christie johnstone-第26章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


tenderly；　and　supporting　each　other　with　a　care　more　lovely　than　when　the
arm　was　strong　and　the　foot　firm。

On　these　two　temperate　lives　old　age　will　descend　lightly；　gradually；
gently；　and　lateand　late　upon　these　evergreen　hearts；　because　they　are
not　tuned　to　some　selfish；　isolated　key；　these　hearts　beat　and　ring　with
the　young　hearts　of　their　dear　children；　and　years　hence　papa　and　mamma
will　begin　life　hopefully；　wishfully；　warmly　again　with　each　loved　novice
in　turn。

And　when　old　age　does　come；　it　will　be　no　calamity　to　these；　as　it　is　to
you；　poor　battered　beau；　laughed　at　by　the　fair　ninnies　who　erst　laughed
with　you；　to　you；　poor　follower　of　salmon；　fox；　and　pheasant；　whose
joints　are　stiffening；　whose　nerve　is　gonewhose　Golgotha　remains；　to
you；　poor　faded　beauty；　who　have　staked　all　upon　man's　appetite；　and　not
accumulated　goodness　or　sense　for　your　second　course；　to　you；　poor
drawing…room　wit；　whose　sarcasm　has　turned　to　venom　and　is　turning　to
drivel。

What　terrors　has　old　age　for　this　happy　pair？　it　cannot　make　them　ugly；
for；　though　the　purple　light　of　youth　recedes；　a　new　kind　of　tranquil
beauty；　the　aloe…blossom　of　many　years　of　innocence；　comes　to；　and　sits
like　a　dove　upon；　the　aged　faces；　where　goodness；　sympathy　and
intelligence　have　harbored　together　so　long；　and　where　evil　passions　have
flitted　（for　we　are　all　human）；　but　found　no　resting…place。

Old　age　is　no　calamity　to　them。　It　cannot　terrify　them；　for　ere　they　had
been　married　a　week　the　woman　taught　the　man；　lover　of　truth；　to　search
for　the　highest　and　greatest　truths　in　a　book　written　for　men's　souls　by
the　Author　of　the　world；　the　sea；　the　stars；　the　sun；　the　soul；　and　this
book；　_Dei　gratia；_　will；　as　the　good　bishop　sings；

〃Teach　them　to　live　that　they　may　dread　The　grave　as　little　as　their
bed。〃

It　cannot　make　them　sad；　for；　ere　it　comes　loved　souls　will　have　gone
from　earth　and　from　their　tender　bosom；　but　not　from　their　memories；　and
will　seem　to　beckon　them　now　across　the　cold　valley　to　the　golden　land。

It　cannot　make　them　sad；　for　on　earth　the　happiest　must　drink　a　sorrowful
cup　more　than　once　in　a　long　life；　and　so　their　brightest　hopes　will　have
come　to　dwell　habitually　on　things　beyond　the　grave；　and　the　great
painter；　_jam　Senex；_　will　chiefly　meditate　upon　a　richer　landscape　and
brighter　figures　than　human　hand　has　ever　painted；　a　scene　whose　glories
he　can　see　from　hence　but　by　glimpses　and　through　a　glass　darkly；　the
great　meadows　on　the　other　side　of　Jordan；　which　are　bright　with　the
spirits　of　the　just　that　walk　there；　and　are　warmed　with　an　eternal　sun；
and　ring　with　the　triumph　of　the　humble　and　the　true；　and　the　praises　of
God　forever。







End