,,the ,,inside ,,of ,,the ,,cup  ,by    
,winston ,churchill    ,volume #h4      
,,xxvii4  ,,retribution ,,xxviii4       
,,light    ,,chapter ,,xxvii            
,,retribution   ,i  ,the ,bishop's      
,house was a comfortable1 double        
dwelling of a smooth1 bright red brick  
and large1 plate-glass windows1 situated
 in a plot at the western end of        
,waverley ,place4 ,it had been bought by
 the ,diocese in the nineties1 and was  
representative of that transitional     
period in ,american architecture when   
the mansard roof had been repudiated1   
when as yet no definite types had       
emerged to take its place4 ,the house   
had pointed gables1 and a tiny and      
utterly useless porch that served only  
to darken the front door1 made of heavy 
pieces of wood fantastically curved4    
,it was precisely ten o'clock in the    
morning when ,hodder rang the bell and  
was shown into the ample study which he 
had entered on other and less vital     
occasions4 ,he found difficulty in      

realizing that this pleasant room1 lined
 with well-worn books and overlooking a 
back lawn where the clothes of the      
episcopal family hung in the yellow     
autumn sun1 was to be his judgment seat1
 whence he might be committed to trial  
for heresy4  ,and this was the twentieth
 century6 ,the full force of the        
preposterous fact smote him1 and a      
consciousness of the distance he himself
 had travelled since the comparatively  
recent days of his own orthodoxy4 ,and  
suddenly he was full again of a         
resentful impatience1 not only that he  
should be called away from his labours1 
his cares1 the strangers who were       
craving his help1 to answer charges of  
such an absurd triviality1 but that the 
performance of the great task to which  
he had set his hand1 with ,god's help1  
should depend upon it4 ,would his       
enemies be permitted to drive him out   
thus easily8  ,the old bishop came in1  
walking by the aid of a cane4 ,he smiled
 at ,hodder1 who greeted him            

respectfully1 and bidding him sit down1 
took a chair himself behind his writing 
table1 from whence he gazed awhile      
earnestly and contemplatively at the    
rugged features and strong shoulders of 
the rector of ,st4 ,john's4 ,the effect 
of the look was that of a visual effort 
to harmonize the man with the deed he   
had done1 the stir he had created in the
 city and the diocese2 to readjust      
impressions4  ,a hint of humour crept   
into the bishop's blue eyes1 which were 
watery1 yet strong1 with heavy creases  
in the corners4 ,he indicated by a      
little gesture three bundles of         
envelopes1 bound by rubber bands1 on the
 corner of his blotter4  ,hodder1 he    
said1 see what a lot of trouble you have
 made for me in my old age6 ,all those  
are about you4  ,the rector's expression
 could not have been deemed stern1 but  
it had met the bishop's look            
unflinchingly4 ,now it relaxed into a   
responding smile1 which was not without 
seriousness4  ,i am sorry1 sir1 ,hodder 

answered1 to have caused you any        
worry--or inconvenience4  ,perhaps1 said
 the bishop1 ,i have had too much smooth
 sailing for a servant of ,christ4      
,indeed1 ,i have come to that           
conclusion4  ,hodder did not reply4 ,he 
was moved1 even more by the bishop's    
manner and voice than his words4 ,and   
the opening to their conversation was   
unexpected4 ,the old man put on his     
spectacles1 and drew from the top of one
 of the bundles a letter4  ,this is from
 one of your vestrymen1 ,mr4 ,gordon    
,atterbury1 he said1 and proceeded to   
read it1 slowly4 ,when he had finished  
he laid it down4  ,is that1 according to
 your recollection1 ,mr4 ,hodder1 a     
fairly accurate summary of the sermon   
you gave when you resumed the pulpit at 
the end of the summer8  ,yes1 sir1      
answered the rector1 it is surprisingly 
accurate1 with the exception of two or  
three inferences which ,i shall explain 
at the proper moment4  ,mr4 ,atterbury  
is to be congratulated on his memory1   

the bishop observed a little dryly4 ,and
 he has saved me the trouble of reading 
more4 ,now what are the inferences to   
which you object8  ,hodder stated them4 
,the most serious one1 he added1 is that
 which he draws from my attitude on the 
virgin birth4 ,mr4 ,atterbury insists1  
like others who cling to that dogma1    
that ,i have become what he vaguely     
calls an ,unitarian4 ,he seems incapable
 of grasping my meaning1 that the only  
true ,god the age knows1 the world has  
ever known1 is the ,god in ,christ1 is  
the ,spirit in ,christ1 and is there not
 by any material proof1 but because we  
recognize it spiritually4 ,and that     
doctrine and dogma1 ancient speculations
 as to how1 definitely1 that spirit came
 to be in ,christ1 are fruitless and    
mischievous to-day4 ,mr4 ,atterbury and 
others seem actually to resent my       
identification of our ,lord's ,spirit   
with the social conscience as well as   
the individual conscience of our time4  
,the bishop nodded4  ,hodder1 he        

demanded abruptly1 leaning forward over 
his desk1 how did this thing happen8    
,you mean1 sir--  ,there was1 in the    
bishop's voice1 a note almost pathetic4 
,oh1 ,i do not mean to ask you anything 
you may deem too personal4 ,and ,god    
forbid1 as ,i look at you1 as ,i have   
known you1 that ,i should doubt your    
sincerity4 ,i am not your inquisitor1   
but your bishop and your friend1 and ,i 
am asking for your confidence4 ,six     
months ago you were1 apparently1 one of 
the most orthodox rectors in the        
diocese4 ,i recognize that you are not  
an impulsive1 sensational man1 and ,i am
 all the more anxious to learn from your
 own lips something of the influences1  
of the processes which have changed you1
 which have been strong enough to impel 
you to risk the position you have       
achieved4  ,by this unlooked-for appeal 
,hodder was not only disarmed1 but      
smitten with self-reproach at the       
thought of his former misjudgment and   
underestimation of the man in whose     

presence he sat4 ,and it came over him1 
not only the extent to which1 formerly1 
he had regarded the bishop as too       
tolerant and easygoing1 but the fact    
that he had arrived here today prepared 
to find in his superior anything but the
 attitude he was showing4 ,considering  
the bishop's age1 ,hodder had been ready
 for a lack of understanding of the step
 he had taken1 even for querulous       
reproaches and rebuke4  ,he had1        
therefore1 to pull himself together1 to 
adjust himself to the unexpected        
greatness of soul with which he was     
being received before he began to sketch
 the misgivings he had felt from the    
early days of his rectorship of ,st4    
,john's2 the helplessness and failure   
which by degrees had come over him4 ,he 
related how it had become apparent to   
him that by far the greater part of his 
rich and fashionable congregation were  
,christians only in name1 who kept their
 religion in a small and impervious     
compartment where it did not interfere  

with their lives4 ,he pictured the      
yearning and perplexity of those who had
 come to him for help1 who could not    
accept the old explanations1 and had    
gone away empty2 and he had not been    
able to make ,christians of the poor who
 attended the parish house4 ,finally1   
trusting in the bishop's discretion1 he 
spoke of the revelations he had         
unearthed in ,dalton ,street1 and how   
these had completely destroyed his      
confidence in the ,christianity he had  
preached1 and how he had put his old    
faith to the test of unprejudiced modern
 criticism1 philosophy1 and science4 4 4
  ,the bishop listened intently1 his    
head bent1 his eyes on he rector4  ,and 
you have come out--convinced8 he asked  
tremulously4 ,yes1 yes1 ,i see you have4
 ,it is enough4  ,he relapsed into      
thought1 his wrinkled hand lying idly on
 the table4  ,i need not tell you1 my   
friend1 he resumed at length1 that a    
great deal of pressure has been brought 
to bear upon me in this matter1 more    

than ,i have ever before experienced4   
,you have mortally offended1 among      
others1 the most powerful layman in the 
diocese1 ,mr4 ,parr1 who complains that 
you have presumed to take him to task   
concerning his private affairs4  ,i told
 him1 answered ,holder1 that so long as 
he continued to live the life he leads1 
,i could not accept his contributions to
 ,st4 ,john's4  ,i am an old man1 said  
the bishop1 and whatever usefulness ,i  
have had is almost finished4 ,but if ,i 
were young to-day1 ,i should pray ,god  
for the courage and insight you have    
shown1 and ,i am thankful to have lived 
long enough to have known you4 ,it has1 
at least1 been given one to realize that
 times have changed1 that we are on the 
verge of a mighty future4 ,i will be    
frank to say that ten years ago1 if this
 had happened1 ,i should have           
recommended you for trial4 ,now ,i can  
only wish you ,godspeed4 ,i1 too1 can   
see the light1 my friend4 ,i can see1 ,i
 think1 though dimly1 the beginnings of 

a blending of all sects1 of all         
religions in the increasing vision of   
the truth revealed in ,jesus ,christ1   
stripped1 as you say1 of dogma1 of      
fruitless attempts at rational          
explanation4 ,in ,japan and ,china1 in  
,india and ,persia1 as well as in       
,christian countries1 it is coming1     
coming by some working of the ,spirit   
the mystery of which is beyond us4 ,and 
nations and men who even yet know       
nothing of the ,gospels are showing a   
willingness to adopt what is ,christ's1 
and the ,god of ,christ4  ,holder was   
silent1 from sheer inability to speak4  
,if you had needed an advocate with me1 
the bishop continued1 you could not have
 had one to whose counsel ,i would more 
willingly have listened1 than that of   
,horace ,bentley4 ,he wrote asking to   
come and see me1 but ,i went to him in  
,dalton ,street the day ,i returned4    
,and it gives me satisfaction1 ,mr4     
,holder1 to confess to you freely that  
he has taught me1 by his life1 more of  

true ,christianity than ,i have learned 
in all my experience elsewhere4  ,i had 
thought1 exclaimed the rector1          
wonderingly1 that ,i owed him more than 
any other man4  ,there are many who     
think that--hundreds1 ,i should say1 the
 bishop replied 4 4 4 4 ,eldon ,parr    
ruined him1 drove him from the          
church4444 ,it is strange how1 outside  
of the church1 his influence has        
silently and continuously grown until it
 has borne fruit in--this4 ,even now1 he
 added after a pause1 the cautiousness1 
the dread of change which comes with old
 age might1 ,i think1 lead me to be     
afraid of it if ,i--didn't perceive     
behind it the spirit of ,horace         
,bentley4  ,it struck ,holder1 suddenly1
 what an unconscious but real source of 
confidence this thought had likewise    
been to him4 ,he spoke of it4  ,it is   
not that ,i wouldn't trust you1 the     
bishop went on4 ,i have watched you1 ,i 
have talked to ,asa ,waring1 ,i have    
read the newspapers4 ,in spite of it    

all1 you have kept your head1 you have  
not compromised the dignity of the      
,church4 ,but oh1 my friend1 ,i beg you 
to bear in mind that you are launched   
upon deep waters1 that you have raised  
up many enemies --enemies of            
,christ--who seek to destroy you4 ,you  
are still young4 ,and the uncompromising
 experiment to which you are pledged1 of
 freeing your church1 of placing her in 
the position of power and influence in  
the community which is rightfully hers1 
is as yet untried4 ,and no stone will be
 left unturned to discourage and        
overcome you4 ,you have faith1--you have
 made me feel it as you sat here1--a    
faith which will save you from          
bitterness in personal defeat4 ,you may 
not reap the victory1 or even see it in 
your lifetime4 ,but of this ,i am sure1 
that you will be able to say1 with      
,paul1 ',i have planted1 ,apollos       
watered1 but ,god gave the increase4'   
,whatever happens1 you may count upon my
 confidence and support4 ,i can only    

