第84章

’Iamafraidheis，’saidWinifred，’yetmyheartwarmstothepoorlad，heseemssoforlorn。’

CHAPTERLXXIII

Morninghymn-Muchalone-JohnBunyan-Beholdentonobody-

Sixty-five-Sobergreeting-EarlySabbaths-Finnybrood-Theporch-Nofortune-telling-Themaster’sniece-Doinggood-Twoorthreethings-Groansandvoices-PechodYspryddGlan。

ISLEPTsoundlyduringthatnight，partlyowingtotheinfluenceoftheopiate。EarlyinthemorningIwasawakenedbythevoicesofPeterandhiswife，whoweresingingamorninghymnintheirownlanguage。Bothsubsequentlyprayedlongandfervently。Ilaystilltilltheirdevotionswerecompleted，andthenleftmytent。

’Goodmorning，’saidPeter，’howdostthoufeel？’’Muchbetter，’

saidI，’thanIcouldhaveexpected。’’Iamgladofit，’saidPeter。’Artthouhungry？yondercomesourbreakfast，’pointingtothesameyoungwomanIhadseentheprecedingnight，whowasagaindescendingthehillbearingthetrayuponherhead。

’Whatdustthouintendtodo，youngman，thisday？’saidPeter，whenwehadabouthalffinishedbreakfast。’Do，’saidI；’asIdootherdays，whatIcan。’’Anddostthoupassthisdayasthoudostotherdays？’saidPeter。’Whynot？’saidI；’whatisthereinthisdaydifferentfromtherest？itseemstobeofthesamecolourasyesterday。’’Artthouaware，’saidthewife，interposing，’whatdayitis？thatitisSabbath？thatitisSunday？’’No，’saidI，’IdidnotknowthatitwasSunday。’’Andhowdidthathappen？’

saidWinifred，withasigh。’Totellyouthetruth，’saidI，’I

liveverymuchalone，andpayverylittleheedtothepassingoftime。’’Andyetofwhatinfiniteimportanceistime，’saidWinifred。’Artthounotawarethateveryyearbringstheenearertothyend？’’Idonotthink，’saidI，’thatIamsonearmyendasIwasyesterday。’’Yes，thouart，’saidthewoman；’thouwastnotdoomedtodieyesterday；aninvisiblehandwaswatchingovertheeyesterday；butthydaywillcome，thereforeimprovethetime；

begratefulthatthouwastsavedyesterday；and，oh!reflectononething；ifthouhadstdiedyesterday，wherewouldstthouhavebeennow？’’Castintotheearth，perhaps，’saidI。’IhaveheardMr。

Petulengrosaythattobecastintotheearthisthenaturalendofman。’’WhoisMr。Petulengro？’saidPeter，interruptinghiswife，asshewasabouttospeak。’Masterofthehorse-shoe，’saidI；

’and，accordingtohisownaccount，kingofEgypt。’’I

understand，’saidPeter，’headofsomefamilyofwanderingEgyptians-theyarearaceutterlygodless。Artthouofthem？-

butno，thouartnot，thouhastnottheiryellowblood。Isupposethoubelongesttothefamilyofwanderingartisanscalled。Idonotlikeyoutheworseforbelongingtothem。Amightyspeakerofoldsprangupfromamidstthatfamily。’’Whowashe？’saidI。

’JohnBunyan，’repliedPeter，reverently，’andthementionofhisnameremindsmethatIhavetopreachthisday；wiltthougoandhear？thedistanceisnotgreat，onlyhalfamile。’’No，’saidI，’Iwillnotgoandhear。’’Wherefore？’saidPeter。’Ibelongtothechurch，’saidI，’andnottothecongregations。’’Oh!theprideofthatchurch，’saidPeter，addressinghiswifeintheirowntongue，’exemplifiedeveninthelowestandmostignorantofitsmembers。Thenthou，doubtless，meanesttogotochurch，’saidPeter，againaddressingme；’thereisachurchontheothersideofthatwoodedhill。’’No，’saidI，’Idonotmeantogotochurch。’

’MayIasktheewherefore？’saidPeter。’Because，’saidI，’I

preferremainingbeneaththeshadeofthesetrees，listeningtothesoundoftheleavesandthetinklingofthewaters。’

’Thenthouintendesttoremainhere？’saidPeter，lookingfixedlyatme。’IfIdonotintrude，’saidI；’butifIdo，Iwillwanderaway；Iwishtobebeholdentonobody-perhapsyouwishmetogo？’

’Onthecontrary，’saidPeter，’Iwishyoutostay。Ibegintoseesomethingintheewhichhasmuchinterestforme；