here the final1 
harmonious touch4 ,there was the sound  
of a scuffle1 treble shrieks of ecstasy 
from above1 and ,eleanor ,goodrich came 
out to welcome him4  ,its ,phil1 she    
told him in laughing despair1 he upsets 
all my discipline1 and gets them so     
excited they don't go to sleep for      
hours444  ,seated in front of the fire  
in the drawing-room1 he found ,alison   
,parr4 ,her coolness1 her radiancy1 her 
complete acceptance of the situation1   
all this and more he felt from the      
moment he touched her hand and looked   
into her face4 ,and never had she so    
distinctly represented to him the       
mysterious essence of fate4 ,why she    
should have made the fourth at this     

intimate gathering1 and whether or not  
she was or had been an especial friend  
of ,eleanor ,goodrich he did not know4  
,there was no explanation4444  ,a bowl  
of superb chrysanthemums occupied the   
centre of the table4 ,eleanor lifted    
them off and placed them on the         
sideboard4  ,i've got used to looking at
 ,phil1 she explained1 and craning is so
 painful4  ,the effect at first was to  
increase the intensity of the intimacy4 
,there was no reason--he told           
himself--why ,alison's self-possession  
should have been disturbed2 and as he   
glanced at her from time to time he     
perceived that it was not4 ,so          
completely was she mistress of herself  
that presently he felt a certain faint  
resentment rising within him1--yet he   
asked himself why she should not have   
been4 ,it was curious that his          
imagination would not rise1 now1 to a   
realization of that intercourse on      
which1 at times1 his fancy had dwelt    
with such vividness4 ,the very interest1

 the eagerness with which she took part 
in their discussions seemed to him in   
the nature of an emphatic repudiation of
 any ties to him which might have been  
binding4  ,all this was only1 on        
,hodder's part1 to be aware of the      
startling discovery as to how strong his
 sense of possession had been1 and how  
irrational1 how unwarranted4  ,for he   
had believed himself1 as regarding her1 
to have made the supreme renunciation of
 his life4 ,and the very fact that he   
had not consulted1 could not consult her
 feelings and her attitude made that    
renunciation no less difficult4 ,all    
effort1 all attempt at achievement of   
the only woman for whom he had ever felt
 the sublime harmony of desire--the     
harmony of the mind and the flesh--was  
cut off4  ,to be here1 facing her again 
in such close proximity1 was at once a  
pleasure and a torture4 ,and gradually  
he found himself yielding to the        
pleasure1 to the illusion of permanency 
created by her presence4 ,and1 when all 

was said1 he had as much to be grateful 
for as he could reasonably have wished2 
yes1 and more4 ,the bond 7there was a   
bond1 after all67 which united them was 
unbreakable4 ,they had forged it        
together4 ,the future would take care of
 itself4  ,the range of the conversation
 upon which they at length embarked was 
a tacit acknowledgment of a relationship
 which now united four persons who1 six 
months before1 would have believed      
themselves to have had nothing in       
common4 ,and it was characteristic of   
the new interest that it transcended the
 limits of the parish of ,st4 ,john's1  
touched upon the greater affairs to     
which that parish--if their protest     
prevailed--would now be dedicated4 ,not 
that the church was at once mentioned1  
but subtly implied as now enlisted1--and
 emancipated henceforth from all        
ecclesiastical narrowness 4 4 4 4 ,the  
amazing thing by which ,hodder was      
suddenly struck was the naturalness with
 which ,alison seemed to fit into the   

new scheme4 ,it was as though she       
intended to remain there1 and had       
abandoned all intention of returning to 
the life which apparently she had once  
permanently and definitely chosen4444   
,bedloe ,hubbell's campaign was another 
topic4 ,and ,phil had observed1 with the
 earnestness which marked his more      
serious statements1 that it wouldn't    
surprise him if young ,carter1          
,hubbell's candidate for mayor1         
overturned that autumn the ,beatty      
machine4  ,oh1 do you think so6 ,alison 
exclaimed with exhilaration4  ,they're  
frightened and out of breath1 said      
,phil1 they had no idea that ,bedloe    
would stick after they had licked him in
 three campaigns4 ,two years ago they   
tried to buy him off by offering to send
 him to the ,senate1 and ,wallis        
,plimpton has never got through his head
 to this why he refused4  ,plimpton's   
head1 ,eleanor declared dryly1 was      
impervious to a certain kind of idea4   
,i wonder if you know1 ,mr4 ,hodder1    

