a convert of the mission-第5章

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beg　your　pardonI　mean；〃　he　added；　hurriedly；　〃he　wrote　to　me　only

a　few　weeks　ago　that　he　was　picking　up　his　strength　again　and　doing

well！〃



〃In　his　weak；　gross；　sinful　fleshyes；　no　doubt；〃　returned　the

Deacon；　scornfully；　〃and；　perhaps；　even　in　a　worldly　sense；　for

those　who　value　the　vanities　of　life；　but　he　is　lost　to　us；　for　all

time；　and　lost　to　eternal　life　forever。　　Not；〃　he　continued　in

sanctimonious　vindictiveness；　〃but　that　I　often　had　my　doubts　of

Brother　Masterton's　steadfastness。　　He　was　too　much　given　to

imagery　and　song。〃



〃But　what　has　he　done？〃　persisted　Dr。　Duchesne。



〃Done！　　He　has　embraced　the　Scarlet　Woman！〃



〃Dear　me！〃　said　the　doctor；　〃so　soon？　　Is　it　anybody　you　knew

here？not　anybody's　wife？　　Eh？〃



〃He　has　entered　the　Church　of　Rome；〃　said　the　Deacon；　indignantly；

〃he　has　forsaken　the　God　of　his　fathers　for　the　tents　of　the

idolaters；　he　is　the　consort　of　Papists　and　the　slave　of　the　Pope！〃



〃But　are　you　SURE？〃　said　Dr。　Duchesne；　with　perhaps　less　concern

than　before。



〃Sure；〃　returned　the　Deacon　angrily；　〃didn't　Brother　Bulkley；　on

account　of　warning　reports　made　by　a　God…fearing　and　soul…seeking


teamster；　make　a　special　pilgrimage　to　this　land　of　Sodom　to

inquire　and　spy　out　its　wickedness？　　Didn't　he　find　Stephen

Masterton　steeped　in　the　iniquity　of　practicing　on　an　organhe

that　scorned　even　a　violin　or　harmonium　in　the　tents　of　the　Lord

in　an　idolatrous　chapel；　with　a　foreign　female　Papist　for　a

teacher？　　Didn't　he　find　him　a　guest　at　the　board　of　a　Jesuit

priest；　visiting　the　schools　of　the　Mission　where　this　young

Jezebel　of　a　singer　teaches　the　children　to　chant　in　unknown

tongues？　　Didn't　he　find　him　living　with　a　wrinkled　Indian　witch

who　called　him　'Padrone'and　speaking　her　gibberish？　　Didn't　he

find　him；　who　left　here　a　man　mortified　in　flesh　and　spirit　and

pale　with　striving　with　sinners；　fat　and　rosy　from　native　wines　and

fleshpots；　and　even　vain　and　gaudy　in　colored　apparel？　　And　last　of

all；　didn't　Brother　Bulkley　hear　that　a　rumor　was　spread　far　and

wide　that　this　miserable　backslider　was　to　take　to　himself　a　wife

in　one　of　these　strange　womenthat　very　Jezebel　who　seduced　him？

What　do　you　call　that？〃



〃It　looks　a　good　deal　like　human　nature；〃　said　the　doctor；

musingly；　〃but　I　call　it　a　cure！〃