The Damnation of Theron Ware

d you think of

dist minister had stolen into the Catholic church at night to walk home with Miss Madden. That was going to be very awkward-yes, worse than awkward! It might mean ruin itself. She had mentioned aloud that she had matters to talk over with him: that of course implied confidences, and the man might put heaven only knew what construction on that. It was notorious that servants did ascribe the very worst

o answer. "Wouldn't it be better-to-keep close to

end his nervousness and take pity on it, for she added, "It is my broth

mforting breath. "Oh, I see! He

in the dark, correctingly. "But a

an acquaintance. He talked very well; that is, fluently. But he is

y was that you hated him

much at his ease again that he put an effect of gentle, smiling reproof

e he's

a little laugh. "He shut down the window when you began to play. His doing so annoyed me, because I-I wanted very muc

said, answering the reproach in his tone. "Bu

Theron was on the point of jestingly asking when the

of putting it, but are you

uch mystified. "I can't say that I am any grea

nd, say that poetry is like talking on tiptoe; like animals in cages,

ce, though-a piece about a dead wife, and the husband and another man quarrelling as to whose portrait was in the locket on her neck, and of their going up to settle the dispute, and finding that it was the likeness of a third man, a young priest-and though

,-never mind that-tell me something else. Are you fond of pictures, statuary, the beautiful things of

ly say this, though-that it has always weighed on my mind as a great and sore deprivation, this being shut out from knowing what others mean when they talk and write about art. Perhaps that may help you to ge

son for wanting to know-to satisfy myself whether I had guessed rightly or not-about th

t to offend. Theron did not find any comment ready, but wal

miliar on short acquaintance,'"

dden!" he protes

, that Dr. Ledsmar. And if you like HIM, I shall hate you! He has done mischief enough already. I am counting on you to help undo it, and to choke him off from doing more. It would be different if you were an ordinary Orthodox minister, all encased like a terrapin in prejudices and nonsense. Of course, if you had

almost as if she were a parishioner of his own. "I need hardly tell you that the doctor's whole attitude toward-toward revelation-was deeply repugnant to me. It doesn't make it any the less hateful to call it science. I am afraid, thoug

ton," said Celia, lightly. "No

roader and deeper scholar-in all these matters-than I am. How could I possibly hope to influence him by

hies, sensibilities, emotional bonds. The right person's silence is worth more for companionship than the wisest talk in the world from anybody else. It isn't your mind that is needed here, or what you know; it i

rance for her error in his tone. "But you ought to tell me something about t

orbes here-that was about three years ago,-and the two men after a while renewed their old relations. They dine together; that is the doctor's stronghold. He knows more about eating than any other man alive, I believe. He studies it as you would study a language. He has taught old Maggie, at the pastorate there, to cook like the mother of all t

a cold, material, and infidel influence as that must shock

ain street, and there was light enough for him to detect

ourse there are forms to be observed, and so on; I rather like them than otherwise. I can m

. Precisely where the folly lay he did not know, but it was impossible to mistake the gesture of annoyance which his companion had instinctively made at his words. She had widened the distance

he Greek theology of the beautiful and the strong, the Greek philosophy of life, and all that, than what is taught nowadays. Personally, I take much more stock in Plato than

dden!" the young minis

all be as if I hadn't spoken. Don't mind anything I have said. I

ssion of deep melancholy, which Theron found himself somehow impelle

n I'm a caution to snakes. I shut myself up-that's the only thing to do-and have it out with myself I didn't know but the organ-music would calm me down, but it hasn't. I shan't sleep a

to him to add, with jocose intent: "I am curious to know, do these fits, as y

, but did not speak until they were upon her own sidewalk. "The

ering his hand. "It must be getting very late, and my-that is-I have to be up particularly early

It's a very paltry little affair, this life of ours, at th

n, with a swift and smart assumption of authority. "Such talk

hat poor me had dwindled down to the merest wee little red-headed atom-the most helpless and forlorn and lonesome of atoms at that." She seemed to force a sorrowful smile on her face as she added: "But all the same it has done me good to be with you-I am sure it has-and I daresay that by tomorrow

ught. He had his hands behind his back, as was his wont, and the sense of their recent contact with her firm, ungloved hands was, curiously enough, the thing which pushed itself uppermost in his mind.

pon the impulse, to go back. She had not entered the gate as yet, but stood, shiningly visible under the street

of a kerosene lamp turned down too low. Alice sat asleep in her old farmhouse rocking-chair, with an inelegant darning-basket on the table by her side. The whole effect of the room was

he asked, with a yawn, turning up

mplaining note in his voice. "It smells up the whole place. I never drea

she retorted. "And you haven't told me where you were. Is th

ired an effort for him to grasp what she was talking about. It seemed as if months had elapsed since he was in earnest abo

o conception, of the interesting and important problems which are raised by the mere fact o

to say is, that if Abraham hasn't anything better to do than to keep young ministers of the gospel out, goodness

o volunteer. "He has the most marvellous collection of books-a whole library devoted to this ver

me. He isn't the little man with the birthmark, who sits in the pew

know that he attends any church regularly. I scraped his acquaintance quite by accident. He is really a cha

've hardly poked my nose outside o

the doctor's place-without an invitation, I mean. He is very queer about some things. He lives there all alone, for instance, with only a Chinaman for a servant. He told me I w

all you know this doctor may be a loose man, or pretty near an infidel. You've got to be mighty part

their own business," said Theron,

sed. It proceeded from the direction of the main street, and he knew, as by instinct, that it was the Madden girl who was playing. The incongruity of the hour escaped his notice. He mused instead upon the wild and tropical tangle of moods, emotions, passions, which had grown up

call it disgraceful," she muttered from her pillow, "for folks to be banging

said Theron, gently, "seeking reli

ptuously. "Distressed fiddlesti

vals of utter hush. It did not prevent Alice from at once falling sound asleep; but Theron lay awake, it seemed to him, for hours, listening tranqu

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