CHAPTER X.
After tea Mr. Richmond led the way back to his study. The first thinghe did there was to make the fire blaze up merrily; and then, just asDavid was thinking how to take leave, the blue eyes came full roundupon him, with a look as bright as the fire shine.
"And so," he said, "you are seeking after your Messiah?"
David seemed tongue-tied; he said nothing; he bowed slightly.
"How far have you got?"
"Far enough to be confused, sir."
"Ay? How is that?"
"I feel myself too ignorant yet to be able to judge. Our wise men aresaying--I heard them saying--that if Messiah come not soon, he must_have_ come." David's colour changed even as he spoke.
"Do you know anything of the New Testament, the record of the life andteaching, and death and resurrection, of Jesus?"
"Very little," David answered. "Matilda has shewn me passages in thosewritings--which have struck me very much," he added, as if withdifficulty.
"I should think they would. Well, when a thing is to be done, the bestway is to do it. Suppose you take the book in your hands now, and letme direct your attention to one or two things more."
David was very ready. He took the book Mr. Richmond placed in his handsand drew near to the table, while Matilda on her part seized anotherBible and did likewise. Mr. Richmond had been lighting the lamp. Beforehe had finished his preparations, David began.
"But that story of the resurrection is a very unlikely one."
"Do you think so? The same might be said of the crossing of the Red Seaby your fathers."
"That is well enough attested by witnesses," said David, proudlyraising his head.
"So is this. If a thing can be made sure by the testimony of crediblewitnesses, this has been; witnesses who were ready to go to the deathin support of their words, and who did so die, many of them."
"But," said David, "our Messiah was to be the King of our people; andyour Christ belongs to the Gentiles."
"Thank God he does!" said Mr. Richmond smiling. "But now let us see ifyou are correct in that first statement."
"He was to be a King on David's throne," interrupted the boy.
"He is. Wait. Do you remember, in the promise to Abraham it was saidthat all the families of the earth should be blessed in him?"
"Yes."
"And Isaiah declares, 'In that day there shall be a root of Jesse,which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it _shall theGentiles seek_.'"
"Yes, but they will come to Messiah; not the Messiah go to them," saidDavid, lifting his head with the same air again.
Mr. Richmond answered in words of Isaiah. "'Behold my servant, whom Iuphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my Spiritupon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.' And again inthe forty-ninth chapter--and Master Bartholomew, you know that thesewords were spoken of Messiah--'And now, saith the Lord that formed mefrom the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him. ThoughIsrael be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of theLord, and my God shall be my strength. And he said, It is a light thingthat thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, andto restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a lightto the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of theearth.'"
Matilda looked eagerly at David as these words were finished; the boy'sface was troubled and dark. He made no answer.
"Now let us see how those words were to be fulfilled," Mr. Richmondwent on. "It is a hard reading for you; but we are seeking the truth,and you are seeking it. The apostle John, one of the servants andwitnesses of Christ, says, 'He came unto his own, and his own receivedhim not.'"
David looked up with a white face. "If that is true"--he said. "I justwant to know whether that is true!"
"You know Isaiah said it would be true. 'Who has believed our report?''He is despised and rejected of men;... we hid as it were our facesfrom him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.'"
"Some of the rabbis held that there were two Messiahs," David said.
"Because they knew not how to understand of one the various seeminglycontradictory things, which were and are all fulfilled in Jesus."
"Of _Nazareth_," said David.
"Yes, he lived there; but he was born in the city of David. Come, youdo not know him, and it is needful you should. Let us read this firstchapter of John all through."
They read slowly, with many interruptions. David had explanations toask, and then there were prophecies to consult. The boy's eagerness andexcitement infected his companions; the reading began to take on a sortof life and death interest, though Mr. Richmond kept it calm, with somedifficulty.
His next proposition was, that they should go through the life ofChrist regularly; and they began with the first chapters of Luke.Nothing that Matilda had ever known in her life was like the interestof that reading. David was startled, curious, excited, as if he werebeginning to find the clue to a mystery; though he did not admit that.On the contrary, he studied every step, would understand everyallusion, and verify every reference to the Old Testament scriptures.The boy's cheeks were flushed now, like one in a fever. The hours flew.