wish that ,i were younger1 that my arm  
were stronger1 and that ,i had always   
perceived the truth as clearly as ,i see
 it now4  ,holder had risen             
involuntarily while these words were    
being spoken4 ,they were indeed a       
benediction1 and the intensity of his   
feeling warned him of the inadequacy of 
any reply4 ,they were pronounced in     
sorrow1 yet in hope1 and they brought   
home to him1 sharply1 the nobility of   
the bishop's own sacrifice4  ,and you1  
sir8 he asked4  ,ah1 answered the       
bishop1 with this ,i shall have had my  
life4 ,i am content4 4 4 4  ,you will   
come to me again1 ,hodder8 some other   
day1 he said1 after an interval1 that we
 may talk over the new problems4 ,they  
are constructive1 creative1 and ,i am   
anxious to hear how you propose to meet 
them4 ,for one thing1 to find a new     
basis for the support of such a parish4 
,i understand they have deprived you of 
your salary4  ,i have enough to live on1
 for a year or so1 replied the rector1  

quickly4 ,perhaps more4  ,i'm afraid1   
said the bishop1 with a smile in his old
 eyes1 that you will need it1 my friend4
 ,but who can say8 ,you have strength1  
you have confidence1 and ,god is with   
you4    ,,ii  ,life1 as ,hodder now     
grasped it1 was a rapidly whirling wheel
 which gave him no chance to catch up   
with the impressions and experiences    
through which it was dragging him4      
,here1 for instance1 were two           
far-reaching and momentous events1 one  
crowding upon the other1 and not an hour
 for reflection1 realization1 or        
adjustment6 ,he had1 indeed1 after his  
return from the bishop's1 snatched a few
 minutes to write ,alison the unexpected
 result of that interview4 ,but even as 
he wrote and rang for a messenger to    
carry the note to ,park ,street1 he was 
conscious of an effort to seize upon and
 hold the fact that the woman he had so 
intensely desired was now his helpmate2 
and had1 of her own freewill1 united    
herself with him4 ,a strong sense of the

 dignity of their relationship alone    
prevented his calling her on the        
telephone--as it doubtless had prevented
 her4 ,while she remained in her        
father's house1 he could not4 4 4  ,in  
the little room next to the office      
several persons were waiting to see him4
 ,but as he went downstairs he halted on
 the1 landing1 his hand going to his    
forehead1 a reflex movement significant 
of a final attempt to achieve the       
hitherto unattainable feat of imagining 
her as his wife4 ,if he might only speak
 to her again--now1 this morning6 ,and  
yet he knew that he needed no           
confirmation4 ,the reality was there1 in
 the background2 and though refusing to 
come forward to be touched1 it had      
already grafted itself as an actual and 
vital part of his being1 never to be    
eliminated4  ,characteristically        
perfecting his own ideal1 she had come  
to him in the hour when his horizon had 
been most obscure4 ,and he experienced  
now an exultation1 though solemn and    

sacred1 that her faith had so far been  
rewarded in the tidings he now confided 
to the messenger4 ,he was not1 as yet1  
to be driven out from the task1 to be   
deprived of the talent1 the opportunity 
intrusted to him by ,lord--the          
emancipation of the parish of ,st4      
,john's4  ,the first to greet him1 when 
he entered his office1 was one who1     
unknown to himself1 had been fighting   
the battle of the ,god in ,christ1 and  
who now1 thanks to ,john ,hodder1 had   
identified the ,spirit as the           
transforming force4 ,bedloe ,hubbell had
 come to offer his services to the      
,church4 ,the tender was unqualified4   
,i should even be willing1 ,mr4 ,hodder1
 he said with a smile1 to venture       
occasionally into a pulpit4 ,you have   
not only changed my conception of       
religion1 but you have made it for me   
something which ,i can now speak about  
naturally4  ,hodder was struck by the   
suggestion4  ,ah1 we shall need the     
laymen in the pulpits1 ,mr4 ,hubbell1 he

 said quickly4 ,a great spiritual       
movement must be primarily a lay        
movement4 ,and ,i promise you you shall 
not lack for opportunity4    ,,iii  ,at 
nine o'clock that evening1 when a       
reprieve came1 ,hodder went out4        
,anxiety on the score of ,kate ,marcy1  
as well as a desire to see ,mr4 ,bentley
 and tell him of the conversation with  
the bishop1 directed his steps toward   
,dalton ,street4 ,and ,hodder had1      
indeed1 an intention of confiding to his
 friend1 as one eminently entitled to   
it1 the news of his engagement to       
,alison ,parr4  ,nothing1 however1 had  
been heard of ,kate4 ,she was not in    
,dalton ,street1 ,mr4 ,bentley feared4  
,the search of ,gratz1 the              
cabinet-maker1 had been fruitless4 ,and 
,sally ,grover had even gone to see the 
woman in the hospital1 whom ,kate had   
befriended1 in the hope of getting a    
possible clew4 ,they sat close together 
before the fire in ,mr4 ,bentley's      
comfortable library1 debating upon the  

possibility of other methods of         
procedure1 when a carriage was heard    
rattling over the pitted asphalt        
without4 ,as it pulled up at the curb1 a
 silence fell between them4 ,the        
door-bell rang4  ,holder found himself  
sitting erect1 rigidly attentive1       
listening to the muffled sound of a     
woman's voice in the entry4 ,a few      
moments later came a knock at the       
library door1 and ,sam entered4 ,the old
 darky was plainly frightened4  ,it's   
,miss ,kate1 ,marse ,ho'ace1 who you bin
 tryin' to fin'1 he stammered4  ,holder 
sprang to his feet and made his way     
rapidly around the table1 where he stood
 confronting the woman in the doorway4  
,there she was1 perceptibly swaying1 as 
though the floor under her were rocked  
by an earthquake4 ,her handsome face was
 white as chalk1 her pupils widened in  
terror4 ,it was curious1 at such an     
instant1 that he should have taken in   
her costume1--yet it was part of the    
mystery4 ,she wore a new1 close-fitting1

 patently expensive suit of dark blue   
cloth and a small hat1 which were       
literally transforming in their effect1 
demanding a palpable initial effort of  
identification4  ,he seized her by the  
arm4  ,what is it8 he demanded4  ,oh1 my
 ,god6 she cried4 ,he--he's out         
there--in the carriage4  ,she leaned    
heavily against the doorpost1 shivering 
4 4 4 4 ,holder saw ,sally ,grover      
coming down the stairs4  ,take her1 he  
said1 and went out of the front door1   
which ,sam had left open4 ,mr4 ,bentley 
was behind him4  ,the driver had        
descended from the box and was peering  
into the darkness of the vehicle when he
 heard them1 and turned4 ,at sight of   
the tall clergyman1 an expression of    
relief came into his face4  ,i don't    
like the looks of this1 sir1 he said4 ,i
 thought he was pretty bad when ,i went 
to fetch him--  ,holder pushed past him 
and looked into the carriage4 ,leaning  
back1 motionless1 in the corner of the  
seat was the figure of a man4 ,for a    

terrible moment of premonition1 of      
enlightenment1 the rector gazed at it4  
,they sent for me from a family hotel in
 ,ayers ,street1 the driver was         
explaining4 ,mr4 ,bentley's voice       
interrupted him4  ,he must be brought   
in1 at once4 ,do you know where ,dr4    
,latimer's office is1 on ,tower ,street8
 he asked the man4 ,go there1 and bring 
this doctor back with you as quickly as 
possible4 ,if he is not in1 get another1
 physician4  ,between them1 the driver  
and ,holder got the burden out of the   
carriage and up the steps4 ,the light   
from the hallway confirmed the rector's 
fear4  ,it's ,preston ,parr1 he said4   
,the next moment was too dreadful for   
surprise1 but never had the sense of    
tragedy so pierced the innermost depths 
of ,holder's being as now1 when ,horace 
,bentley's calmness seemed to have      
forsaken him2 and as he gazed down upon 
the features on the pillow1 he wept 4 4 
4 4 ,holder turned away4 ,whatever      
memories those features evoked1 memories

 of a past that still throbbed with life
 these were too sacred for intrusion4   
,the years of exile1 of uncomplaining   
service to others in this sordid street 
and over the wide city had not yet      
sufficed to allay the pain1 to heal the 
wound of youth4 ,nay1 loyalty had kept  
it fresh--a loyalty that was the        
handmaid of faith4 4 4  ,the rector     
softly left the room1 only to be        
confronted with another harrowing scene 
in the library1 where a frantic woman   
was struggling in ,sally ,grover's      
grasp4 ,he went to her assistance4 4 4  
,words of comfort1 of entreaty were of  
no avail1--,kate ,marcy did not seem to 
hear them4 ,hers1 in contrast to that   
other1 was the unmeaning grief1 the     
overwhelming sense of injustice of the  
child2 and with her regained physical   
strength the two had all they could do  
to restrain her4  ,i will go to him1 she
 sobbed1 between her paroxysms1 you've  
got no right to keep me--he's mine 4 4 4
 he came back to me--he's all ,i ever   

had 4 4 4 4  ,so intent were they that  
they did not notice ,mr4 ,bentley       
standing beside them until they heard   
his voice4  ,what she says is true1 he  
told them4 ,her place is in there4 ,let 
her go4  ,kate ,marcy raised her head at
 the words1 and looked at him a strange1
 half-comprehending1 half-credulous     
gaze4 ,they released her1 helped her    
towards the bedroom1 and closed the door
 gently behind her4 4 4 ,the three sat  
in silence until the carriage was heard 
returning1 and the doctor entered4  ,the
 examination was brief1 and two words1  
laconically spoken1 sufficed for an     
explanation--apoplexy1 alcohol4 ,the    
prostrate1 quivering woman was left     
where they had found her4  ,dr4 ,latimer
 was a friend of ,mr4 ,bentley's1 and   
betrayed no surprise at a situation     
which otherwise might have astonished   
him4 ,it was only when he learned the   
dead man's name1 and his parentage1 that
 he looked up quickly from his note     
book4  ,the matter can be arranged      

without a scandal1 he said1 after an    
instant4 ,can you tell me something of  
the circumstances8  ,it was ,hodder who 
answered4  ,preston ,parr had been in   
love with this woman1 and separated from
 her4 ,she was under ,mr4 ,bentley's    
care when he found her again1 ,i infer1 
by accident4 ,from what the driver says1
 they were together in a hotel in ,ayers
 ,street1 and he died after he had been 
put in a carriage4 ,in her terror1 she  
was bringing him to ,mr4 ,bentley4  ,the
 doctor nodded4  ,poor woman6 he said   
unexpectedly4 ,will you be good enough  
to let ,mr3 ,parr know that ,i will see 
him at his house1 to-night8 he added1 as
 he took his departure4    ,,iv  ,sally 
,grower went out with the physician1 and
 it was ,mr4 ,bentley who answered the  
question in the rector's mind1 which he 
hesitated to ask4  ,mr4 ,parr must come 
here1 he said4  ,as the rector turned1  
mechanically1 to pick up his hat1 ,mr4  
,bentley added  ,you will come back1    
,hodder8  ,since you wish it1 sir1 the  

rector said4  ,once in the street1 he   
faced a predicament1 but swiftly decided
 that the telephone was impossible under
 the circumstances1 that there could be 
no decent procedure without going       
himself to ,park ,street4 ,it was only a
 little after ten4 ,the electric car    
which he caught seemed to lag1 the stops
 were interminable4 ,his thoughts flew  
hither and thither4 ,should he try first
 to see ,alison8 ,he was nearest to her 
now of all the world1 and he could not  
suffer the thought of her having the    
news otherwise4 ,yes1 he must tell her1 
since she knew nothing of the existence 
of ,kate ,marcy4  ,having settled       
that1--though the thought of the blow   
she was to receive lay like a weight on 
his heart1--,mr4 ,bentley's reason for  
summoning ,eldon ,parr to ,dalton       
,street came to him4 ,that the feelings 
of ,mr4 ,bentley towards the financier  
were those of ,christian forgiveness was
 not for a moment to be doubted3 but a  
meeting1 particularly under such        

