father damien-第5部分

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welcomed　in　a　public…house。　　A　man　sprang　to　his　feet；　I　am　not　at

liberty　to　give　his　name；　but　from　what　I　heard　I　doubt　if　you

would　care　to　have　him　to　dinner　in　Beretania　Street。　　〃You

miserable　little　…〃　（here　is　a　word　I　dare　not　print；　it

would　so　shock　your　ears）。　　〃You　miserable　little　；〃　he

cried；　〃if　the　story　were　a　thousand　times　true；　can't　you　see　you

are　a　million　times　a　lower　…　for　daring　to　repeat　it？〃　　I　wish

it　could　be　told　of　you　that　when　the　report　reached　you　in　your

house；　perhaps　after　family　worship；　you　had　found　in　your　soul

enough　holy　anger　to　receive　it　with　the　same　expressions；　ay；　even

with　that　one　which　I　dare　not　print；　it　would　not　need　to　have

been　blotted　away；　like　Uncle　Toby's　oath；　by　the　tears　of　the

recording　angel；　it　would　have　been　counted　to　you　for　your

brightest　righteousness。　　But　you　have　deliberately　chosen　the　part

of　the　man　from　Honolulu；　and　you　have　played　it　with　improvements

of　your　own。　　The　man　from　Honolulu　…　miserable；　leering　creature　…

communicated　the　tale　to　a　rude　knot　of　beach…combing　drinkers　in　a

public…house；　where　（I　will　so　far　agree　with　your　temperance

opinions）　man　is　not　always　at　his　noblest；　and　the　man　from

Honolulu　had　himself　been　drinking　…　drinking；　we　may　charitably

fancy；　to　excess。　　It　was　to　your　〃Dear　Brother；　the　Reverend　H。　B。

Gage；〃　that　you　chose　to　communicate　the　sickening　story；　and　the

blue　ribbon　which　adorns　your　portly　bosom　forbids　me　to　allow　you

the　extenuating　plea　that　you　were　drunk　when　it　was　done。　　Your

〃dear　brother〃　…　a　brother　indeed　…　made　haste　to　deliver　up　your

letter　（as　a　means　of　grace；　perhaps）　to　the　religious　papers；

where；　after　many　months；　I　found　and　read　and　wondered　at　it；　and

whence　I　have　now　reproduced　it　for　the　wonder　of　others。　　And　you

and　your　dear　brother　have；　by　this　cycle　of　operations；　built　up　a

contrast　very　edifying　to　examine　in　detail。　　The　man　whom　you

would　not　care　to　have　to　dinner；　on　the　one　side；　on　the　other；

the　Reverend　Dr。　Hyde　and　the　Reverend　H。　B。　Gage：　the　Apia　bar…

room；　the　Honolulu　manse。



But　I　fear　you　scarce　appreciate　how　you　appear　to　your　fellow…men；

and　to　bring　it　home　to　you；　I　will　suppose　your　story　to　be　true。

I　will　suppose　…　and　God　forgive　me　for　supposing　it　…　that　Damien

faltered　and　stumbled　in　his　narrow　path　of　duty；　I　will　suppose

that；　in　the　horror　of　his　isolation；　perhaps　in　the　fever　of

incipient　disease；　he；　who　was　doing　so　much　more　than　he　had

sworn；　failed　in　the　letter　of　his　priestly　oath　…　he；　who　was　so

much　a　better　man　than　either　you　or　me；　who　did　what　we　have　never

dreamed　of　daring　…　he　too　tasted　of　our　common　frailty。　　〃O；　Iago；

the　pity　of　it！〃　　The　least　tender　should　be　moved　to　tears；　the

most　incredulous　to　prayer。　　And　all　that　you　could　do　was　to　pen

your　letter　to　the　Reverend　H。　B。　Gage！



Is　it　growing　at　all　clear　to　you　what　a　picture　you　have　drawn　of

your　own　heart？　　I　will　try　yet　once　again　to　make　it　clearer。　　You

had　a　father：　suppose　this　tale　were　about　him；　and　some　informant

brought　it　to　you；　proof　in　hand：　I　am　not　making　too　high　an

estimate　of　your　emotional　nature　when　I　suppose　you　would　regret

the　circumstance？　that　you　would　feel　the　tale　of　frailty　the　more

keenly　since　it　shamed　the　author　of　your　days？　and　that　the　last

thing　you　would　do　would　be　to　publish　it　in　the　religious　press？

Well；　the　man　who　tried　to　do　what　Damien　did；　is　my　father；　and

the　father　of　the　man　in　the　Apia　bar；　and　the　father　of　all　who

love　goodness；　and　he　was　your　father　too；　if　God　had　given　you

grace　to　see　it。










End