what an admirer ,mr4 ,hubbell is of     
yours8 ,alison asked4 ,he is most       
anxious to have a talk with you4        
,hodder did not know4  ,well1 said      
,phil1 enthusiastically1 to the rector1 
that's the best tribute you've had yet4 
,i can't say that ,bedloe was a more    
unregenerate heathen than ,i was1 but he
 was pretty bad4  ,this led them1 all   
save ,hodder1 into comments on the      
character of the congregation the       
,sunday before1 in the midst of which   
the rector was called away to the       
telephone4 ,sally ,grover had promised  
to let him know whether or not they had 
found ,kate ,marcy1 and his face was    
grave when he returned 4 4 4 4 ,he was  
still preoccupied1 an hour later1 when  
,alison arose to go4  ,but your carriage
 isn't here1 said ,phil1 going to the   
window4  ,oh1 ,i preferred to1 walk1 she
 told him1 it isn't far4    ,,iii  ,a   
blood-red ,october moon shed the fulness
 of its light on the silent houses1 and 
the trees1 still clinging to leaf1 cast 

black shadows across the lawns and      
deserted streets4 ,the very echoes of   
their footsteps on the pavement seemed  
to enhance the unreality of their       
surroundings3 ,some of the residences   
were already closed for the night1      
although the hour was not late1 and the 
glow behind the blinds of the others was
 nullified by the radiancy from above4  
,to ,hodder1 the sense of their         
isolation had never been more complete4 
,alison1 while repudiating the notion   
that an escort were needed in a         
neighbourhood of such propriety and     
peace1 had not refused his offer to     
accompany her4 ,and ,hodder felt        
instinctively1 as he took his place     
beside her1 a sense of climax4 ,this    
situation1 like those of the past1 was  
not of his own making4 ,it was here2    
confronting him1 and a certain          
inevitable intoxication at being once1  
more alone with her prevented him from  
forming any policy with which to deal   
with it4 ,he might either trust himself1

 or else he might not4 ,and as she said1
 the distance was not great4 ,but he    
could not help wondering1 during those  
first moments of silence1 whether she   
comprehended the strength of the        
temptation to which she subjected him 4 
4 4 4  ,the night was warm4 ,she wore a 
coat1 which was open1 and from time to  
time he caught the gleam of the         
moonlight on the knotted pearls at her  
throat4 ,over her head she had flung1   
mantilla-like1 a black lace scarf1 the  
effect of which was1 in the soft        
luminosity encircling her1 to add to the
 quality of mystery never exhausted4 ,if
 by acquiescing in his company she had  
owned to a tie between them1 the lace   
shawl falling over the tails of her dark
 hair and framing in its folds her face1
 had somehow made her once more a       
stranger4 ,nor was it until she         
presently looked up into his face with a
 smile that this impression was1 if not 
at once wholly dissipated1 at least     
contradicted4  ,her question1 indeed1   

was intimate4  ,why did you come with   
me8  ,why8 he repeated1 taken aback4    
,yes4 ,i'm sure you have something you  
wish to do1 something which particularly
 worries you4  ,no1 he answered1        
appraising her intuition of him1 there  
is nothing ,i can do1 to-night4 ,a young
 woman in whom ,mr4 ,bentley is         
interested1 in whom ,i am interested1   
has disappeared4 ,but we have taken all 
the steps possible towards finding her4 
,it was nothing--more serious1 then8    
,that1 of course1 is serious enough4    
,nothing1 ,i mean1 directly affecting   
your prospects of remaining--where you  
are8  ,no1 he answered4 ,he rejoiced    
fiercely that she should have asked him4
 ,the question was not bold1 but a      
natural resumption of the old footing   
,not that ,i mean to imply1 he added1   
returning her smile1 that those         
prospects' are in any way improved4     
,are they any worse8 she said4  ,i see  
the bishop to-morrow4 ,i have no idea   
what position he will take4 ,but even if