circumstances1 could not but be painful 
indeed4 ,it must be1 it was1 ,hodder    
saw1 for ,kate ,marcy's sake2 yes1 and  
for ,eldon ,parr's as well1 that he be  
given this opportunity to deal with the 
woman whom he had driven away from his  
son1 and ruined4  ,the moon1 which had  
shed splendours over the world the night
 before1 was obscured by a low-drifting 
mist as ,hodder turned in between the   
ornamental lamps that marked the gateway
 of the ,park ,street mansion1 and by   
some undiscerned thought--suggestion he 
pictured the heart-broken woman he had  
left beside the body of one who had been
 heir to all this magnificence4 ,useless
 now1 stone and iron and glass1 pictures
 and statuary4 ,all the labour1 all the 
care and cunning1 all the stealthy      
planning to get ahead of others had been
 in vain6 ,what indeed were left to     
,eldon ,parr6 ,it was he who needed     
pity1--not the woman who had sinned and 
had been absolved because of her great  
love2 not the wayward1 vice-driven boy  

who lay dead4 ,the very horror of what  
,eldon ,parr was now to suffer turned   
,hodder cold as he rang the bell and    
listened for the soft tread of the      
servant who would answer his summons4   
,the man who flung open the door knew   
him1 and did not conceal his            
astonishment4  ,will you take my card to
 ,miss ,parr1 the rector said1 if she   
has not retired1 and tell her ,i have a 
message8  ,miss ,parr is still in the   
library1 sir4  ,alone8  ,yes1 sir4 ,the 
man preceded him1 but before his name   
had been announced ,alison was standing1
 her book in her hand1 gazing at him    
with startled eyes1 his name rising1 a  
low cry1 to her lips4  ,john6  ,he took 
the book from her1 gently1 and held her 
hands4  ,something has happened6 she    
said4 ,tell me--,i can bear it4  ,he saw
 instantly that her dread was for him1  
and it made his task the harder4  ,it's 
your brother1 ,alison4  ,preston6 ,what 
is it8 ,he's done something----  ,hodder
 shook his head4  ,he died--to-night4   

,he is at ,mr4 ,bentley's4  ,it was like
 her that she did not cry out1 or even  
speak1 but stood still1 her hands       
tightening on his1 her breast heaving4  
,she was not1 he knew1 a woman who wept 
easily1 and her eyes were dry4 ,and he  
had it to be thankful for that it was   
given him to be with her1 in this sacred
 relationship1 at such a moment4 ,but   
even now1 such was the mystery that ever
 veiled her soul1 he could not read her 
feelings1 nor know what these might be  
towards the brother whose death he      
announced4  ,i want to tell you1 first1 
,alison1 to prepare you1 he said4  ,her 
silence was eloquent4 ,she looked up at 
him bravely1 trustfully1 in a way that  
made him wince4 ,whatever the exact     
nature of her suffering1 it was too deep
 for speech4 ,and yet she helped him1   
made it easier for him by reason of her 
very trust1 once given not to be        
withdrawn4 ,it gave him a paradoxical   
understanding of her which was beyond   
definition4  ,you must know--you would  

have sometime to know that there was a  
woman he loved1 whom he intended to     
marry--but she was separated from him4  
,she was not what is called a bad woman1
 she was a working girl4 ,i found her1  
this summer1 and she told me the story1 
and she has been under the care of ,mr4 
,bentley4 ,she disappeared two or three 
days ago4 ,your brother met her again1  
and he was stricken with apoplexy while 
with her this evening4 ,she brought him 
to ,mr4 ,bentley's house4  ,my          
father--bought her and sent her away4   
,you knew8  ,i heard a little about it  
at the time1 by accident4 ,i have always
 remembered it 4 4 4 4 ,i have always   
felt that something like this would     
happen4  ,her sense of fatality1 another
 impression she gave of living in the   
deeper1 instinctive currents of life1   
had never been stronger upon him than   
now4 4 4 4 ,she released his hands4     
,how strange1 she said1 that the end    
should have come at ,mr4 ,bentley's6 ,he
 loved my mother--she was the only woman

 he ever loved4  ,it came to ,hodder as 
the completing touch of the revelation  
he had half glimpsed by the bedside4    
,ah1 he could not help exclaiming1 that 
explains much4  ,she had looked at him  
again1 through sudden tears1 as though  
divining his reference to ,mr4          
,bentley's grief1 when a step make them 
turn4 ,eldon ,parr had entered the room4
 ,never1 not even in that last          
interview1 had his hardness seemed so   
concretely apparent as now4 ,again1 pity
 seemed never more out of place1 yet    
pity was ,hodder's dominant feeling as  
he met the coldness1 the relentlessness 
of the glance4 ,the thing that struck   
him1 that momentarily kept closed his   
lips1 was the awful1 unconscious        
timeliness of the man's entrance1 and   
his unpreparedness to meet the blow that
 was to crush him4  ,may ,i ask1 ,mr4   
,hodder1 he said1 in an unemotional     
voice1 what you are doing in this house8
  ,still ,hodder hesitated1 an unwilling
 executioner4  ,father1 said ,alison1   

,mr4 ,hodder has come with a message4   
,never1 perhaps1 had ,eldon ,parr given 
such complete proof of his lack of      
spiritual intuition4 ,the atmosphere1   
charged with presage for him1 gave him  
nothing4  ,mr4 ,hodder takes a strange  
way of delivering it1 was his comment4  
,mercy took precedence over her natural 
directness4 ,she laid her hand gently on
 his arm4 ,and she had1 at that instant1
 no thought of the long years he had    
neglected her for her brother4  ,it's   
about--,preston1 she said4  ,preston6   
,the name came sharply from ,eldon      
,parr's lips4 ,what about him8 ,speak1  
can't you8  ,he died this evening1 said 
,alison1 simply4  ,hodder plainly heard 
the ticking of the clock on the mantel 4
 4 4 4 ,and the drama that occurred was 
the more horrible because it was hidden2
 played1 as it were1 behind closed      
doors4 ,for the spectators1 there was   
only the black wall1 and the silence4   
,eldon ,parr literally did nothing1     
--made no gesture1 uttered no cry4 ,the 

death1 they knew1 was taking place in   
his soul1 yet the man stood before them1
 naturally1 for what seemed an          
interminable time 4 4 4 4  ,where is he8
 he asked4  ,at ,mr4 ,bentley's1 in     
,dalton ,street4 ,it was ,alison who    
replied again4  ,even then he gave no   
sign that he read retribution in the    
coincidence1 betrayed no agitation at   
the mention of a name which1 in such a  
connection1 might well have struck the  
terror of judgment into his heart4 ,they
 watched him while1 with a firm step1 he
 crossed the room and pressed a button  
in the wall1 and waited4  ,i want the   
closed automobile1 at once1 he said1    
when the servant came4  ,i beg pardon2  
sir1 but ,i think ,gratton has gone to  
bed4 ,he had no orders4  ,then wake him1
 said ,eldon ,parr1 instantly4 ,and send
 for my secretary4  ,with a glance which
 he perceived ,alison comprehended1     
,hodder made his way out of the room4   
,he had from ,eldon ,parr1 as he passed 
him1 neither question1 acknowledgment1  

nor recognition4 ,whatever the banker   
might have felt1 or whether his body had
 now become a mere machine mechanically 
carrying on a life-long habit of action1
 the impression was one of the          
tremendousness of the man's consistency4
 ,a great effort was demanded to summon 
up the now almost unimaginable          
experience of his confidence2 of the    
evening when1 almost on that very spot1 
he had revealed to ,hodder the one      
weakness of his life4 ,and yet the      
effort was not to be1 presently1 without
 startling results4 ,in the darkness of 
the street the picture suddenly grew    
distinct on the screen of the rector's  
mind1 the face of the banker subtly     
drawn with pain as he had looked down on
 it in compassion2 the voice with its   
undercurrent of agony3  ,he never knew  
how much ,i cared--that what ,i was     
doing was all for him1 building for him1
 that he might carry on my work4    ,v  
,so swift was the trolley that ten      
minutes had elapsed1 after ,hodder's    

arrival1 before the purr of an engine   
and the shriek of a brake broke the     
stillness of upper ,dalton ,street and  
announced the stopping of a heavy motor 
before the door4 ,the rector had found  
,mr4 ,bentley in the library1 alone1    
seated with bent head in front of the   
fire1 and had simply announced the      
intention of ,eldon ,parr to come4 ,from
 the chair ,hodder had unobtrusively    
chosen1 near the window1 his eyes rested
 on the noble profile of his friend4    
,what his thoughts were1 ,hodder could  
not surmise2 for he seemed again1       
marvellously1 to have regained the      
outward peace which was the symbol of   
banishment from the inner man of all    
thought of self4  ,i have prepared her  
for ,mr4 ,parr's coming1 he said to     
,hodder at length4  ,and yet he had left
 her there6 ,hodder recalled the words  
,mr4 ,bentley had spoken1 ,it is her    
place4 ,her place1 the fallen woman's1  
the place she had earned by a great love
 and a great renunciation1 of which no  

earthly power might henceforth deprive  
her 4 4 4 4  ,then came the motor1 the  
ring at the door1 the entrance of ,eldon
 ,parr into the library4 ,he paused1 a  
perceptible moment1 on the threshold as 
his look fell upon the man whom he had  
deprived of home and fortune1--yes and  
of the one woman in the world for them  
both4 ,mr4 ,bentley had risen1 and stood
 facing him4 ,that shining1             
compassionate gaze should have been     
indeed a difficult one to meet4         
,vengeance was the ,lord's1 in truth6   
,what ordeal that ,horace ,bentley in   
anger and retribution might have devised
 could have equalled this6  ,and yet    
,eldon ,parr did meet it--with an       
effort4 ,hodder1 from his corner1       
detected the effort1 though it were     
barely discernible1 and would have      
passed a scrutiny less rigid1--the first
 outward and visible sign of the lesion 
within4 ,for a brief instant the        
banker's eyes encountered ,mr4          
,bentley's look with a flash of the old 

defiance1 and fell1 and then swept the  
room4  ,will you come this way1 ,mr4    
,parr8 ,mr4 ,bentley said1 indicating   
the door of the bedroom4  ,alison       
followed4 ,her eyes1 wet with unheeded  
tears1 had never left ,mr4 ,bentley's   
face4 ,she put out her hand to him 4 4 4
 4  ,eldon ,parr had halted abruptly4   
,he knew from ,alison the circumstances 
in which his son had died1 and how he   
had been brought hither to this house1  
but the sight of the woman beside the   
bed fanned into flame his fury against a
 world which had cheated him1 by such   
ignominious means1 of his dearest wish4 
,he grew white with sudden passion4     
,what is she doing here8 he demanded4   
,kate ,marcy1 who had not seemed to hear
 his entrance1 raised up to him a face  
from which all fear had fled1 a face    
which1 by its suggestive power1         
compelled him to realize the absolute   
despair clutching now at his own soul1  
and against which he was fighting       
wildly1 hopelessly4 ,it was lying in    

wait for him1 ,with hideous patience1 in
 the coming watches of the night4       
,perhaps he read in the face of this    
woman whom he had condemned to suffer   
all degradation1 and over whom he was   
now powerless1 something which would    
ultimately save her from the hell now   
yawning for him2 a redeeming element in 
her grief of which she herself were not 
as yet conscious1 a light shining in the
 darkness of her soul which in eternity 
would become luminous4 ,and he saw no   
light for him--,he thrashed in darkness4
 ,he had nothing1 now1 to give1 no power
 longer to deprive4 ,she had given all  
she possessed1 the memorial of her kind 
which would outlast monuments4  ,it was 
,alison who crossed the room swiftly4   
,she laid her hand protectingly on ,kate
 ,marcy's shoulder1 and stooped1 and    
kissed her4 ,she turned to her father4  
,it is her right1 she said4 ,he belonged
 to her1 not to us4 ,and we must take   
her home with us4  ,no1 answered ,kate  
,marcy' ,i don't want to go4 ,i wouldn't

