Портрет художника в юності
Chapter 3
Ofdisgust,yes!Foreventhey,theverydevils,whentheysinned,sinnedbysuchasinasalonewascompatiblewithsuchangelicalnatures,arebellionoftheintellect:andthey,eventhey,thefouldevilsmustturnaway,revoltedanddisgusted,fromthecontemplationofthoseunspeakablesinsbywhichdegradedmanoutragesanddefilesthetempleoftheHolyGhost,defilesandpolluteshimself.
—O,mydearlittlebrothersinChrist,mayitneverbeourlottohearthatlanguage!Mayitneverbeourlot,Isay!InthelastdayofterriblereckoningIprayferventlytoGodthatnotasinglesoulofthosewhoareinthischapeltodaymaybefoundamongthosemiserablebeingswhomtheGreatJudgeshallcommandtodepartforeverfromHissight,thatnotoneofusmayeverhearringinginhisearstheawfulsentenceofrejection:DEPARTFROMME,YECURSED,INTOEVERLASTINGFIREWHICHWASPREPAREDFORTHEDEVILANDHISANGELS!
Hecamedowntheaisleofthechapel,hislegsshakingandthescalpofhisheadtremblingasthoughithadbeentouchedbyghostlyfingers.Hepassedupthestaircaseandintothecorridoralongthewallsofwhichtheovercoatsandwaterproofshunglikegibbetedmalefactors,headlessanddrippingandshapeless.Andateverystephefearedthathehadalreadydied,thathissoulhadbeenwrenchedforthofthesheathofhisbody,thathewasplungingheadlongthroughspace.
