XI

Whatshemeantbyspeakingtothevicarwasavigorousstirringofhimuptowrathbutyoucannotstirupvicarsiftheyaretrulygood.Thevicarwasapiousandpatientoldman,practicedinforgiveness,inoverlooking,inwaiting,intryingagain.Alwaysslowtoanger,astheyearsdrewhimmoreandmoreapartintotheshadowsofoldageandhewatchedfromtheirclearcoolnesswithaneverlargercomprehensiontheyoungergenerationsstrivingtogetherintheheat,hegrewatlastunabletobeangeredatall.Thescripturalinjunctionnottoletthesungodownuponyourwrathhadnousesforhim,forhepossessednowrathforthesuntogodownupon.Hehadthatlovablenaturethatseesthebestineverythingfirst,andthenpreferstolooknofurther.Hetookforgrantedthatpeoplewereatbottomgoodandnoble,andtheassumptionwentalongwaytowardsmakingthemso.Robin,forinstance,wasprobablysavedbyhisfather'suncloudedfaithinhim.Mrs.Morrison,awomanwhohadmuchtroublewithherself,havingcomeintotheworldwiththewingsoftheangelinherwellglueddownandpreventedfromspreadingbyamultitudeoflittledefects,hadbeenhelpedwithoutherknowingitbyhisexampleoutofmanyapitofpeevishnessandpassion.Whoshallmeasuretheinfluenceofonekindandblamelesslife?Hiswife,inhergustiermoments,thoughtitsheerweakness,thispersistentturningawayfromevil,thisrefusaltoinvestigateanddissect,totakesides,towrestle.Theevilwasthere,anditwasmakinganostrichoravegetableofone'sselftogoonbeingcalminthefaceofit.Withtheblindnessofwives,whoarepreventedfromseeingclearlybytheveryclosenessoftheobject—thesameremarkexactlyappliestohusbands—shedidnotseethatthevicarwasthecandleshininginanaughtyworld,thathewastheleaventhatleaveneththewholelump.Andjustasleavenleavensbyitsmerepresenceinthelump,bymerelypassivelybeingthere,andwillgoondoingitsolongasthereisalumptoleaven,sohadthevicar,morethanhishardworkingwife,morethantheuntiringLadyShuttleworth,morethananydistrictvisitor,parishnurse,orotherholyperson,influencedSymfordbysimplylivinginitinawaythatwouldhavesurprisedhimhadheknown.Thereisagreatvirtueinsweepingoutone'sownhouseandtrimmingitslampsbeforestartingonthehouseandlampsofaneighbourandsincenewdustsettleseveryday,andlamps,Ibelieve,needconstanttrimming,Iknownotwhenthetrulytidysoulwillhaveattainedsoperfectaspotlessnessastojustifyitsissuingforthtoattacktheprivatedustofotherpeople.Andifiteverdid,lo,itwouldfindthenecessitynolongerthere.Itsbrightuntiringnesswouldunconsciouslyhavedoneitswork,andeverydimmersoulwithinsightofthatcheerfulshiningbeenstrengthenedandinspiredtogoanddolikewise. ButMrs.Morrison,whosawthingsdifferently,wasconstantlytryingtostirupstormsinthecalmwatersofthevicar'smindandaftertheepisodeinMrs.Jones'sfrontgardenshemadeaverydeterminedefforttogethimtorebukePriscilla.Herownindignationwaspouredoutpassionately.Thevicarwassurprisedatherheat,hewhowassobeautifullycoolhimself,andthoughheshookhisheadoverMrs.Jones'srumhealsosmiledasheshookit.NorwashemorereasonableaboutRobin.Onthecontrary,hedeclaredthathewouldthinkmightilylittleofayoungmanwhodidnotimmediatelyfallheadoverearsinlovewithsuchaprettygirl. "Youdon'tmindourboy'sheartbeingbroken,then?"questionedhiswifebitterlyofherplansforNettasheh