 live1 she added with unexpected        
intensity1 with him4  ,you would live   
with me1 said ,alison4  ,i don't want to
 live6 ,kate ,marcy got up from the     
chair with an energy they had not       
thought her to possess1 a revival of the
 spirit which had upheld her when she   
had contended1 singly1 with a           
remorseless world4 ,she addressed       
herself to ,eldon ,parr4 ,you took him  
from me1 and ,i was a fool to let you4  
,he might have saved me and saved       
himself4 ,i listened to you when you    
told me lies as to how it would ruin him
 4 4 4 4 ,well1--,i had him you never   
did4  ,the sudden1 intolerable sense of 
wrong done to her love1 the swift anger 
which followed it1 the justness of her  
claim of him who now lay in the dignity 
of death clothed her--who in life had   
been crushed and blotted out--with a    
dignity not to be gainsaid4 ,in this    
moment of final self-assertion she      
became the dominating person in the     
room1 knew for once the birthright of   

human worth4 ,they watched her in       
silence as she turned and gave one last1
 lingering look at the features of the  
dead2 stretched out her hand towards    
them1 but did not touch them 4 4 4 and  
then went slowly towards the door4      
,beside ,alison she stopped4  ,you are  
his sister8 she said4  ,yes4  ,she      
searched ,alison's face1 wistfully4  ,i 
could have loved you4  ,and can you     
not--still8  ,kate ,mercy did not answer
 the question4  ,it is because you      
understand1 she said4 ,you're like those
 ,i've come to know--here4 ,and you're  
like him 4 4 4 4 ,i don't mean in looks4
 ,he1 too1 was good--and square4 ,she   
spoke the words a little defiantly1 as  
though challenging the verdict of the   
world4 ,and he wouldn't have been wild  
if he could have got going straight4  ,i
 know1 said ,alison1 in a low voice4    
,yes1 said ,kate ,mercy1 you look as if 
you did4 ,he thought a lot of you1 he   
said he was only beginning to find out  
what you was4 ,i'd like you to think as 

well of me as you can4  ,i could not    
think better1 ,alison replied4  ,kate   
,mercy shook her head4  ,i got about as 
low as any woman ever got1 she said     
,mr4 ,hodder will tell you4 ,i want you 
to know that ,i wouldn't marry --your   
brother1 she hesitated over the name4   
,he wanted me to--he was mad with me to 
night1 because ,i wouldn't--when this   
happened4  ,she snatched her hand free  
from ,alison's1 and fled out of the     
room1 into the hallway4  ,eldon ,parr   
had moved towards the bed1 seemingly    
unaware of the words they had spoken4   
,perhaps1 as he gazed upon the face1 he 
remembered in his agony the sunny1      
smiling child who need to come hurrying 
down the steps in ,ransome ,street to   
meet him4  ,in the library ,mr4 ,bentley
 and ,john ,hodder1 knowing nothing of  
her flight1 heard the front door close  
on ,kate ,marcy forever 4 4 4 4         
,,chapter ,,xxviii  ,,light   ,i  ,two  
days after the funeral1 which had taken 
place from ,calvary1 and not from ,st4  

,john's1 ,hodder was no little          
astonished to receive a note from ,eldon
 ,parr's secretary requesting the rector
 to call in ,park ,street4 ,in the same 
mail was a letter from ,alison4 ,i have 
had1 she wrote1 a talk with my father4  
,the initiative was his4 ,i should not  
have thought of speaking to him of my   
affairs so soon after ,preston's death4 
,it seems that he strongly suspected our
 engagement1 which of course ,i at once 
acknowledged1 telling him that it was   
your intention1 at the proper time1 to  
speak to him yourself4  ,i was surprised
 when he said he would ask you to call4 
,i confess that ,i have not an idea of  
what he intends to say to you1 ,john1   
but ,i trust you absolutely1 as always4 
,you will find him1 already1 terribly   
changed4 ,i cannot describe it--you will
 see for yourself4 ,and it has all      
seemed to happen so suddenly4 ,as ,i    
wrote you1 he sat up both nights1 with  
,preston--he could not be induced to    
leave the room4 ,and after the first    

night he was different4 ,he has hardly  
spoken a word1 except when he sent for  
me this evening1 and he eats nothing 4 4
 4 4 ,and yet1 somehow1 ,i do not think 
that this will be the end4 ,i feel that 
he will go on living4 4 4 4 4  ,i did   
not realize how much he still hoped     
about ,preston4 ,and on ,monday1 when   
,preston so unexpectedly came home1 he  
was happier than ,i have known him for  
years4 ,it was strange and sad that he  
could not see1 as ,i saw1 that whatever 
will power my brother had had was gone4 
,he could not read it in the face of his
 own son1 who was so quick to detect it 
in all others6 ,and then came the       
tragedy4 ,oh1 ,john1 do you think we    
shall ever find that girl again8--,i    
know you are trying but we mustn't rest 
until we do4 ,do you think we ever      
shall8 ,i shall never forgive myself for
 not following her out of the door1 but1
 ,i thought she had gone to you and ,mr4
 ,bentley4  ,hodder laid the letter     
down1 and took it up again4 ,he knew    

that ,alison felt1 as he felt1 that they
 never would find ,kate ,marcy 4 4 4 4  
,he read on4  ,my father wished to speak
 to me about the money4 ,he has plans   
for much of it1 it appears1 even now4   
,oh4 ,john1 he will never understand4 ,i
 want so much to see you1 to talk to    
you--there are times when ,i am actually
 afraid to be alone1 and without you4   
,if it be weakness to confess that ,i   
need your reassurance1 your strength and
 comfort constantly1 then ,i am weak4 ,i
 once thought ,i could stand alone1 that
 ,i had solved all problems for myself1 
but ,i know now how foolish ,i was4 ,i  
have been face to face with such        
dreadful1 unimagined things1 and in my  
ignorance ,i did not conceive that life 
held such terrors4 ,and when ,i look at 
my father1 the thought of immortality   
turns me faint4 ,after you have come    
here this afternoon there can be no     
longer any reason why we should not     
meet1 and all the world know it4 ,i will
 go with you to ,mr4 ,bentley's4  ,of   

course ,i need not tell you that ,i     
refused to inherit anything4 ,but ,i    
believe ,i should have consented if ,i  
possibly could have done so4 ,it seemed 
so cruel--,i can think of no other      
word--to have1 to refuse at such a      
moment4 ,perhaps ,i have been cruel to  
him all my life--,i don't know4 ,as ,i  
look back upon everything1 all our      
relations1 ,i cannot see how ,i could   
have been different4 ,he wouldn't let   
me4 ,i still believe to have stayed with
 him would have been a foolish and      
useless sacrifice 4 4 4 ,but he looked  
at me so queerly1 as though he1 too1 had
 had a glimmering of what we might have 
been to each other after my mother died4
 ,why is life so hard8 ,and why are we  
always getting glimpses of things when  
it is too late8 ,it is only honest to   
say that if ,i had it to do all over    
again1 ,i should have left him as ,i    
did4  ,it is hard to write you this1 but
 he actually made the condition of my   
acceptance of the inheritance that ,i   

should not marry you4 ,i really do not  
believe ,i convinced him that you       
wouldn't have me take the money under   
any circumstances4 ,and the dreadful    
side of it all was that ,i had to make  
it plain to him--after what has happened
 that my desire to marry you wasn't the 
main reason of my refusal4 ,i had to    
tell him that even though you had not   
been in question1 ,i couldn't have taken
 what he wished to give me1 since it had
 not been honestly made4 ,he asked me   
why ,i went on eating the food bought   
with such money1 living under his roof8 
,but ,i cannot1 ,i will not leave him   
just yet 4 4 4 4 ,it is two o'clock4 ,i 
cannot write any more to-night4    ,,ii 
,the appointed time was at the ,november
 dusk1 hurried forward nearly an hour by
 the falling panoply of smoke driven    
westward over the ,park by the wet east 
wind4 ,and the rector was conducted1    
with due ceremony1 to the office        
upstairs which he had never again       
expected to enter1 where that other     

memorable interview had taken place4    
,the curtains were drawn4 ,and if the   
green-shaded lamp--the only light in the
 room--had been arranged by a master of 
dramatic effect1 it could not have      
better served the setting4  ,in spite of
 ,alison's letter1 ,holder was          
unprepared for the ravages a few days   
had made in the face of ,eldon ,parr4   
,not that he appeared older3 the        
impression was less natural1 more       
sinister4 ,the skin had drawn sharply   
over the cheek-bones1 and strangely the 
eyes both contradicted and harmonized   
with the transformation of the features4
 ,these1 too1 had changed4 ,they were   
not dead and lustreless1 but gleamed out
 of the shadowy caverns into which they 
had sunk1 unyielding1 indomitable in    
torment1--eyes of a spirit rebellious in
 the fumes 4 4 4 4  ,this spirit somehow
 produced the sensation of its being    
separated from the body1 for the        
movement of the hand1 inviting ,holder  
to seat himself1 seemed almost          

automatic4  ,i understand1 said ,eldon  
,parr1 that you wish to marry my        
daughter4  ,it is true that ,i am to    
marry ,alison1 ,holder answered1 and    
that ,i intended1 later on1 to come to  
inform you of the fact4  ,he did not    
mention the death of ,preston4          
,condolences1 under the circumstances1  
were utterly out of the question4  ,how 
do you propose to support her8 the      
banker demanded4  ,she is of age1 and   
independent of you4 ,you will pardon me 
if ,i reply that this is a matter       
between ourselves1 ,holder said4  ,i had
 made up my mind that the day she       
married you ,i would not only disinherit
 her1 but refuse absolutely1 to have    
anything to do with her4  ,if you cannot
 perceive what she perceives1 that you  
have already by your own life cut her   
off from you absolutely and that seeing 
her will not mend matters while you     
remain relentless1 nothing ,i can say   
will convince you4 ,holder did not speak
 rebukingly4 ,the utter uselessness of  

it was never more apparent4 ,the man was
 condemned beyond all present reprieve1 
at least4  ,she left me1 exclaimed      
,eldon ,parr1 bitterly4  ,she left you1 
to save herself4  ,we need not discuss  
that4  ,i am far from wishing to discuss
 it1 ,holder replied4  ,i do not know   
why you have asked me to come here1 ,mr4
 ,parr4 ,it is clear that your attitude 
has not changed since our last          
conversation4 ,i tried to make it plain 
to you why the church could not accept  
your money4 ,your own daughter1 cannot  
accept it4  ,there was a time1 retorted 
the banker1 when you did not refuse to  
accept it4  ,yes1 ,holder replied1 that 
is true4 ,it came to him vividly then   
that it had been ,alison herself who had
 cast the enlightening gleam which      
revealed his inconsistency4 ,but he did 
not defend himself4  ,i can see nothing 
in all this1 ,mr4 ,hodder1 but a species
 of insanity1 said ,eldon ,parr1 and    
there crept into his tone both          
querulousness and intense exasperation4 