 he should decide not to recommend me   
for trial many difficult problems still 
remain to be solved4  ,i know4 ,it's    
fine1 she continued1 after a moment1 the
 way you are going ahead as if there    
were no question of your not remaining2 
and getting all those people into the   
church and influencing them as you did  
when they had come for all sorts of     
reasons4 ,do you remember1 the first    
time ,i met you1 ,i told you ,i could   
not think of you as a clergyman4 ,i     
cannot now--less than ever4  ,what do   
you think of me as8 he asked4  ,i don't 
know1 she considered4 ,you are unlike   
any person ,i have ever known4 ,it is   
curious that ,i cannot now even think of
 ,st4 ,john's as a church4 ,you have    
transformed it into something that seems
 new4 ,i'm afraid ,i can't describe what
 ,i mean1 but you have opened it up1 let
 in the fresh air1 rid it of the musty  
and deadening atmosphere which ,i have  
always associated with churches4 ,i     
wanted to see you1 before ,i went away1 

she went on steadily1 and when ,eleanor 
mentioned that you were coming to her   
house to-night1 ,i asked her to invite  
me4 ,do you think me shameless8  ,the   
emphasis of his gesture was sufficient4 
,he could not trust himself to speak4   
,writing seemed so unsatisfactory1 after
 what you had done for me1 and ,i never 
can express myself in writing4 ,i seem  
to congeal4  ,after what ,i have done   
for you6 he exclaimed3 ,what can ,i have
 done8  ,you have done more than you    
know1 she answered1 in a low voice4     
,more1 ,i think1 than ,i know4 ,how are 
such things to be measured1 put into    
words8 ,you have effected some change in
 me which defies analysis1 a change of  
attitude1--to attempt to dogmatize it   
would ruin it4 ,i prefer to leave it    
undefined--not even to call it an       
acquisition of faith4 ,i have faith1 she
 said1 simply1 in what you have become1 
and which has made you dare1 superbly1  
to cast everything away4 4 4 ,it is     
that1 more than anything you have said4 

,what you are4  ,for the instant he lost
 control of himself4  ,what you are1 he 
replied4 ,do you realize--can you ever  
realize what your faith in me has been  
to me8  ,she appeared to ignore this4   
,i did not mean to say that you have not
 made many things clear1 which once were
 obscure1 as ,i wrote you4 ,you have    
convinced me that true belief1 for      
instance1 is the hardest thing in the   
world1 the denial of practically all    
these people1 who profess to believe1   
represent4 ,the majority of them insist 
that humanity is not to be trusted4 4 4 
,they had reached1 in an incredibly     
brief time1 the corner of ,park ,street4
  ,when are you leaving8 he asked1 in a 
voice that sounded harsh in his own     
ears4  ,come6 she said gently1 ,i'm not 
going in yet1 for a while4  ,the ,park  
lay before them1 an empty1 garden filled
 with checquered light and shadows under
 the moon4 ,he followed her across the  
gravel1 glistening with dew1 past the   
statue of the mute statesman with arm   

upraised1 into pastoral stretches--a    
delectable country which was theirs     
alone4 ,he did not take it in1 save as  
one expression of the breathing woman at
 his side4 ,he was but partly conscious 
of a direction he had not chosen4 ,his  
blood throbbed violently1 and a feeling 
of actual physical faintness was upon   
him4 ,he was being led1 helplessly1 all 
volition gone1 and the very idea of     
resistance became chimerical 4 4 4 4    
,there was a seat under a tree1 beside a
 still lake burnished by the moon4 ,it  
seemed as though he could not bear the  
current of her touch1 and yet the       
thought of its removal were less        
bearable 4 4 4 ,for she had put her own 
hand out1 not shyly1 but with a movement
 so fraught with grace1 so natural that 
it was but the crowning bestowal4       
,alison6 he cried1 ,i can't ask it of   
you4 ,i have no right--  ,you're not    
asking it1 she answered4 ,it is ,i who  
am asking it4  ,but ,i have no          
future--,i may be an outcast to-morrow4 

,i have nothing to offer you4 ,he spoke 
more firmly now1 more commandingly4     
,don't you see1 dear1 that it is just   
because your future as obscure that ,i  
can do this8 ,you never would have done 
it1 ,i know1--and ,i couldn't face that4
 ,don't you understand that ,i am       
demanding the great sacrifice8          
,sacrifice6 he repeated4 ,his fingers   
turned1 and closed convulsively on hers4
  ,yes1 sacrifice1 she said gently4     
,isn't it the braver thing8  ,still he  
failed to catch her meaning4  ,braver1  
she explained1 with her wonderful       
courage1 braver if ,i love you1 if ,i   
need you1 if ,i cannot do without you4  
,he took her in his arms1 crushing her  
to him in his strength1 in one ineffable
 brief moment finding her lips1 inhaling
 the faint perfume of her smooth akin4  
,her lithe figure lay passively against 
him1 in marvellous1 unbelievable        
surrender4  ,i see what you mean1 he    
said1 at length1 ,i should have been a  
coward4 ,but ,i could not be sure that  

