登陆注册
15480400000070

第70章 Chapter XXV(2)

This one, who from birth and inheritance is able to stand the equal of any one, or this one, who through birth and inheritance blinks blindly at the good and beautiful? Character and circumstance are not altogether of our own making; they are, to a great degree, results of inherited tendencies over which we have no control, --accidents of birthplace, in the choosing of which we had no voice. The high in the world do not shine altogether by their own light, not do the lowly grovel altogether in their own debasement, --I felt the excuse for humanity. I was overwhelmed with one feeling, --only God can weigh such circumstantial evidence; we, in our little knowledge of results, pronounce sentence, but final judgment is reserved for a higher court, that sees the cross-purposes in which we are blindly caught. So with everything. Below me prayed Christian and Jew, Mohammedan and Brahmin, idolater and agnostic. Why was one man different in this way from his fellows? Because he was born so, because his parents were so, because he was bred so, because it seemed natural and convenient to remain so, --custom and environment had made his religion. Because Jesus Christ dared to attack their existing customs and beliefs, the Jews, then powerful, first reviled, then feared, then slew him; because the Jews could not honestly say, 'I believe this man to be a God,' they were hurled from their eminence and dragged, living, for centuries in the dust. And yet why? Because God withheld and still withholds from this little band the power of believing in Christ as his son. Christians call this a wilful weakness; Jews call it strength. After all, who is to be praised or blamed for it? God. Then instead of beating the Jew, and instead of sneering at the Christian, let each pity the other; because one, I know not which, is weak, and because the other, I know not which, is strong. I left the building; I came upon the street. I felt like saluting every one as my brother. A little ragged child touched me, and as I laid my hand upon her curly head, the thrill of humanity shot through me.

"It was not until I went to New York that the feelings I then experienced took on a definite shape. There, removed from my old haunts, I wandered alone when I could. Then I thought of you, my friend, of you, my child, and beside you I was pitiful, --pitiful, because in my narrowness I had thought myself strong enough to uphold a vanishing restriction. I resolved to be practical; I have been accused of being a dreamer. I grasped your two images before me and drew parallels. Socially each was as high as the other. Mentally the woman was as strong in her sphere as the man was in his. Physically both were perfect types of pure, healthy blood. Morally both were irreproachable. Religiously each held a broad love for God and man. I stood convicted; I was in the position of a blind fool who, with a beautiful picture before him, fastens his critical, condemning gaze upon a rusting nail in the rusting wall behind, --a nail even now loosened, and which in another generation will be displaced. Yet what was I to do? Come back and tell you that I had been needlessly cruel? What would that avail?

True, I might make you believe that I no longer thought marriage between you wrong; but that would not remove the fact that the world, which so easily makes us happy or otherwise, did not see as I saw. In this vortex I was stricken ill. All the while I wanted to hasten to you, to tell you how it was with me, and it seemed as if I never could get to you. 'Is this Nemesis,' I thought, 'or divine interposition?' So I struggled till Louis came. Then all was easier. I told him everything and said, 'Louis, what shall I do?' "only this,' he answered simply: 'tell them that their happy marriage will be your happiness, and the rest of the world will be as nothing to these two who love each other.'"

The old man paused; the little sunbeam had reached the end of the coverlet and gave a leap upon Louis's shoulder like an angle's finger, but his gaze remained fixed upon the cupids on the ceiling. Ruth had covered her face with her hands. Mrs. Levice was softly weeping, with her eyes on Louis.

Dr. Kemp had risen and stood, tall and pale, meeting Levice's eyes.

"I believe--and my wife believes," said Levice, heavily, as if the words were so many burdens, "that our child will be happy only as your wife, and that nothing should stand in the way of the consummation of this happiness.

Dr. Kemp, you have assured me you still love my daughter. Ruth!"

She sprang to her feet, looking only at her father.

"Little one," he faltered, "I have been very cruel in my ignorance."

"Do not think of this, Father," she whispered.

"I must," he said, taking her hand in his. "Kemp, your hand, please."

He grasped the strong white hand and drew the two together; and as Kemp's large hand closed firmly over her little one, Levice stooped his head, kissed them thus clasped, and laid his hand upon them.

"There is one thing more," he said. "At the utmost I have but a few days to live. I shall not see your happiness: I shall not see you, my Ruth, as I have often pictured you. Ah, well, darling, a father may be permitted sweet dreams of his only child. You have always been a good girl, and now I am going to ask you to do one thing more--you also, Doctor. Will you be married now, this day, here, so that I may yet bless your new life? Will you let me see this? And listen, --will you let the world know that you were married with my sanction, and did not have to wait till the old man was dead? Will you do this for me, my dear ones?"

"Will you, Ruth?" asked Kemp, softly, his fingers pressing hers gently.

Ruth stifled a sob as she met her father's eager eyes.

"I will," she answered so low that only the intense silence in the room made it audible.

Levice separated their hands and held one on each of his cheeks.

"Always doing things for her ugly old father," he murmured; "this time giving up a pretty wedding-day that all girls so love."

"Oh, hush, my darling."