,in the first place1 you insist upon    
marrying my daughter when neither she   
nor you have any dependable means of    
support4 ,she never spared her          
criticisms of me1 and you presume to    
condemn me1 a man who1 if he has        
neglected his children1 has done so     
because he has spent too much of his    
time in serving his community and his   
country1 and who has--if ,i have to say 
it myself--built up the prosperity which
 you and others are doing your best to  
tear down1 and which can only result in 
the spread of misery4 ,you profess to   
have a sympathy with the masses1 but you
 do not know them as ,i do4 ,they cannot
 control themselves1 they require a     
strong hand4 ,but ,i am not asking for  
your sympathy4 ,i have been             
misunderstood all my life1 ,i have      
become used to ingratitude1 even from my
 children1 and from the rector of the   
church for which ,i have done more than 
any other man4  ,hodder stared at him in
 amazement4  ,you really believe that6  

he exclaimed4  ,believe it6 ,eldon ,parr
 repeated4 ,i have had my troubles1 as  
heavy bereavements as a man can have4   
,all of them1 even this of my son's     
death1 all the ingratitude and lack of  
sympathy ,i have experienced-- 7he      
looked deliberately at ,hodder7 have not
 prevented me1 do not prevent me to-day 
from regarding my fortune as a trust4   
,you have deprived ,st4 ,john's1 at     
least so long as you remain there1 of   
some of its benefits1 and the           
responsibility for that is on your own  
head4 ,and ,i am now making arrangements
 to give to ,calvary the settlement     
house which ,st4 ,john's should have    
had4  ,the words were spoken with such  
an air of conviction1 of unconscious    
plausibility1 as it were1 that it was   
impossible for ,hodder to doubt the     
genuineness of the attitude they        
expressed4 ,and yet it was more than his
 mind could grasp 4 4 4 4 ,horace       
,bentley1 ,richard ,garvin1 and the     
miserable woman of the streets whom he  

had driven to destroy herself had made  
absolutely no impression whatever6 ,the 
gifts1 the benefactions of ,eldon ,parr 
to his fellow-men would go on as before6
  ,you ask me why ,i sent for you1 the  
banker went on4 ,it was primarily       
because ,i hoped to impress upon you the
 folly of marrying my daughter4 ,and in 
spite of all the injury and injustice   
you have done me1 ,i do not forget that 
you were once in a relationship to me   
which has been unique in my life4 ,i    
trusted you1 ,i admired you1 for your   
ability1 for your faculty of getting on 
with men4 ,at that time you were wise   
enough not to attempt to pass comment   
upon accidents in business affairs which
 are1 if deplorable1 inevitable4  ,eldon
 ,parr's voice gave a momentary sign of 
breaking4  ,i will be frank with you4   
,my son's death has led me1 perhaps     
weakly1 to make one more appeal4 ,you   
have ruined your career by these        
chimerical1 socialistic notions you have
 taken up1 and which you mistake for    

,christianity4 ,as a practical man ,i   
can tell you1 positively1 that ,st4     
,john's will run downhill until you are 
bankrupt4 ,the people who come to you   
now are in search of a new sensation1   
and when that grows stale they will fall
 away4 ,even if a respectable number    
remain in your congregation1 after this 
excitement and publicity have died down1
 ,i have reason to know that it is      
impossible to support a large city      
church on contributions4 ,it has been   
tried again and again1 and failed4 ,you 
have borrowed money for the ,church's   
present needs4 ,when that is gone ,i    
predict that you will find it difficult 
to get more4  ,this had every indication
 of being a threat1 but ,hodder1 out of 
sheer curiosity1 did not interrupt4 ,and
 it was evident that the banker drew a  
wrong conclusion from his silence1 which
 he may actually have taken for         
reluctant acquiescence4 ,his tone grew  
more assertive4  ,the ,church1 ,mr4     
,hodder1 cannot do without the          

substantial business men4 ,i have told  
the bishop so1 but he is failing so     
rapidly from old age that ,i might as   
well not have wasted my breath4 ,he     
needs an assistant1 a suffragan or      
coadjutor1 and ,i intend to make it my  
affair to see that he gets one4 ,when ,i
 remember him as he was ten years ago1  
,i find it hard to believe that he is   
touched with these fancies4 ,to be      
charitable1 it is senile decay4 ,he     
seems to forget what ,i have done for   
him1 personally1 made up his salary1    
paid his expenses at different times1   
and no appeal for the diocese to me was 
ever in vain4 ,but again1 ,i will let   
that go4  ,what ,i am getting at is     
this4 ,you have made a mess of the      
affairs of ,st4 ,john's1 you have made a
 mess of your life4 ,i am willing to    
give you the credit for sincerity4 ,some
 of my friends might not be4 ,you want  
to marry my daughter1 and she is        
apparently determined to marry you4 ,if 
you are sensible and resign from ,st4   

,john's now ,i will settle on ,alison a 
sufficient sum to allow you both to live
 in comfort and decency the rest of your
 lives4 ,i will not have it said of me  
that ,i permitted my daughter to become 
destitute4  ,after he had finished1 the 
rector sat for so long a time that the  
banker nervously shifted in his chair4  
,the clergyman's look had a cumulative  
quality1 an intensity which seemed to   
increase as the silence continued4      
,there was no anger in it1 no           
fanaticism4 ,on the contrary1 the higher
 sanity of it was disturbing2 and its   
extraordinary implication--gradually    
borne in upon ,eldon ,parr--was that he 
himself were not in his right mind4 ,the
 words1 when they came1 were a          
confirmation of this inference4  ,it is 
what ,i feared1 ,mr4 ,parr1 he said4    
,you are as yet incapable of            
comprehending4  ,what do you mean8 asked
 the banker1 jerking his hand from the  
table4  ,the rector shook his head4  ,if
 this great chastisement with which you 

have been visited has given you no hint 
of the true meaning of life1 nothing ,i 
can say will avail4 ,if you will not yet
 listen to the ,spirit which is trying  
to make you comprehend1 how then will   
you listen to me8 ,how am ,i to open    
your eyes to the paradox of truth1 that 
he who would save his life shall lose   
it1 that it is easier for a camel to go 
through the eye of a needle1 than for a 
rich man to enter into the ,kingdom of  
,god8 ,if you will not believe him who  
said that1 you will not believe me4 ,i  
can only beg of you1 strive to          
understand1 that your heart many be     
softened1 that your suffering soul may  
be released4  ,it is to be recorded1    
strangely1 that ,eldon ,parr did not    
grow angry in his turn4 ,the burning    
eyes looked out at ,hodder curiously1 as
 at a being upon whom the vials of wrath
 were somehow wasted1 against whom the  
weapons of power were of no account4    
,the fanatic had become a phenomenon    
which had momentarily stilled passion to

 arouse interest4 4 4 ,art thou a master
 of ,israel1 and knowest not these      
things8  ,do you mean to say--such was  
the question that sprang to ,eldon      
,parr's lips--that you take the ,bible  
literally8 ,what is your point of view8 
,you speak about the salvation of souls1
 ,i have heard that kind of talk all my 
life4 ,and it is easy1 ,i find1 for men 
who have never known the                
responsibilities of wealth to criticize 
and advise4 ,i regard indiscriminate    
giving as nothing less than a crime1 and
 ,i have always tried to be painstaking 
and judicious4 ,if ,i had taken the     
words you quoted at their face value1 ,i
 should have no wealth to distribute    
to-day4  ,i1 too1 ,mr4 ,hodder1 odd as  
it may seem to you1 have had my         
dreams--of doing my share of making this
 country the best place in the world to 
live in4 ,it has pleased providence to  
take away my son4 ,he was not fitted to 
carry on my work1--that is the way--with
 dreams4 ,i was to have taught him to   

build up1 and to give1 as ,i have given4
 ,you think me embittered1 hard1 because
 ,i seek to do good1 to interpret the   
,gospel in my own way4 ,before this year
 is out ,i shall have retired from all  
active business4  ,i intend to spend the
 rest of my life in giving away the     
money ,i have earned--all of it4 ,i do  
not intend to spare myself1 and giving  
will be harder than earning4 ,i shall   
found institutions for research of      
disease1 hospitals1 playgrounds1        
libraries1 and schools4 ,and ,i shall   
make the university here one of the best
 in the country4 ,what more1 may ,i ask1
 would you have me do8  ,ah1 replied the
 rector1 it is not what ,i would have   
you do4 ,it is not1 indeed1 a question  
of 'doing1' but of seeing4  ,of seeing8 
the banker repeated4 ,as ,i say1 of     
using judgment4  ,judgment1 yes1 but the
 judgment which has not yet dawned for  
you1 the enlightenment which is the     
knowledge of ,god's will4 ,worldly      
wisdom is a rule of thumb many men may  

acquire1 the other wisdom1 the wisdom of
 the soul1 is personal--the reward of   
revelation which springs from desire4   
,you ask me what ,i think you should do4
 ,i will tell you--but you will not do  
it1 you will be powerless to do it      
unless you see it for yourself1 unless  
the time shall come when you are willing
 to give up everything you have held    
dear in life1--not your money1 but your 
opinions1 the very judgment and wisdom  
you value1 until you have gained the    
faith which proclaims these worthless1  
until you are ready to receive the      
,kingdom of ,god as a little child4 ,you
 are not ready1 now4 ,your attitude1    
your very words1 proclaim your blindness
 to all that has happened you1 your     
determination to carry out1 so far as it
 is left to you1 your own will4 ,you may
 die without seeing4  ,crazy as it all  
sounded1 a slight tremor shook ,eldon   
,parr4 ,there was something in the eyes1
 in the powerful features of the        
clergyman that kept him still1 that made

 him listen with a fascination which had
 he taken cognizance of it--was akin to 
fear4 ,that this man believed it1 that  
he would impress it upon others1 nay1   
had already done so1 the banker did not 
then doubt4  ,you speak of giving1      
,hodder continued1 and you have nothing 
to give --nothing4 ,you are poorer      
to-day than the humblest man who has    
seen ,god4 ,but you have much1 you have 
all to restore4 ,without raising his    
voice1 the rector had contrived to put a
 mighty emphasis on the word4 ,you speak
 of the labour of giving1 but if you    
seek your ,god and haply find him you   
will not rest night or day while you    
live until you have restored every      
dollar possible of that which you have  
wrongfully taken from others4  ,john    
,hodder rose and raised his arm in      
effective protest against the           
interruption ,eldon ,parr was about to  
make4 ,he bore him down4  ,i know what  
you are going to say1 ,mr4 ,parr1--that 
it is not practical4 ,that word         