you loved me4  ,so near was her face    
that he could detect1 even under the    
obscurity of the branches1 a smile4     
,and so ,i was reduced to this6 ,i threw
 my pride to the winds1 she whispered4  
,but ,i don't care4 ,i was determined1  
selfishly1 to take happiness4  ,and to  
give it1 he added1 bending down to her4 
,the supreme quality of its essence was 
still to be doubted1 a bright star-dust 
which dazzled him1 to evaporate before  
his waking eyes4 ,and1 try as he would1 
he could not realize to the full depth  
the boy of contact with a being whom1 by
 discipline1 he had trained his mind to 
look upon as the unattainable4 ,they had
 spoken of the future1 yet in these     
moments any consideration of it was     
blotted out4 4 4 ,it was only by degrees
 that he collected himself sufficiently 
to be able to return to it4 4 4 ,alison 
took up the thread4  ,surely1 she said1 
sacrifice is useless unless it means    
something1 unless it be a realization4  
,it must be discriminating4 ,and we     

should both of us have remained         
incomplete if we had not taken--this4   
,you would always1 ,i think1 have been  
the one man for me1--but we should have 
lost touch4 ,he felt her tremble4 ,and  
,i needed you4 ,i have needed you all my
 life--one in whom h might have absolute
 faith4 ,that is my faith1 of which ,i  
could not tell you awhile ago4 ,is      
it--sacrilegious8  ,she looked up at    
him4 ,he shook his head1 thinking of his
 own4 ,it seemed the very distillation  
of the divine4 ,all my life1 she went   
on1 ,i have been waiting for the one who
 would risk everything4 ,oh1 if you had 
faltered the least little bit1 ,i don't 
know what ,i should have done4 ,that    
would have destroyed what was left of   
me1 put out1 ,i think1 the flickering   
fire that remained1 instead of fanning  
it into flame4 ,you cannot know how ,i  
watched you1 how ,i prayed6 ,i think it 
was prayer--,i am sure it was4 ,and it  
was because you did not falter1 because 
you risked all1 that you gained me4 ,you

 have gained only what you yourself     
made1 more than ,i ever was1 more than  
,i ever expected to be4  ,alison6 he    
remonstrated1 you mustn't say that4     
,she straightened up and gazed at him1  
taking one of his hands in her lithe    
fingers4  ,oh1 but ,i must6 ,it is the  
truth4 ,i felt that you cared--women are
 surer in such matters than men4 ,i must
 conceal nothing from you--nothing of my
 craftiness4 ,women are crafty1 you     
know4 ,and suppose you fail8 ,ah1 ,i do 
not mean failure--you cannot fail1 now4 
,you have put yourself forever beyond   
failure4 ,but what ,i mean is1 suppose  
you were compelled to leave ,st4        
,john's1 and ,i came to you then as ,i  
have come now1 and begged to take my    
place beside you8 ,i was afraid to risk 
it4 ,i was afraid you would not take me1
 even now1 to-night4 ,do you realize how
 austere you are at times1 how you have 
frightened me8  ,that ,i should ever    
have done that6 he said4  ,when ,i      
looked at you in the pulpit you seemed  

so far from me1 ,i could scarcely bear  
it4 ,as if ,i had no share in you1 as if
 you had already gone to a place beyond1
 where ,i could not go1 where ,i never  
could4 ,oh1 you will take me with you1  
now1--you won't leave me behind6  ,to   
this cry every fibre of his soul        
responded4 ,he had thought himself1 in  
these minutes1 to have known all        
feelings1 all thrills1 but now1 as he   
gathered her to him again1 he was to    
know still another1 the most exquisite  
of all4 ,that it was conferred upon him 
to give this woman protection1 to shield
 and lift her1 inspire her as she       
inspired him--this consciousness was the
 most exquisite of all1 transcending all
 conception of the love of woman4 ,and  
the very fulness of her was beyond him4 
,a lifetime were insufficient to exhaust
 her 4 4 4 4  ,i wanted to come to you  
now1 ,john4 ,i want to share your       
failure1 if it comes--all your failures4
 ,because they will be victories--don't 
you see8 ,i have never been able to     