"You will have no guests, unless, Doctor, there is some one you would like to have."

"I think not," he decided, noting with a pang the pale, weary face of Levice; "we will have it all as quiet as possible. You must rest now, and leave everything to me. Would you prefer Dr. Stephens or a justice?"

"Either. Dr. Stephens is a good man, whom I know, however; and one good man with the legal right is as good as another to marry you."

There was little more said then. Kemp turned to Mrs. Levice and raised her hand to his lips. Arnold confronted him with a pale, smiling face; the two men wrung each other's hands, passing out together immediately after.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 弱者的抉择

    弱者的抉择

    随着虚拟网络神经终端模拟器的问世,人们的生活不再局限于现实,虚拟空间的开发和神经终端模拟的对接给这个世界带来了更多的可能性。但是任何时代都有弱者,尤其是个自卑的小胖子,弱小并没有错,因为弱小才能变得强大,所以这是一个弱者的故事。
  • 宠婚甜蜜蜜:Honey,你好甜

    宠婚甜蜜蜜:Honey,你好甜

    “老公,人家冷~”“多穿点衣服,不行就开空调。”“人家想要老公亲亲抱抱做运动~”男人停下手里的工作,亲了亲她,抱了抱她,然后把她丢到健身房,“跑不完十公里,今晚别睡觉。”“……”前世直到临死前,她才知道自己错把恩人当仇人,他保护了她十年,她却恨了他十年。十年夫妻,有名无实,到死他都没碰过她一次。重活一世,她决定要好好报恩。重生的第一天,她就想把他们的夫妻关系坐实了,可无论她怎么做,某个男人都不为所动,她严重怀疑他不行,开始积极的为他治疗。直到某天她被他宠得腰酸腿疼,她才知道,他哪里是不行啊,他之所以一直不碰她,是因为……【重生+宠文+甜文+1v1双洁】
  • 时空穿越系统

    时空穿越系统

    一个青年的努力成为时空守护者的故事。八神:你确定你让我来镇守拳皇?雅典娜:亲爱的我的圣斗士都将是为守护你而存在。孙悟空:他们都好强,战斗力都快报表了杨峰:我们的战争才刚刚开始。
  • 无敌剑域

    无敌剑域

    剑宗第一废柴杨叶,拥有逆天技能,一人一剑一世界,杀,就要杀个尸横遍野,战,就要战一个巅峰不败!
  • 山林木兮,木有枝

    山林木兮,木有枝

    错过一次,便是来生。????风吹入我的梦,你夜里追着风,这目光熟悉又陌生,扰乱我灵魂,一眼像一生??????泼墨画中的几眼凝望,望穿了此生今年。你就这般在眼前突现,恰似天外飞仙,一袭白色浣纱,回眸一笑如此腼腆。紧跟上你转身离去的身影,萤火相伴,佳人相牵,怎断突如其来的痴念,轻推一扇木门,风吹入我的梦,梦醉着你的笑,辨不清门里是人间仙境还是森罗地狱,只想就这般将你痴痴的凝望。
  • 七年的等待虐恋

    七年的等待虐恋

    这部作品讲述了一个青春期暗恋的故事,校花和一个普通学生的虐恋故事,男主角的经历很崎岖,但女主还是一直喜欢着他,他们一直都互相喜欢,但就是不肯说,最后的结局是会以悲剧收场还是在一起了呢?
  • 读史感悟做事心机

    读史感悟做事心机

    本书通过历史上的著名事件或人物故事的描写,讲解做事的心机和智慧。从春秋战国到明清后期,从皇帝将相到平民百姓,通过研读这些人物的故事,给生活一个历史性的参照,进而解读当下的人生状态。
  • 龙刺天极

    龙刺天极

    吸收龙魂的噬魂者!会说龙语的龙语者!精通枪炮的机械狂人!谙熟冷兵的龙血斗士!残酷的战斗,传奇的历险,截然相反的道路却指向同一个谜团!源自上古的寓言能否被改写!一切答案尽在龙刺天极!一同生长在云端之城的两个少年,因为一段不同寻常的经历,而从此走上了皆然相反的道路。而造成这一切的,正是那传奇的生物——龙!从冰川雪山到无垠荒漠,从原始丛林到恢弘城邦,两个少年在层出不穷的历练中与龙一同不断的成长。不同的道路,相同的目标,两人在不断追寻的道路上与龙一同勇敢前行,而这一切,都尽在那双眼睛的注视中……***纯纯的小白新手,希望能够得到一些鼓励与支持,在此先感谢大家啦~***
  • 伏元记

    伏元记

    汉朝时期,儒道佛三教大兴,曲阜三孔地,贵溪龙虎山,洛阳白马寺,三教各占风骚,引领着天下豪杰。然而魔妖冥三界不甘寂寞,掀起了人间的血雨腥风……在这风雨飘摇,群雄并起的时代,究竟鹿死谁手,谁又会笑傲巅峰?
  • 将军令:府中囚妻

    将军令:府中囚妻

    她是丑陋的女子但是她却拥有着最幸福的宠溺他就是钟无艳