'practical' is the barrier between you  
and your ,god4 ,i tell you that ,god can
 make anything practical4 ,your         
conscience1 the spirit1 tortures you    
to-day1 but you have not had enough     
torture1 you still think to escape      
easily1 to keep the sympathy of a world 
which despises you4 ,you are afraid to  
do what ,god would have you do4 ,you    
have the opportunity1 through grace1 by 
your example to leave the world better  
than you found it1 to do a thing of such
 magnitude as is given to few men1 to   
confess before all that your life has   
been blind and wicked4 ,that is what the
 ,spirit is trying to teach you4 ,but   
you fear the ridicule of the other blind
 men1 you have not the faith to believe 
that many eyes would be opened by your  
act4 ,the very shame of such a          
confession1 you think1 is not to be     
borne4  ,suppose ,i acknowledge1 which  
,i do not1 your preposterous charge1 how
 would you propose to do this thing8    
,it is very simple1 said the rector1 so 

far as the actual method of procedure   
goes4 ,you have only to establish a     
board of men in whom you have           
confidence1--a court of claims1 so to   
speak1--to pass upon the validity of    
every application1 not from a business  
standpoint alone1 but from one of a     
broad justice and equity4 ,and not only 
that4 ,i should have it an important    
part of the duties of this board to     
discover for themselves other claimants 
who may not1 for various reasons1 come  
forward4 ,in the case of the            
,consolidated ,tractions1 for instances 
there are doubtless many men like       
,garvin who invested their savings      
largely on the strength of your name4   
,you cannot bring him back to life1     
restore him to his family as he was     
before you embittered him1 but it would 
be a comparatively easy matter to return
 to his widow1 with compound interest1  
the sum which he invested4  ,for the    
sake of argument1 said ,eldon ,parr1    
what would you do with the innumerable  

impostors who would overwhelm such a    
board with claims that they had bought  
and sold stock at a loss8 ,and that is  
only one case ,i could mention4  ,would 
it be so dreadful a thing1 asked        
,hodder1 ,to run the risk of making a   
few mistakes8 ,it would not be business1
 you say4 ,if you had the desire to do  
this1 you would dismiss such an         
obsession from your brain1 you would    
prefer to err on the aide of justice and
 mercy4 ,and no matter how able your    
board1 in making restitution you could  
at best expect to mend only a fraction  
of the wrongs you have done4  ,i shall  
waive1 for the moment1 my contention    
that the ,consolidated ,tractions       
,company1 had it succeeded1 would       
greatly have benefited the city4 ,even  
if it had been the iniquitous1 piratical
 transaction you suggest1 why should ,i 
assume the responsibility for all who   
were concerned in it8  ,if the grace    
were given you to do this1 that question
 would answer itself1 the rector        

replied4 ,the awful sense of            
responsibility1 which you now lack1     
would overwhelm you4  ,you have made me 
out a rascal and a charlatan1 said      
,eldon ,parr1 and ,i have listened'     
patiently in my desire to be fair1 to   
learn from your own lips whether there  
were anything in the extraordinary      
philosophy you have taken up1 and which 
you are pleased to call ,christianity4  
,if you will permit me to be as frank as
 you have been1 it appears to me as     
sheer nonsense and folly1 and if it were
 put into practice the world would be   
reduced at once to chaos and anarchy4   
,there is no danger1 ,i am sorry to say1
 of its being put into practice at once1
 said ,hodder1 smiting sadly4  ,i hope  
not1 answered the banker1 dryly4 ,utopia
 is a dream in which those who do the   
rough work of the world cannot afford to
 indulge4 ,and there is one more        
question4 ,you will1 no doubt1 deride it
 as practical1 but to my mind it is very
 much to the point4 ,you condemn the    

business practices in which ,i have     
engaged all my life as utterly          
unchristian4 ,if you are logical1 you   
will admit that no man or woman who owns
 stock in a modern corporation is1      
according to your definition1           
,christian1 and1 to use your own phrase1
 can enter the ,kingdom of ,god4 ,i can 
tell you1 as one who knows1 that there  
is no corporation in this country which1
 in the struggle to maintain itself1 is 
not forced to adopt the natural law of  
the survival of the fittest1 which you  
condemn4 ,your own salary1 while you had
 it1 came from men who had made the     
money in corporations4 ,business is     
business1 and admits of no sentimental  
considerations4 ,if you can get around  
that fact1 ,i will gladly bow to your   
genius4 ,should you succeed in          
reestablishing ,st4 ,john's on what you 
call a free basis --and in my opinion   
you will not--even then the money1 you  
would live on1 and which supported the  
church1 would be directly or indirectly 

derived from corporations4  ,i do not   
propose to enter into an economics      
argument with you1 ,mr4 ,parr1 but if   
you tell me that the flagrant practices 
indulged in by those who organized the  
,consolidated ,tractions ,company can be
 excused under any code of morals1 any  
conception of ,christianity1 ,i tell you
 they cannot4 ,what do we see today in  
your business world8 ,boards of         
directors1 trusted by stockholders1     
betraying their trust1 withholding      
information in order to profit thereby1 
buying and selling stock secretly2 stock
 watering1 selling to the public diluted
 values1--all kinds of iniquity and     
abuse of power which ,i need not go     
into4 ,do you mean to tell me1 on the   
plea that business is business and hence
 a department by itself1 that deception1
 cheating1 and stealing are justified   
and necessary8 ,the awakened conscience 
of the public is condemning you4  ,the  
time is at hand1 though neither you nor 
,i may live to see it1 when the public  

conscience itself is beginning to       
perceive thin higher justice hidden from
 you4 ,and you are attempting to mislead
 when you do not distinguish between the
 men who1 for their own gain and power1 
mismanage such corporations as are      
mismanaged1 and those who own stock and 
are misled4  ,the public conscience of  
which ,i speak is the leaven of         
,christianity at work4 ,and we must be  
content to work with it1 to await its   
fulfilment1 to realize that no one of us
 can change the world1 but can only do  
his part in making it better4 ,the least
 we can do is to refuse to indulge in   
practices which jeopardize our own      
souls1 to remain poor if we cannot make 
wealth honestly4 ,say what you will1 the
 ,christian government we are           
approaching will not recognize property1
 because it is gradually becoming clear 
that the holding of property delays the 
,kingdom at which you scoff1 giving the 
man who owns it a power over the body of
 the man who does not4 ,property        

produces slavery1 since it compels those
 who have none to work for those who    
have4  ,the possession of property1 or  
of sufficient property to give one      
individual an advantage over his fellows
 is inconsistent with ,christianity4    
,hence it will be done away with1 but   
only when enough have been emancipated  
to carry this into effect4 ,hence the   
saying of our ,lord about the needle's  
eye--the danger to the soul of him who  
owns much property4  ,and how about your
 ,christian view of the world as a vale 
of tears8 ,eldon ,parr inquired4  ,so   
long as humanity exists1 there will     
always be tears1 admitted the rector4   
,but it is a false ,christianity which  
does not bid us work for our fellow-men1
 to relieve their suffering and make the
 world brighter4 ,it is becoming clear  
that the way to do this effectively is  
through communities1 cooperation1       
through nations1 and not individuals4   
,and this1 if you like1 is              
practical1--so practical that the men   

like you1 who have gained unexampled    
privilege1 fear it more and more4 ,the  
old ,christian misconception1 that the  
world is essentially a bad place1 and   
which has served the ends of your       
privilege1 is going by forever4 ,and the
 motto of the citizens of the future    
will be the ,christian motto1 ',i am my 
brother's keeper4' ,the world is a good 
place because the ,spirit is continually
 working in it1 to make it better4 ,and 
life is good1 if only we take the right 
view of it1--the revealed view4  ,what  
you say is all very fine1 said ,eldon   
,parr4 ,and ,i have heard it before1    
from the discontented1 the socialists4  
,but it does not take into account the  
one essential element1 human nature4    
,on the other hand1 your scheme of life 
fails to reckon with the greater factor1
 divine nature1 ,hodder replied4  ,when 
you have lived as long as ,i have1      
perhaps you will think differently1 ,mr4
 ,hodder4 ,eldon ,parr's voice had      
abruptly grown metallic1 as though the  

full realization had come over him of   
the severity of the clergyman's         
arraignment2 the audacity of the man who
 had ventured to oppose him and         
momentarily defeated him1 who had won   
the allegiance of his own daughter1 who 
had dared condemn him as an evil-doer   
and give advice as to his future course4
 ,he1 ,eldon ,parr1 who had been used to
 settle the destinies of men6 ,his anger
 was suddenly at white heat2 and his    
voice1 which he strove to control1      
betrayed it4  ,since you have rejected  
my offer1 which was made in kindness1   
since you are bent on ruining my        
daughter's life as well as your own1 and
 she has disregarded my wishes1 ,i      
refuse to see either of you1 no matter  
to what straits you may come1 as long as
 ,i live4 ,that is understood4 ,and she 
leaves this house to-day1 never to enter
 it again4 ,it is useless to prolong    
this conversation1 ,i think4  ,quite    
useless1 as ,i feared1 ,mr4 ,parr4 ,do  
you know why ,alison is willing to marry

 me8 ,it is because the strength has    
been given me to oppose you in the name 
of humanity1 and this in spite of the   
fact that her love for you to-day is    
greater than it has ever been before4   
,it is a part of the heavy punishment   
you have inflicted on yourself that you 
cannot believe in her purity4 ,you      
insist on thinking that the time will   
come when she will return to you for    
help4 ,in senseless anger and pride you 
are driving her away from you whom you  
will some day need4 ,and in that day1   
should ,god grant you a relenting heart 
to make the sign1 she will come to      
you1--but to give comfort1 not to       
receive it4 ,and even as you have       
threatened me1 ,i will warn you1 yet not
 in anger4 ,except a man be born again1 
he cannot see the ,kingdom of ,god1 nor 
understand the motives of those who     
would enter into it4 ,seek and pray for 
repentance4  ,infuriated though he was1 
before the commanding yet compassionate 
bearing of the rector he remained       

speechless4 ,and after a moment's pause1
 ,hodder turned and left the room 4 4 4 
4    ,,iii  ,when ,hodder had reached   
the foot of the stairs1 ,alison came out
 to him4 ,the mourning she wore made her
 seem even taller4 ,in the face upturned
 to his1 framed in the black veil and   
paler than he had known it1 were traces 
of tears2 in the eyes a sad1 yet        
questioning and trustful smile4 ,they   
gazed at each other an instant1 before  
speaking1 in the luminous ecstasy of    
perfect communion which shone for them1 
undimmed1 in the surrounding gloom of   
tragedy4 ,and thus1 they felt1 it would 
always shine4 ,of that tragedy of the   
world's sin and sorrow they would ever  
be conscious4 ,without darkness there   
could be no light4  ,i knew1 she said1  
reading his tidings1 it would be of no  
use4 ,tell me the worst4  ,if you marry 
me1 ,alison1 your father refuses to see 
you again4 ,he insists that you leave   
the house4  ,then why did he wish to see
 you8  ,it was to make an appeal4 ,he   

thinks1 of course1 that ,i have made a  
failure of life1 and that if ,i marry   
you ,i shall drag you down to poverty   
and disgrace4  ,she raised her head1    
proudly4  ,but he knows that it is ,i   
who insist upon marrying you6 ,i        
explained it all to him--how ,i had     
asked you4 ,of course he did not        
understand4 ,he thinks1 ,i suppose1 that
 it is simply an infatuation4  ,in spite
 of the solemnity of the moment1 ,hodder
 smiled down at her1 touched by the     
confession4  ,that1 my dear1 doesn't    
relieve me of responsibility4 ,i am just
 as responsible as though ,i had spoken 
first1 instead of you4  ,but1 ,john1 you
 didn't--8 ,a sudden fear made her      
silent4  ,he took her hand and pressed  
it reassuringly4  ,give you up8 ,no1    
,alison1 he answered simply4 ,when you  
came to me1 ,god put you in my keeping4 
,she clung to him suddenly1 in a passion
 of relief4  ,oh1 ,i never could give   
you up1 ,i never would unless you       
yourself told me to4 ,then ,i would do  

it1--for you4 ,but you won't ask me1    
now8  ,he put his arm around her        
shoulders1 and the strength of it seemed
 to calm her4  ,no1 dear4 ,i would make 
the sacrifice1 ask you to make it1 if it
 would be of any good4 ,as you say1 he  
does not understand4 ,and you couldn't  
go on living with him and loving me4    
,that solution is impossible4 ,we can   
only hope that the time will come when  
he will realize his need of you1 and    
send for you4  ,and did he not ask you  
anything more8  ,hodder hesitated4 ,he  
had intended to spare her that 4 4 4 4  
,her divination startled him4  ,i know1 
,i know without your telling me4 ,he    
offered you money1 he consented to      
our--marriage if you would give up ,st4 
,john's4 ,oh1 how could he1 she cried4  
,how could he so misjudge and insult    
you6  ,it is not me he misjudges1       
,alison1 it is mankind1 it is ,god4     
,that is his terrible misfortune4       
,hodder released her tenderly4 ,you must
 see him--you must tell him that when he

