Последний отзыв
Очень интересная!
По всем вопросам обращайтесь на: info@litportal.ru
(©) 2003-2024.
✖
Nobody
Настройки чтения
Размер шрифта
Высота строк
Поля
"You did. And I have thought about it since. And I quite agree with youthat to be idle is to be neither wise nor dignified. But here rises adifficulty. I think I would like to be of some use in the world, if Icould. But I do not know what to set about."
Lois waited, with silent attention.
"My question is this: How is a man to find his work in the world?"
Lois's eyes, which had been on his face, went away to the fire. His, which had been on the ground, rose to her face.
"I am in a fog," he said
"I believe every one has his work," Lois remarked.
"I think you said so."
"The Bible says so, at any rate."
"Then how is a man to find his work?" Philip asked, half smiling; atthe same time he drew up his chair a little nearer the fire, and beganto put the same in order. Evidently he was not going away immediately, and had a mind to talk out the subject. But why with her? And was henot going to his sister's? —
"If each one has, not only his work but his peculiar work, it must be avery important matter to make sure he has found it. A wheel in amachine can do its own work, but it cannot take the part of anotherwheel. And your words suppose an exact adjustment of parts and powers."
"The Bible words," said Lois.
"Yes. Well, to my question. I do not know what I ought to do, Miss
Lois. I do not see the work to my hand. How am I ever to be any wiser?"
"I am the last person you should ask. And besides, – I do not thinkanybody knows enough to set another his appointed task."
"How is he to find it, then?"
"He must ask the One who does know."
"Ask? —Pray, you mean?"
"Yes, pray. He must ask to be shown what he ought to do, and how to doit. God knows what place he is meant to fill in the world."
"And if he asks, will he be told?"
"Certainly. That is the promise. 'If any of you lack wisdom, let himask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; andit shall be given him.'"
Lois's eyes came over to her questioner at the last words, as it were, setting a seal to them.
"How will he get the answer? Suppose, for instance, I want wisdom; andI kneel down and pray that I may know my work. I rise from myprayer, – there is no voice, nor writing, nor visible sign; how am I thewiser?"
"You think it will not be given him?" Lois said, with a faint smile.
"I do not say that. I dare not. But how?"
"You must not think that, or the asking will be vain. You must believethe Lord's promise."
Lois was warming out of her reserve, and possibly Mr. Dillwyn had apurpose that she should; though I think he was quite earnest with hisquestion. But certainly he was watching her, as well as listening toher.
"Go on," he said. "How will the answer come to me?"
"There is another condition, too. You must be quite willing to hear theanswer."
"Why?"
"Else you will be likely to miss it. You know, Mr. Dillwyn, – you donot know much about housekeeping things, – but I suppose youunderstand, that if you want to weigh anything truly, your balance musthang even."
He smiled.
"Well, then, – Miss Lois?"
"The answer? It comes different ways. But it is sure to come. I thinkone way is this, – You see distinctly one thing you ought to do; it isnot life-work, but it is one thing. That is enough for one step. You dothat; and then you find that that one step has brought you where youcan see a little further, and another step is clear. That will do,"Lois concluded, smiling; "step by step, you will get where you want tobe."
Mr. Dillwyn smiled too, thoughtfully, as it were, to himself.
"Was it so that you went to teach school at that unlucky place? – whatdo you call it?"
"It was not unlucky. Esterbrooke. Yes, I think I went so."
"Was not that a mistake?"
"No, I think not."
"But your work there was broken up?"
"O, but I expect to go back again."
"Back! There? It is too unhealthy."
"It will not be unhealthy, when the railroad is finished."
"I am afraid it will, for some time. And it is too rough a place foryou."
"That is why they want me the more."
"Miss Lois, you are not strong enough."
"I am very strong!" she answered, with a delicious smile.
"But there is such a thing – don't you think so? – as fitness of means toends. You would not take a silver spade to break ground with?"
"I am not at all a silver spade," said Lois. "But if I were; suppose Ihad no other?"
