第91章

It provides the most even temperature and pure atmosphere for the growth of young children.It furnishes the best obtainable social machinery for marrying off one's daughters, getting to know the right people, patching up quarrels, and so on.The priesthood earn their salaries as the agents for these valuable social arrangements.

Their theology is thrown in as a sort of intellectual diversion, like the ritual of a benevolent organization.

There are some who get excited about this part of it, just as one hears of Free-Masons who believe that the sun rises and sets to exemplify their ceremonies.Others take their duties more quietly, and, understanding just what it all amounts to, make the best of it, like you and me."Theron assented to the philosophy and the compliment by a grave bow."Yes, that is the idea--to make the best of it," he said, and fastened his regard boldly this time upon the swings.

"We were both ordained by our bishops," continued the priest, "at an age when those worthy old gentlemen would not have trusted our combined wisdom to buy a horse for them.""And I was married," broke in Theron, with an eagerness almost vehement, "when I had only just been ordained!

At the worst, YOU had only the Church fastened upon your back, before you were old enough to know what you wanted.

It is easy enough to make the best of THAT, but it is different with me."A marked silence followed this outburst.The Rev.Mr.Ware had never spoken of his marriage to either of these friends before; and something in their manner seemed to suggest that they did not find the subject inviting, now that it had been broached.He himself was filled with a desire to say more about it.He had never clearly realized before what a genuine grievance it was.

The moisture at the top of his nose merged itself into tears in the corners of his eyes, as the cruel enormity of the sacrifice he had made in his youth rose before him.

His whole life had been fettered and darkened by it.

He turned his gaze from the swings toward Celia, to claim the sympathy he knew she would feel for him.

But Celia was otherwise engaged.A young man had come up to her--a tall and extremely thin young man, soberly dressed, and with a long, gaunt, hollow-eyed face, the skin of which seemed at once florid and pale.

He had sandy hair and the rough hands of a workman;but he was speaking to Miss Madden in the confidential tones of an equal.

"I can do nothing at all with him," this newcomer said to her."He'll not be said by me.Perhaps he'd listen to you!""It's likely I'll go down there!" said Celia.

"He may do what he likes for all me! Take my advice, Michael, and just go your way, and leave him to himself.

There was a time when I would have taken out my eyes for him, but it was love wasted and thrown away.

After the warnings he's had, if he WILL bring trouble on himself, let's make it no affair of ours."Theron had found himself exchanging glances of inquiry with this young man."Mr.Ware," said Celia, here, "let me introduce you to my brother Michael--my full brother."Mr.Ware remembered him now, and began, in response to the other's formal bow, to say something about their having met in the dark, inside the church.But Celia held up her hand."I'm afraid, Mr.Ware," she said hurriedly, "that you are in for a glimpse of the family skeleton.

I will apologize for the infliction in advance."Wonderingly, Theron followed her look, and saw another young man who had come up the path from the crowd below, and was close upon them.The minister recognized in him a figure which had seemed to be the centre of almost every group about the bar that he had studied in detail.He was a small, dapper, elegantly attired youth, with dark hair, and the handsome, regularly carved face of an actor.

He advanced with a smiling countenance and unsteady step--his silk hat thrust back upon his head, his frock-coat and vest unbuttoned, and his neckwear disarranged--and saluted the company with amiability.

"I saw you up here, Father Forbes," he said, with a thickened and erratic utterance."Whyn't you come down and join us? I'm setting 'em up for everybody.

You got to take care of the boys, you know.I'll blow in the last cent I've got in the world for the boys, every time, and they know it.They're solider for me than they ever were for anybody.That's how it is.

If you stand by the boys, the boys'll stand by you.

I'm going to the Assembly for this district, and they ain't nobody can stop me.The boys are just red hot for me.

Wish you'd come down, Father Forbes, and address a few words to the meeting--just mention that I'm a candidate, and say I'm bound to win, hands down.That'll make you solid with the boys, and we'll be all good fellows together.

Come on down!"