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The Wide, Wide World
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"When I asked you – "
"Oh, I know – I remember. I was thinking – "
"Well – ?"
"I was thinking – do you want me to tell you?"
"Unless you would rather not."
"I was thinking about Jesus Christ," said Ellen, in a low tone.
"What about Him, dear Ellie?" said her brother, drawing her closer to his side.
"Different things – I was thinking of what He said about little children – and about what He said, you know – 'In my Father's house are many mansions'; and I was thinking that mamma was there; and I thought – that we all – "
Ellen could get no further.
"'He that believeth in Him shall not be ashamed,'" said John softly. "'This is the promise that He hath promised us, even eternal life; and who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Not death, nor things present, nor things to come. But he that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as He is pure;' let us remember that too."
"Mr. John," said Ellen presently, "don't you like some of the chapters in the Revelation very much?"
"Yes, very much. Why? – do you?"
"Yes. I remember reading parts of them to mamma, and that is one reason, I suppose; but I like them very much. There is a great deal I can't understand, though."
"There is nothing finer in the Bible than parts of that book," said Alice.
"Mr. John," said Ellen, "what is meant by the 'white stone'?"
"And in the stone a new name written – "
"Yes, that I mean."
"Mr. Baxter says it is the sense of God's love in the heart; and indeed that is it 'which no man knoweth saving him that receiveth it.' This, I take it, Ellen, was Christian's certificate, which he used to comfort himself with reading in, you remember?"
"Can a child have it?" said Ellen thoughtfully.
"Certainly – many children have had it – you may have it. Only seek it faithfully. 'Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, those that remember thee in thy ways.' And Christ said, 'He that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and I will manifest myself to him.' There is no failure in these promises, Ellie; He that made them is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever."
For a little while each was busy with his own meditations. The moon meanwhile, rising higher and higher, poured a flood of light through the gap in the woods before them, and stealing among the trees here and there lit up a spot of ground under their deep shadow. The distant picture lay in mazy brightness. All was still, but the ceaseless chirrup of insects and gentle flapping of leaves; the summer air just touched their cheeks with the lightest breath of a kiss, sweet from distant hay-fields, and nearer pines and hemlocks, and other of nature's numberless perfume-boxes. The hay-harvest had been remarkably late this year.
"This is higher enjoyment," said John, "than half those who make their homes in rich houses and mighty palaces have any notion of."
"But cannot rich people look at the moon?" said Ellen.
"Yes, but the taste for pure pleasure is commonly gone when people make a trade of pleasure."
"Mr. John," Ellen began.
"I will forewarn you," said he, "that Mr. John has made up his mind he will do nothing more for you. So if you have anything to ask, it must lie still, unless you will begin again."
Ellen drew back. He looked grave, but she saw Alice smiling.
"But what shall I do?" said she, a little perplexed and half laughing. "What do you mean, Mr. John? What does he mean, Alice?"
"You could speak without a 'Mr.' to me this morning when you were in trouble."
"Oh!" said Ellen, laughing, "I forgot myself then."
"Have the goodness to forget yourself permanently for the future."
"Was that man hurt this morning, John?" said his sister.
"What man?"
"That man you delivered Ellen from."
"Hurt? no – nothing material; I did not wish to hurt him. He richly deserved punishment, but it was not for me to give it."
"He was in no hurry to get up," said Ellen.
"I do not think he ventured upon that till we were well out of the way. He lifted his head and looked after us as we rode off."
"But I wanted to ask something," said Ellen. "Oh! what is the reason the moon looks so much larger when she first gets up than she does afterwards?"
"Whom are you asking?"
"You."
"And who is you? Here are two people in the moonlight."
"Mr. John Humphreys, Alice's brother, and that Thomas calls 'the young master,'" said Ellen, laughing.
"You are more shy of taking a leap than your little horse is," said John, smiling, "but I shall bring you up to it yet. What is the cause of the sudden enlargement of my thumb?"
He had drawn a small magnifying glass from his pocket and held it between his hand and Ellen.
"Why, it is not enlarged," said Ellen, "it is only magnified."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Why, the glass makes it look larger."
"Do you know how, or why?"
"No."
He put up the glass again.