"Then surely the breaking ground must be left to a differentinstrument."
"That won't do," said Lois, shaking her head. "The instrument cannotchoose, you know, where it will be employed. It does not know enoughfor that."
Lois waited, with silent attention.
"My question is this: How is a man to find his work in the world?"
Lois's eyes, which had been on his face, went away to the fire. His, which had been on the ground, rose to her face.
"I am in a fog," he said
"I believe every one has his work," Lois remarked.
"I think you said so."
"The Bible says so, at any rate."
"Then how is a man to find his work?" Philip asked, half smiling; atthe same time he drew up his chair a little nearer the fire, and beganto put the same in order. Evidently he was not going away immediately, and had a mind to talk out the subject. But why with her? And was henot going to his sister's? —
"If each one has, not only his work but his peculiar work, it must be avery important matter to make sure he has found it. A wheel in amachine can do its own work, but it cannot take the part of anotherwheel. And your words suppose an exact adjustment of parts and powers."
"The Bible words," said Lois.
"Yes. Well, to my question. I do not know what I ought to do, Miss
Lois. I do not see the work to my hand. How am I ever to be any wiser?"
"I am the last person you should ask. And besides, – I do not thinkanybody knows enough to set another his appointed task."
"How is he to find it, then?"
"He must ask the One who does know."
"Ask? —Pray, you mean?"
"Yes, pray. He must ask to be shown what he ought to do, and how to doit. God knows what place he is meant to fill in the world."
"And if he asks, will he be told?"
"Certainly. That is the promise. 'If any of you lack wisdom, let himask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; andit shall be given him.'"
Lois's eyes came over to her questioner at the last words, as it were, setting a seal to them.
"How will he get the answer? Suppose, for instance, I want wisdom; andI kneel down and pray that I may know my work. I rise from myprayer, – there is no voice, nor writing, nor visible sign; how am I thewiser?"
"You think it will not be given him?" Lois said, with a faint smile.
"I do not say that. I dare not. But how?"
"You must not think that, or the asking will be vain. You must believethe Lord's promise."
Lois was warming out of her reserve, and possibly Mr. Dillwyn had apurpose that she should; though I think he was quite earnest with hisquestion. But certainly he was watching her, as well as listening toher.
"Go on," he said. "How will the answer come to me?"
"There is another condition, too. You must be quite willing to hear theanswer."
"Why?"
"Else you will be likely to miss it. You know, Mr. Dillwyn, – you donot know much about housekeeping things, – but I suppose youunderstand, that if you want to weigh anything truly, your balance musthang even."
He smiled.
"Well, then, – Miss Lois?"
"The answer? It comes different ways. But it is sure to come. I thinkone way is this, – You see distinctly one thing you ought to do; it isnot life-work, but it is one thing. That is enough for one step. You dothat; and then you find that that one step has brought you where youcan see a little further, and another step is clear. That will do,"Lois concluded, smiling; "step by step, you will get where you want tobe."
Mr. Dillwyn smiled too, thoughtfully, as it were, to himself.
"Was it so that you went to teach school at that unlucky place? – whatdo you call it?"
"It was not unlucky. Esterbrooke. Yes, I think I went so."
"Was not that a mistake?"
"No, I think not."
"But your work there was broken up?"
"O, but I expect to go back again."
"Back! There? It is too unhealthy."
"It will not be unhealthy, when the railroad is finished."
"I am afraid it will, for some time. And it is too rough a place foryou."
"That is why they want me the more."
"Miss Lois, you are not strong enough."
"I am very strong!" she answered, with a delicious smile.
"But there is such a thing – don't you think so? – as fitness of means toends. You would not take a silver spade to break ground with?"
"I am not at all a silver spade," said Lois. "But if I were; suppose Ihad no other?"
"Then surely the breaking ground must be left to a differentinstrument."
"That won't do," said Lois, shaking her head. "The instrument cannotchoose, you know, where it will be employed. It does not know enoughfor that."
Другие электронные книги автора Susan Warner
Последний отзыв
Очень интересная!