"My boy," said Mr. Richmond, laying his hand on David's open book, "wecannot finish what we want to do this evening."
David looked up, pushed his hair off his face, and recollected himself.
"I beg your pardon, sir," he said. "I have taken up a great deal ofyour time."
"You shall have a great deal more," said Mr. Richmond smiling; "but wehad better sleep upon it first. And pray," he added soberly. "Pray,that if this Jesus is indeed He whom you seek, you may know him."
David bowed silently, feeling too much apparently to say anything.When, however, he would have taken leave, Mr. Richmond detained him andwould not hear of it. Norton, he said, would not miss him; he would begone to bed by this time, tired of waiting; and they would send andinvite him to breakfast. To Matilda's surprise, and as well to her hugedelight, she saw that David was won by the influence that had long beenso potent with her, and made no very great opposition. Miss Redwood wascalled in to prayers, and after that the little family separated forthe night.
Matilda thought she surely would not go to sleep soon; but she did,nearly as her face touched the pillow. So it was not till she awoke inthe morning that she could think over her happiness. It was early yet;the sunbeams striking the old cream coloured tower of the church andglittering on the pine leaves here and there. How delicious it was! Thespring light on the old things that she loved, and the peacefulShadywalk stillness after New York's bustle and roar. And DavidBartholomew in Mr. Richmond's house! and Norton coming to breakfast!With that, Matilda jumped up. Perhaps she might help Miss Redwood; atany rate she could see her.
Miss Redwood was in full blast of business by the time Matilda's littlefigure appeared at the kitchen door.
"Don't say you're up, and down!" said the housekeeper.
"Yes, Miss Redwood; I thought perhaps I could help you."
"Do you wear dresses like that into the kitchen?" the housekeeperasked, with a sidelong glance at the beautiful merino Matilda had on.
"I don't go into the kitchen now-a-days."
"Thought not. Nor you don't never put on a frock fit to makegingerbread in, now do you?"
"I don't think I do."
"Well, what are your gowns good for, then?"
"Good for?" said Matilda; "why, they are good for other things, MissRedwood."
"I don't think a gown is worth much that is too good to work in; it isjust a bag to pack so many hours of your life in, and lose 'em."
"Lose them how?"
"By not doin' anythin', child! What's life if it ain't busy?"
"But don't you have company dresses, Miss Redwood?"
"I don't let company hinder _my_ work much," said Miss Redwood, as sheshoved a pan of biscuits into the oven of the stove. "What do you think'ud become of the minister?"
"O yes!" said Matilda laughing; "b
ut then, you see, I haven't got anyminister to take care of."
"Maybe you will, some day," said Miss Redwood with a kind of grimsmile; "and if you don't know how, what'll become of you? or of himeither?"
It seemed a very funny and very unlikely supposition to Matilda. "Idon't think I shall ever have anybody to take care of but mamma andNorton," she said smiling.
"I s'pose they've money enough to make it easy," said Miss Redwood."But somehow--that don't seem to me livin'."
"What, Miss Redwood?"
"That sort o' way o' goin' on;--havin' money do all for you and you donothin'. Havin' it do all for your friends too. _I_ don't think life'slife, without you have somebody to work for; somebody that wants youand that can't get along without you."
"O _they_ want me," said Matilda.
"Maybe; but that ain't what I mean. 'Tain't dependin' on you for theirbreakfast in the morning and their tea at night, and their comfort allday. You have folks to do that. Now I wouldn't give much for life, if Icouldn't make nice light biscuits for somebody and see that theircoffee was right and the beefsteak just as it had oughter be, and allthat. I used to have some one to do it for," said Miss Redwood, withsomething of pathetic intonation in her voice;--"and now," she addedcheerily, "it's a blessin' to do it for the minister."
"I should think it was," said Matilda.