achieve that kind of victory--real      
victory1 by myself4 ,i have always      
succumbed1 taken the baser1 the easier  
thing4 ,her cheek was wet4 ,i wasn't    
strong enough1 by myself1 and ,i never  
knew the stronger one 4 4 4 4  ,see what
 my trust in you has been6 ,i knew that 
you would not refuse me in spite of the 
fact that the world may misunderstand1  
may sneer at your taking me4 ,i knew    
that you were big enough even for that1 
when you understood it1 coming from me4 
,i wanted to be with you1 now1 that we  
might fight it out together4  ,what have
 ,i done to deserve so priceless a      
thing8 he asked4  ,she smiled at him    
again1 her lip trembling4  ,oh1 ,i'm not
 priceless1 ,i'm only real1 ,i'm only   
human--human and tired4 ,you are so     
strong1 you can't know how tired4 ,have 
you any idea why ,i came out here1 this 
summer8 ,it was because ,i was          
desperate--because ,i had almost decided
 to marry some one else4  ,she felt him 
start4  ,i was afraid of it2 he said4   

,were you8 ,did you think1 did you      
wonder a little about me8 ,there was a  
vibrant note of triumph to which he     
reacted4 ,she drew away from him4 a     
little4 ,perhaps1 when you know how     
sordid my life has been1 you won't want 
me4  ,is--,is that your faith1 ,alison8 
he demanded4 ,god forbid6 ,you have come
 to a man who also has confessions to   
make4  ,oh1 ,i am glad4 ,i want to know 
all of you--all1 do you understand8     
,that will bring us even closer         
together4 ,and it was one thing ,i felt 
about you in the beginning1 that day in 
the garden1 that you had had much to    
conquer--more than most men4 ,it was a  
part of your force and of your knowledge
 of life4 ,you were not a sexless       
ascetic who preached a mere neutral     
goodness4 ,does that shock you8  ,he    
smiled in turn4  ,i went away from here1
 as ,i once told you1 full of a high    
resolution not to trail the honour of my
 art--if ,i achieved art--in the dust4  
,but ,i have not only trailed my art--,i

 trailed myself4 ,in ,new ,york ,i      
became contaminated1 --the poison of the
 place1 of the people with whom ,i came 
in contact1 got into my blood4 ,little  
by little ,i yielded--,i wanted so to   
succeed1 to be able to confound those   
who had doubted and ridiculed me6 ,i    
wasn't content to wait to deny myself   
for the ideal4 ,success was in the air4 
,that was the poison1 and ,i only began 
to realize it after it was too late4    
,please don't think ,i am asking        
pity--,i feel that you must know4 ,from 
the very first my success--which was    
really failure--began to come in the    
wrong way4 ,as my father's daughter ,i  
could not be obscure4 ,i was sought out1
 ,i was what was called picturesque1 ,i 
suppose4 ,the women petted me1 although 
some of them hated me1 and ,i had a     
fascination for a certain kind of       
men--the wrong kind4 ,i began going to  
dinners1 house parties1 to recognize1   
that advantages came that way 4 4 4 4   
,it seemed quite natural4 ,it was what  

many others of my profession tried to   
do1 and they envied me my opportunities4
  ,i ought to say1 in justice to myself1
 that ,i was not in the least cynical   
about it4 ,i believed ,i was clinging to
 the ideal of art1 and that all ,i      
wanted was a chance4 ,and the people ,i 
went with had the same characteristics1 
only intensified1 as those ,i had known 
here4 ,of course ,i was actually no     
better than the women who were striving 
frivolously to get away from themselves1
 and the men who were fighting to get   
money4 ,only ,i didn't know it4  ,well1 
my chance came at last4 ,i had done     
several little things1 when an elderly  
man who is tremendously rich1 whose name
 you would recognize if ,i mentioned it1
 gave me an order4 ,for weeks1 nearly   
every day1 he came to my studio for tea1
 to talk over the plans4 ,i was really  
unsophisticated then--but ,i can see    
now--well1 that the garden was a        
secondary consideration 4 4 4 4 ,and the
 fact that ,i did it for him gave me a  

