CHAPTER IX

ositupatherdeskeverydayanddisentangletheconfusionherwickednessalonehadcaused.Intheeveningsshewould,hethought,atanyrateforatime,bebestputbackinhergrave. Atthispointhebegantobeabletosay"Poorgirl,"andtofeelthathepitiedher. Butitwasnottilltheendoftheweek,asSundaydrewnear,thathisprayersdidafterallbegintobeanswered,andheregainedenoughcontrolofhiswordsifnotofhisthoughtstobeabletoreappearamonghisfamilyandshownothinglessbecomingthanreserve.Heevensucceeded,thoughwithoutspeakingtoher,inkissingIngeborg'sforeheadnightandmorningandmakingthesignoftheCrossoverherwhenshewenttobedashehaddonefromherearliestyears.Sheseemedsmallerthanever,hardlythereatall,andmadehimthinkofanemptydresswalkingaboutwithaheadonit.Contemplatingherwhenshewasnotlookinghisdesiretoshakeherbecamefinallyquenchedbytheperceptionthatreallytherewouldbenothingtoshake.Itwouldbelikeshakingoutmereclothes,garmentswiththebodygoneoutofthemtherewouldbedust,butlittlesatisfaction.Shehadevidentlybeenfeeling,hewasslightlysoothedtoobserve,fornotonlywasherdressemptybutherfaceseemeddiminished,andshecertainlywasremarkablypale.Shestruckhimasveryunattractive,entirelydesignedbyProvidenceforahappyhomelife.Andtothinkthatthisnothing,thisamazinglittleness—well,wellpoorgirl. OntheSundayafternoonhedeterminedtohelpherbygettingintotouchwithherfromthepulpit.Onthatdayheseveraltimesassuredhimselfbeforepreachingthathisonlyfeelinginthesadaffairwasoneofconcernforherandgrief.Thepulpit,heknewfromexperience,wasacalmandcomfort-bringingplacewhenhewasinititwas,indeed,hiswaywithapulpitthathadbroughttheBishoptothepinnacleoftheChurchonwhichhefoundhimself.Hewasathisbestinit,knowingitforablessedspot,freefromcontroversy,purefromcontradiction,aplacewherepersonalemotionscouldfindnofootingowingtothewisecustomthatpreventedcongregationsfromansweringback.Putintocommonterms,thetermsofhisundergraduatedays,hecouldlethimselfripinthepulpitandtheBishopwasinarippedconditionaltogetherathisgreatest. HespokethatSundayspeciallytoIngeborg,andhetoldhimselfthatwhathadcomestraightfromhisheartmustneedsgostraighttohers.TheBiblewasveryplain.Itdidnotmincemattersastothedangersshewasrunning.Thepunishmentforherclassofsinrightthroughitwasvariousandsevere.Notthattheravensofanotherageandtheeaglesofadifferentclimate—hehadtakenashistextthatpassage,orratherportionofapassage—hedescribeditasremarkable—intheProverbs:"Theravensofthevalleyshallpickitoutandtheyoungeaglesshalleatit"—werelikelyevermiraculouslytoappearinRedchester,thoughevenonthatpointtheBishopheldthatnothingwascertainbuttherewere,heexplained,spiritualravensandeaglesprovidedbyanall-mercifulProvidenceforlatter-dayrequirementswhoseworkwasevenmorethoroughanddestructive.Heearnestlyimploredthosemembersofhisflockwhoknewthemselvesguiltyoftheparticularsinthepassagereferredto,toseekforgivenessoftheirparentsbeforeHeaveninterfered.Hepointedoutthatwhatismostneeded,ifpeoplearetolivewithanyzestandfineresultatall,isencouragement,andwhatencouragementcouldequalfullandfreeforgiveness?TheBible,hesaid,understoodthisverywell,andtheProdigalSon'sfatherneverhesitatedinhisencouragement.Itseemeddifficulttosupposeonecouldequalthelavishnessofthebestrobe,