"There is another friend one may always work for,"--said the voice ofthe person they were speaking of. Both his hearers started. The door ofthe dining-room was a little ajar and he had quietly pushed it open andcome in. "Miss Redwood, how about breakfast? I have a sudden summons togo to Suffield."
"Again!" said the housekeeper. "Well, Mr. Richmond--in two minutes. La,it's never safe to speak of you; you're sure to know it."
"I didn't hear anything very bad," said the minister smiling.
Norton had come to breakfast. David made his appearance looking paleand heavy-eyed, as if he had sat up half the night. Mr. Richmond lookedat him attentively but made no remark; only to both the boys he wasexceedingly kind and gracious; engaging them in talk that could notfail to interest them; so that it was a gay breakfast. David was notgay, indeed; that was rarely a characteristic of his; but he wasgentle, and gentlemanly, and very attentive to his host. After prayersMr. Richmond went out into the hall and came back in his overcoat.
"My boy," he said, laying his hand affectionately on David's shoulder,"I should like to sit down with you and go on with our reading; I meantto give the first of the morning to it; but I have a call of duty thattakes me away. I shall see you at dinner or this evening; meanwhile,this is your home. Take care of him, Matilda."
So Mr. Richmond went away. Norton had received, and refused, a similarinvitation. David did not refuse it.
"No," said Norton, "I must be nearer those flower-beds. Come along,Pink; we'll go and make our calculations. Davy, you'll come and seeBriery Bank? it's jolly, this morning; and this afternoon we'll go takea drive."
"I should like to do a great many things," said Matilda; "only there'llnever be time for them all. However, we'll go first and see about thetulips and hyacinths."
David went with them so far and looked at the place; but after that hedisappeared. Matilda and Norton had a delightful day, overseeing thegarden work and arranging for more garden work to be done; thenlunching together at the hotel, for so he persuaded her, and going onwith their operations afterwards. At tea time Matilda went back to theparsonage alone; Norton said he was tired and sleepy and did not wantto hear reading, but he would come to breakfast again.
David was not pale but flushed now, with excited eyes. All Mr.Richmond's talk and manner at table were kindly and soothing aspossible; and Matilda could see that he liked David and that Davidliked him; but the look of the latter puzzled her. It came fromdisturbance so much deeper than her little head had ever known.Immediately after tea the study lamp was lit and the books were opened.
"What have you read to-day, Master Bartholomew?" Mr. Richmond asked.
"Just those two chapters," said the boy.
"Of Luke?"
"Yes, sir. Mr. Richmond, those people, Zechariah and Simeon and therest, they were Jews?"
"Yes."
"And they kept the law of Moses?"
"Faithfully."
"And--they thought that Jesus was the Promised One?"
"They did not _think_--they knew, by the teaching of the Spirit of God."
"But," said David, "the writer of this did not wish to discredit thelaw of Moses?"
"Not at all. Let us go on with our his story."
The reading began again and went on steadily for some hours. As before,David wanted to verify everything by references to the prophets. Hisvoice trembled sometimes; but he kept as close to business as possible.The first chapters of Matthew excited him very much, with theirdeclarations of things done "that the scriptures might be fulfilled;"and the sermon on the mount seemed to stagger the boy. He was silent awhile when it had come to his turn to read; and at last looking up, hesaid,
"If people took _this_ for a rule of life, everything in the worldwould have to be turned round?"
"Precisely," said Mr. Richmond. "And so the word says--'If any man bein Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold,all things are become new.'"
"Do you think anybody really lives like this?"
"O yes," said Mr. Richmond.
"I never saw anybody who did," said David; "nor anything likeit;--unless," he added looking up, "it is Matilda there."
Matilda started and flushed. Mr. Richmond's eyes fell on her with avery moved pleasure in them. Neither spoke, and David went on with thereading. He was greatly struck again, in another way, with thequotation from Isaiah in the thirteenth chapter, and its application;indeed with the whole chapter. But when they came to the talk with thewoman of Samaria, David stopped short.
