小说园

第54部分（第2页）

along　the　lane　like　vermin？　If　I　had　my　rights　I　should　be

seated　on　horseback　in　a　green　riding…habit；　and　my　groom　would

be　behind　me。　And　I　should　stop　at　the　gates　of　the　cottages；

and　enquire　of　the　cottage　woman　who　came　out　with　a　child　in

her　arms；　how　did　her　husband；　who　had　hurt　his　foot。　And　I

would　pat　the　flaxen　head　of　the　child；　stooping　from　my　horse；

and　I　would　give　her　a　shilling　from　my　purse；　and　order

nourishing　food　to　be　sent　from　the　hall　to　the　cottage。〃

So　she　rode　in　her　pride。　And　sometimes；　she　dashed　into

flames　to　rescue　a　forgotten　child；　or　she　dived　into　the　canal

locks　and　supported　a　boy　who　was　seized　with　cramp；　or　she

swept　up　a　toddling　infant　from　the　feet　of　a　runaway　horse：

always　imaginatively；　of　course。

But　in　the　end　there　returned　the　poignant　yearning　from　the

Sunday　world。　As　she　went　down　in　the　morning　from　Cossethay　and

saw　Ilkeston　smoking　blue　and　tender　upon　its　hill；　then　her

heart　surged　with　far…off　words：

〃Oh；　Jerusalem；　Jerusalem……how　often　would　I　have

gathered　thy　children　together　as　a　hen　gathereth　her　chickens

under　her　wings；　and　ye　would　not……〃

The　passion　rose　in　her　for　Christ；　for　the　gathering　under

the　wings　of　security　and　warmth。　But　how　did　it　apply　to　the

weekday　world？　What　could　it　mean；　but　that　Christ　should　clasp

her　to　his　breast；　as　a　mother　clasps　her　child？　And　oh；　for

Christ；　for　him　who　could　hold　her　to　his　breast　and　lose　her

there。　Oh；　for　the　breast　of　man；　where　she　should　have　refuge

and　bliss　for　ever！　All　her　senses　quivered　with　passionate

yearning。

Vaguely　she　knew　that　Christ　meant　something　else：　that　in

the　vision…world　He　spoke　of　Jerusalem；　something　that　did　not

exist　in　the　everyday　world。　It　was　not　houses　and　factories　He

would　hold　in　His　bosom：　nor　householders　nor　factory…workers

nor　poor　people：　but　something　that　had　no　part　in　the　weekday

world；　nor　seen　nor　touched　with　weekday　hands　and　eyes。

Yet　she　must　have　it　in　weekday　terms……she　must。