 needs you1 you will come4  ,i will see 
him now1 she said4 ,you will wait for1  
me8  ,now8 he repeated1 taken aback by  
her resolution1 though it was           
characteristic4  ,yes1 ,i will go as ,i 
am4 ,i can send for my things4 ,my      
father has given me no choice1 no       
reprieve1--not that ,i ask one4 ,i have 
you1 dear4 ,i will stay with ,mr4       
,bentley to-night1 and leave for ,new   
,york to-morrow1 to do what ,i have to  
do--and then you will be ready for me4  
,yes1 he said1 ,i shall be ready4  ,he  
lingered in the well-remembered hall 4 4
 4 4 ,and when at last she came down    
again her eyes shone bravely through her
 tears1 her look answered the question  
of his own4 ,there was no need for      
speech4 ,with not so much as a look     
behind she left1 with him1 her father's 
house4  ,outside1 the mist had become a 
drizzle1 and as they went down the walk 
together beside the driveway she slipped
 her arm into his1 pressing close to his
 side4 ,her intuition was perfect1 the  

courage of her love sublime4  ,i have   
you1 dear1 she whispered1 never in my   
life before have ,i been rich4  ,alison6
  ,it was all he could say1 but the     
intensity of his mingled feeling went   
into the syllables of her name4 ,an     
impulse made them pause and turn1 and   
they stood looking back together at the 
great house which loomed the greater in 
the thickening darkness1 its windows    
edged with glow4 ,never1 as in this     
moment when the cold rain wet their     
faces1 had the thought of its comfort   
and warmth and luxury struck him so     
vividly2 yes1 and of its terror and     
loneliness now1 of the tortured spirit  
in it that found no rest4  ,oh1 ,john1  
she cried1 if we only could6  ,he       
understood her4 ,such was the perfect   
quality of their sympathy that she had  
voiced his thought4 ,what were rain and 
cold1 the inclemency of the elements to 
them8 ,what the beauty and the warmth of
 those great1 empty rooms to ,eldon     
,parr8 ,out of the heaven of their      

happiness they looked down1 helpless1   
into the horrors of the luxury of hell4 
,it must be1 he answered her1 in ,god's 
good time4  ,life is terrible6 she said4
 ,think of what he must have done to    
suffer so1 to be condemned to this6 ,and
 when ,i went to him1 just now1 he      
wouldn't even kiss me good-by4 ,oh1 my  
dear1 if ,i hadn't had you to take me1  
what should ,i have done8 4 4 4 ,it     
never was a home to me--to any of us4   
,and as ,i look back now1 all the       
troubles began when we moved into it4 ,i
 can only think of it as a huge prison1 
all the more sinister for its           
costliness4  ,a prison6 ,it had once    
been his own conceit4 ,he drew her      
gently away1 and they walked together   
along ,park ,street towards the distant 
arc-light at the corner which flung a   
gleaming band along the wet pavement4   
,perhaps it was because ,i was too young
 to know what trouble was when we lived 
in ,ransome ,street1 she continued4 ,but
 ,i can remember now how sad my mother  

was at times--it almost seemed as though
 she had a premonition4 ,alison's voice 
caught 4 4 4 4  ,the car which came     
roaring through the darkness1 and which 
stopped protestingly at their corner1   
was ablaze with electricity1 almost     
filled with passengers4 ,a young man    
with a bundle changed his place in order
 that they might sit together in one of 
the little benches bordering the aisle2 
opposite them was a laughing1           
clay-soiled group of labourers going    
home from work2 in front1 a young couple
 with a chubby child4 ,he stood between 
his parents1 facing about1 gazing in    
unembarrassed wonder at the dark lady   
with the veil4 ,alison's smile seemed   
only to increase the solemnity of his   
adoration1 and presently he attempted to
 climb over the barrier between them4   
,hodder caught him1 and the mother      
turned in alarm1 recapturing him4  ,you 
mustn't bother the lady1 ,jimmy1 she    
said1 when she had thanked the rector4  
,she had dimpled cheeks and sparkling   

blue eyes1 but their expression changed 
as they fell on ,alison's face1         
expressing something of the wonder of   
the child's4  ,oh1 he isn't bothering   
me1 ,alison protested4 ,do let him      
stand4  ,he don't make up to everybody1 
explained the mother1 and the manner of 
her speech was such a frank tribute that
 ,alison flushed4 ,there had been1 too1 
in the look the quick sympathy for      
bereavement of the poor4  ,aren't they  
nice8 ,alison leaned over and whispered 
to ,hodder1 when the woman had turned   
back4 ,one thing1 at least1 ,i shall    
never regret1--that ,i shall have to    
ride the rest of my life in the         
streetcars4 ,i love them4 ,that is      
probably my only qualification1 dear1   
for a clergyman's wife4  ,hodder        
laughed4 ,it strikes me1 he said1 as the
 supreme one4  ,they came at length to  
,mr4 ,bentley's door1 flung open in its 
usual wide hospitality by ,sam4         
,whatever theist fortunes1 they would   
always be welcome here 4 4 4 4 ,but it  

turned out1 in answer to their question1
 that their friend was not at home4     
,no1 sah1 said ,sam1 bowing and smiling 
benignantly1 but he done tole me to say1
 when you and ,miss ,alison come1 hit   
was to make no diffunce1 dat you bofe   
was to have supper heah4 ,and ,i'se done
 cooked it--yassah4 ,will you kindly    
step into the liba'y1 suh1 and ,miss    
,alison8 ,dar was a lady 'crost de city1
 ,marse ,ho'ace said--yassah4  ,john1   
said ,alison with a questioning smile1  
when they were alone before the fire1 ,i
 believe he went out on purpose1--don't 
you8--just that we might be here alone4 
,he knew we were coming8  ,i wrote him4 
,i think he might be convicted on the   
evidence1 ,hodder agreed4 ,but--8 ,his  
question remained unasked4  ,alison went
 up to him4 ,he had watched her1        
absorbed and fascinated1 as with her    
round arms gracefully lifted in front of
 the old mirror she had taken off her   
hat and veil2 smoothing1 by a few deft  
touches1 the dark crown of her hair4    

,the unwonted intimacy of the moment1   
invoking as it did an endless reflection
 of other similar moments in their      
future life together1 was in its effect 
overwhelming1 bringing with it at last a
 conviction not to be denied4 ,her      
colour rose as she faced him1 her lashes
 fell4  ,did you seriously think1 dear1 
that we could have deceived ,mr4        
,bentley8 ,then you are not as clever as
 ,i thought you4 ,as soon as it happened
 ,i sent him a note8 that very night4   
,for ,i felt that he ought to be told   
first of all4  ,and as usual1 ,hodder   
answered1 you were right4  ,supper was  
but a continuation of that delicious    
sense of intimacy4 ,and ,sam1 beaming in
 his starched shirt and swallow-tail1   
had an air of presiding over a banquet  
of state4 ,and for that matter1 none had
 ever gone away hungry from this table1 
either for meat or love4 ,it was1       
indeed1 a consecrated meal1--consecrated
 for being just there4 ,such was the    
tact which the old darky had acquired   

from his master that he left the dishes 
on the shining mahogany board1 and bowed
 himself out4  ,when you wants me1 ,miss
 ,alison1 des ring de bell4  ,she was   
seated upright yet charmingly graceful1 
behind the old ,english coffee service  
which had been ,mr4 ,bentley's mother's4
 ,and it was she who1 by her wonderful  
self-possession1 by the reassuring smile
 she gave him as she handed him his cup1
 endowed it all with reality4  ,it's    
strange1 she said1 but it seems as      
though ,i had been doing it all my life1
 instead of just beginning4  ,and you do
 it as though you had1 he declared4     
,which is a proof1 she replied1 of the  
superior adaptability of women4  ,he did
 not deny it4 ,he would not then1 in    
truth1 have disputed her wildest        
statement4 4 4 ,but presently1 after    
they had gone back into the library and 
were seated side by side before the     
coals1 they spoke again of serious      
things1 marvelling once more at a       
happiness which could be tinged and yet 

unmarred by vicarious sorrow4 ,theirs   
was the soberer1 profounder happiness of
 gratitude and wonder1 too wise to      
exult1 but which of itself is exalted2  
the happiness which praises1 and passes 
understanding4  ,there are many things  
,i want to say to you1 ,john1 she told  
him1 once1 and they trouble me a little4
 ,it is only because ,i am so utterly   
devoted to you that ,i wish you to know 
me as ,i am4 ,i have always had queer   
views1 and although much has happened to
 change me since ,i have known and loved
 you1 ,i am not quite sure how much     
those views have changed4 ,love1 she    
added1 plays such havoc with one's      
opinions4  ,she returned his smile1 but 
with knitted brows4  ,it's really       
serious--you needn't laugh4 ,and it's   
only fair to you to let you know the    
kind of a wife you are getting1 before  
it is too late4 ,for instance1 ,i       
believe in divorce1 although ,i can't   
imagine it for us4 ,one never can1 ,i   
suppose1 in this condition--that's the  

trouble4 ,i have seen so many immoral   
marriages that ,i can't think ,god      
intends people to live degraded4 ,and   
,i'm sick and tired of the argument that
 an indissoluble marriage under all     
conditions is good for society4 ,that a 
man or woman1 the units of society1     
should violate the divine in themselves 
for the sake of society is absurd4 ,they
 are merely setting an example to their 
children to do the same thing1 which    
means that society in that respect will 
never get any better4 ,in this love that
 has come to us we have achieved an     
ideal which ,i have never thought to    
reach4 ,oh1 ,john1 ,i'm sure you won't  
misunderstand me when ,i say that ,i    
would rather die than have to lower it4 
,no1 he answered1 ,i shall not          
misunderstand you4  ,even though it is  
so difficult to put into words what ,i  
mean4 ,i don't feel that we really need 
the marriage service1 since ,god has    
already joined us together4 ,and it is  
not through our own wills1 somehow1 but 

through his4 ,divorce would not only be 
a crime against the spirit1 it would be 
an impossibility while we feel as we do4
 ,but if love should cease1 then ,god   
himself would have divorced us1 punished
 us by taking away a priceless gift of  
which we were not worthy4 ,he would have
 shut the gates of ,eden in our faces   
because we had sinned against the       
,spirit4 ,it would be quite as true to  
say 'whom ,god has put asunder no man   
may join together4' ,am ,i hurting you8 
,her hand was on the arm of his chair1  
and the act of laying his own on it was 
an assurance stronger than words4       
,alison sighed4  ,yes1 ,i believed you  
would understand1 even though ,i        
expressed myself badly1--that you would 
help me1 that you have found a solution4
 ,i used to regard the marriage service 
as a compromise1 as a lowering of the   
ideal1 as something mechanical and      
rational put in the place of the        
spiritual2 that it was making the       
,church1 and therefore ,god1 conform to 

the human notion of what the welfare of 
society ought to be4 ,and it is absurd  
to promise to love4 ,we have no control 
over our affections4 ,they are in ,god's
 hands1 to grant or withdraw4  ,and yet 
,i am sure--this is new since ,i have   
known you--that if such a great love as 
ours be withdrawn it would be an        
unpardonable wrong for either of us to  
marry again4 ,that is what puzzles      
me--confounds the wisdom ,i used to     
have1 and which in my littleness and    
pride ,i thought so sufficient4 ,i      
didn't believe in ,god1 but now ,i feel 
him1 through you1 though ,i cannot      
define him4 ,and one of many reasons why
 ,i could not believe in ,christ was    
because ,i took it for granted that he  
taught1 among other things1 a           
continuation of the marriage relation   
after love had ceased to justify it4    
,hodder did not immediately reply4 ,nor 
did ,alison interrupt his silence1 but  
sat with the stillness which at times so
 marked her personality1 her eyes       

trustfully fixed on him4 ,the current   
pulsing between them was unbroken4      
,hodder's own look1 as he gazed into the
 grate1 was that of a seer4  ,yes1 he   
said at length1 it is by the spirit and 
not the letter of our ,lord's teaching  
that we are guided4 ,the ,spirit which  
we draw from the ,gospels4 ,and         
everything written down there that does 
not harmonize with it is the mistaken   
interpretation of men4 ,once the ,spirit
 possesses us truly1 we are no longer   
troubled and confused by texts4  ,the   
alpha and omega of ,christ's message is 
rebirth into the knowledge of that      
,spirit1 and hence submission to its    
guidance4 ,and that is what ,paul meant 
when he said that it freed us from the  
law4 ,you are right1 ,alison1 when you  
declare it to be a violation of the     
,spirit for a man and woman to live     
together when love does not exist4      
,christ shows us that laws were made for
 those who are not reborn4 ,laws are the
 rules of society1 to be followed by    

those who have not found the inner      
guidance1 who live and die in the flesh4
 ,but the path which those who live     
under the control of the ,spirit are to 
take is opened up to them as they       
journey4 ,if all men and women were     
reborn we should have the paradox1 which
 only the reborn can understand1 of what
 is best for the individual being best  
for society1 because under the will of  
the ,spirit none can transgress upon the
 rights and happiness of others4 ,the   
,spirit would make the laws and rules   
superfluous4  ,and the great crime of   
the ,church1 for which she is paying so 
heavy an expiation1 is that her faith   
wavered1 and she forsook the ,spirit and
 resumed the law her ,master had        
condemned4 ,she no longer insisted on   
that which ,christ proclaimed as        
imperative1 rebirth4 ,she became1 as you
 say1 a mechanical organization1        
substituting1 as the ,jews had done1    
hard and fast rules for inspiration4    
,she abandoned the ,communion of        

