小说园

第51部分（第6页）

rather　than　climb　the　wall　into　the　churchyard。　There　was　no　law

of　this；　from　the　parents。　The　children　themselves　were　the

wardens　of　the　Sabbath　decency；　very　jealous　and　instant　with

each　other。

It　came　to　be；　gradually；　that　after　church　on　Sundays　the

house　was　really　something　of　a　sanctuary；　with　peace　breathing

like　a　strange　bird　alighted　in　the　rooms。　Indoors；　only　reading

and　tale…telling　and　quiet　pursuits；　such　as　drawing；　were

allowed。　Out　of　doors；　all　playing　was　to　be　carried　on

unobtrusively。　If　there　were　noise；　yelling　or　shouting；　then

some　fierce　spirit　woke　up　in　the　father　and　the　elder　children；

so　that　the　younger　were　subdued；　afraid　of　being

exmunicated。

The　children　themselves　preserved　the　Sabbath。　If　Ursula　in

her　vanity　sang：

〃Il　etait　un　bergere

Et　ron…ron…ron　petit　patapon；〃

Theresa　was　sure　to　cry：

〃Thats　not　a　Sunday　song；　our　Ursula。〃

〃You　dont　know；〃　replied　Ursula；　superior。　Nevertheless；　she

wavered。　And　her　song　faded　down　before　she　came　to　the　end。

Because；　though　she　did　not　know　it；　her　Sunday　was　very

precious　to　her。　She　found　herself　in　a　strange；　undefined

place；　where　her　spirit　could　wander　in　dreams；　unassailed。

The　white…robed　spirit　of　Christ　passed　between　olive　trees。

It　was　a　vision；　not　a　reality。　And　she　herself　partook　of　the

visionary　being。　There　was　the　voice　in　the　night　calling；

〃Samuel；　Samuel！〃　And　still　the　voice　called　in　the　night。　But

not　this　night；　nor　last　night；　but　in　the　unfathomed　night　of

Sunday；　of　the　Sabbath　silence。

There　was　Sin；　the　serpent；　in　whom　was　also　wisdom。　There

was　Judas　with　the　money　and　the　kiss。

But　there　was　no　actual　Sin。