standing ,i should not otherwise have   
had 4 4 4 4 ,oh1 it is sickening to look
 back upon1 to think what an idiot ,i   
was in how little ,i saw4444  ,that     
garden launched me1 and ,i began to have
 more work than ,i could do4 ,i was     
conscientious about it tried--tried to  
make every garden better than the last4 
,but ,i was a young woman1              
unconventionally living alone1 and by   
degrees the handicap of my sex was      
brought home to me4 ,i did not feel the 
pressure at first1 and then--,i am      
ashamed to say--it had in it an element 
of excitement1 a sense of power4 ,the   
poison was at work4 ,i was amused4 ,i   
thought ,i could carry it through1 that 
the world had advanced sufficiently for 
a woman to do anything if she only had  
the courage4 ,and ,i believed ,i        
possessed a true broadness of view1 and 
could impress it1 so far as ,i was      
concerned1 on others 4 4 4 4  ,as ,i    
look back upon it all1 ,i believe my    
reputation for coldness saved me1 yet it

 was that very reputation which         
increased the pressure1 and sometimes ,i
 was fairly driven into a corner4 ,it   
seemed to madden some men--and the      
disillusionments began to come4 ,of     
course it was my fault --,i don't       
pretend to say it wasn't4 ,there were   
many whom1 instinctively1 ,i was on my  
guard against1 but some ,i thought      
really nice1 whom ,i trusted1 revealed a
 side ,i had not suspected4 ,that was   
the terrible thing6 ,and yet ,i held to 
my ideal1 tattered as it was4 4 4       
,alison was silent a moment1 still      
clinging to his hand1 and when she spoke
 again it was with a tremor of          
agitation4  ,it is hard1 to tell you    
this1 but ,i wish you to know4 ,at last 
,i met a man1 comparatively young1 who  
was making his own way in ,new ,york1   
achieving a reputation as a lawyer4     
,shall ,i tell you that ,i fell in love 
with him8 ,he seemed to bring a new     
freshness into my life when ,i was      
beginning to feel the staleness of it4  

,not that ,i surrendered at once1 but   
the reservations of which ,i was        
conscious at the first gradually        
disappeared--or rather ,i ignored them4 
,he had charm1 a magnificent            
self-confidence1 but ,i think the       
liberality of the opinions he expressed1
 in regard to women1 most appealed to   
me4 ,i was weak on that side1 and ,i    
have often wondered whether he knew it4 
,i believed him incapable of a great    
refusal4  ,he agreed1 if ,i consented to
 marry him1 that ,i should have my      
freedom --freedom to live in my own life
 and to carry on my profession4         
,fortunately1 the engagement was never  
announced1 never even suspected4 ,one   
day he hinted that ,i should return to  
my father for a month or two before the 
wedding 4 4 4 4 ,the manner in which he 
said it suddenly turned me cold4 ,oh1   
,alison exclaimed1 ,i was quite willing 
to go back1 to pay my father a visit1 as
 ,i had done nearly every year1 but--how
 can ,i tell you8--he could not believe 

that ,i had definitely given up-my      
father's money 4 4 4 4  ,i sat still and
 looked at him1 ,i felt as if ,i were   
frozen1 turned to stone4 ,and after a   
long while1 since ,i would not speak to 
him1 he went out4 4 4 ,three months     
later he came back and said that ,i had 
misunderstood him1 that he couldn't live
 without me4 ,i sent him away4444 ,only 
the other day he married ,amy ,grant1   
one of my friends 4 4 4 4  ,well1 after 
that1 ,i was tired--so tired6           
,everything seemed to go out of life4   
,it wasn't that ,i loved him any        
longer1--all had been crushed4 ,but the 
illusion was gone1 and ,i saw myself as 
,i was4 ,and for the first time in my   
life ,i felt defenceless1 helpless4 ,i  
wanted refuge4 ,did you ever hear of    
,jennings ,howe8  ,the architect8       
,alison nodded4 ,of course you must     
have--he is so well known4 ,he has been 
a widower for several years4 ,he liked  
my work1 saw its defects1 and was always
 frank about them1 and ,i designed a    

good many gardens in connection with his
 houses4 ,he himself is above all things
 an artist1 and he fell into the habit  
of coming to my studio and giving me    
friendly advice1 in the nicest way4 ,he 
seemed to understand that ,i was going  
through some sort of a crisis4 ,he      
called it 'too much society4' ,and then1
 without any warning1 he asked me to    
marry him4  ,that is why ,i came out    
here--to think it over4 ,i didn't love  
him1 and ,i told him so1 but ,i         
respected him4  ,he never compromised in
 his art1 and ,i have known him over and
 over to refuse houses because certain  
conditions were stipulated4 ,to marry   
him was an acknowledgment of defeat4 ,i 
realized that4 ,but ,i had come to the  
extremity where ,i wanted peace--peace  
and protection4 ,i wanted to put myself 
irrevocably beyond the old life1 which  
simply could not have gone on1 and ,i   
saw myself in the advancing years       
becoming tawdry and worn1 losing little 
by little what ,i had gained at a price4