"Oh, I know – I remember. I was thinking – "
"Well – ?"
"I was thinking – do you want me to tell you?"
"Unless you would rather not."
"I was thinking about Jesus Christ," said Ellen, in a low tone.
"What about Him, dear Ellie?" said her brother, drawing her closer to his side.
"Different things – I was thinking of what He said about little children – and about what He said, you know – 'In my Father's house are many mansions'; and I was thinking that mamma was there; and I thought – that we all – "
Ellen could get no further.
"'He that believeth in Him shall not be ashamed,'" said John softly. "'This is the promise that He hath promised us, even eternal life; and who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Not death, nor things present, nor things to come. But he that hath this hope in him purifieth himself even as He is pure;' let us remember that too."
"Mr. John," said Ellen presently, "don't you like some of the chapters in the Revelation very much?"
"Yes, very much. Why? – do you?"
"Yes. I remember reading parts of them to mamma, and that is one reason, I suppose; but I like them very much. There is a great deal I can't understand, though."
"There is nothing finer in the Bible than parts of that book," said Alice.
"Mr. John," said Ellen, "what is meant by the 'white stone'?"
"And in the stone a new name written – "
"Yes, that I mean."
"Mr. Baxter says it is the sense of God's love in the heart; and indeed that is it 'which no man knoweth saving him that receiveth it.' This, I take it, Ellen, was Christian's certificate, which he used to comfort himself with reading in, you remember?"
"Can a child have it?" said Ellen thoughtfully.
"Certainly – many children have had it – you may have it. Only seek it faithfully. 'Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, those that remember thee in thy ways.' And Christ said, 'He that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and I will manifest myself to him.' There is no failure in these promises, Ellie; He that made them is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever."
For a little while each was busy with his own meditations. The moon meanwhile, rising higher and higher, poured a flood of light through the gap in the woods before them, and stealing among the trees here and there lit up a spot of ground under their deep shadow. The distant picture lay in mazy brightness. All was still, but the ceaseless chirrup of insects and gentle flapping of leaves; the summer air just touched their cheeks with the lightest breath of a kiss, sweet from distant hay-fields, and nearer pines and hemlocks, and other of nature's numberless perfume-boxes. The hay-harvest had been remarkably late this year.
"This is higher enjoyment," said John, "than half those who make their homes in rich houses and mighty palaces have any notion of."
"But cannot rich people look at the moon?" said Ellen.
"Yes, but the taste for pure pleasure is commonly gone when people make a trade of pleasure."
"Mr. John," Ellen began.
"I will forewarn you," said he, "that Mr. John has made up his mind he will do nothing more for you. So if you have anything to ask, it must lie still, unless you will begin again."
Ellen drew back. He looked grave, but she saw Alice smiling.
"But what shall I do?" said she, a little perplexed and half laughing. "What do you mean, Mr. John? What does he mean, Alice?"
"You could speak without a 'Mr.' to me this morning when you were in trouble."
"Oh!" said Ellen, laughing, "I forgot myself then."
"Have the goodness to forget yourself permanently for the future."
"Was that man hurt this morning, John?" said his sister.
"What man?"
"That man you delivered Ellen from."
"Hurt? no – nothing material; I did not wish to hurt him. He richly deserved punishment, but it was not for me to give it."
"He was in no hurry to get up," said Ellen.
"I do not think he ventured upon that till we were well out of the way. He lifted his head and looked after us as we rode off."
"But I wanted to ask something," said Ellen. "Oh! what is the reason the moon looks so much larger when she first gets up than she does afterwards?"
"Whom are you asking?"
"You."
"And who is you? Here are two people in the moonlight."
"Mr. John Humphreys, Alice's brother, and that Thomas calls 'the young master,'" said Ellen, laughing.
"You are more shy of taking a leap than your little horse is," said John, smiling, "but I shall bring you up to it yet. What is the cause of the sudden enlargement of my thumb?"
He had drawn a small magnifying glass from his pocket and held it between his hand and Ellen.
"Why, it is not enlarged," said Ellen, "it is only magnified."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Why, the glass makes it look larger."
"Do you know how, or why?"
"No."
He put up the glass again.
Другие электронные книги автора Susan Warner
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Очень интересная!