CHAPTER XVIII. WHICH THE GENTEEL READER IS RECOMMENDED TO SKIP, LOW PERSONS BEING HERE INTRODUCED.

Theeveningwasstillandwarmcloseandsultryitevenpromisedtobecome.Roundthedescendingsunthecloudsglowedpurplesummertints,ratherIndianthanEnglish,suffusedthehorizon,andcastrosyreflectionsonhillside,house-front,tree-bole,onwindingroadandundulatingpasture-ground.Thetwogirlscamedownfromthefieldsslowly.Bythetimetheyreachedthechurchyardthebellswerehushedthemultitudesweregatheredintothechurch.Thewholescenewassolitary. "Howpleasantandcalmitis!"saidCaroline. "Andhowhotitwillbeinthechurch!"respondedShirley."AndwhatadrearylongspeechDr.Boultbywillmake!Andhowthecurateswillhammerovertheirpreparedorations!Formypart,Iwouldrathernotenter." "Butmyunclewillbeangryifheobservesourabsence." "Iwillbearthebruntofhiswrathhewillnotdevourme.Ishallbesorrytomisshispungentspeech.Iknowitwillbeallsenseforthechurch,andallcausticityforschism.He'llnotforgetthebattleofRoydLane.IshallbesorryalsotodepriveyouofMr.Hall'ssincerefriendlyhomily,withallitsracyYorkshireismsbuthereImuststay.Thegraychurchandgrayertombslookdivinewiththiscrimsongleamonthem.Natureisnowathereveningprayerssheiskneelingbeforethoseredhills.Iseeherprostrateonthegreatstepsofheraltar,prayingforafairnightformarinersatsea,fortravellersindeserts,forlambsonmoors,andunfledgedbirdsinwoods.Caroline,Iseeher,andIwilltellyouwhatsheislike.SheislikewhatEvewaswhensheandAdamstoodaloneonearth." "AndthatisnotMilton'sEve,Shirley." "Milton'sEve!Milton'sEve!Irepeat.No,bythepureMotherofGod,sheisnot!Cary,wearealonewemayspeakwhatwethink.Miltonwasgreatbutwashegood?Hisbrainwasrighthowwashisheart?Hesawheavenhelookeddownonhell.HesawSatan,andSinhisdaughter,andDeaththeirhorribleoffspring.Angelsserriedbeforehimtheirbattalionsthelonglinesofadamantineshieldsflashedbackonhisblindeyeballstheunutterablesplendourofheaven.Devilsgatheredtheirlegionsinhissighttheirdim,discrowned,andtarnishedarmiespassedrankandfilebeforehim.Miltontriedtoseethefirstwomanbut,Cary,hesawhernot." "Youareboldtosayso,Shirley." "Notmoreboldthanfaithful.ItwashiscookthathesaworitwasMrs.Gill,asIhaveseenher,makingcustards,intheheatofsummer,inthecooldairy,withrose-treesandnasturtiumsaboutthelatticedwindow,preparingacoldcollationfortherectors—preservesand'dulcetcreams'puzzled'whatchoicetochoosefordelicacybestwhatordersocontrivedasnottomixtastes,notwell-joined,inelegant,butbringtasteaftertaste,upheldwithkindliestchange.'" "Allverywelltoo,Shirley." "IwouldbegtoremindhimthatthefirstmenoftheearthwereTitans,andthatEvewastheirmotherfromhersprangSaturn,Hyperion,OceanussheborePrometheus——" "Paganthatyouare!whatdoesthatsignify?" "Isay,thereweregiantsontheearthinthosedays—giantsthatstrovetoscaleheaven.Thefirstwoman'sbreastthatheavedwithlifeonthisworldyieldedthedaringwhichcouldcontendwithOmnipotence,thestrengthwhichcouldbearathousandyearsofbondage,thevitalitywhichcouldfeedthatvulturedeaththroughuncountedages,theunexhaustedlifeanduncorruptedexcellence,sisterstoimmortality,which,aftermillenniumsofcrimes,struggles,andwoes,couldconceiveandbringforthaMessiah.Thefirstwomanwasheaven-born.Vastwastheheartwhencegushedthewell-springofthebloodofnations,andgrandtheundegenerateheadwhererestedtheconsort-crownofcreation." "Shecovetedanapple,andwascheatedbyasnakebutyouhavegotsuchahashofScriptureandmythologyintoyourheadthatthereisnomakinganysenseofyou.Youhavenotyettoldmewhatyousawkneelingonthosehills." "Isaw—Inowsee—awoman-Titan.Herrobeofblueairspreadstotheoutskirtsoftheheath,whereyonderflockisgrazingaveilwhiteasanavalanchesweepsfromherheadtoherfeet,andarabesquesoflightningflameonitsborders.UnderherbreastIseeherzone,purplelikethathorizonthroughitsblushshinesthestarofevening.HersteadyeyesIcannotpicture.Theyareclear,theyaredeepaslakes,theyareliftedandfullofworship,theytremblewiththesoftnessofloveandthelustreofprayer.Herforeheadhastheexpanseofacloud,andispalerthantheearlymoon,risenlongbeforedarkgathers.ShereclinesherbosomontheridgeofStilbro'Moorhermightyhandsarejoinedbeneathit.Sokneeling,facetofaceshespeakswithGod.ThatEveisJehovah'sdaught