  ,so ,i came here--to reflect1 to see1 
as it were1 if ,i could find something  
left in me to take hold of1 to build    
upon1 to begin over again1 perhaps1 by  
going back to the old associations4 ,i  
could think of no better place1 and ,i  
knew that my father would1 be going away
 after a few weeks1 and that ,i should  
be lone1 yet with an atmosphere back of 
me1--my old atmosphere4 ,that was why ,i
 went to church the first ,sunday1 in   
order to feel more definitely that      
atmosphere1 to summon up more completely
 the image of my mother4 ,more and more1
 as the years have passed1 ,i have      
thought of her in moments of trouble4 ,i
 have recovered her as ,i never had     
hoped to do in ,mr4 ,bentley4 ,isn't it 
strange1 she exclaimed wonderingly1 that
 he should have come into both our      
lives1 with such an influence1 at this  
time8  ,and then ,i met you1 talked to  
you that afternoon in the garden4 ,shall
 ,i make a complete confession8 ,i wrote
 to ,jennings ,howe that very week that 

,i could not marry him4  ,you knew6     
,hodder exclaimed3 ,you knew then8  ,ah1
 ,i can't tell what ,i knew--or when4 ,i
 knew1 after ,i had seen you1 that ,i   
couldn't marry him6 ,isn't that enough8 
,he drew in his breath deeply4  ,i      
should be less than a man if ,i refused 
to take you1 ,alison4 ,and--no matter   
what happens1 ,i can and will find some 
honest work to support you4 ,but oh1 my 
dear1 when ,i think of it1 the nobility 
and generosity of what you have done    
appalls me4  ,no1 no6 she protested1 you
 mustn't say that6 ,i needed you more   
than you need me4 ,and haven't we both  
discovered the world1 and renounced it8 
,i can at least go so far as to say     
that1 with all my heart4 ,and isn't     
marriage truer and higher when man and  
wife start with difficulties and        
problems to solve together8 ,it is that 
thought that brings me the greatest joy1
 that ,i may be able to help you 4 4 4 4
 ,didn't you need me1 just a little8    
,now that ,i have you1 ,i am unable to  

think of the emptiness which might have 
been4 ,you came to me1 like ,beatrice1  
when ,i had lost my way in the darkness 
of the wood4 ,and like ,beatrice1 you   
showed me the path1 and hell and heaven4
  ,oh1 you would have found the path    
without me4 ,i cannot claim that4 ,i saw
 from the first that you were destined  
to find it4 ,and1 unlike ,beatrice1 ,i  
too was lost1 and it was you who lifted 
me up4 ,you mustn't idealize me4 4 4 4  
,she stood up4 ,come6 she said4 ,he too 
stood1 gazing at her1 and she lifted her
 hands to his shoulders 4 4 4 4 ,they   
moved out from under the tree and walked
 for a while in silence across the      
dew-drenched grass1 towards ,park       
,street4 ,the moon1 which had ridden    
over a great space in the sky1 hung red 
above the blackness of the forest to the
 west4  ,do you remember when we were   
here together1 the day ,i met ,mr4      
,bentley8 ,and you never would have     
spoken6  ,how could ,i1 ,alison8 he     
asked4  ,no1 you couldn't4 ,and yet--you

 would have let me go6  ,he put his arm 
in hers1 and drew her towards him4  ,i  
must talk to your father1 he said1 some 
day--soon4 ,i ought to tell him--of our 
intentions4 ,we cannot go on like this4 
,no1 she agreed1 ,i realize it4 ,and ,i 
cannot stay1 much longer1 in ,park      
,street4 ,i must go back to ,new ,york1 
until you send for me1 dear4 ,and there 
are things ,i must do4 ,do you know1    
even though ,i antagonize him so--my    
father1 ,i mean--even though he suspects
 and bitterly resents any interest in   
you1 my affection for you1 and that ,i  
have lingered because of you1 ,i        
believe1 in his way1 he has liked to    
have me here4  ,i can understand it1    
,hodder said4  ,it's because you are    
bigger than ,i1 although he has         
quarrelled with you so bitterly4 ,i     
don't know what definite wrongs he has  
done to other persons4 ,i don't wish to 
know4 ,i don't ask you to tell me what  
passed between you that night4 ,once you
 said that you had an affection for him 