"'I that speak unto thee _am he_.' Then he said himself that he wasMessiah?"
"To this woman, to his twelve disciples, and to two or three more."
"Why not to the whole people?"
"Is it likely they would have believed him?"
David pondered.
"They asked him once the direct question--'How long dost thou make usto doubt? If thou be Messiah, tell us plainly.'"
"What did he say?"
"He said, 'I told you, and ye believed not; the works that I do in myFather's name, they bear witness of me.'"
"Then _they_ thought perhaps he was Messiah."
"The people on one or two occasions were so persuaded of it that theywanted to take him by force and make him king."
"And he refused?"
"He refused. You know, he came 'to give his life a ransom for many;'not to enjoy worldly honour."
"But how then should he save Israel from all their enemies?"
"Who are Israel's enemies? 'He shall redeem Israel from all his_iniquities;_' and when once they turn to the Lord, there will be noother enemies that can work them harm. You know it was always so."
David sighed and the reading went on. But again he started at thefourth chapter of Luke and the words read by the Lord from Isaiah andhis appropriation of them. David stopped.
"Here it is again," he said. "'This day is this scripture fulfilled--'That is plain."
"Nothing could be plainer. But they would not see it."
David paused still, and then said with some difficulty, "I want to knowthe truth. Because--if he _is_ Messiah,--he is my King!" And a darkgleam, partly of pain, partly of incipient loyalty, crossed his face.Mr. Richmond's eyes flashed.
"Come on," he said; "let us see whether he is Messiah."
The parables indicating the taking away of their privileges from theJews and giving them to the Gentiles, were hard reading. David stoppedto understand them, and looked very black. When they came to thediscourses of Christ with the Jews, David's excitement grew very great,though he controlled himself. And just there came a summons to Mr.Richmond which it was impossible to pass by. He was forced to go, andl
eft the two younger ones at the table. For a few minutes they weresilent; and then David rose up, pale with intense feeling, and took hisbook. Matilda looked at him inquiringly.
"I must find it out by myself," he said; and walked to the door.
"David!" cried Matilda, "shall I call you when dinner is ready?"
"No, don't. I don't want dinner. And I can't go with you to look upNorton. Can you do without me?"
Matilda assured him of that, feeling quite at home in Shadywalk. And asit was about eleven o' clock, she thought to look up Norton would bethe best thing she could do.
So she went down the old village street, where every step was full ofmemories, feeling very glad to see it again. She would have liked tostop and visit several people; but she knew Norton would be impatientfor her; and so he was. He was overseeing the uncovering of his bulbsto-day.
"Twelve o' clock, Pink; twelve o' clock! and this is the first I haveseen of you since breakfast. What have you been doing?"
"We've been busy, Norton."
"Where's Davy?"
"At the parsonage. He's busy."
"Look at those hyacinths,--up already, all of an inch above ground.It's well I came to see after them."
"What makes them so yellow, Norton, instead of green?"
"Why because they've been covered up and shaded from the sun. A littlelonger, and they would have been spoiled."
"How beautiful it would be, Norton, if we had our two new beds planted!all full of roses and hyacinths."
"Ah, wouldn't it!" repeated Norton. "You see, we were a bit too lateabout it last fall; or, I'll tell you! it was that sickness kept usaway. We'll have 'em next year. What _have_ you and David been doingyonder?"
"Reading"--said Matilda doubtfully.
"Reading what?"
"Mr. Richmond and David were reading together."
"That's jolly!" said Norton. "David and the parson! What's come overBartholomew? Where's he going to get dinner?"
"He didn't come with me, and I don't think he was coming."
"Let him stay and read, then," said Norton. "If he can afford it, wecan. Pink, we'll go and get something presently--as soon as I see allthis mulching off."
They managed to employ themselves all the rest of the day; dining atthe hotel, overseeing work in the grounds of Briery Bank, roaming aboutthe place and enjoying its spring sweetness; talking over what theythought ought to be done; and making a very nice holiday of itgenerally. Towards evening Norton was persuaded to return with Matildato the parsonage; perhaps urged by a little curiosity of his own. Davidhad not been seen, Miss Redwood reported.
