小说园

第52部分（第4页）

not　state　his　descent　from　Adam；　did　not　exclude　that　he　was

also　one　of　the　unhistoried；　unaccountable　Sons　of　God。　As　yet；

she　was　confused；　but　not　denied。

Again　she　heard　the　Voice：

〃It　is　easier　for　a　camel　to　go　through　the　eye　of　a　needle；

than　for　a　rich　man　to　enter　into　heaven。〃

But　it　was　explained；　the　needles　eye　was　a　little　gateway

for　foot　passengers；　through　which　the　great；　humped　camel　with

his　load　could　not　possibly　squeeze　himself：　or　perhaps　at　a

great　risk；　if　he　were　a　little　camel；　he　might　get　through。　For

one　could　not　absolutely　exclude　the　rich　man　from　heaven；　said

the　Sunday　school　teachers。

It　pleased　her　also　to　know；　that　in　the　East　one　must　use

hyperbole；　or　else　remain　unheard；　because　the　Eastern　man　must

see　a　thing　swelling　to　fill　all　heaven；　or　dwindled　to　a　mere

nothing；　before　he　is　suitably　impressed。　She　immediately

sympathized　with　this　Eastern　mind。

Yet　the　words　continued　to　have　a　meaning　that　was　untouched

either　by　the　knowledge　of　gateways　or　hyperboles。　The

historical；　or　local；　or　psychological　interest　in　the　words　was

another　thing。　There　remained　unaltered　the　inexplicable　value

of　the　saying。　What　was　this　relation　between　a　needles　eye；　a

rich　man；　and　heaven？　What　sort　of　a　needles　eye；　what　sort　of

a　rich　man；　what　sort　of　heaven？　Who　knows？　It　means　the

Absolute　World；　and　can　never　be　more　than　half　interpreted　in

terms　of　the　relative　world。

But　must　one　apply　the　speech　literally？　Was　her　father　a

rich　man？　Couldnt　he　get　to　heaven？　Or　was　he　only　a　half…rich

man？　Or　was　he　merely　a　poor　man？　At　any　rate；　unless　he　gave

everything　away　to　the　poor；　he　would　find　it　much　harder　to　get

to　heaven。　The　needles　eye　would　be　too　tight　for　him。　She

almost　wished　he　were　penniless　poor。　If　one　were　ing　to　the

base　of　it；　any　man　was　rich　who　was　not　as　poor　as　the

poorest。

She　had　her　qualms；　when　in　imagination　she　saw　her　father

giving　away　their　piano　and　the　two　cows；　and　the　capital　at　the

bank；　to　the　labourers　of　the　district；　so　that　they；　the

Brangwens；　should　be　as　poor　as　the　Wherrys。　And　she　did　not

want　it。　She　was　impatient。

〃Very　well；〃　she　thought；　〃well　forego　that　heaven；　thats