--that he was lonely4 ,he is lonely4 ,in
 these last weeks1 in spite of his      
anger1 ,i can see that he suffers       
terribly4 ,it is a tragedy1 because he  
will never give in4  ,it is a tragedy4  
,hodder's tone was agitated4  ,i wonder 
if he realizes a little she began1 and  
paused4 ,now that ,preston has come     
home--  ,your brother8 ,hodder          
exclaimed4  ,yes4 ,i forgot to tell you4
 ,i don't know why he came1 she         
faltered4 ,i suppose he has got into    
some new trouble4 ,he seems changed4 ,i 
can't describe it now1 but ,i will tell 
you about it 4 4 4 4 ,it's the first    
time we've all three been together since
 my mother died1 for ,preston wasn't    
back from college when ,i went to ,paris
 to study 4 4 4 4  ,they stood together 
on the pavement before the massive      
house1 fraught with so many and varied  
associations for ,hodder4 ,and as he    
looked up at it1 his eye involuntarily  
rested upon the windows of the boy's    
room where ,eldon ,parr had made his    

confession4 ,alison startled him by     
pronouncing his name1 which came with   
such unaccustomed sweetness from her    
lips4 ,you will write me to-morrow1 she 
said1 after you have seen the bishop8   
,yes1 at once4 ,you mustn't let it worry
 you4  ,i feel as if ,i had cast off    
that kind of worry forever4 ,it is only 
--the other worries from which we do not
 escape1 from which we do not wish to   
escape4  ,with a wonderful smile she had
 dropped his hands and gone in at the   
entrance1 when a sound made them turn1  
the humming of a motor4 ,and even as    
they looked it swung into ,park ,street4
  ,it's a taxicab6 she said4 ,as she    
spoke it drew up almost beside them1    
instead of turning in at the driveway1  
the door opened1 and a man alighted4    
,preston6 ,alison exclaimed4  ,he       
started1 turning from the driver1 whom  
he was about to pay4 ,as for ,hodder1 he
 was not only undergoing a certain shock
 through the sudden contact1 at such a  
moment1 with ,alison's brother3 there   

was an additional shock that this was   
,alison's brother and ,eldon ,parr's    
son4 ,not that his appearance was       
shocking1 although the well-clad1       
athletic figure was growing a trifle    
heavy1 and the light from the side lamps
 of the car revealed dissipation in a   
still handsome face4 ,the effect was a  
subtler one1 not to be analyzed1 and due
 to a multitude of preconceptions4      
,alison came forward4  ,this is ,mr4    
,hodder1 ,preston1 she said simply4     
,for a moment ,preston continued to     
stare at the rector without speaking4   
,suddenly he put out his hand4  ,mr4    
,hodder1 of ,st4 ,john's8 he demanded4  
,yes1 answered ,hodder4 ,his surprise   
deepened to perplexity at the warmth of 
the handclasp that followed4  ,a smile  
that brought back vividly to ,hodder the
 sunny expression of the schoolboy in   
the picture lightened the features of   
the man4  ,i'm very glad to see you1 he 
said1 in a tone that left no doubt of   
its genuine quality4  ,thank you1       

,hodder replied1 meeting his eye with   
kindness1 yet with a scrutiny that      
sought to penetrate the secret of an    
unexpected cordiality4 ,i1 too1 have    
hoped to see you4  ,alison1 who stood by
 wondering1 felt a meaning behind the   
rector's words4 ,she pressed his hand as
 he bade her1 once more1 good night4    
,won't you take my taxicab8 asked       
,preston4 ,it is going down town anyway4
  ,i think ,i'd better stick to the     
street cars1 ,hodder said4 ,his refusal 
was not ungraceful1 but firm4 ,preston  
did not insist4  ,in spite of the events
 of that evening1 which he went over    
again and again as the midnight car     
carried him eastward1 in spite of a     
new-born happiness the actuality of     
which was still difficult to grasp1     
,hodder was vaguely troubled when he    
thought of ,preston ,parr4