Пробный камень
XIV
“Howmuchlonger,”heburstout,“doyousupposeyoucanstandit?You’vebeenmagnificent,you’vebeeninspired,butwhat’stheuse?Youcan’twipeouttheignominyofit.It’smiserableforyouanditdoeshernogood!”
Sheliftedavividface.“That’sthethoughtIcan’tbear!”shecried.
“Whatthought?”
“Thatitdoeshernogood—allyou’refeeling,allyou’resuffering.Canitbethatitmakesnodifference?”
Heavoidedherchallengingglance.“What’sdoneisdone,”hemuttered.
“Isitever,quite,Iwonder?”shemused.Hemadenoanswerandtheylapsedintooneofthepausesthatareasubterraneanchannelofcommunication.
Itwasshewho,afterawhile,begantospeakwithanewsuffusingdiffidencethatmadehimturnarousedeyeonher.
“Don’ttheysay,”sheasked,feelingherwayasinakindoftenderapprehensiveness,“thattheearlyChristians,insteadofpullingdowntheheathentemples—thetemplesoftheuncleangods—purifiedthembyturningthemtotheirownuses?I’vealwaysthoughtonemightdothatwithone’sactions—theactionsoneloathesbutcan’tundo.Onecanmake,Imean,awrongthedoortootherwrongsoranimpassablewallagainstthem....”Hervoicewaveredontheword.“Wecan’talwaysteardownthetempleswe’vebuilttotheuncleangods,butwecanputgoodspiritsinthehouseofevil—thespiritsofmercyandshameandunderstanding,thatmightneverhavecometousifwehadn’tbeeninsuchgreatneed....”
Shemovedovertohimandlaidahesitatinghandonhis.