,saints1 sold her birthright for a mess 
of pottage1 for worldly1 temporal power 
when she declared that inspiration had  
ceased with the ,apostles1 when she     
failed to see that inspiration is       
personal1 and comes through rebirth4    
,for the sake of increasing her         
membership1 of dominating the affairs of
 men1 she has permitted millions who    
lived in the law and the flesh1 who     
persisted in forcing men to live by the 
conventions and customs ,christ         
repudiated1 and so stultify themselves1 
to act in ,christ's name4 ,the          
unpardonable sin against the ,spirit is 
to doubt its workings1 to maintain that 
society will be ruined if it be         
substituted for the rules and           
regulations supposed to make for the    
material comforts of the nations1 but   
which in reality suppress and enslave   
the weak4  ,nevertheless in spite of the
 ,church1 marvellously through the      
,church the germ of our ,lord's message 
has come down to us1 and the age in     

which we live is beginning to realize   
its purport1 to condemn the ,church for 
her subservient rationalism4  ,let us   
apply the rule of the ,spirit to        
marriage4 ,if we examine the ideal we   
shall see clearly that the              
marriage-service is but a symbol4 ,like 
baptism1 it is a worthless and          
meaningless rite unless the man and the 
woman have been born again into the     
,spirit1 released from the law4 ,if they
 are still1 as ,st4 ,paul would say1 in 
the flesh1 let them have1 if they wish1 
a civil permit to live together1 for the
 ,spirit can have nothing to do with    
such an union4 ,true to herself1 the    
,church symbolizes the union of her     
members1 the reborn4 ,she has nothing to
 do with laws and conventions which are 
supposedly for the good of society1 nor 
is any union accomplished if those whom 
she supposedly joins are not reborn4 ,if
 they are1 the ,church can neither make 
it or dissolve it1 but merely confirm   
and acknowledge the work of the ,spirit4

 ,and every work of the ,spirit is a    
sacrament4 ,not baptism and communion   
and marriage only1 but every act of     
life4  ,oh1 ,john1 she exclaimed1 her   
eyes lighting1 ,i can believe that6 ,how
 beautiful a thought6 ,i see now what is
 meant when it is said that man shall   
not live by bread alone1 but by every   
word that proceedeth out of the mouth of
 ,god4 ,that is the hourly guidance     
which is independent of the law4 ,and   
how terrible to think that all the      
spiritual beauty of such a religion     
should have been hardened into chapter  
and verse and regulation4 ,you have put 
into language what ,i think of ,mr4     
,bentley1 --that has acts are sacraments
 4 4 4 4 ,it is so simple when you      
explain it this way4 ,and yet ,i can see
 why it was said1 too1 that we must     
become as children to understand it4    
,the difficult thing1 replied ,holder1  
gravely1 is to retain it1 to hold it    
after we have understood it--even after 
we have experienced it4 ,to continue to 

live in the ,spirit demands all our     
effort1 all our courage and patience and
 faith4 ,we cannot1 as you say1 promise 
to love for life4 ,but the marriage     
service1 interpreted1 means that we will
 use all our human endeavour1 with the  
help of the ,spirit1 to remain in what  
may be called the reborn state1 since it
 is by the ,spirit alone that true      
marriage is sanctified4 ,when the       
,spirit is withdrawn1 man and woman are 
indeed divorced4  ,the words 'a sense of
 duty' belong to moral philosophy and   
not to religion4 ,love annuls them4 ,i  
do not mean to decry them1 but the      
reborn are lifted far above them by the 
subversion of the will by which our will
 is submitted to ,god's4 ,it is so we   
develop1 and become1 as it were1 ,god4  
,and hence those who are not married in 
the ,spirit are not spiritually man and 
wife4 ,no consecration has taken place1 
,church or no ,church4 ,if rebirth      
occurs later1 to either or both1 the    
individual conscience--which is the     

,spirit1 must decide whether1 as regards
 each other1 they are bound or free1 and
 we must stand or fall by that4 ,men    
object that this is opening the door to 
individualism4 ,what they fail to see is
 that the door is open1 wide1 to-day and
 can never again be closed3 that the law
 of the naturally born is losing its    
power1 that the worn-out authority of   
the ,church is being set at naught      
because that authority was devised by   
man to keep in check those who were not 
reborn4 ,the only check to material     
individualism is spiritual              
individualism1 and the reborn man or    
woman cannot act to the detriment of his
 fellow-creatures4  ,in her turn she was
 silent1 still gazing at him1 her breath
 coming deeply1 for she was greatly     
moved4  ,yes1 she said simply1 ,i can   
see now why divorce between us would be 
a sacrilege4 ,i felt it1 ,john1 but ,i  
couldn't reason it out4 ,it is the      
consecration of the ,spirit that        
justifies the union of the flesh4 ,for  

the ,spirit1 in that sense1 does not    
deny the flesh4  ,that would be to deny 
life1 ,hodder replied4  ,i see4 ,why was
 it all so hidden6 ,the exclamation was 
not addressed to him--she was staring   
pensively into the fire4 ,but presently1
 with a swift movement1 she turned to   
him4  ,you will preach this1 ,john1--all
 of it6  ,it was not a question1 but the
 cry of a new and wider vision of his   
task4 ,her face was transfigured4 ,and  
her voice1 low and vibrating1 expressed 
no doubts4 ,oh1 ,i am proud of you6 ,and
 if they put you out and persecute you  
,i shall always be proud1 ,i shall never
 know why it was given me to have this1 
and to live4 ,do you remember saying to 
me once that faith comes to us in some  
human form we love8 ,you are my faith4  
,and faith in you is my faith in        
humanity1 and faith in ,god4  ,ere he   
could speak of his own faith in her1 in 
mankind1 by grace of which he had been  
lifted from the abyss1 there came a     
knock at the door4 ,and even as they    

answered it a deeper knowledge filtered 
into their hearts4  ,horace ,bentley    
stood before them4 ,and the light from  
his face1 that shone down upon them1 was
 their benediction4     ,,afterword     
,although these pages have been         
published serially1 it is with a feeling
 of reluctance that ,i send them out    
into the world1 for better or worse1    
between the covers of a book4 ,they have
 been written with reverence1 and the   
reading of the proofs has brought back  
to me vividly the long winters in which 
,i pondered over the matter they        
contain1 and wrote and rewrote the      
chapters4  ,i had not thought to add    
anything to them by way of an afterword4
 ,nothing could be farther from my mind 
than to pose as a theologian2 and1 were 
it not for one or two of the letters ,i 
have received1 ,i should have supposed  
that no reader could have thought of    
making the accusation that ,i presumed  
to speak for any one except myself4 ,in 
a book of this kind1 the setting forth  

of a personal view of religion is not   
only unavoidable1 but necessary2 since1 
if ,i wrote sincerely1 ,mr4 ,hodder's   
solution must coincide with my own--so  
far as ,i have been able to work one    
out4 ,such as it is1 it represents many 
years of experience and reflection4 ,and
 ,i can only crave the leniency of any  
trained theologian who may happen to    
peruse it4  ,no one realizes1 perhaps1  
the incompleteness of the religious     
interpretations here presented more     
keenly than ,i4 ,more significant1 more 
vital elements of the truth are the     
rewards of a mind which searches and    
craves1 especially in these days when   
the fruit of so many able minds lies on 
the shelves of library and bookshop4    
,since the last chapter was written1    
many suggestions have come to me which  
,i should like to have the time to      
develop for this volume4 ,but the nature
 of these elements is positive1--,i can 
think of nothing ,i should care to      
subtract4  ,here1 then1 so far as what  

may be called religious doctrine is     
concerned1 is merely a personal         
solution4 ,we are in an age when the    
truth is being worked out through many  
minds1 a process which seems to me both 
,christian and ,democratic4 ,yet a      
gentleman has so far misunderstood this 
that he has already accused me1 in a    
newspaper1 of committing all the        
heresies condemned by the ,council of   
,chalcedon1--and more6  ,i have no doubt
 that he is right4 ,my consolation must 
be that ,i have as company--in some of  
my heresies1 at least--a goodly array of
 gentlemen who wear the cloth of the    
orthodox churches whose doctrines he    
accuses me of denying4 ,the published   
writings of these clergymen are         
accessible to all4 ,the same critic     
declares that my interpretations are    
without authority4 ,this depends1 of    
course2 on one's view of authority4 ,but
 his accusation is true equally against 
many men who--if my observation be      
correct--are doing an incalculable      

service for religion by giving to the   
world their own personal solutions1     
interpreting ,christianity in terms of  
modern thought4 ,no doubt these1 too1   
are offending the champions of the      
,council of ,chalcedon4  ,and does the  
gentleman1 may ,i ask1 ever read the    
pages of the ,hibbert ,journal8         
,finally1 ,i have to meet a more serious
 charge1 that ,mr4 ,hodder remains in   
the ,church because of the dread of     
parting with the old1 strong anchorage1 
the fear of anathema and criticism1 the 
thought of sorrowing and disapproving   
friends4 ,or perhaps he infers that it  
is ,i who keep ,mr4 ,hodder in the      
,church for these personal reasons4     
,alas1 the concern of society is now for
 those upon whom the ,church has lost   
her hold1 who are seeking for a solution
 they can accept4 ,and the danger to-day
 is not from the side of heresy4 ,the   
rector of ,st4 ,john's1 as a result of  
his struggle1 gained what ,i believe to 
be a higher and surer faith than that   

which he formerly held1 and in addition 
to this the realization of the presence 
of a condition which was paralyzing the 
,church's influence4  ,one thing ,i had 
hoped to make clear1 that if ,mr4       
,hodder had left the ,church under these
 circumstances he would have made the   
,great ,refusal4 ,the situation which he
 faced demanded something of the sublime
 courage of his ,master4  ,lastly1 may  
,i be permitted to add that it is far   
from my intention to reflect upon any   
particular denomination4 ,the instance  
which ,i have taken is perhaps a        
pronounced rather than a particular case
 of the problem to which ,i have        
referred1 and which is causing the      
gravest concern to thoughtful clergymen 
and laymen of all denominations4        
,,winston ,,churchill  ,,santa          
,,barbara1 ,,california ,march #ca1aiac4