Neither did he come when tea-time came; and when sought in his room itwas discovered that he was not there. Matilda was very much exercisedon this subject; but Mr. Richmond took it quietly. Norton declared itwas just like David Bartholomew.
"I don't think it it, Norton," said Matilda; "for he is always polite."
"Except this time," said Norton.
"We'll not except this time, if you please," said Mr. Richmondpleasantly. "Things are different from their seeming, oftentimes."
It was Saturday evening, and the minister was busy in his study. Thetwo children kept Miss Redwood company in the dining room. It was agreat falling off from last evening, Matilda thought; nevertheless shehad a very entertaining talk with Miss Redwood about people and thingsin Shadywalk; and Norton listened, half amused and half sleepy. Mrs.Candy had been absent from Shadywalk near all winter; in New York.
"In New York!" exclaimed Matilda. "And I never saw her or Clarissa!"
"She didn't come to see you then," said Miss Redwood. "I guess she wasskeered o' something. But la! New York must be a queer place."
"Why now?" Norton asked.
"Seems as if folks couldn't be runnin' round in it all winter long andmanage to keep out o' sight."
"That's its peculiarity," said Norton.
"I s'pect a great deal could happen there, and the world not know," thehousekeeper went on.
"Much more than what it does know," said Norton.
"I allays think sich must be poor kind o' places. Corners that theworld can't see into ain't healthy. Now I like a place like Shadywalk,that you know all through; and if there's something wrong, why it has achance to get mended. There's wrong enough here, no doubt; but most ofit'll bear the light of day. And most of us are pretty good sort o'folks."
"Now that Mrs. Candy is out of town," Norton remarked.
Matilda had a great deal to hear about Sunday school people, and herfriends in Lilac Lane. For Lilac Lane was there yet, Miss Redwoodobserved. Through it all, Matilda watched for David's coming in. Butthe evening ended and he came not.
It hurt a little the joy of her Sunday waking up, which else would havebeen most joyous. Norton was in the house this time; he had consentedto be at the parsonage for the Sunday. Monday morning they were all togo home by the earliest train. So there was no drawback to Matilda'sjoy except this one. It was delightful to hear the old bell once more;delightful to see the spring light streaming between the pines andlighting the ugly old church tower; pleasanter than any other beautifulone to Matilda's eyes. With all the coming delights of the day crowdingupon her mind, she rose and dressed, hoping that David would come tobreakfast.
But he did not.
The sweet Sabbath day moved on slowly, with its services in the oldchurch and its pleasant talk and society in the house; the Sundayschool hours; the meeting old friends and acquaintances; but dinner andSunday school were over, and nothing was heard of David Bartholomew.
"What has become of him?" said Mr. Richmond, as he and Matilda came inafter Sunday school.
"What _can_ have become of him, Mr. Richmond?" said Matilda.
"Nothing very bad," said Mr. Richmond, smiling at her distressed face."Suppose we go and look him up?"
"Where would you go, Mr. Richmond? he has not been _here_ sinceyesterday morning."
"I think I should try the hotel."
"Do you think he is there!--Shall we go?"
"I think we will," said Mr. Richmond; and hand in hand he and Matildawent down the street, to the corner. Just opposite, a little below, wasthe Shadywalk house of public entertainment.
Nobody knew David Bartholomew there by name. But in answer to Mr.Richmond's enquiries and description of him, the barkeeper stated thatsuch a young gentleman had certainly come there the day before and wasin Room No. 45. He had scarcely been seen since he entered the house,the man said; had refused almost everything that was offered him; butanyhow, he was there.
Where was Room No. 45? A man was sent to direct them to it; and Mr.Richmond and Matilda went up the stairs and along a gallery. No. 45 wasat the end of the gallery.
"I will wait here for you, Matilda," Mr. Richmond said. "I think youhad better go alone to see him--at first."